144. Inside Rove: The Loyalty Program Reshaping Points & Miles
There's a new player in the rewards space, and it's changing what's possible for earning points even if you never open another credit card. In this episode, I'm joined by Carissa Rawson, Director of Travel and Marketing for Rove, a fast-growing loyalty platform that combines a travel booking portal with an online shopping portal so you can earn transferable miles on hotel stays, flights, and everyday purchases. Whether you're new to points or you've been in the hobby for years, Rove offers earning opportunities that can work for everyone. Carissa and I talk about how the platform works, how you can use the miles you earn, and why Rove can stack with the cards and programs you already use. We also get into some of the most eye-catching multipliers currently available—like hotel bookings offering 25x, 40x, or even 55x miles. You'll hear how loyalty-eligible hotel rates work, how Rove handles posting timelines for both travel and shopping, and what to expect from their customer support. We also cover Rove's transfer partners, including newly added and exclusive options, and how members can redeem miles for flights or hotels. Tune in to hear the most common mistakes new users make, upcoming features on the horizon, and special bonuses available for listeners. ***** Special bonus for PMTFC podcast listeners! New to Rove? Sign up now and receive 1,500 Rove miles automatically at www.rovemiles.com/pmtfc ***** Turn your expenses into points and save tens of thousands of dollars a year on your wishlist travel. Don't miss out! Click here to know more about my comprehensive online program, Points Made Easy. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/rove-loyalty-platform/ Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAPfb3wIaphMn_NoQzm_fljydsivTELQwh7pYoxrI2uTFoKQ/viewform?usp=header Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
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143. Your Holiday Points Prep Checklist: 5 Steps to Maximize Seasonal Spending
This week marks the biggest points-earning opportunity of the entire year—especially if you're planning to shop online. While everyone else is focused on Thanksgiving prep, points and miles travelers know this is the week to turn everyday purchases into tens of thousands (or more) of bonus points. In this short and focused episode, I'm sharing my 5-step points-earning prep checklist for holiday spend—the exact steps I complete before, during, and after the holiday shopping surge to stay organized, stay strategic, and maximize every earning opportunity. We'll cover how to identify what to purchase ahead of time, how to choose which rewards cards to use based on your earning goals or spend-related bonuses, how to set up the shopping portals and tools that streamline your holiday purchases, and the simple steps that help ensure your bonus points track correctly. This checklist walks you through what to do before, during, and after your holiday shopping so you can maximize the points you earn while keeping the process as stress-free as possible. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/holiday-points-earning-checklist/ Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of! Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
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142. How Points Become a Tool for Freedom, Joy & the Life You Want to Live with Dielle Charon
Travel is never just about the destination — it's about what the journey makes possible. In today's episode, we explore how learning to earn and use credit card points isn't just a smart financial decision. It's a pathway to freedom, abundance, and experiences that reflect the life you actually want to live. From upgraded flights to dream hotels, points can turn everyday expenses into extraordinary opportunities. No one embodies that transformation quite like Dielle Charon. A former social worker turned seven-figure business coach for women of color entrepreneurs, Dielle has used points not only to change the way she travels, but to expand what she believes she deserves. In this conversation, we explore Dielle's shift from a scarcity mindset around money and travel to one grounded in abundance. We talk about the emotional impact of flying business class for the first time, how points became a tool for self-care, celebration, and access, and why choosing ease and luxury can be deeply supportive — not frivolous. Whether you run a business or simply want to travel with more intention and possibility, this episode offers a powerful look at what becomes available when you allow points to elevate more than just your travel plans. This conversation is rich with honesty, strategy, and inspiration — and it's about so much more than travel. It's about possibility, mindset, and unapologetically claiming ease, luxury, and joy. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/points-abundance-mindset/ Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of! Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
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141. Listener Q&A: Canceling Cards, Transfer Partner Confusion & Shopping Portals vs. Welcome Bonuses
This episode is all about your questions—and real answers. I'm back with another listener Q&A, tackling the points and miles decisions you're actually making right now. From whether it's possible to move points between airline partners to deciding if that old United card still deserves a spot in your wallet, we're covering it all. We'll walk through when to hold or cancel airline cards, how to decide between co-branded and transferable points programs based on your travel goals, and how to decide which airline booking program is best when you have multiple options to book award flights.. You'll also hear my take on shopping portals, welcome bonuses, and the Mesa card. This episode is packed with strategy, frameworks, and real-world examples to help you make confident decisions and earn more value from every point. Turn your everyday expenses into travel—and learn how to build a points strategy that actually works for you. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/maximize-points-and-miles-travel-strategy/ Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of! Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here
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140. Points Path: The Tool That Shows You the Best Value for Every Flight
Ever look at Google Flights and wonder, "Should I use points for this or just pay cash?" If you've ever felt unsure about which option gives you the best value, this episode is for you. In the final episode of our Streamline, Stack, and Save mini-series, I'm joined by Julian Kheel, former editorial director at The Points Guy and senior editor at CNN, now founder of Points Path — a browser extension that works seamlessly within your browser when you're searching flights to show you whether points or cash is the better deal. Points Path takes the guesswork out of booking. It helps you instantly compare cash fares and award redemptions on Google Flights, showing you where the real value lies so you can make the best booking decision every time. We talk trends in the award travel landscape, how Points Path focuses on simplicity to take the guesswork out of choosing flights, and why this tool deserves a place in your browser. Whether you're a casual traveler or a seasoned award booker, you'll also hear how its alert feature can track award prices and let you know when they drop — so you don't have to keep checking. Julian shares how Points Path was designed to focus on simplicity, taking the guesswork out of choosing flights so you always know the best option. With more than 10 years of experience working with some of the most trusted names in the award travel space, Julian brings both insight and innovation to how we think about booking smarter. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/plan-award-flights-faster-with-points-path/ Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey here and share what you love and want more of! Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
Point Me to First Class is a show for employed professionals, solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, and business owners with higher-than-average personal and/or business expenses who want to learn to leverage them into credit card points to spend on travel. Your expenses are your greatest untapped asset - but learning how to use them to travel the world doesn't have to be confusing or complicated.
Each week, Devon Gimbel shares valuable tips, tools, and strategies to help you uplevel your skills earning and redeeming credit card points and shows you how to spend them on incredible travel experiences.
Interested in learning more about working with Devon? Visit www.pointmetofirstclass.com to learn more.
This podcast is for you if you find yourself asking questions like:
How do I earn credit card points and use them for travel?
How can I make my expenses benefit me?
How can I earn as many credit card points for as little spending as possible?
How to maximize value from credit card points.
How to earn credit card points for travel.
Turn credit card points into travel.
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