@mittychang

"Professional (food) adventurer" This is a refurbished curation of everything good in my life.

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When you can't change the direction of the wind -- adjust your sails.

H. Jackson Brown Jr.

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Updated Bucket List (Early 2016 edition)

Every year I make updates to a bucket list that I started in high school. The earlier items on this list might make you chuckle, as a younger 15 year old Mitty wrote those.

My rules for the bucket list are simple: anything can be added, but nothing can ever be removed from the list once it’s added; once something is fulfilled, then I mark it with a strikethrough line. And lastly, “See the end of world hunger” will always be the last item on this list. 

here is my bucket list, updated for 2016

Successfully change someone’s life for the better

Learn how to create and develop websites

Get paid for creating a website

Start a successful project

Be successful in Speech & Debate; win a tournament

Go to the United Nations in New York, but not as a tourist

Become Editor in Chief of Yearbook

Learn to drive a car

Get paid for teaching design

Get a girlfriend

Make a snowman

Make a snow angel

Meet the President of the United States

Go ice skating

Travel by myself outside of California

Learn how to speak French fluently

Be able to speak comfortably in front of a large audience

Learn the ins and outs of photography

Graduate from high school

Get into (a good) college

Learn the ins and outs of the legal system

Start a successful club

Learn to cook well

Meet the City of Davis’s city officials including the mayor

Plan, cook, and host a thanksgiving dinner with friends

Be a mentor to someone

Be a leader for an organization

Learn to build a computer

Build my own computer

Be adventurous and successful in college

Plan and host a conference

Plan and host a large conference (over 200 people)

Travel to another country by myself

Be invited to be the guest speaker for a large event

Learn how to change a spare wheel

Change a spare wheel

Drive through bad weather conditions…and live to tell the tale

Graduate from college

Ride my longboard in a parade

Start and run my own business

Hire a staff

Open up my own office / design studio

Roadtrip across the continental United States

Learn to shoot, disassemble, and assemble a gun

Go skydiving

Go rock climbing

Build an iron man suit

Learn enough PHP to code like a BAMF

Learn to video edit like a professional

Learn how to fly a small plane

Become an APO LEADS Presenter

Learn how to ride a motorcycle

Learn how to bartend

Bartend a night at an event or a real bar

Start a new young professionals club in the bay area

Plan a major non-profit event in Fremont

Meet the City of Fremont’s city officials, including the mayor

Master Chinese…reading, writing, speaking—everything.

Start a successful non-profit 501c3 organization

Travel across the nation for guest speaking events

Start a coworking space

Publish a successful book

Start a business in the food/restaurant industry

Travel to Europe

Explore at least 8 countries in Europe

Take culinary classes in France and/or Italy

Travel to South America

Travel to Africa

Explore Asia

Go to New York City

Spend New Years in New York

Watch a Broadway Play in New York

Go to Boston

Save someone’s life

Buy a house

Buy a car

Build a car

Get a border collie :]

Start a family

Learn to swim (specifically, learn to tread water and how to swim better)

Learn to surf

Go surfing

Go jetskiing

Learn to snowboard

Go snowboarding

Learn to ski

Go skiing

Become certified in CPR

Give back to my alma maters

Meet world leaders

Own a jet…. or a jet pack

Visit Harry Potter Land

Visit Disney World

Travel to Orlando

Travel to Atlanta, GA

Travel to New Orleans, LA

Travel to Chicago, IL

Travel to Las Vegas, NV with friends for play

Travel to Washington, D.C.

Travel to Vancouver B.C.

Travel to Hong Kong

Travel to Thailand

Travel to London, U.K.

Travel to Paris, France

Travel to Puerto Rico

Go to Australia

Go to Antarctica

Fly business class on an international trip

Fly first class on an international trip

Go back to Taiwan and visit my grandmother

Spend New Years with a loved one and friends

Brew my own batch of beer

Own a decent wine collection

Become a Rotarian

Start a Rotary Club

Go wine tasting in Napa Valley

Go paragliding

Become a certified archery instructor

Build or start an educational institution

Hike/climb up Half Dome in Yosemite

Climb Mount Everest

Go on a multiday boat cruise

Go to Hawaii

Eat something in all 50 states of the United States (currently done in: California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Oklahoma, Utah, Illinois, Washington D.C., New Jersey)

Create and/or design a popular mobile app

Go backpacking for at least one week

Receive a letter of congratulations from the President of the United States of America for the volunteer work I do.

Get featured in The Rotarian magazine

Start an annual west coast Rotaract conference

Start an annual Rotaract President-Elect Training Session (PETS) program.

Start a Rotaract-age RYLA program

Start a west coast Rotaract leadership organization

Go sailing

Mentor someone younger

Be an advisor to Interact District Council in D-5170 

Explore the Louvre Museum in Paris, France

Run a 5k

Run a 10k 

Run a half-marathon

30 by 30: Travel to 30 countries by my 30th birthday

Travel to Sydney, Australia

Travel to Middle Earth in New Zealand

Travel to Rome and Venice in Italy

Cross the border into Canada

Cross the border into Mexico

Go visit Niagara Falls

Travel to Tokyo, Japan

Travel to Seoul, South Korea

Travel to Ireland

Travel to South Africa

Speak in front of the Rotary leaders of the world

Speak at a Rotary International Assembly plenary/general session

Have the current Rotary International President personally recognize my name and know who I am because of who I am

Speak in front of an audience of over 1,000 people

Speak in front of an audience of over 5,000 people

Speak in front of an audience of over 10,000 people

Speak at a plenary session of a Rotary International Convention

Visit the Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro

Visit the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt

Become a Rotary District Governor

Become Rotary International President

Thank you Challenge: Mail a thank you card every day for 30 days

See the end of world hunger

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Milestone

On Wednesday, January 20, 2016 I stepped onto the largest stage yet: a room of over 1,000 Rotary leaders from around the world at the 2016 Rotary International Assembly.

Talking about innovation, my personal journey, and attracting young professionals into Rotary, this day also marked the official announcement of Project Doing Good, the biggest effort to provide every Rotary club in the world with a free landing page website.

While I will never forget the feeling of standing before every Rotary Governor-elect in the world and receiving a standing ovation, there is one particular moment that is seared even more passionately in my memory. And that’s a moment after the speech, when I had walked off stage and returned backstage to have my wireless mic removed. A familiar gentleman was waiting backstage for me: Past Rotary International President Gary Huang. I was confused to see him, but appreciative of what happened next: He came up to me, put his hand on my shoulder, looked me in my eye and told me “You make Taiwan proud.” Thanks Rotary for always making milestones in my life. 

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This is what happens on Big West Rotaract Director retreats... Oh please, say to me You'll let me be your man And please, say to me You'll let me hold your hand I'll let me hold your hand I wanna hold your hand

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Tumblr, I’m back.

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Bucket List Updated (2013)

Hello! It's been months since my last post here. I have been far too busy to try to maintain this personal blog---if you want to follow some of my travel hacking adventures and antics, feel free to check out my other blog at www.frugalasianman.com--but I thought that it's time to update my bucket list. 

I turned a quarter of a century today, and I'm happy to say I have been able to cross many items off my list already. But... I've also added many more items. :) Here is the 2013 revised version of my bucket list: (Note, this bucket list was started when I was in high school... so some of these listed items might seem silly.)

bucket list, updated

For my own personal reference…this is my bucket list with updates. (originally written in high school; some items have been removed or rewritten; strikeouts=completed)

Successfully change someone’s life for the better

Learn how to create and develop websites

Get paid for creating a website

Start a successful project

Be successful in Speech & Debate; win a tournament

Go to the United Nations in New York, but not as a tourist

Become Editor in Chief of Yearbook

Learn to drive a car

Get paid for teaching design

Get a girlfriend

Make a snowman

Make a snow angel

Meet the President of the United States

Go ice skating

Travel by myself outside of California

Learn how to speak French fluently

Be able to speak comfortably in front of a large audience

Learn the ins and outs of photography

Graduate from high school

Get into (a good) college

Learn the ins and outs of the legal system

Start a successful club

Learn to cook well

Meet the City of Davis’s city officials including the mayor

Plan, cook, and host a thanksgiving dinner with friends

Be a mentor to someone

Be a leader for an organization

Learn to build a computer

Build my own computer

Be adventurous and successful in college

Plan and host a conference

Plan and host a large conference (over 200 people)

Travel to another country by myself

Be invited to be the guest speaker for a large event

Learn how to change a spare wheel

Change a spare wheel

Drive through bad weather conditions…and live to tell the tale

Graduate from college

Ride my longboard in a parade

Start and run my own business

Hire a staff

Open up my own office / design studio

Roadtrip across the continental United States

Learn to shoot, disassemble, and assemble a gun

Go skydiving

Go rock climbing

Build an iron man suit

Learn enough PHP to code like a BAMF

Learn to video edit like a professional

Learn how to fly a small plane

Become an APO LEADS Presenter

Learn how to ride a motorcycle

Learn how to bartend

Bartend a night at an event or a real bar

Start a new young professionals club in the bay area

Plan a major non-profit event in Fremont

Meet the City of Fremont’s city officials, including the mayor

Master Chinese…reading, writing, speaking—everything.

Start a successful non-profit 501c3 organization

Travel across the nation for guest speaking events

Start a coworking space

Publish a successful book

Start a business in the food/restaurant industry

Travel to Europe

Explore at least 8 countries in Europe

Take culinary classes in France and/or Italy

Travel to South America

Travel to Africa

Explore Asia

Go to New York City

Spend New Years in New York

Watch a Broadway Play in New York

Go to Boston

Save someone’s life

Buy a house

Buy a car

Build a car

Get a border collie :]

Start a family Start a family outside of my APHIO Luong class family

Learn to swim (specifically, learn to tread water and how to swim better)

Learn to surf

Go surfing

Go jetskiing

Learn to snowboard

Go snowboarding

Learn to ski

Go skiing

Become certified in CPR

Give back to my alma maters

Meet world leaders

Own a jet…. or a jet pack

Visit Harry Potter Land

Visit Disney World

Travel to Orlando

Travel to Atlanta, GA

Travel to New Orleans, LA

Travel to Chicago, IL

Travel to Las Vegas, NV with friends for play

Travel to Washington, D.C.

Travel to Vancouver B.C.

Travel to Hong Kong

Travel to Thailand

Travel to London, U.K.

Travel to Paris, France

Travel to Puerto Rico

Go to Australia

Go to Antarctica

Fly business class on an international trip

Fly first class on an international trip

Go back to Taiwan and visit my grandmother

Spend New Years with a loved one and friends

Brew my own batch of beer

Own a decent wine collection

Become a Rotarian

Go wine tasting in Napa Valley

Go paragliding

Become a certified archery instructor

Build or start an educational institution

Hike/climb up Half Dome in Yosemite

Climb Mount Everest

Go on a multiday boat cruise

Go to Hawaii

Eat something in all 50 states of the United States (currently done in: California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Oklahoma, Utah, Illinois, Washington D.C., New Jersey)

Create and/or design a popular mobile app

Go backpacking for at least one week

See the end of world hunger

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Reminder: Last Chance for SPG AMEX Card 30K Promo (Free Roundtrip Ticket)

This is just a quick reminder that today is the last chance for you to get in on the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express credit card sign-up promotion which was temporarily increased in August from its usual 25,000 points to 30,000 points.

30,000 starpoints: 10,000 points after the first spend and 20,000 points after spending $5,000 within the first 6 months

$0 first year annual fee, $65 annually after first year

2 stays / 5 nights towards elite status

2 points per dollar spend at Starwood

The 30,000 offer ends tomorrow, Tuesday, September 4th at 9 AM EST. So if you want to get in on this offer, I would highly suggest you apply sometime during today! 

I wrote about this entry earlier in August, feel free to read up on the details and how you can score a free roundtrip ticket using the points. The Business card is also offering the same 30k points. Applying for both at once can score you 60k points!

p.s. Anyone looking to apply today and wants a referral email (brownie points from me!), feel free to comment here and I'll send one over. (Just make sure to use your email address for the post credentials.) I'll be checking periodically for comments, but if you don't get one back in a timely fashion, don't let that stop you from applying!

Original Article

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FREE 250 AAdvantage Miles, 350 Southwest Miles, 250 Delta Miles (via e-Rewards)

Happy Labor Day Monday, readers!

Fun fact of the day: In 1887, Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day an official holiday. It was officially adopted as a Federal state in 1894, by which thirty states had already adopted it as a holiday.

Now let's get back to traveling and deals:

This morning I want to point out a few more free ways to earn some miles from your computer. American Airlines' loyalty program, AAdvantage, has partnered up with e-Rewards surveys to give you a 250 AAdvantage Miles bonus just for signing up via the link on their website, and taking a survey within the first 3 months of signup. With surveys coming out multiple times a week, this shouldn't be hard to do.

This is completely free, and although it's a meager amount of miles, free miles are always great and every little bit helps sometimes. It's also a great way to renew your points in case you have AAdvantage miles sitting in your account and they're going to expire soon.

Sign up via the AAdvantage page here. (You need an AAdvantage account before signing up for this page; you can create one free here.)

Other programs that have sign-up bonuses for the same e-Rewards program:

350 Southwest Miles via e-Rewards signup

250 Delta SkyTeam Miles via e-Rewards signup

If you wanted to score the bonus miles for all the programs, then you would need to use different email addresses for the e-Rewards signup, as that's how they track your account. After you've created your single (or multiple) account through this sign-up bonus, also keep in mind that doing surveys actually accumulates you miles that you can transfer back to your respective program. Unfortunately, e-Rewards only lets you transfer back from points to miles with the exclusive airline you signed up with. Still, it's worthwhile to take 15 minutes out of your lunch break or morning commute via public transportation to just answer some survey questions.

Original Article

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CAMERA DEAL ALERT: Canon Bundle: T4i DSLR (Body Only) + 40mm F2.8 STM Lens + Pro 9000 Mark II Inkjet Photo Printer + MG6120 AIO Printer + Adobe Photoshop & Premiere Elements 10 $859 After $400 Rebate + Free shipping

AMAZING CAMERA DEAL ALERT! (Great for those reselling to earn a profit, to get some free miles, or simply to have a new camera toy!)

For those of you who are on the look out for a brand new camera toy, or for those of you who buy products on sale and resell them on Ebay or Craigslist, you'll be interested to know that Adorama has a Canon Bundle for the Canon Rebel T4i DSLR (Body only) with a 40mm F2.8 STM lens, Canon Pixma Pro 9000 Mark II Inkjet Photo Printer, Canon MG6120 AIO Printer, and Adobe Photoshop & Premiere Elements 10 for a whopping grand total of $859 after the $400 rebate! 

That's a HUGE savings. Let's do the math and research here:

The best price for the Canon Rebel T4i DSLR (body only) on Ebay is $738.81 for Buy it Now. The best reputable price on Amazon for the T4i body only is $799.00.

The best price for the 40mm F2.8 STM Lens on Ebay is $193.99 for Buy it Now. The best reputable price on Amazon is $199.00.

The best price for the Canon Pixma pro 9000 Mark II Inkjet Printer on Ebay is $268.60. The best reputable price on Amazon is $349.97.

The best price for MG6120 AIO Printer on Ebay is $119.00. The best reputable price on Amazon is $119.00.

The best price for Adobe Photoshop & Premiere Elements 10 on Ebay is $78.88. The best reputable price on Amazon is $91.77.

  So let's do the math and take the lowest number for each item (out of Ebay and Amazon prices):

Canon Rebel T4i body only ($738.81) + 40mm F2.8 STM Lens ($193.99) + Canon Pixma Pro 9000 Mark II ($268.60) + Canon MG6120 AIO ($119.00) + Adobe Photoshop & Premiere Elements 10 ($78.88) =  $1399.28 (that's how much each of the individual items in the bundle sell for total right now on Ebay/Amazon!!)

Now, $1399.28 in potential profit MINUS $859 in actual cost is a $540.28 potential NET PROFIT by buying this incredible Canon bundle deal and then reselling it!! On top of being able to make a few hundred dollars in profit, you also get to spend $1,216 on your favorite miles-earning credit card! That's potentially at least another 1,216 miles that you could potentially get FOR FREE!

So how do you get in on this awesome Canon bundle? Here's how:

Add this Canon bundle to your cart first

Then add this printer

Time to checkout! The final price comes out to $1258.95, and after the $400 rebate = $858.95 (+free shipping)

This is a great deal and I would highly recommend any of you interested in earning some free miles (or just looking for a few hundred bucks in profit) from this to snag it while it's still available! 

Again, here's what's included in the full bundle if you add both items and checkout:

Canon EOS Rebel T4i 18MP DSLR Camera (Body)

Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake Lens

Canon Pixma MG6120 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-in-One Printer

Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 and Premiere Elements 10

Canon Pixma Pro 9000 Mark II Inkjet Photo Printer

50-Sheets Canon Photo Paper Plus Semi-Gloss 13"x19" Photo Paper

20-Sheets Canon Occasion 8.5"x5.5" Photo Greeting Cards

Canon 3"x3" Pocket Size Inkjet Photo Album Software

Happy Labor Day Sunday everyone!

Original Article

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Free $5 to Spend at Restaurants via LevelUp + Save 15% off Amazon

Over the past year, I have seen a number of different digital payment mobile apps released, where you can send your orders to participating restaurants (usually delis and restaurants with to go menus) and pay via your phone, and then when you get to the actual brick & mortar shop, you can skip the line and just pick up your food. It's an ingenious idea to increase sales and improve convenience for customers during the busy lunch hour rushes--especially in major cities like San Francisco.

While the convenience may not be something you need, what should get your attention is that many of these app companies have been releasing promotional codes for free cash to spend at these restaurants. Earlier this summer, I received $35 in free cash from GoPago that fueled my lunches in San Francisco for a few days. (And these were at some pretty tasty sandwich shops and take out places too!)

Today, I want to feature and talk about LevelUp. I also have a free promotional $5 code for new users to give out as well, so read on on.

LevelUp is a mobile payment option that works almost like having your own tab combined with your own rewards card for that restaurant. It's currently for iOS and Android devices only, but all you do is download the app and setup your account (requires a debit or credit card). Once you it setup, you can go to any participating store (and there are A LOT! I've checked San Francisco and you can find them just about everything) and just order how you normally would. Once you get to the checkout, you just take your mobile device with LevelUp opened, and just scan the QR code on your screen. It charges you for the order digitally, but the big benefit is that LevelUp automatically gives you a few extra digital dollars to spend on each participating store! Plus you get the $5 promo code if you sign up using the link I'll mention shortly! That can EASILY be a free lunch, and also discounts for future lunches.

Ready to snag your free lunch and score discounts on your future lunches?

Follow these instructions:

Download the LevelUp app on your iOS or Android device.

You can create your LevelUp either online here or through your mobile device after you have the app downloaded.

When creating your new account, use the promotion code "EVSBZ0" and you'll get $5 to spend anywhere on LevelUp!

And that's it! Next time you go out to lunch at a participating store, your lunch should be on LevelUp. Enjoy :)

LevelUp also releases promotional codes periodically so look out for those!

Free (good tasting) food is always a treat. :)

  On the Amazon front, I just got tipped off via Slickdeals that MasterCard is having a promotion where if you enter the promo code "MSTRCRD1" at check-out for a subscribe & save item, and use your MasterCard to pay, and you will get 15% off instead of the normal 5% off. While this is eligible for select products that actually have subscribe & save options, it's still a great promo code to keep handing to save you a few extra bucks. Combine this with Amazon Prime and you'll also have free two day shipping. Promo code can be used multiple times, but is only valid on the first subscribe & save shipment! (Keep in mind you can cancel subscribe & save subscriptions at any time via your Account settings, so it really makes no sense *not* to click subscribe & save if you want to buy an item.)

Eligible for products in:

Beauty

Beverages

Grocery

Household Supplies

Nutrition & Fitness

Pet Supplies

Enjoy your Labor Day Saturday folks! :)

  (Disclaimer: The promotion code is part of LevelUp's referral program. I'll receive $5 in credit if you sign up using my code, and actually make a purchase.)

Original Article

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Another Free 1,000 Priority Club Points for up to 2,000 Free PC Points!

Good Saturday morning, readers!

Earlier this week, I wrote an entry about how you can score 1,000 free Priority Club points for taking a short, 17 question survey. That survey is still active, so if you missed it, be sure to get in on it while the offer is still valid! Free points are always good and should be snagged whenever possible.

Speaking of free points: yesterday, cartman1417 posted on Slickdeals a new promotion code for Priority Club's promotional video advertisement about the Priority Club Visa card. This card, also by Chase, is similar to the United Explorer Card (in fact, they almost look identical minus the branding text), features quite a few additional benefits for frequent visitors of the Priority Club hotel chains--including one free hotel night every year.

But this entry is about the free 1,000 Priority Club points you can get for just watching this 90 second advertisement about the card. All you have to do is get to the advertisement page (which has already been linked twice so far), fill in your Priority Club information, enter in the promotion code MSPAOQR6F2, and then watch the video! Points should post sometime within 6 to 8 weeks.

Summary of how you can score 2,000 Free Priority Club Points this week: 

Go to: priorityclub.com/visa1000

Enter promotion code: MSPAOQR6F2

Fill out your PC Number and PIN (if you don't already have a priority club account, go to priorityclub.com and register one for free)

Watch the 90 second advertisement

That's it! You scored 1,000 PC points!

For the other 1,000 PC points: make sure you you've taken the 17-question survey (posted earlier this week) for another free 1,000 PC points!

Original Article

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Unlimited Flights on JetBlue for Your Dog or Cat for 2012 for only $299

JetBlue sent me an interesting an email this Monday about a new program that they've released for JetPaws (the name of their program for flying your small dogs and cats with you). The promotion, aptly called "All Your Pet Can Jet," is an unlimited travel pass for your pet for travel from September 7, 2012 till the end of the year (December 31, 2012) for only $299. Purchases must be made between 8/29 and 9/5/12 or while supplies last.

Since pet travel is normally $200 on roundtrip flights via JetPaws, this is a GREAT deal for folks planning on doing multiple flights between September 7 and the end of the year, and want to bring along their favorite canine or feline companion.

Here are some more details straight from the promotion page:

What Pets Can Jet:

JetBlue accepts small dogs and cats on both domestic and international flights other than to/from Jamaica, St. Lucia and Barbados. No other pets are permitted.

The combined weight of your pet and carrier may not exceed 20 pounds.

Only 4 pets are allowed on each flight and are booked on a first come, first served basis.

The first 3 pets booked on a flight can be booked over the phone (see “Using your ALL YOUR PET CAN JET Pass” below). The fourth and final pet must be booked at the airport ticket counter within 24 hours of departure.

ALL YOUR PET CAN JET Pass does not guarantee availability for your pet on a particular flight.

Pets can’t fly alone and must be accompanied by a customer. (The ALL YOUR PET CAN JET Pass owner must purchase a ticket and fly with the pet.)

Only one pet per customer.

Purchasing an ALL YOUR PET CAN JET Pass:

Purchase your ALL YOUR PET CAN JET Pass on ShopBlue between 8/29 and 9/5/12 or while supplies last for $299.

Passes are non-refundable after 9/5/12. NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES WILL BE GRANTED AFTER 9/5/12.

Each Pass may be used by the purchaser only. This means that you can use the Pass you purchase to travel with a different pet on different flights, but you can’t share your Pass with other people. If you want multiple people to be able to book travel and take trips with your pet, each of those people would need to buy an ALL YOUR PET CAN JET Pass.

Remember or write down the name and email address you provide when purchasing your Pass. That information will be required to book travel for your pet.

Granted, this deal is not for everyone (i.e. large dog owners or folks who don't own dogs), but it's a nice promotion on behalf of JetBlue. If you're interested and planning on traveling with your pet, you should snag this offer before it runs out!

Read more about the promotion on their All Your Pet Can Jet page here.

Original Article

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Still Time to Score 10x Points for Back to School Purchases!

Right now many of the online shopping malls, tied to popular airline programs and credit card programs, have back-to-school specials for purchases.

The Chase Ultimate Rewards Shopping Mall (for Chase UR cardholders, i.e. Chase Freedom, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Ink Bold, etc.) right now, for example, let's you earn an additional 5x points per dollar spent on Staples.com purchases. If you have an Ink Bold card, that's 10x points per dollar spent on Staples.com purchases! (Remember your Ink Bold gets 5x points in the office supply store category for up to the first $50,000 spent annually at office supply stores). That means buying $100 worth of items at Staples.com right now scores you 1,000 points which can be easily transferred at a 1:1 ratio with major airlines/hotel programs including United MileagePlus!

Remember that in order to gain these points, you have to log in through these shopping malls and click the link before visiting the retail website! Many offers are available online only.

If you don't have a Chase credit card with UR points, there are also plenty of other shopping malls directly tied to airlines as well. The United Mileage Plus Shopping Mall (valid for any card; extra miles with United Explorer Card) for example has currently a FANTASTIC offer of 18 miles per dollar spent at eBags.com! That's three times more than their usual 6 miles per dollar spent!! If you buy a $100 leather messenger bag, that's 1,800 miles you are eligible to earn!

There are dozens of other featured back-to-school special merchants available, so hop on over to your preferred shopping mall and check those out to plan out your back to school purchases! Be sure to act soon though, as many of these vendors have had their eligible points-to-be-earned increased temporarily just for back-to-school! 

Don't have a Chase Ink Bold card or any Ultimate Rewards cards? You might be interested in the entry I wrote yesterday about how to leverage the Chase Ink cards to earn a free roundtrip ticket to Europe (or Asia), as well as how to get 5x points per dollar spent on virtually everything using that card.

Original Article

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What to Do When Denied for a Credit Card: Reconsideration Numbers

Daraius, the owner of Million Mile Secrets, has traveled around the world and earned over a million miles through travel hacking and leveraging loyalty programs. His blog is popular and definitely no secret.

I want to spend this Thursday morning featuring a great article he wrote last year about what to do when denied for a credit card. (It happens. Don't panic: there are still ways to turn it around in your favor.) Rather than rewrite the post of a master miles enthusiast & traveler, I am just going to link it right here (just click) for you to read. 

I am, however, copying and pasting over all the Reconsideration numbers here for reference. Feel free to have it. These numbers are usually buried or kept secret, so having a direct number to reach Reconsideration is always important since you don't want to have to wait on hold for redirects from one department to another.

1.  American Express Credit Card Reconsideration

877-399-3083 / 866-379-3643 – new accounts

800 230 1284 – credit services

800 582 6471 – new accounts/reconsideration, but agents don’t usually process applications immediately.

2.   Bank Of America Credit Card Reconsideration

866-458-8805 - connects directly to a credit analyst

877-721-9405 – application status press 3

3.   Barclay’s Credit Card Reconsideration

866-369-1283 - connects directly to a credit analyst (personal)

866-408-4064 - for business cards

4.  Chase Credit Card Reconsideration

 888-245-0625 connects directly to a personal card credit analyst

800-453-9719 connects directly to a business card credit analyst

888–609–7805 connects to the application status department

5.   Citibank Credit Card Reconsideration

800-763-9795 – credit department

866-606-2787 – application status

888-201-4523 – application status

You are usually more successful when you write to: CitiBank Executive Review Department, P.O. Box 6000, Sioux Falls, SD 57117.

5.   US Bank Credit Card Reconsideration

800-947-1444 - reconsideration

800-685-7680 - reconsideration

Original Article

[mittychang-blog]

Hotel Promotions Guide - September 2012 Edition

Happy Friday, readers!

This morning I want to feature a post by a fellow miles blogger, Ric over at Loyalty Traveler.

Yesterday, Ric posted the most comprehensive post list or guide on current hotel promotions (sorted by hotel names) I've seen out on the blogs thus far. If you have travel plans coming up and are planning on taking up hotel accommodations, I would highly recommend you take a look at this promotion guide before booking.

Hop on over to Ric's blog entry for the Sept 2012 hotel promotions guide! While you're there, you'll probably want to subscribe to his blog and twitter too. :)

Original Article

[mittychang-blog]

1,000 Free Priority Club Points for a 2 Minute Survey

Angelina over at Just Another Points Traveler posted yesterday a link to a survey for Priority Club members that awards you with 1,000 priority club points after completing it. The 17 question survey takes about two minutes to complete. It was loading incredibly slow yesterday, but with some luck, it will load and work for you.

Great way to score 1,000 easy PC points for just 60 seconds of your time during your lunch break today.

Here's a link to the survey.

If you are not already a Priority Club member, you can register here. Priority Club is the loyalty program for hotels such as Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, IHG, Intercontinental, etc.

Original Article