How to Reduce (or even Eliminate) the Pesky AirBnB Cleaning Fees

We've all had it happen - you find a perfect spot to stay, and it looks like its right in your budget. Then, when going to confirm your reservation - you see that astronomical cleaning fee. Okay, so in reality…

Roulette Travel Guide: Getting to, thru (and outta) Cuba

For a long time, U.S. Citizens couldn't go to Cuba due to the longstanding embargo until changes were made that finally opened travel again in 2014. I feel fortunate to have made it to Cuba before more changes to our…

How to Avoid the Minimum Spend on Rewards Credit Cards

You often see those ads for '50,000 bonus points' on a credit card, only to find out that it comes with the caveat of spending upwards of $3,000 in the first few months of having the card. For some people,…

Should You Be Worried About Black Bears when Hiking in New York?

One of the most frequently asked questions that I get when taking clients hiking in the Catskills is "will we see bears?!" And I usually give them the same answer - technically, we could, but statistically (for me at least),…

“Through the Looking Glass” Phone Pics

If you like these types of pictures, and are wondering how to take them, keep reading.  While driving through the Adirondack Mountains, I stumbled upon the field that you see in the first picture.  I had recently bought one of…

How to Avoid the Young Driver Fee on Car Rentals (and get a cool car too)

A lot of people wonder how they can rent a car if they are under 25 years old. Many car rental agencies charge as much as $25 per day if you are under 25, and you might ask yourself "how…

Simple Credit Card Point Hacks You Can Actually Use

Over the past year, I have racked up over 290,000 airline and credit card reward miles and should likely have close to 400,000 by the end of this year.  I am saving them up for a multi-continent, multi-week trip sometime in…