👋 Hi Reader,

Hope your weekend is off to a great start! Here's a quick sneak peek into today's newsletter:

• ⛷️ Ski trip mishaps, AI interior design, and more with Amy
• 🤔 Amex is teasing a new business card
• 📰 Lots of changes to rewards programs coming
• 🚗 $100 off $100+ car rental booking
• 🛒 Up to $80 off Amazon with Amex cash back cards
• 💳 Best-ever 200K limited-time offer on a hotel business card
• 🚪 The Doorman Fallacy, and more!

If you enjoyed reading this newsletter, I'd really appreciate it if you shared it with a friend. And if someone forwarded this to you, please make sure to subscribe here. Thank you so much!

Chris

⛷️ Ski Trip Mishaps, AI Interior Design, and More w/ Amy

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This week, Amy and I discuss lessons from three ski trips with kids, how she used AI to redesign rooms on a budget, our favorite new gadgets, how we navigate high-deductible health plans, and so much more.

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📋 My Past Week

Here's a quick recap of what I was up to last week:

• With the crazy heatwave we've had on the western half of the country, we had very low expectations for the Tahoe skip trip we had planned this weekend. That said, we had such a fun time on the mountain skiing with the girls yesterday in 70º weather. The snow wasn't the best, but it felt like a summer day on the mountain and we didn't need much snow for our girls to keep practicing turns on all the blue runs we could find.
• Looking at how hot it will be when we get back to our home, I'm very thankful we decided to add AC to our house a few years ago. When we took on that project we learned a good lesson about getting multiple bids, because the prices ranged from ~$8k-$35k, including one installer that said the location we wanted to do was impossible.
• Last thing on the heat, if anyone has any side window shades they love for a Tesla Model X, I'd love to know which one's you have. My research hasn't led me to an obvious choice.
• We have not been great about brushing our 11-year old dog's teeth and during a deep teeth cleaning this week they had to do a few extractions of some his small teeth. I'm sure we're not alone as dog owners who don't regularly brush their dog's teeth, but if you want to avoid the ~$3k vet bill we ended up with, now might be a good time to start being more diligent about it.
• Last Saturday we failed to convince our girls to go on a hike, but the next day we pitched them the idea of going on a hunt for Banana Slugs and they were so excited. It's amazing how much framing/positioning matters with kids. Special thanks to the single Banana Slug who decided to come out that day and made the whole hike "worth it".

🛫 Travel, Points & Miles

🤔 Amex Teasing a New Business Card

Amex teased a new business card on Instagram and rumors say it's going to be the Graphite Business Cash Unlimited Card and earn unlimited 2% cash back on everything, with a $250 annual fee. If that's correct, it's very unexciting, given that almost every other major issuer has a 2% business cash back card with a lower annual fee. That said, a huge welcome bonus might make it worth getting for the first year.

💰 Reminder to Activate Q2 Rotating Bonus Categories

There are a few select credit cards that offer 5% cash back/5x points on eligible combined spending in rotating bonus categories every quarter. Here are the Q2 categories you should consider activating.

• Citi Dividend: Grocery stores and Citi Travel (activate here).
• Discover it: Restaurants and home improvement (activate here).
• Popular Bank: Amazon, Whole Foods, and travel portal bookings (activate here). Bonus tip: the travel portal category stacks with the card's existing 4x rate for an effective 9x.
• US Bank Cash+: 2 categories of your choice, including home utilities, electronics stores, sporting goods stores, cell phones, gyms/fitness centers, movie theaters, and more (activate here).

📋 Latest Credit Card, Rewards & Travel Portal Updates

Here are some notable changes coming up that might apply to you.

• ​Amex Adds Restrictive Language to Marriott Cards: The new language will make it harder to earn welcome bonuses if you've held certain Marriott cards in the past. It looks like this is part of a trend of issuers tightening eligibility on co-branded cards.
• ​BoA To End Bookings via Travel Portal: Changes being made to the travel portal will prevent bookings past 12/31/26. If you've got trips planned with BoA rewards, I'd lock them in now.
• ​Capital One Launches New Travel App: A dedicated travel app​ now lets you book flights and hotels, view card benefits, check real-time lounge capacity, and manage trips, all in one place.
• ​Citi Cutting Transfer Rates to Choice & I Prefer: Starting 4/19, Citi is reducing transfer rates to Choice Privileges (1:2 → 1:1.5) and I Prefer (1:4 → 1:2). This is disappointing, but not that surprising, since these new rates match the rates at all other programs (except that Wells Fargo transfers to Choice at 1:2).
• ​Citi Ending Points Sharing: If you've been pooling ThankYou Points with a partner or family member, transfer any shared balances before 5/16. After that, your only option will be transferring to airline and hotel partners.
• ​PayPal Eliminating Cash Back Redemptions: Effective 8/1, you'll no longer be able to redeem PayPal rewards for cash back. If you've got a balance, redeem it before then.
• ​Travel Portal Adds Hotel Price Match Guarantee: Select premium cardholders of a popular bank now have a price match guarantee on hotel bookings via their travel portal.

💳 Best-Ever 200K Offer on a Hotel Business Card

A co-branded hotel business card is back with its best-ever welcome offer of 200K bonus points​ earned in 2 tiers. I value each point at ~0.5¢, so that's roughly $1,000 in hotel value, and potentially more when you factor in the 4th night free benefit on award stays. More details on the offer, card benefits, and earnings are here.

📣 New Airline, Hotel and Points Promos This Week

Business Class Award Flight Deals

• 🇦🇹 Austria: From 70K Aeroplan points​
• 🇧🇪 Belgium: From 60K Aeroplan points​
• 🇧🇷 Brazil: From 50K Atmos points​
• 🇮🇪 Ireland: From 45K Atmos points​
• 🇲🇻 Maldives: From 70K AAdvantage miles​
• 🇲🇦 Morocco: From 55K Atmos points​
• 🇨🇭 Switzerland: From 60K Aeroplan points​
• 🇹🇷 Turkey: From 65K Miles&Smiles or 88K MileagePlus miles​

Airline Promos

• American Airlines: 1,000 bonus miles for new users who join AAdvantage eShopping ​with a referral link (here's mine) and spend $75 before 3/30.
• Singapore Airlines: 30% off Saver award tickets when you book by 3/31 for travel before 4/30.
• Turkish Airlines: 20% off flights for the first 2,000 Miles&Smiles cardholders who use the promo code USCARD20 to book by 3/31 and travel before 5/31.

Hotel Promos

• Marriott: 1,500 Bonvoy points when you link your Marriott Bonvoy and Uber accounts before 3/31. No purchase necessary.
• Preferred Hotels: Up to 35% off stays booked by 3/30 and completed before 4/30.
• Wyndham: Enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win a 5-night stay in Antigua for 2 with airfare, an Orlando family vacation for 4 with Disney park tickets, a 4-night retreat in Puerto Rico for 2, or weekend road trip prizes including 90K points.

🤑 Latest Deals

🚗 $100 Off $100+ Car Rental Booking via Capital One

If you have upcoming travel plans that require a car rental, you can get $100 back on a $100+ booking made via Capital One Shopping. Plus, you don't need a Capital One card to use this free shopping portal.

🛒 Up to $80 Off Amazon With Amex Cash Back Cards

If you have an Amex cash back card (Blue Cash Everyday, Blue Cash Preferred, etc.), Amazon is offering a discount of up to $80 when you use $3 in Reward Dollars at checkout. Check if you're eligible for the offer here and activate it before making a purchase.

🎯 Target Circle Deal Days: Up to 40% Off (3/24-3/27)

Target is running Circle Deal Days from 3/25 to 3/27 with up to 40% off products across apparel, home, beauty, toys, and more. You'll need a free Target Circle membership to access the deals, but if you're a paid Circle 360 member, you get 24-hour early access starting 3/24.

🕵️ Top Finds

🚪 The Doorman Fallacy (+ Episode with Sahil Next Wed)

Sahil Bloom wrote this article about the Doorman Fallacy and I enjoyed it so much that we recorded a podcast talking about it (and other things) that's coming out next week. In a world racing to automate everything with AI, it's a good reminder to try and understand the full value of something before replacing it in the name of efficiency.

💬 Parting Thoughts

As always, thanks so much for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s newsletter, and if you enjoyed it, please let me know why!

Chris