[mcmama]

Time for a brag.

I have done way too much traveling the past six months. Moved to FL from NJ. Went back two days later for son's wedding and to deliver younger son to the Coast guard academy. Then came back to my new home. Then a business trip to Atlanta. Then the latest, a trip to CT to see how my son survived the "swab summer" training.

So that is a lot of hotels. And gas. And miles.

I live in an area where there are not great choices on flights. So I used priceline - after linking to it from mypoints. Got points for travel. Paid for it with a credit card that gives cash back. Not free, but counts for something.

I had joined Choice Hotels points program, and with all this scurrying around, had enough points for two nights free stay. Now there are NO cheap hotels in New London, CT or the surrounding area that are any good. And on a weekend, you are looking at upwards of $80 a night. The hotel bill was more than the airfare after taxes and weekend add ons.

So I cashed in some of my hotel points for two free nights. Got a kingsize bed, and a couch. This meant that the room was suite size, and my son could crash for a night when he had overnight liberty. For free.

Was kicking myself for not having cashed in some mypoints or memolink points for restaurants in the area, but my oldest son treated us all to dinner at Applebees. Nice.

I only wished that Coke had had the Southwest Airlines rewards earlier. It would have been worth the drive to Jacksonville to save the money to fly with them, even though it meant gas and time.

So, I got to go to CT for the weekend, and saved around $200 off the cost. And got some points to cash in on a CVS gift card to cover my prescriptions.