I've had a CLEAR membership for almost two years now, and overall, I think it's been worth it. The biggest advantage for me is when I'm running late to the airport. If the security lines are backed up, CLEAR has saved me more than once by getting me through the identity check much faster. That extra time can make all the difference when you're cutting it close. That said, it's definitely not perfect. CLEAR isn't available at every airport, and even when it is, it may only be offered in certain terminals. The cost can also be hard to justify if you only travel occasionally. I usually take a few trips a year—not every month—and I still find enough value in it to keep my membership. One perk I recently took advantage of was enrolling in TSA PreCheck through CLEAR. Since I already had a CLEAR membership, the enrollment process was quick and convenient compared to the traditional route. I also know some premium credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, will reimburse the cost of a CLEAR membership, which can make the value proposition even better if you already carry one of those cards. Now I'm curious... - Do you have CLEAR? - Has it saved you time, or has it disappointed you? - Do you think it's worth the price, or is it overrated? - If you had to choose just one, would you pick CLEAR or TSA PreCheck? - I'd love to hear everyone's real-world experiences!

I have tried to exclusively purchase gas for my family's vehicles at Shell. I do this because I like to know how much I spend on gas each month and annually. As long as I can remember, I have distributed Shell cards to my family members. Recently, Shell moved me from one card to another without my having any say in the matter. They moved me to a Shell Imprint card, and I just noticed that I am earning back 4% on all my Shell purchases! In my first month. I have earned back over $34, not bad! I also earn $0.10 off every gallon because I grocery shop at Mariano's (Kroger's) I still need to figure out the redemption, but hey this is not bad!

I was unfortunately in a car accident over the weekend. Fortunately for me, I was not hurt just my car got some pretty good damage and it's going to need to go into a body shop. Because I have a Tesla, I'm going to try to get it into a Tesla approved body shop... and lord knows they can be back logged. Well... my mind goes directly to ... how can I earn points from this unfortunate event?? So the wheels in my head are already turning thinking MAYBE I could book my own car rental on my Chase Sapphire Reserve card since it has car rental protection. This way I could earn 8x points per dollar through the car rental agency on Chase Travel. Then I could just have the insurance company cut me a check. Now - I'm not saying this is going to go down but at least it is worth a TRY!

✈️ Travel Hack: Stop Searching Airline Websites First—Use Google Flights Instead If you're still opening individual airline websites every time you want to book a trip, you're making the search process much harder than it needs to be. One of the first places I always start is Google Flights. It lets you compare fares across many airlines in seconds, see how prices change by day, and quickly figure out whether you're getting a good deal. Here are a few of my favorite tips: ✅ Use the Calendar View Instead of locking yourself into one departure date, click the calendar. Sometimes flying a day earlier or later can save you hundreds of dollars. ✅ Check the Price Graph Google Flights shows pricing trends over time so you can easily spot the cheapest travel dates. ✅ Set Price Alerts Not ready to book? Turn on price tracking and let Google notify you if fares go up or down. ✅ Explore Destinations Don't have a destination in mind? Use the Explore feature to see where you can fly within your budget. It's a great way to find inspiration for your next trip. 📅 When should you book? While there's no magic day of the week to buy flights, research consistently shows that booking 1–3 months in advance is often a sweet spot for domestic travel, while 2–8 months ahead tends to work well for international trips. If you're traveling during holidays, spring break, or peak summer dates, it's usually worth starting your search even earlier. One thing I don't recommend is waiting until the last minute hoping prices will drop. For leisure travel, last-minute fares are often some of the most expensive. 💡 Bonus Tip Before you book, check whether paying with airline miles or transferable credit card points gives you a better value than paying cash. Sometimes a flight that's expensive in dollars can be an excellent points redemption. Do you use Google Flights when planning a trip, or do you have another favorite flight search tool? Share it in the comments!

Whenever timeshares come up, there are usually plenty of people ready to jump into the conversation and say, “Timeshares are a scam!” And while I somewhat understand that perspective, I think one of the biggest problems is that many people enter into a timeshare transaction without fully understanding what they are buying, how the system works, or what their long-term costs will actually be. That knowledge gap can lead people to spend far more than necessary or buy something that doesn’t fit the way they travel. However, when you understand how to use them strategically, timeshares can potentially help lower your long-term travel costs—especially if you frequently travel with your family, a group of people, or even solo. I personally own three timeshares, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. Some lessons were definitely learned through experience! 😅 My favorite ownership is Hilton Grand Vacations. One thing many people don’t realize is that you can often purchase timeshares on the resale market for a fraction of what you may be offered during a timeshare presentation. For example, a salesperson might present an ownership package for $50,000—but depending on the property, points, annual fees, and contract details, you may be able to find a comparable resale ownership for just a few thousand dollars or even less. The key is knowing exactly what you’re looking for, understanding the ongoing maintenance fees, and learning how to maximize the ownership before you buy. Timeshares aren’t necessarily the right fit for everyone, but I also don’t think they are automatically a bad deal. A lot depends on what you pay, what you own, and whether you actually use it. Now I’m curious: 🏝️ Do you own a timeshare? ✈️ Do you actually use it? 💰 Do you feel like it has saved you money—or do you regret buying it? Share your experience in the comments! 👇