Fishing4Deals

aka the "Priceline Queen"

Orange is the New Sim Card for Paris

Orange Sim Card
The Orange Holiday Plan provides mobile coverage in Paris.

After dropping our bags off at the hotel, the first thing we did when we arrived in Paris was to head over to the Orange mobile phone store.

My husband and I both have the El Cheapo T-Mobile cell phone plan, which does not offer international coverage.

He has an android, and I have an unlocked iPhone.

For 40 Euros each, we purchased Orange Holiday Sim cards, to give us mobile coverage on our vacation.

Orange Holiday Mobile Phone Plans:  Two Weeks for 40 Euros

The Orange Holiday Sim cards give you access to a prepaid plan good for two weeks.

For 39.99 Euros, you get:

  • a French phone number
  • 120 minutes to call from Europe to the U.S. (and any other country in the world)
  • 1000 texts, from Europe to any country
  • 1GB of mobile internet in Europe
  • Free access to Orange wifi hotspots
  • An option to purchase a top-off card
There are a lot of Orange stores all over Paris.  The technician inserted the Orange sim in my iPhone and checked to make sure it was working properly.  I was good to go!
The feature I was most interested in was mobile internet access.  In most areas, 4G service was the norm on my iPhone.  This was especially convenient for looking up information on the fly, such as transit routes, and museum locations and hours.
For a one-time charge of 40 Euros, we were able to feed our internet addiction while in Paris, yet retain our cheap monthly plan of $30 per month at home.
What’s your mobile solution when traveling abroad?  Please share in the comments below!

Redeem Capital One Venture Points Multiple Times

Erase Your Travel Charges , Then Erase them again
Erase your travel charges. . . then erase them again

We are taking the Amtrak train up to Newark (EWR) airport in order to catch our Open Skies flight to Paris.

I purchased the train tickets with my relatively new Capital One Venture card, which has a generous 40,000 point bonus (worth $400 towards travel) for opening a new card after meeting the minimum spend requirement.

The Venture card has a “purchase eraser” feature that allows you to offset travel purchases with points earned from the card.

You earn 2x points on all purchases, and the annual fee of $59 is waived the first year.

Capital One Venture Card is Essentially a 2 Percent Cash Back Travel Rewards Card

I am really rocking this card.  It doesn’t get much love in the miles and points world, but I look at it as a 2 percent cash back card that can accumulate points in a “travel savings account.”

I hear via the grapevine that it may be possible to get Capital One to waive the annual fee after the first year.  For the meantime, I am putting my everyday spending on this card.

I got to put the Venture card to the test for our upcoming trip.  After purchasing the train tickets, the charge posted to my account as a travel charge which could be offset via a credit from the purchase eraser.

Erase the Same Charge on your Capital One Venture Account More than Once

I applied the bonus points to the ticket cost of $122 for two one-way tickets to Newark.  I noticed that the charge was still available to be credited.  So I tried again, and a second $122 credit was applied to my account.

That means that the same charge can be wiped out more than once.

Use Your Capital One Venture Points to Partially Erase Charges

The return train tickets were $163, which I eliminated via the purchase eraser.  Just for kicks, I applied the remaining balance of my points toward that charge again.  I didn’t have enough points to cover the full amount, but I received a partial credit on my statement for a portion of the charge.

That means that you can apply points toward partial credits on travel charges, even if you don’t have enough points to completely offset the charges.

These two features mean that the Capital One Venture Card can function as a two percent cash back card, as long as you have a few travel expenses greater than $25 charged to your account.

Have you had a similar experience with the “purchase eraser”?  

Fun Things to Do for Tweens and Teens in Melbourne, Florida

The Brevard Zoo is a fun time for teens.
The zip line at the Brevard Zoo is a fun time for teens.

This past Spring Break, I took a rather spontaneous trip to Florida with my teenage daughter and her friend.

We took the Amtrak Auto Train to Sanford Florida, and had just five days to explore.

Of course the main point of a Spring Break trip to Florida is the beach, and we planned to spend time on both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

For my part, I was hoping for some relaxation on the beach:  sand, surf, and shells.

The girls were looking for more active adventures!

Melbourne Beach on the Atlantic Ocean

Florida did not disappoint!  Barely ten minutes out of Sanford the girls spotted dozens of alligators sunning themselves in a pond.

We caught our first sighting of a mermaid upon arrival at the Radisson Suites Oceanfront in Melbourne Beach.

From our top floor balcony, we could see dolphins — at least I hope they were dolphins — swimming along the shore.

The sun was pretty intense in late March.  We found that the best beach times were in the mornings and late afternoons.

The girls wanted to see more wildlife so we headed out to the Brevard Zoo.

The big attraction here was not the zoo itself, but the zipline over the gigantic alligators.  This turned out to be a treetop course of obstacles and ziplines that takes over an hour to complete.  It was quite strenuous.  Drink plenty of water beforehand — I saw a couple of people pulled out due to heat exhaustion.

The girls really enjoyed the Treetop Zipline adventure.  The Brevard Zoo itself was small.  The best part, I think, was the extensive display of meercats.

Melbourne is near several attractions that we did not see:  the Kennedy Space Center, and the Washington Nationals Spring Training Ball Park.

The Foosaner Art Museum in downtown Melbourne also looked interesting.

Sanibel Island and the Gulf Coast

From Melbourne, we headed across Florida to Fort Myers on the Gulf Coast, where we met up with some friends.   The girls got some shopping in at Fort Myers Beach.

Kayaking at Cape Coral
Kayaking at Cape Coral

We stayed at the Colony Inn Condos on Sanibel Island.  

There, you can rent a fully furnished one-bedroom apartment, just steps from the beach.

The Colony Inn is a bit of the old Florida on what has become an overcrowded and quite ritzy Sanibel Island.  I recommend it if you are looking for reasonably priced place to stay near the beach.

The girls loved hunting for shells along the  beach at Sanibel Island.  The sand here was finer than on the beach in Melbourne, and the water was fairly calm.  There were plenty of shells for the picking.

The highlight of the trip, however, was the kayaking we did in Cape Coral.

The girls spotted dolphins and manatees close to shore!  It was quite a thrill to see a manatee at such a close distance.

 

2 out of 3 Banks Rescind Annual Fees on My Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Keep Calm and Call the BankAre you averse to paying bank fees?

I enjoy the benefits of travel rewards credit cards but I do not like to pay hefty annual fees.

Many premium rewards credit cards waive the annual fee for the first year.

But when your one-year anniversary rolls around, the fee will post on your credit card statement.

Call the Bank to Request a Fee Waiver on Your Credit Card

Here’s a hint:

  • Don’t close your credit card account when the annual fee comes due without calling your bank first.
  • Ask the bank representative what incentives they can offer you to keep your account open.
  • Ask what other offers may be available so you can weigh all the options.

The banks spend a lot of money to recruit you as a customer.  They advertise on TV,  in magazines, and on websites.  They send out multiple mailers.  They pay affiliate commissions.  They offer refer-a-friend bonuses.  Moreover, many banks offer generous sign-up bonuses worth $400-500 or more.

The banks would lose all their “investment” in you if you close your account after the first year.

Ask and Ask Again

You might be surprised how generous some banks are and how anxious they are to keep you as a customer.

Before or after your annual fee posts, you can call the issuing bank and find out whether they are willing to waive the annual fee or offer points or other incentives for you to keep the account open.  Some banks have a grace period of 30 or 60 days after the annual fee posts during which you can cancel the card without paying the fee.  Check with your bank on their policy.

I had a number of anniversaries coming up on my cards this spring.  I called the banks, and here are the results.  These are just a few data points. Everyone’s credit and spending record are different and everyone may have different offers available.

Chase Bank Offers $95 Statement Credit on Ink Plus Business Card

I have had the Chase Ink Plus business credit card for just one year.  Before the annual fee posted, I called to inquire about retention bonuses.  Right off the bat I was offered a credit of $95 on my account to offset the $95 annual fee.  I accepted this offer.  I am happy to keep this credit card open because I find the five times Ultimate Rewards points it offers for office supply purchases to be quite valuable.

Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Credit Card:  No Soap Radio

Another card I had with Chase was the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Credit Card.  This card has an annual fee of $69 which comes with a 3,000 mile bonus.  In past years, Chase has offered me an extra 3,000 miles to keep this card open.  This year, I had no luck with an increased offer, and I closed the account.

Meanwhile, I will continue earning Chase Ultimate Reward points with the Ink Plus card, which can be transferred to Southwest Rapid Rewards points.

Barclays Bank Cancels the Fee on the AAdvantage Aviator Red Credit Card

When US Air merged with American Airlines, my Barclays US Air credit card became an American Airlines AAdvantage Aviator Red Card.  When I called Barclay’s, I was told that there would be no annual fee for the first year of the Aviator Red card, because it was a new product.  However, an $89 annual fee did post on my statement.   I called the bank again and they rescinded the fee.

I will keep the card open for the coming year, because it offers a ten percent rebate on flights booked with miles, discounted award tickets, and free checked bags for myself and my family.

Citibank American Airlines Card Offers 3,000 Miles

I have both the business and personal Citibank American Airlines Platinum Select cards.  I called Citibank to inquire about the grace period on my business Citibank American Airlines Platinum Select World MasterCard.  While I was at it, I asked if they had any special offers available.  Citibank offered me 3,000 miles just for asking!

When the annual fee came due, I called again but there were no retention offers available so I cancelled my business card.  I already have another American Airlines business credit card (see above) and did not see the need to keep two cards open.

A few weeks later I called Citibank to inquire about special offers for my personal American Airlines Platinum Select World MasterCard.  This time I was offered 3,000 miles, but I must spend $500 on the card within the next three months in order to receive the bonus.  They had several other offers available, but this seemed the least troublesome.   I will inquire about retention offers when the annual fee comes due.

Amex SPG Credit Card

Amex recently announced that it was raising the annual fee on its Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) credit cards from $65 a year to $95 a year.  My annual fee comes due in August, and I was told that the increased fee will not take effect at that time.  Even at $65 a year, I am hard pressed to justify paying an annual fee to Amex.

In years past, I have never gotten more than 1,000 SPG points for calling in.  When the annual fee posts I will decide what to do depending on which special offers are available.

* * *

Hey, two out of three banks ain’t bad!  If you would like to share your experience in the comments below, it will help other readers who are seeking fee waivers or other bonus offers.

Click here to compare current credit card offers.

Destination DCA: Behind the Scenes Tour

 

Happy 74th Birthday, DCA!Happy 74th Birthday, DCA!
Happy 74th Birthday, DCA!

To celebrate the 74th anniversary of Reagan National Airport (DCA), the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) is holding a behind the scenes tour of operations at the airport.

Destination DCA will give 25 lucky participants insight into the past, present and future of Reagan National Airport.

MWAA will randomly select 25 guests for lunch and a guided tour of the airfield at DCA.

The event will take place on June 23, 2015 from  1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

To enter for a chance to attend, go to http://www.mwaa.com/reagan/8025.htm.

Entries open open Tuesday, June 16, 2015 and close on Thursday, June 18, 2015 at 12:00 noon (Eastern Time).

This event sounds like great fun!

Where to Buy Discounted Tickets for Paris Museums

Check Out the Paris Museum Pass
Check out the Paris Museum Pass

Yesterday, I wrote about where to find cheap transit tickets for Paris, France.

Today, I have another travel tip to share.

You may also be able to snag a discounted Paris Museum Pass on Ebay.

I was able to buy two 4-day Paris Museum Passes at about 25 percent off the retail price on Ebay.

Where Does the Paris Museum Pass Offer Free Admission?

These passes provide admission to 60 museums and monuments in Paris and the surrounding area.

With admission at Paris museums averaging about 10 Euros, I am sure we will get our money’s worth out of this baby.  The pass allows you to skip the lines for ticket purchases at the Louvre, and you can visit multiple times with a single pass.

The sites included in Paris are:

Twenty additional  sites around Paris are covered, including Château de Versailles et Trianon and Château de Fontainebleau.

Do not confuse the Paris Museum Pass with the Paris Pass, which is a different product.  If you do a google search for Paris Museum Pass, the Paris Pass is the first listing.  The Paris Pass includes the Paris Museum Pass, a Paris Visite transit pass, and a number of other admissions, and is much more expensive than the museum pass alone.

A purchase of transit or museum passes on Ebay presents some risk, so be sure to verify the seller’s track record before bidding.

Where to Buy Paris Metro Tickets at Half Price

Paris Metro Ticket
Paris Metro Ticket
Image via Wikimedia Commons

I just stumbled upon a way to save big bucks on local transportation costs for our upcoming trip to Paris, France.

Oddly enough, I found a bunch of Paris Metro tickets for sale on Ebay.  I snatched them up for half the going price.

The tickets are good for any Metro ride or bus trip within the city.  It will be reassuring to have a few of these tickets in my pocket when we arrive in Paris.  

This find piqued my curiosity.

Were Paris Metro tickets being sold on Craigslist?  Sure enough!

Even more curious are the number of used Metro tickets up for auction on Ebay.  And the used tickets cost more than the new tickets!

You can even find Paris Metro tickets for sale on Etsy, though only the used variety.

Check Ebay Before You Travel to Paris!

Check Ebay before you travel to Pari
Check Ebay before you travel to Paris

I was fortunate to also find a Paris Visite transit pass for sale on Ebay.  These transportation passes are marketed to tourists who don’t want to deal with buying individual transit tickets.  They are generally overpriced, relative to the Navigo transit passes sold to local residents, or even a standard carnet of ten Metro tickets.

On Ebay however, the Paris Visite passes were discounted by 65 percent!  I paid just $48.50 for two of these transit passes.

The set of passes that I purchased are good for five days, and include travel on buses, light rail, Metro, trams, the funicular, and the monorail from Orly Airport (ORY) to the RER train station or the bus to the city.  They can also be used to ride the train to Versailles!

Airport parking and ground transportation are two of the biggest hidden expenses of travel.  Many Paris guidebooks recommend a taking a taxi to your hotel directly from the airport, just to avoid the hassle of transfers upon arrival.  Public transit can get us to our destination just as fast, plus we are suckers for multi-modal mass transit.

There is an automated monorail — the Orlyval— that runs from the airport terminal at Orly Sud directly to the RER train station at Antony.  From there, we can catch the train to Denfort-Rochereau , where we can transfer to the Metro.  A monorail, light rail, and subway ride is a match made in heaven as far as my husband is concerned!

Airport parking and ground transportation are two of the hidden expenses of travel.  Luckily, I discovered that unused transit passes are available on Ebay at a great discount.

The Paris Visite transit pass also provides discounts to some attractions like the Salvador Dali museum and the boat rides on the Seine.

There is a good article comparing the various transit pass options in Paris on Points and Pixie Dust.

16 Percent Cash Back at 150+ Stores, Plus Travel Deals

16 percent off online purchases via Ebates today
16 percent off online purchases via Ebates today

Ebates, the cash back online shopping portal, is celebrating its sixteenth birthday by offering sixteen percent cash back on purchases from over 150 online stores.

Most of the sales run all week, but the sixteen percent cash back on Priceline Express Deal hotel rooms is today only.

Not to be outdone, FatWallet, another cash back portal owned by the same company, is matching the sixteen percent offer at Priceline and is offering additional bonuses on travel purchases originating at their site, today only.

This post contains affiliate links.  Thanks if you choose to use them!

2 Free Movie Tickets from AAA Mid-Atlantic

Get 2 Free Movie Tickets at AAA Mid-Atlantic
Get 2 Free Movie Tickets at AAA Mid-Atlantic

I was at the local AAA office today to purchase a couple of fee-free ViSA gift cards.

The Mid-Atlantic chapter of AAA typically sells fee-free VISA gift cards in May and June of each year as a courtesy to their members.

With graduations and June weddings, lots of people are purchasing gift cards.

Travel hackers may find gift cards useful if to meet the minimum spend requirement on a new credit card, or to rack up spending to earn points.

Fee Free VISA Gift Cards at AAA Mid-Atlantic
Fee Free VISA Gift Cards at AAA Mid-Atlantic

While I was a AAA, I took five minutes to take advantage of another offer.  By learning about the benefits of membership, I earned two free tickets to the movies.

I had my choice of tickets to Regal, Cinemark, AMC, or Bowtie Cinemas.

AAA also sells discounted movie tickets.  You can see the complete list of eligible theaters here.

We maintain an AAA membership for the roadside assistance.  We also take advantage of the 10 percent discount on Amtrak tickets and on hotels.

Do you remember the days when you could request a custom Trip-Tik in advance of a road trip?