Want to Fly for Free? Here's How

Want to Fly for Free? Here's How I Do Just That!



"Travelling is so expensive! How on earth can you

afford to travel so many times in a year Glen?"



With a bewildered look on my face I reply, "What

do you mean it's expensive. I fly for free. Don't

you?"



I have had this conversation so many times with

friends and colleagues that I decided it was about

time that I share with the rest of the world what

I thought was obvious. ...That pretty much anyone

can fly for free.



Let me explain something you probably already

know, but chances are don't fully capitalize on.



Flying is FREE!



How? With Air Miles of course.



What are Air Miles you ask? Those are the

'points' that most major credit card companies

will GIVE you when you make purchases with your

credit card.



I can hear you already. "Whoop dee doo Glen, tell

me something I didn't know!"



Well, although you may have known that you can get

free air miles using your credit card to redeem

towards free flights, did you know most people

(maybe even you) don't capitalize on this?



Did you fly for free 6 times last year? I did!



Yes, that's 6 as in 'six' times - free. And I

could have flown even more but I didn't need or

want to.



Now if you flew that many times or more last year

you probably need not read any further. But if you

didn't you need to learn how to maximize the

number of air miles you can squeeze out of your

credit card company.





Here's how I did it.



Obtain and use a 'Gold' Credit Card



All major credit card companies offer a 'Gold' or

equivalent credit card to their customers which

includes several benefits including, free

insurances, loss and theft protection of purchased

items, and of course free air miles!



Yes, I know, they charge you a yearly fee to have

a Gold card. Yup, I paid $120 last year for my

Gold card and I flew six times. That means I paid

a whopping $20 for each flight I took. Okay, you

got me, I don't fly for free but rather at a

99.9999% discount!



More Air Mile Points, Equals More Free Travel



Maximize the number of Air Mile Points you receive

by using your credit card for everything! And I do

mean everything.



Here are a few ways I use my card. See if you

can't think of some more.





Personal Use:



- groceries

- clothes

- diapers

- gas

- dinning out

- movies

- entertainment

- school, tuition

- books

- CD's

- health insurance

- home insurance

- car insurance

- life insurance

- down payment on new car

- car leases

- computer equipment

- phone bill

- Internet bill

- television bill

- water bill

- gas bill

- electrical bill

- property taxes

- and everything and anything else!





Business Use:



- Internet purchases

- paying affiliates

- paying suppliers

- paying contracted employees such as accountants,

programmers, support staff

- paying for advertising campaigns

- office equipment

- hotels

- rental cars

- food

... and anything and everything else you can think

of.





So you see, the possibilities on how and where you

can make purchases with your credit card are

unlimited. And because they are unlimited, your

free travel should be virtually unlimited to.



Think about it. At the end of the year, how much

of your salary is left in your savings account?

Ten, maybe even 15 or 20%?



Okay, let's say you are an exceptional saver and

are able to save 20% or your yearly income. That

means 80% was spent on everything and anything

else. Spend it on your credit card and get the

free Air Miles!





Let me do the math for you...



Based on the example of spending 80% of your

income,



If you earned $50,000 that means you spent $40,000

If you earn 1 Air Mile for every $1.00 you spend,

that's 40,000 Air Miles every year.





But Wait!



If you run a business and had expenses of say

$50,000 that would mean an additional 50,000 Air

Miles every year.



How many flights could you take with 90,000 Air

Miles every year?



What if you earn and even larger income? What if

your company expenses are larger than $50,000?



Do yourself a favor. Pick up a pen and paper and

start brainstorming all the ways you can start

paying via credit card and of all the places you

can start travelling for free!



Remember though, what you pay for using your

credit card MUST be paid off each and every month

in order to avoid paying absorbent interest

charges. I know, you knew that. But like

maximizing your Air Miles, most people don't do

it. Make sure you are not 'most people' and enjoy

your free flights!









About The Author:



This article may be reprinted with the following

attachment: Copyright (c) 2005 Glen Hopkins



Complete information on Glen Hopkins' articles

and other services offered is available from his

web site http://www.listopt.com