The concept to maneuver from New Jersey to Buenos Aires got here to me one afternoon whereas watching the Diego Maradona (famed Argentine soccer participant) biopic collection on Amazon Prime. I had solely ever visited as soon as earlier than for a three-month backpacking journey, and I at all times knew I needed to return.
As a daughter of Dominican immigrants, relocating to a Spanish-speaking nation and exploring a largely unknown place at my very own tempo was a dream.
However transferring overseas — like cooking meat in an asado — is a sluggish and regular course of. I allotted myself one 12 months to organize, save, and, most significantly, rack up credit-card factors to assist soften the monetary blow.
Here is how I did it.
I began by signing up for a brand new card with a hefty bonus provide
I have been utilizing credit-card factors to fly around the globe on a funds for years, so I knew the largest bang for my buck got here from bank card sign-up bonuses.
On the time, the Capital One Enterprise X card was providing 100,000 miles, or $1,000 in journey credit score, after spending $10,000 inside the first 4 months. It was an enormous deal. Usually, playing cards may provide two instances the miles on each greenback spent — this was 5 instances that.
As soon as authorised, I instantly used the cardboard to pay for all of my common payments, day-to-day purchases, and different journey bookings. I even lent the cardboard to trusted associates, who then reimbursed me for his or her purchases in money.
Concurrently, I used my present United Airways bank card to ebook flights for my relations. We use the airline ceaselessly, which meant I used to be constantly including to my cache of miles. Inside a 12 months, I had sufficient to ebook a one-way United flight to Buenos Aires for 33,000 miles (plus $5 in taxes).
My factors took me throughout Argentina — and into different South American nations
Anny Caba
By the point I touched down in Argentina, I had lengthy surpassed the entry rewards on my Capital One card. I stored common payments comparable to cellphone and streaming apps on it to proceed racking up rewards, nevertheless it was lastly time to concentrate on the subsequent section of the plan: Spending the factors.
Sadly, I could not use them for my hire, however fortunately, my absolutely furnished residence solely price me $650 a month. As an alternative, I used my factors to cowl issues like my every day meals and actions (about $300 a month) and pay for all my journeys round South America.
As a freelancer with a really versatile schedule, I meant to discover as a lot of Argentina as potential. However I additionally needed to go to Brazil and Chile — particularly since I needed to depart at the least each three months to maintain my visa lively.
Since I wasn’t positive how lengthy I needed to remain, I did not apply for formal residency in Argentina. As an alternative, I used the 90-day vacationer visa restrict as an excuse to go to different close by nations. This course of proved to be easy; I as soon as crossed into Chile by automotive and returned to Argentina with a brand new visa begin date hours later.
Capital One offers a portal to buy flights, however native carriers often provide cheaper charges on their very own web sites. Due to this, I’ve discovered one of the simplest ways to make use of miles is to retroactively cowl the price of purchases made on different platforms.
Utilizing this method, I used to be in a position to cowl my flights to Bariloche, El Calafate, Iguazu, Mendoza, Ushuaia, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. Sometimes, I had sufficient to pay for my Airbnb or resort there, too.
Anny Caba
I realized cultural nuances, ate my physique weight in steak, and tailored my Dominican American Spanish to the Argentine accent. One of many highlights of my seven months overseas was celebrating Argentina’s World Cup win on the Obelisco Buenos Aires and chanting the nationwide tune alongside 5 million native followers.
At every location, I swiped for actions and meals and used these newly amassed miles to ebook the subsequent journey. It was a continuing loop feeding itself.
The transfer solely ended up lasting 7 months, nevertheless it was an unbelievable expertise
Anny Caba
As an alternative of compressing Argentina’s main highlights right into a rushed and complex tour, I visited seven cities over a seven-month keep. This sluggish journey fashion saved me a ton of cash — particularly since I did not fly backwards and forwards to the US.
My time in South America provided me a brand new perspective on migrating. I respect my mother and father for utterly uprooting their lives within the Eighties with no web or frequent language. Sadly, not like them, I wasn’t in a position to do it for the lengthy haul.
Though I’ve since returned to New Jersey, I proceed to make use of credit-card factors to fund my travels. They do not pay for all the pieces, however they make large undertakings (like transferring overseas for seven months) extra seamless than ever earlier than.
