๐ค My Top Finds, Latest Deals, and Best Recommendations (3/29/25)

This week, we'll cover how I'm rethinking elite status and new points strategies, how to earn 3x on Hyatt vacation rentals and up to 5k American Airlines bonus miles, freebies including free coffee, kids workshops, pita chips, how to save 25% on IHG with PayPal and more!
๐ค Rethinking Elite Status + Listener Wins
With so many major devaluations, is chasing elite status worth it? I share my journey of earning elite status with 8 hotel and airline loyalty programs for 2025, weighing the pros and cons. Plus, find out how our podcast listeners saved $100,000+ in combined savings through smart points and miles strategies.
๐ซ Travel, Points & Miles
๐๏ธ Earn 3x at World of Hyatt Vacation Rentals
For a limited time, you can โearn 3x pointsโ on qualifying stays at Homes & Hideaways by World of Hyatt between 3/19 and 7/6. World of Hyatt points are one of the most valuable hotel points, so I’d take advantage of this promo if you have upcoming travel. Registration is not required, but you do need to be a โWorld of Hyatt memberโ.
โ๏ธ 25% Off Emirates' Partner Award Flights
Emirates Skywards is offering โ25% off partner economy class awards โon select airlines (including United Airlines domestic flights) when you book by 3/31 and travel by 1/6/26. Emirates is a transfer partner of almost all the loyalty programs, so this promo is worth checking out.
๐ฐ๐ท Alaska/Hawaiian Airlines Expanding to South Korea
I love South Korea and I really want to go back, so I'm excited that Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines are launching 5x weekly, โnonstop flights from Seattle to Seoul Incheonโ in September 2025. Plus, any new route makes the likelihood of good award deals so much better!
๐จ IHG Hotels: Save 25% with PayPal
IHG One Rewards members can โsave 25% on stays of 2+ nightsโ when booked before 6/30 and paid with PayPal. Reservations must be made at least 7 days in advance and include a stay on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
๐ค American Airlines Status for Southwest Elites
If you have Southwest elite status, American Airlines is offering an instant status match to a higher tier: A-List members will be matched to Platinum status instead of Gold and A-List Preferred members will be matched to Platinum Pro status instead of Platinum. โApply for your status matchโ before 6/30 to qualify.
๐๏ธ Earn up to 5k American Airlines Bonus Miles
Earn โup to 5,000 American Airlines bonus milesโ by referring friends to AAdvantage eShopping. Get 500 bonus miles for every person who joins using your link and spends at least $75 before 4/6. Plus, they will earn 1,000 bonus miles in addition to the miles they would typically earn on their purchase. Here’s โmy referral linkโ if you need one :)
๐ค Latest Deals
๐ฐ Easy $10 with PayPal
There's a targeted offer for some PayPal users to โearn 1,000 pointsโ (worth $10) when they spend $10 using PayPal. Click โhereโ to see if you're eligible.
๐ Freebies: $10, Krispy Kreme Coffee, Kids Workshops
Here are some freebies this week, with some deals ending today:
- $5 Amazon credit: When you โadd your debit or credit cardโ to your Amazon account (only if you haven’t already).
- $5 Shop Cash: When you โcreate a Shop accountโ or โlog inโ to claim your gift.
- Pita Chips at CAVA (3/29): For National Pita Day, make sure to sign up for โCAVA Rewards hereโ.
- Coffee at Krispy Kreme (3/29): With any purchase through โKrispy Kreme Rewardsโ.
- 8×10 photo print at Walgreens: With promo code โCOOLFREEโ.
- Kids workshop at Home Depot: Build a globe planter on 4/5. Register โhereโ.
- Kids workshop at Lowe’s: Design and assemble an herb greenhouse on 4/12. Register โhereโ.
๐๏ธ Annual AllTrails+ Membership for $17.99 (or Less!)
You can get a 1-year โAllTrails+ membershipโ for just $17.99 with code SUMMERNOW. Plus, the comments โin this blog postโ include a few creative ways to get an even better deal!
๐ฆ $250 Bonus from Mercury Business
If you run a business, โMercury is offering a $250 bonusโ when you deposit $10K within 90 days using a โreferral linkโ. Feel free to โuse my linkโ and you'll also be able to skip the waitlist.
๐ป Up to 93% Off Microsoft Windows & Office
Thanks to subscriber Charles for sharing that Groupon is offering almost every version of Microsoft Windows and Office for 77-93% off โhereโ (and that's before stacking it with any โcash back portal offersโ).
๐ต๏ธ Great Finds
๐บ Show Recommendation: Dope Thief
I'm currently three episodes into Dope Thief and really enjoying the show. It's about two friends who pose as DEA agents to steal from drug dealers that end up picking the wrong target. It's free on AppleTV+.
๐ค Mentava Scholarship: Free Early Reading Program
Mentava is an amazing accelerated reading program for kids and they launched the โMentava Ambassador Scholarshipโ to offer 10 families free access to their software in exchange for short video clips of their child using it. We love Mentava because of how quickly our daughter started reading 3-4 letter words.
Or if your child isn't ready to start reading yet, they have a free phonics-based โAlphabet Sounds Bookโ that we printed for our youngest daughter and she loves it!
P.S. If you are interested in Mentava, but not the scholarship, you should be able to get $50 off with the code โALLTHEHACKSโ.
Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.