11.03.2009

FREE. CLIMBING. TRIP.


You could be here, for free...


Want to visit Joshua Tree for New Years rock climbing? How about Canmore to get on some ice? Maybe you're more organized than me, and already getting a week lined up to climb in Red Rocks in the spring... Want to do it for free?

Plane tickets are surprisingly easy to get for free, allowing even the dirtbaggiest of climbers and adventurers to sneak off for a bit of fun. Here are two very simple ways to fly anywhere you want to...

Chase Banks are currently offering anyone the chance to have 25,000 frequent flyer miles on Continental Aiirlines. Here's how it works:
  • Open up a Continental Frequent Flyer Account (Called OnePass) - This is free
  • Go to any Chase Bank Branch and open a Chase Checking Account (free) and get a Chase Continental Debit Card to go with it. Give the employee your frequent flyer number.
  • You'll be given 10,000 frequent flyer miles for opening the account, and another 15,000 when you use your debit card 5 times (you have to use it like a credit card -ie sign for your transactions, don't enter your PIN.) Even if you are buying packs of gum or 1 gallon of gasoline each time, 5 purchases gets you 15,000 more miles and you never have to use your card again.
  • Use your 25,000 miles to fly round trip anywhere in the USA!
  • After 2 months, Chase will charge you an annual fee of $25. If you already have your miles, or have bought your plane ticket, then close the account before this time.
You can repeat the process and gain 25,000 MORE miles by opening a Chase "business" checking account and repeating all the steps. You can be the sole proprietor of any cottage-industry you want! (I'm going to be an online-bargain consultant)

Option #2

Credit or debit cards will often give you 1 frequent flyer mile for every 1 dollar you spend. The Chase Debit Cards do this, and all of these cards. Many will also give you quite a few miles for signing up with the card. But how does a struggling climber going to spend the necessary 10, 15, or 20 thousand dollars to earn enough miles for a free flight? By purchasing money, of course.

The US Mint is selling $1 presidential coins, for $1 each. My favorite? Martin Van Buren.





They come in boxes of 250 coins! Shipping is also free. You can buy a box of money and take it to the bank to deposit it, instantly paying off your credit card purchase, but still earning a mile for every dollar. In the process, you'll be improving your credit score and getting a LOT of frequent flyer miles. Fly wherever you want and have fun!

5 comments:

  1. You know that opening and closing accounts like that kills your credit....But then again whats credit to a dirtbag climber.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Then leave it open and ignore the account. The most it would cost is the the $25 fee, and you'll get at least 25,000 airlines miles out of it! Sounds like a good trade to me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Opening and closing bank accounts isn't a big deal. If you open and close credit card, that is more likely to adversely affect your credit. However, if you have good credit then the adverse effect is minimal. Certainly worth the ding for some of the promotions.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dirtbaggiest. Nice word, but you need to verbicize it. "Blake, in his fervent quest for flamboyant frugality, is eagerly dirtbaggiesting every facet of his young life. Next thing you know, he'll be launching dubious weather balloons with faux children ensconced in hidden compartments to gain media exposure to parlay into reality tv stardom. America. = Land of the Fritos.

    ReplyDelete
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