Author Archives: Shelli

About Shelli

Shelli Stein is a health and fitness entrepreneur who travels the world in search of culture, food, and fun! Besides contributing to Travel with Grant, you can find her at Joy in Movement.

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How Did Uber’s Terrible Year of PR Affect Drivers?

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Uber’s 2017 was full of scandals at the corporate level, but the effect on driver morale and more importantly driver earnings, was limited. Our Uber insider, Harry Campbell, surveyed over 1,200 Uber and Lyft drivers and found out a ton of information. I think it’s interesting to know what’s going on behind the scenes, especially in a company that so many travelers utilize. Here are a few key takeaways from the survey results:

  • Despite a terrible year of PR for Uber in 2017, satisfaction among drivers actually went up! 58.2% of Uber drivers reported that they were satisfied with their Uber driving experience – a 9% increase in driver satisfaction from the prior year.
  • Rideshare drivers want a raise! Uber and Lyft drivers reported earning $16.93 per hour before expenses, but they want to be paid $25.67 per hour (a 31% increase).

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Should You Alert Credit Card Companies About Your Upcoming Trips?

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There was a time when we called our credit card companies to let them know we’d be traveling. That way we wouldn’t get locked out from using our cards overseas. Then I noticed that bank websites had a “travel notification” area where you could do your notifications online. Even years ago, I always forgot to let my credit card company know I’d be traveling, and sure enough, a few times that mistake created quite a hassle. I’ve never used the online “travel notification” option, but now I see, at least in the case of American Express, I don’t have to.

The other night, I got an email I’d never received before. Because I paid for a plane ticket with my American Express Gold Charge Card, AMEX took it upon themselves to let me know that they do NOT need to be notified when I travel. Maybe this proactive approach has been going on for a while, but this is the first time I noticed it. Have you received these kinds of emails? Do you still notify your credit card companies you’ll be traveling? I’m curious, so let me know in the comments below.

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Amenity Kits: Are they Useful or Wasteful?

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I was putting away my small old leather amenity kit bag from American Airlines and it got me thinking. I use this old one for small plugs and chargers I take when I travel. It’s really, really old and it’s held up super well. I can’t even remember the first amenity kit I ever received but when I look at my old AA one, I realize how much they’ve changed. Some are super big and I use them for things like carrying around an iPad. Over the years, I’ve collected so many of them that when people come and stay at my house, I’ll often put one for them by their bedside as a gift. This gets their visit with me off to a flying start :)

My Two Favorite Amenities

One of my favorite amenity kit type gifts I ever received was a big bag the size of a shopping bag. It was from an Emirates flight and made from a straw-like material and was a fun gift to give to my cousin. I kept my Emirates pajamas for myself! I don’t recall the amenity kit, but when I got off from a Brussels Airlines flight, I was gifted a big box of delicious chocolates. That was a sweet surprise.

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SPG Email Reminder: A Card on Your Account is Inactive

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Lately, American Express seems to be on a roll with reminder emails. Here’s another interesting one I received. I thought this one was clever because it not only addresses the SPG points I might be earning if only my authorized users would put more spend on this card, but it also reminds me of the benefits of the SPG card. So an all-in-one reminder. I had forgotten that unlike some credit cards from other issuers, the SPG cards do not have a yearly fee for authorized users. I’m trying to decide if I should give my inbox a rest and not get so many of these reminder emails. Do you learn new information from these email reminders, or do you have your notifications and reminders preferences turned off? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks!

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Hurry! Passport Fees Increase $10 on April 2

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Going overseas this year? Need a passport? You still have a week, so make sure to apply before April 2! You’ll pay more if you put off applying. That’s because the fee for passport applications will increase from $25 to $35 on April 2. Adult passport books will be $145, children 16 and younger $115. The less expensive passport cards, which are good for border crossings and travel by sea to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean but are not valid for international air travel, will increase to $65 for adults and $50 for children. The price hike is due to an increase in the the passport acceptance, or “execution,” fee. The U.S. State Department says it increasing the passport acceptance fee from $25 to $35 to better cover the costs of processing passport applications. The $10 increase does not apply to passport renewals by mail. So get your passport now and save a few dollars this month.

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Image source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/galleries/fascinating-facts-about-passports/