Train travel is not as cheap as once perceived; particularly overseas. In Europe, forget taking the train these days. Eurorail costs have gone up and bullet train prices can be astronomical. Check out websites such as www.ryainair.com or www.easyjet.com for better deals on airfare than train tickets. You can also use those sites to book travel to fringe destinations like Croatia or islands in the Mediterranean. There are advantages and disadvantages to rail travel. There is the scenery, the relaxation, the old world feeling of nostalgia. However, one disadvantage to train travel is lengthy travel time and multiple stops unless you want another way to see your destination.

Get an airline card. Many airlines and credit card companies have formed partnerships to reward frequent travelers, and frequent spenders! However, credit card airline cards generally have high annual fees. Alaska Airlines offers a travel card through Bank of America as a debit card! Think of how often you use a debit card and it doesn’t have a finance charge or interest rate. The annual fee is only $30 and www.alaskaair.com has several ways to earn miles and they are partnered with a multitude of retailers to earn those miles quickly from grocery stores to cell phone carriers. I even pay my rent on my debit card, so those miles, and trips, add up faster than I can keep track.