One SPG hit...

I was getting pretty nervous about those SPG hits, where I got credit for dining.  It was definitely taking a lot longer for the miles to get to US than it did when I was simply transferring points.  Thanks to those on FT who pointed out that it is a longer process and, indeed, the first of two hit today.

One more meal, maybe two, and a Hertz hit should do it for me.  I'm at 34 completed and have room for one more Hertz rental and at least two hotel stays.  Come to think of it, I have a hotel stay this coming Thursday night.  Cool.  Down to one rental and one dine.  Man, that was fast.

The inevitable chink in the armor...

This is why you do or plan for extra hits: My trip to NYC this weekend got cancelled, costing me two hits.  Not good.  Not a desperate situation either, though, since I can make up at least some of them with Hertz rentals (I have three I can still do.) and a few more meals at the local W Hotel.  That does mean that my cost per mile goes up, but it also means that at least one of the expensive hits that I did earlier makes a difference.  How do I determine that?  Excellent question:

I have 31 hits completed (but not credited).  I can do four hotel hits and three Hertz hits, giving me 38 total.  Of the 31 I have done so far, three were "expensive," meaning $50 in value or more.  If I hadn't done those three, I would have only gotten 35 hits total, and that doesn't give me a "pinch hit" in case of a foul ball.  Truthfully, I'm probably not going to eat at the W three times.  I'll be lucky to get two.  But it matters.

The eye roll...

I have to admit, I enjoy the eye roll.  That's when you tell somebody what you are doing for miles, they roll their eyes and look at you like you are crazy.  Today, it was another Hertz rental, which makes, um, 1+1=2.  In and out in three minutes, which beats my previous four minute mark and came with no sarcastic comments from my wife.

I told somebody about it today and he said, "Are you one of those people who bought gold coins from the mint?"  I can very confidently say that I bought no gold coins from the mint.  Silver dollars, on the other hand...

28 down, 22 credited.  Eight to go.  Well, probably nine. 

Hertz rental bonanza, otherwise known as "Oh, no, she's making him a sandwich!"

(Kudos if you get the obscure Simpsons reference in the title.)

For those of you who are lucky enough to live in Boston, New York or Stamford, you have a special Hertz opportunity for an easy hit.  Hertz offers hourly rentals in these cities, and while you may have to pay some extra taxes or fees (My $12 hit totaled $24.83 after getting hosed by Boston's convention tax.), it's a good marginal hit if you are getting toward the end.  50 miles, which is 49 more than the hit requires.

I'll get my six rental car hits easily this year, which is a plus, since I was using lunches at Starwood for hits last year, and those are now less likely, with the 200 point hotel minimum.

Note: Certain rental agencies will not give you points for rentals that do not take place at an airport.  Please check and make sure your agency is not one of them.

The following conversation took place this weekend:

Me: Oh, I have to run over to the Park Plaza Hotel on Monday.

DW: Why?

Me: I'm having an affair.

DW: (After five minutes of laughing): Seriously, why?

Me: What, you don't believe somebody would have an affair with me?

DW: Okay, what points scheme is this related to?

In Boston, the Hertz "hourly rental" place is across from the Boston Park Plaza hotel. The guy told me that I needed to take the car out once he did the paperwork, but once he realized that I truly had no interest in it, he just checked me back in. He understood once I told him it was a mileage promo. Total was $25.60, due to non-amortized Convention Center tax. The receipt said "50 miles awarded" and gave my DM number.

Total transaction time: about four minutes. It's worth noting that, when I told my wife that, she started to get nervous that I actually was having an affair.

Mike

9,000 Club Carlson points for a 3-day Avis or Budget rental

If you need to rent a car and are going to max out on your car rental hits, Club Carlson is offering 9,000 points for a 3-day rental at either Avis or Budget.  8,000 points is good for one hit.