One of my favorite personal finance blogs, Money and Values, has returned from a hiatus. Penny writes about the way our personal values affect our relationship with money. Good stuff.
>> The Digerati Life: 5 different ways to build an emergency fund <<
The Silicon Valley Blogger takes a look at five ways to start your emergency fund: three get thumbs up and two get thumbs down.
>> American Airlines Miles: Use ‘Em or Lose ‘Em <<
Betsy at Money Changes Things writes that American Airlines is cutting back on their mileage program. She notes that if you don’t have enough miles accumulated to get free tickets, you can redeem them for magazine subscriptions, including Wall Street Journal and Business Week.
I used to fly Alaska Airlines all the time in college, so I signed up for their mileage program. Since they accept miles I fly with their partner airlines (including American) I make sure I fly with those airlines and then submit my boarding passes to Alaska after the trip (via snail mail! the horror!) A couple weeks later they credit my account.
Alaska’s miles never expire. Since I’m by no means a “frequent” flier, this allowed me to build up enough miles to fly myself and my partner to Juneau to visit some friends last year, for free, something we never would have done, otherwise.
Thanks, J.D.! Glad to be back!