Triangle Trip

If you are traveling and have any kind of hotel status, your nearest ATM should be your hotel’s front desk. Almost all hotel loyalty programs let you cash checks for free, up to a couple hundred dollars, if you have some kind of hotel status. You just need to carry a check or two when you travel. This way you don’t have to worry about ATM fees and/or driving around looking for an ATM.

Recently I lost my wallet one night (during a drunken stupor but that’s another story). The next day I had to book car service, a hotel, and take a flight out. But even without my wallet I was able to do all of these because I had a lost wallet contingency plan. Here are a couple steps I always take:

1) Keep your cash and credit cards separate. I always keep my cash in a money clip and my credit cards in a wallet. The reason being is if I lose one I’ll still have the other.

2) Always have a backup credit card and a backup bank account debit card. I always keep a backup credit card with no annual fee at home. I also have a backup bank account that I keep $100 in with a debit card I leave at home. This way I always have access to cash and credit in case I lost my wallet.

3) Always have your passport handy at home or in your bag even while traveling domestically. Your passport is probably going to the best candidate for a backup government issued ID. Also, if you lose your license while traveling you might face difficulties going through airport security without a backup ID handy.

And in case you lose your cell phone, always remember your username and password to your cell phone carrier’s website. That way you can lookup phone numbers you frequently dial on your online cell phone statement when you don’t have anyone’s phone number.

Lastly, for those of you who are looking to save money on accessories during this recession, I’ve found that this can replace the functionality of a money clip at a very low cost: the binder clip.

Star Alliance is probably the best airline partnership out there. United, US Airways, and Air Canada in North America. BMI, Lufthansa, and Swiss among others in Europe. Asiana, ANA, Singapore, Air China and a couple others in Asia, which is probably the strongest aspect of the alliance. The Star Alliance Gold status is the highest status within Star Alliance, with benefits such as lounge access for any of the Star Alliance partners on any international flight, priority check-in and boarding, and extra baggage allowance.

Now you can get Star Alliance Gold by becoming Premier Executive on United or Gold on US Airways, but that requires you to bank 50,000 actual flown miles or 60 segments in one calendar year. There’s actually a better alternative: bank miles with Asiana Airlines when flying with United, US Airways, or any other Star Alliance partner.

Asiana Airlines requires you to fly only 40,000 miles or 50 segments and the qualification period is 2 years, not 1 year, to become Asiana Diamond, which gets you Star Alliance Gold. Not only that, your Asiana Diamond status is valid for 3 years, not just 1 year like United or US Airways.

No more banking miles with crappy US domestic carriers.