Turn house projects into your next vacation

It’s Sam in your inbox again! 👋

I’m behind the scenes most days as Daily Drop’s Content Editor, though you might recognize me if you watched the very first episode of our Points Pursuit series.

Mike is enjoying an extended weekend, so you’ve got me today!

Every time I write a newsletter, I have a lot of fun and am in complete awe of the fact that Mike writes one every day. We are so lucky to have him dropping knowledge bombs on the daily, and I’m glad he’s taking a beat to recharge that powerful noggin.🙇‍️

Anyways, here’s what I’ve got for ya today:

• 🏠 How to turn house projects into your next vacation

• ☎️ Unlock welcome offers with a phone call

• 💪 Daily Drop Reader Win

🏠 How to turn house projects into your next vacation

I have a confession to make…

As much as I love where I live (see: my Points Pursuit episode), being part of a travel company when you’re not currently traveling much is uh… sometimes a bummer.  

Everyone’s either currently traveling or has cool upcoming plans… and I’m over here using my PTO to demolish walls in my fixer-upper. 😮‍💨

If you're in the same "get everything done" season of life, adopt my coping mechanism: turning necessary house purchases into little treats. And by little treats, I mean future trips. 😏

The main name of the game? Timing welcome bonuses with big purchases (no surprise there).

Some of my recent little treats have included: 

• New furnace = 5 nights in a 4-star hotel in Madrid, thanks to a past welcome offer on this card

• Construction materials = flights to France and 4 nights at a 4-star hotel in Paris, thanks to a welcome offer on this business card (which currently has an elevated offer)

• Kitchen cabinets = tbd, but I plan on turning the bonus I just earned on this card into free nights on a future trip to Ireland.

Earning a welcome offer is the best way to put these higher-ticket purchases to work. But for ongoing expenses, I’d recommend:

• Cards that earn 2x points or miles on everything (like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, or the Bilt Palladium Card)

• If you prefer no annual fee, this card earns 1.5% cash back on everything (it’s the one I use for purchases on my unit)

•  Any card with a 0% intro APR – great for spreading out hefty spending over time, just ensure you’ve fully paid off the balance before the promo period ends

If you have a multi-unit property (like I do), you can unlock the world of business cards and their (often higher) welcome offers.

Here are two to check out:

• The new Capital One Venture Business lets you earn 2x miles on everything for a low annual fee of just $95

• This business card has no annual fee and earns 1.5% cash back on everything (and is the one I use for spending on my rental unit)

• This business card has a hefty annual fee but earns 2x on purchases at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers

Of course, because this is Daily Drop, we’re not gonna stop at which cards to use. We’re gonna stack, baby. 🥞

Before buying anything, check:

• Rove 

• Rakuten

• Other shopping portals (airline + bank)

• Your card's merchant offers

Stacking these with the right card can add up surprisingly fast.

Currently, Rove Miles has the best offer for big box home improvement purchases (though Rakuten had a few offers too, depending on your preferred retailers):  

Another confession: I had way more to say about paying contractors, buying gift cards, and other ways to maximize home projects than would fit in this newsletter — so I turned it into a full article.

For more higher-level tips and tricks (and allll my emotional support memes), check out the full article 👇

☎️ Unlock welcome offers with a phone call

Speaking of welcome offers… we’ve heard some of you have recently hit snags when applying for cards. If you’ve received the dreaded denial letter, we’ll let you in on a (not so) secret: you can call the bank and ask them why. Straight up.

They'll tell you why you were denied, and you'll have a chance to explain your situation or address whatever triggered it.

A lot of people have turned a denial into a yes with a simple call, so it’s absolutely worth a try.

Another little secret: if you have multiple cards with the same bank, you can ask them to move your available credit around if need be.

I just did this last week.

My new card didn't have enough available credit for my kitchen cabinet purchase, but another card with the same bank had plenty. So I called them up and asked if they could shift some credit to my new card. They did so right away, it was effective immediately, and I placed my order as soon as I got off the phone.

Done. 🎤🫳

That’s another benefit of having a few cards within one ecosystem. And something you can absolutely take advantage of if you find yourself in the same position.

💪 Daily Drop Reader Win

Did you know that we have our very own lounge? And you don’t even need a premium credit card to access it. 😏

All you need is a Facebook account and the desire to connect with fellow travel nerds. In the Daily Drop Lounge, members ask questions, share advice, and celebrate wins.

The latest includes a very important lesson:

Using a fantastic transfer bonus and snagging an early deal? Double win.

Let this be a reminder to all – book those flights sooner rather than later, because award tickets can go fast. You can always check later for a better seat (as this lounge member did), but if nothing pops up, you’re still set.

And to the lounge member who shared this… enjoy São Paulo! I absolutely loved the city – and country in general. Oh, the food. Oh, the colors. Oh, the people! Viva o Brasil! 🇧🇷 

That’ll do it from me today, y’all!

Hope you enjoyed some tips on earning free travel from spending that normally stings. And if you manage to reverse a welcome offer decision with a phone call… be sure to let us know! 🤭

42.8864° N, -78.8784° W

With contributions by Mike Dodge.