What’s the best way you could spend $1500 on travel? What if I told you, for that money you could get 28 flights? What if some of those flights were business and even first class? What if those flights enabled you to travel from Europe, through Asia, Australia, New Zealand and back? What if it included some 5 star accommodation and the chance to sip champagne and nibble in airline lounges while you await your flights?

Seems too good to be true? Well it did to me to until todays guest told me they have done it…and they do it all the time!

Leanna and Andy Brown are expat Americans living in Germany, using it as their base to travel much of the world. Leanna and Andy are travel hackers – people who devote a good portion of their time to searching out the best ways to save money on their travel deals. Today we speak with Leanna who shares with us much of the secrets of what they do – including how they come to own 60 credit cards (none of which they use) and why they pay each other on Amazon!

I knew I was going to like this interview, and you will too! Check out their website www.economicalexcursionists.com  and their Very cool free tool - the Flyer Miler - for working out which credit card can give you what points for which trip http://www.economicalexcursionists.com/flyermiler

What I learned from talking with Leanna:

1. I knew many credit card companies gave you bonus points for signing up – I didn’t know that some of them will give you enough for a free flight straight away. Leanna got her sister onto a card that paid for her return flight from the United States to Germany – not bad for filling in a bit of paperwork!
2. Not all credit card points are created equal. It’s worth taking the time to investigate which ones give the most points – and what those points will get you. Sometimes less points can be worth more for different airlines…there is a reason they give you points and not dollars!
3. They live by the mantra that "Travel doesn’t have to be expensive – just memorable”. Leanna confesses that they are particularly frugal, but they have prioritized travel in their life and don’t feel they are sacrificing anything in order to achieve it. It’s the same old story – most of what we spend money on is “stuff” that has little or limited benefit after the normal purchase. These guys prefer moments over mementos and are richer for the experience. Living on $35000 per annum is fairly economical living for most couples living in suburbia – but what if you could live on that amount AND see 10 countries per year as well? If Leanna and Andy can do it why can’t you?