Black-Led Organizations (BLOs) are organizations led by an Executive Director and have a majority of full-time employees identifying as African American. BLOs face challenges (e.g., limited funding, diminished agency, exploitation) which can be explained through the framework of racialization. In this episode, Dr. Greg Wilson discusses his research…

Southwest announced this summer that they will be ending their no assigned seats policy in 2025. What will this look like? How will it change flying for free? I break it all down in this episode. Join Families Fly Free by Sept. 4 and get access to my Fly Free Formula classes which I'll be teaching live over 4 weeks! Learn more --> https://www.famil…

The Chase Ink Business Preferred card, which earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, one of my favorite flexible travel points, currently has its HIGHEST EVER bonus for a limited time (there is no end date, meaning it could end at any time). This is ALSO highest bonus currently available to earn Chase points. In this episode, I explain why this is su…

Minimum wage workers, especially those with children, face barriers to affordable child care. Child care costs can prevent working parents who earn minimum wage from participating in the labor market. Alternately, many child-care workers also face financial barriers because they, too, earn minimal wages. Therefore, increasing the minimum wage would…

There are more than 17 million renters in the rural Unites States. While popular perceptions of eviction may be that they are predominantly an urban issue, low-income rural renters face some unique challenges in finding and maintaining secure housing. Dr. Carl Gershenson shares insights from his extensive work on eviction, and in particular from th…

Homeownership is one of the most common ways to accumulate wealth and promote intergenerational economic mobility in the United States. But even with laws and policies designed to ensure equal access to housing and financing, access to mortgage credit is far from equal. Factors like the race, gender, and age of the applicant can result in less favo…

Learn all about my favorite travel card, Chase Sapphire Preferred. I explain the offer, the card's features, how you can earn $1100+ in FREE travel, why it's my favorite travel card and walk you through how to fill out the card application. Thanks for using my affiliate link if you decide to apply in support of my small business and free podcast: h…

Monica Marino shares how implementing a simple system to use miles and points enabled her to visit her son as much as she wanted, as well as enjoy some vacations. She also explains how teachers can fly for free using travel rewards despite being on a traditional school schedule. Learn how to fly for free like Monica by joining Families Fly Free. Le…

Andrew and Kiana Joyner share their journey from travel rewards beginners to getting free flights for life! The couple share their best tips, including what to watch out for when booking with third-party vendors and why you need TSA PreCheck, as well as how they use travel rewards to fly for free. Check out their YouTube channel at: https://www.you…

Have you ever considered traveling with a tour company to a particular destination? Christine Sarkis, with TourScoop.com and FamilyVacationist.com, gives us some tips for how to decide if a tour is a good fit for your family and if so, how to choose among the many tour companies like Backroads, Road Scholar, Go Adventures, Intrepid, Wilderness Trav…

The value of focusing on the most impactful travel rewards strategies to not only save you money, but tons of time, as well from someone who once flew free as an airline employee. Plus, he shares many great travel tips that we all should take to heart. Resources: Email Jesse about his Lake Tahoe vacation rental at bobalinresort AT outlook.com Want …

Planning a trip to Hawaii but not sure about bringing young kids? Marcie Cheung of HawaiiTravelWithKids.com has taken her children, now 7 and 10, at least 10 times and shares how it's doable, along with some of her best tips to navigate Hawaii with kids. Check out Marcie's Hawaii Travel Guides: https://www.familiestravelfree.com/hawaii-travel-guide…

COVID-19 interrupted life on multiple levels for many people regardless of race, economic class, or citizenship. For Latina mothers who either lacked legal status or were part of a mixed-status household, the pandemic intensified the challenges they faced even before this health and economic crisis. In their paper, “No Calm Before the Storm: Low-In…

It's a great idea for all couples to get away together without the kids from time to time. Here are 10 recommendations for fun romantic getaways for a couple's getaway. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Families Fly Free membership, the BEST way to learn how to fly free using travel rewards... Lea…

Experiencing poverty in childhood can hinder a person’s opportunities throughout their own lifetime, and those of their children and grandchildren as well. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently released a report titled “Reducing Intergenerational Poverty.” For this episode, we're joined by Jesse Rothstein, who serve…

While discounted Southwest gift cards SEEM like a good deal, they're actually not. Here's why... Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Families Fly Free membership, the BEST way to learn how to fly free using travel rewards... Learn more Download Lyn's FREE list of 7 INSIDER hacks she uses to personal…

Do you ever feel alone in your love of collecting miles and points and scoring a great travel deal? Lyn sees this a lot and shares some quick advice. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Families Fly Free membership, the BEST way to learn how to fly free using travel rewards... Learn more Download Ly…

In Part 2 of listener questions answered, Lyn explains why the current Southwest personal card offer is NOT good, when and how you should use a Costco card, if devaluation of airline points is a problem, if shopping portals are key to her strategy and if it's too late to get a Southwest Companion Pass now. Want to get on the fast-track to always fl…

Black Meccas are cities where it appears that Black communities thrive more-so than other places in the United States. However, the housing values of Black-owned properties in these areas are substantially lower compared to their white counterparts, revealing the presence of wealth inequality even in cities where Black people are thought to experie…

Lyn answers some great questions from listener Jamie about options if you don't want to fly Southwest out of your home airport, how you really can pay 7,500-10,000 points per flight and if you should use Chase Freedom Unlimited for your everyday spend. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Families Fl…

Amanda's family of 4 has a goal to visit all 50 states before her daughters graduate high school. She shares how learning how to earn and use travel rewards has saved them thousands on trips to places like Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Utah, Niagara Falls and more. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Famili…

Don't be intimidated to visit our National Parks for any reason, including crowds, knowledge, equipment or planning. Bryanna Royal of Crazy Family Adventure explains how you can enjoy the National Parks this year without overwhelm and make memories in some of America's most amazing landscapes. She shares some of her favorites and tips for making th…

Just a few years ago Chase Sapphire Reserve was THE luxury travel card to own, but these days, there are better options that offer the same perks for a lower cost. Lyn explains why she doesn't recommend getting Chase Sapphire Reserve, except for a rare group of people. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us insid…

Where you live can affect the quality of education you receive, your chances of finding a good job, and even how long you might live. In their new book, “The Injustice of Place: Uncovering the Legacy of Poverty in America,” Dr. Luke Shaefer and his co-authors Kathryn Edin and Timothy Nelson create a new way of looking at poverty, called the Index o…

What's in store for us when it comes to travel in 2024? Lyn identifies 9 trends she expects to see this year including continued revenge travel, international travel, more and better travel rewards, better wifi, hotels versus vacation rentals and much more. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Famili…

Where should you travel in 2024? Lyn together with Lesli Peterson of 365AtlantaTraveler.com share their picks for 6 great US destinations for families in 2024 including Colorado, Hawaii, Glacier National Park, Huntsville Alabama, Las Vegas and San Diego. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Families …

What international destinations should you consider visiting in 2024? Lyn shares her recommendations including Costa Rica, Paris, Grand Cayman, Ireland and Sicily. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Families Fly Free membership, the BEST way to learn how to fly free using travel rewards... https://…

Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement is common, especially for children experiencing poverty, or who are Black or Native American. About a third of children are subject to a CPS investigation before their 18th birthday, but research shows reducing child poverty could help change this. In this episode, Dr. Jessica Pac discusses the recent pap…

How much did Lyn's family save flying and staying free in 2023? She totals up their savings across 10 trips to 8 different destinations for you in this episode and explains how you can do the same. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Families Fly Free membership, the BEST way to learn how to fly fre…

Caroline Makepeace has traveled the world since 1997, visiting nearly 60 countries and living in 5. She shares her inspiring story about how she got out of the "rat race" and opted for a different way of life for herself, her husband and her two daughters. Get ready to be inspired!By Lyn Mettler

Travel blogger Pam Howard shares how she uses travel rewards for everything from weekend getaways to day trips and from Disney visits to travel sports for her family of 4 without ever running out of points. Check out Pam's blog at ouradventureiseverywhere.com Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Fami…

There's 1 mistake that Lyn sees travel hackers make again and again that complicates travel rewards and prevents them from taking as many free trips as possible. She reveals this very common mistake in this episode... Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Families Fly Free membership, the BEST way to …

Reparations for Black Americans is not a new idea—before the U.S. Civil War had ended, there was a proposal to provide freed Black people with “40 acres and a mule.” That did not materialize, and in the ensuing century and a half, the Black descendants of formerly enslaved people have faced systemic injustices, discrimination, and violence. In this…

Are you traveling as much as you could be or want to be? Lyn explains the concept of "under-traveling" and encourages you to truly consider this question. If you aren't traveling as much as you want, consider using travel rewards to bring your family up to the level you DO want to travel. She shares inspiring stories of families who have done that …

How do travel rewards fit into a plan to retire early and become financially independent? Brad Barrett of Choose FI, the largest financial independence community in the world, explains how he became interested in travel rewards, his thoughts on travel cards, considers the cost/benefit analysis of fees associated with travel rewards, explains the ta…

Many people suffer from not getting enough sleep from time to time. But for many people of color and those who are living in low-income neighborhoods and housing, additional factors may contribute to chronic poor sleep quality. Those factors can have long-term impacts on their health and well-being, including higher rates of heart disease, diabetes…

What travel "hack" can save you the most possible points when flying that's simple and easy to do? Lyn shares her No. 1 airline points-saving hack in this week's episode. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Families Fly Free membership, the BEST way to learn how to fly free using travel rewards... L…

Are you tightening the "belt" this year? No need to stop traveling! Travel rewards can allow your family to keep traveling even when the budget is tight. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your family free? Come join us inside the Families Fly Free membership, the BEST way to learn how to fly free using travel rewards... Learn more Downloa…

Maui is open and ready for visitors after the tragic August wildfires. Leanne Pletcher with the Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau joins us to share how you can visit Maui in a respectful way and why it's important to do so to support the island's recovery. Ready to jump to the finish line of flying your whole family for free, learn more about Famil…

Wisconsin is one of a few states with a Birth Cost Recovery program, which bills unmarried, non-custodial fathers for the birth costs of their child when the mother is on Medicaid. But the impacts of these policies on the children and both parents have not been studied closely. In this episode, Dr. Tiffany Green discusses the report that she co-aut…

The Chase Ink Business cards can be a great way to build your flexible points balance for free travel. Lyn reviews the different options, how they work and why she thinks they are a great option. Ready to jump to the finish line of flying your whole family for free, learn more about Families Fly Free and how you can learn Lyn's simple Fly Free Form…

Whether renters have access to safe, high-quality housing has serious implications for health and health equity. Local housing policy often focuses on community residents’ particular needs, yet state law can preempt local ordinances, frequently with detrimental results. In this episode, Dr. Jamila Michener discusses two of her recent papers, “Entre…

Lots of people shy away from Southwest Airlines because of their no assigned seats policy, but by doing so, they lose out on the EASY way to fly for free using travel rewards. In this episode, Lyn explains why this policy is different, but not as bad as you might think. Ready to jump to the finish line of flying your whole family for free, learn mo…

It's the time of year to start earning your Southwest Companion Pass for 2024-2025, but the timing can be very difficult to get right! In this episode, Lyn explains some of the key things you need to know to get a Companion Pass in place to last almost 2 full years. Ready to jump to the finish line of flying your whole family for free, learn more a…

How much can you save flying for free? The sky's the limit if you're traveling once a month for an activity like travel sports. Travis Boland shares his success story of saving almost $20,000 to fly his son to not only lacrosse tournaments and games, but also taking his whole family on fun vacations. Want to learn our simple system that Travis empl…

Family child care is the care of non-relative children within the providers' home. Thirty percent of family child care professionals are women of color, and oftentimes the cultural assets they contribute to the field of early care and education are diminished or disregarded. In this episode, Dr. Crystasany Turner discusses her research highlighting…

Should you use your points for last-minute getaways? Lyn just did on a trip she planned a week ahead. She explains why you SHOULD do this and why it's not a problem. Ready to jump to the finish line of flying your whole family for free, learn more about Families Fly Free and how you can learn Lyn's simple Fly Free Formula, a simple system to collec…

While we usually talk about how to use travel rewards to fly for free to destinations for fun, it's a fact of life that at some point you'll likely need to get somewhere beyond driving distance in a hurry. If you aren't prepared with points ready to go, you could end up shelling out thousands of dollars for airfare. In this episode, Lyn shares how …

In this free webinar, Lyn dives into the math of the potential savings of using travel rewards to pay for flights, accommodations, park tickets and more at Disney versus the various discounts you may be able to take advantage of. Confused about Genie Plus, Disney's FastPass replacement system? Download our Genie Plus Strategy Sheets FREE: https://f…

There are SO many different ways to use travel rewards and none of them is wrong except for NOT using them. Lyn explores a common concern of Families Fly Free members that they aren't using their points in the "right way" and shares some of the most common ways she sees people using miles and points. Want to get on the fast-track to always fly your…