How I travel with my wife for lower than a date night

Traditional dating often involves dinner, drinks, and a movie, which may easily cost $100 or more for even probably the most frugal amongst us. While there are some great restaurants and interesting movies, these options pale as compared to the adventures available while traveling. When my wife and I began dating greater than 10 years ago, we each had the travel bug and were on the lookout for a travel companion. Instead of spending the evening in a dark theater, we focused on creating lifelong memories with airline miles and hotel points. So I travel with my wife for less money than a date night would cost.

Six strategies that allow me to travel lower than one date night with my wife

Here are some ways I travel with my wife and lower your expenses on flights, hotels, rental cars and food. By using these strategies, I’m in a position to keep my deductible to lower than $100 on many trips.

Southwest Companion Pass

I actually have earned the Southwest Companion Pass yearly since 2007. My wife (and youngsters) and I actually have traveled on countless flights and saved tens of hundreds of dollars over time. With the Southwest Companion Pass, your designated companion can fly without spending a dime to any destination Southwest flies to. All you’ve gotten to do is pay the taxes and charges related to the ticket (typically $5.60 a method on domestic flights throughout the US). The better part is that you may use it a limiteless variety of times and alter your companion as much as 3 times per yr, and it really works with each money and award flights. All three Southwest Airlines bank cards can provide you with a head start on getting a companion pass. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is our pick for the perfect of all the pieces.

Eating in airport lounges

Many of my bank cards include free airport lounge access. Airport lounges not only offer extra space, comfortable seating and faster WiFi, but in addition they generally offer free drinks and food. The dining experience varies significantly between lounges. In easy lounges you get a number of cheese, some nuts and a few varieties of chips. In other lounges, chances are you’ll discover a full buffet, grab-and-go meals, or sit-down seating. When it involves drinks, chances are you’ll be limited to domestic beer, house wine, and spirits, while higher-end lounges may offer premium spirits and craft beers. No matter what situation we face, we refill on what’s available and save our money for unique activities and dining experiences at our destination.

Rental automotive insurance

We normally try to not rent a automotive throughout the trip and use public transport as an alternative. Using public transportation saves you money in comparison with renting a automotive and parking fees. We also feel more connected to the cities we travel to, giving us the chance to talk with locals and ask them for restaurant and activity recommendations that only they learn about. In cases where we’d like to rent a automotive, we use a travel bank card that features primary insurance for the rental automotive. This advantage ensures peace of mind in case something happens to the automotive and allows us to refuse the insurance that the rental automotive corporations implement before taking delivery of the automotive.

For award reservations, the fourth or fifth night is free

IHG, Marriott and Hilton offer a novel profit to eligible travelers: You can get a free night whenever you redeem points. This increases the worth of your points and provides you an additional day at your destination.

• Hilton Honors. With Hilton Honors Silver status or higher, you get the fifth night free on award reservations. Qualify for Silver status and above based in your Hilton Honors activity or ownership of one among the Hilton Amex cards.
• IHG One Rewards. All IHG bank cards include the fourth night free profit when redeeming points. For all award reservations, every fourth night is free and this profit might be used a limiteless variety of times.
• Marriott Bonvoy. The free fifth night profit is offered to all Marriott Bonvoy members. The free night is the most cost effective night during your stay. For example, when you redeem 15 nights you’ll receive three free nights, i.e. the most cost effective rooms for your complete stay.

Hotels that include free meals

When choosing our hotels, we typically concentrate on brands that include free breakfast and evening drinks or have an in-room kitchen. While a part of the travel experience involves sampling the local cuisine, we generally start our day with a complimentary breakfast at our hotel before embarking on our every day adventures. Additionally, some brands (like Residence Inn, Embassy Suites, and Kimpton) offer free drinks for guests within the evening. Sometimes there’s also finger food and snacks to nibble on.

Some hotels even have kitchens, which may keep costs down even when you’re only buying groceries for a number of meals during your trip. Our goal is to lower your expenses on groceries in every way possible so we are able to stay up for amazing dining experiences that we’ll always remember.

Why it’s best to travel before you get married… and proceed to travel after you are married

In addition to all the good adventures that travel brings, vacations can even bring unexpected surprises. If you are dating someone for the primary time, seeing how they react when plans go improper can allow you to understand who they are surely. You’ll also learn whether the person is a morning person or an evening owl, how messy or tidy they’re, and all varieties of other necessary information you will need when assessing whether or not they’re suitable for marriage.

When things are going well, you will also bond together with your partner through shared experiences which can be way more meaningful than the most recent blockbuster movie or restaurant. Imagine waking up early to catch the sunrise over a volcano in Hawaii, hugging a wombat in Australia, wiggling your toes within the sand on a Caribbean beach, or climbing the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I redeemed airline miles and hotel points for all of those experiences with my wife (each once we were together and after we got married) and our kids.

Once you get married, proceed dating your spouse. Even after “putting a ring on it,” it is simple for couples to drift apart on account of the every day stresses of labor, school, and raising a family. Shared experiences can strengthen the bond in your relationship and provide you with a break from the stresses of on a regular basis life.

If you may, find ways to travel commonly without the youngsters so you may have time for yourself to socialize. The trips don’t should be anything special or far-off. Even booking an evening at an area hotel or nearby city for a brief stay might be just as meaningful to your relationship as a vacation across the ocean.

Taking that away

My wife and I took an unconventional path to dating by traveling almost every weekend, relatively than taking the conventional “dinner and a movie” route that many other couples take. I feel like this laid a solid foundation for our relationship and helped us construct a deeper connection much quicker. Traveling while dating (or after marriage) doesn’t should break the bank. Of course, miles and points aren’t free and a few cards have an annual fee, but many cards allow you to earn points without incurring an annual fee. In any case, traveling can cost rather a lot lower than you’re thinking that. Using the six strategies outlined above, you may lower your expenses on vacation and create more memories together with your spouse (and youngsters).

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