Step 1: Credit Cards are your Friend!!
You know the saying, those who understand interest EARN it, those who don't PAY it. You must always pay your credit card bills in full and on time, otherwise this is NOT an efficient way to save money on travel. APPLYING FOR A CARD: A lot of people I know are very wary of applying for credit cards and scared thinking they will ruin their credit score. While it is true your credit score will take a dip when you apply for a card, please understand it is a very small dip and it is temporary (only about a month), then your score goes right back up. As long as you pay your card on time and in full, your score will remain high regardless of how many credit cards you close and open over the years. I promise! My score is around 800 and I have applied for somewhere around 5 credit cards in the last couple years, closed some too, and my score is still around 800. So relax! Also keep in mind that if you are married, you don't share a score. You each have your own, so you can te