 |
The Retirement Fiduciary PodcastLanguage: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
Travel Rewards 101: How to Turn Everyday Spending Into Luxury Vacations (Without Overspending)
Episode 158
Thursday, 11 December, 2025
Most people think travel rewards are confusing, time-consuming, or only useful for frequent fliers. But in reality, when you understand how to earn and redeem points strategically, you can turn your normal everyday spending into deeply discounted travel — even at luxury hotels charging $1,500+ a night. In this episode, Adam sits down with Colin Stroud, founder of Go Somewhere, who has built one of the fastest-growing travel-rewards education platforms on LinkedIn. Colin breaks down how retirees, families, and business owners can use points more intentionally, avoid common mistakes, and unlock outsized value — whether you're looking for a simple getaway or a bucket-list luxury vacation. Episode Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & topic overview 03:00 – Colin's story: From insurance job to building a travel-rewards business 06:00 – Why flexible points (Chase, Amex, Capital One) beat airline & hotel cards 09:00 – The two ways to "win" with points: Earning and redeeming 12:00 – How transfer partners unlock 4–5x more value 15:00 – The $1,500/night Hyatt example that cost only 30k points 17:00 – Biggest mistakes people make with points (and how to avoid them) 20:00 – How retirees on fixed incomes can stretch travel budgets significantly 23:00 – Everyday vs. luxury redemptions: where the real arbitrage is 25:00 – Choosing the right travel card for your specific lifestyle 28:00 – Blackout dates, devaluations & why hoarding points is a bad idea 29:00 – Tools & apps to simplify points: Daily Drop, Point.me, and more 31:00 – Two of Colin's favorite success stories (including a family of 10 flying lie-flat!) 34:00 – Colin's #1 "if you do nothing else" strategy for absolute beginners 36:00 – Closing thoughts & where to learn more Key Takeaways: 💡 Most people earn points efficiently — but redeem them poorly. The real value is in maximizing redemptions.💡 Flexible point currencies (Chase UR, Amex MR, Capital One Miles) are far more powerful than branded hotel/airline cards.💡 Hyatt redemptions often deliver the best dollar-for-point value in the entire travel ecosystem.💡 Even retirees with modest monthly spending can cover one high-value vacation per year using the right strategy.💡 Never hoard points — programs devalue constantly. Earn, then use. Key Quotes: 🗣 "There's two ways to win with points: earning and redeeming. Most people only focus on the earning part." 🗣 "Flexible points open an entire world of options — you're no longer stuck with one airline or hotel program." 🗣 "Even retirees spending six thousand a month can get thousands of dollars in annual travel value." 🗣 "If you only do one thing: earn Chase points and use them for Hyatt. It's the easiest high-value strategy out there." Connect With the Guest – Colin Stroud Website: https://www.gosomewhere.world Email: colin@gosomewhere.world LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gosomewhere/ Free Guide: How to Get 2–10x More Value From Your Pointshttps://gosomewhere.myflodesk.com/guide Follow and Connect with Libertas Wealth Management: Facebook: https://facebook.com/libertaswealth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/libertas.wealth Threads: https://www.threads.com/@libertas.wealth LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/libertas-wealth Twitter: https://x.com/LibertasWM TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@libertaswealthmanagement YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@libertaswealth Email: info@libertaswealth.com Website: www.libertaswealth.com Phone: 614-543-1350 Connect with Adam Koós: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamkoos
