How to Use Credit Card Points to Travel Like a Rich Girl on a Budget
Not sponsored. Just a rich girl sharing what actually works.
Chile. Let me tell you something. I have not paid full price for a flight in two years. I am not a travel hacker. I am not a points nerd with seventeen spreadsheets. I am just a rich girl who figured out how to make one card work hard so my money doesn't have to.
The card? The Capital One Venture X. It is my favorite card I own and honestly one of the best financial decisions I have made for my travel lifestyle. If you have been sleeping on travel rewards or think it is too complicated to figure out, this post is for you.
We are going to break down exactly how I use my points to travel well, attend the experiences I love, and still keep money in my account. Let's get into it.
First, Why the Capital One Venture X
I am not here to write a card review, but I do want to give you context because the card you choose matters. The Venture X earns 2x miles on every purchase and 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. It also comes with a $300 annual travel credit for Capital One Travel bookings and 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary worth at least $100.
When you do the math, the card essentially pays for itself every single year before you even use a single point for travel. That is the rich girl way. Your card should work for you, not the other way around.
How I Actually Use My Points
Here is where it gets fun. A lot of people earn points and let them sit. Rich girl behavior is using them intentionally. Here is how I put mine to work.
Experiences and Events
People think travel points are only for flights and hotels. That is the smallest version of the game. I use my Venture X miles to cover events like the Miami Open, plays, sporting events, and concerts. Capital One has a Purchase Eraser feature that lets you redeem miles to cover travel and entertainment purchases already made. That means I can attend an event, pay with my Venture X, and then wipe the charge with my points. Or you can purchase directly with your miles.
The Miami Open was a solo day trip for me. Just me, great seats, good food, and a perfect afternoon. And after redeeming my miles, the cost was minimal. That is the rich life in action.
Flights and Hotels Through Capital One Travel
I book all of my travel through Capital One Travel because I earn more points that way and the platform is genuinely easy to use. You can search flights, compare prices, and book hotels all in one place. The miles earned on travel bookings are higher than everyday spending, so it compounds fast.
For hotels specifically, I look for properties available through the portal and use a combination of points and cash depending on what makes the most sense for that trip.
Rental Cars With Hertz
One of the perks of the Venture X that I use constantly is the complimentary Hertz President's Circle membership. This is not a small thing. President's Circle is the top tier of the Hertz loyalty program and it comes with free upgrades, skip-the-line pickup, and guaranteed car availability.
I book rental cars through Capital One Travel to earn the bonus miles, pay with my Venture X, and show up already enrolled at the top tier. No waiting. No surprises. Just a clean car and a smooth experience. Rich girl standard.
Capital One Shopping: The Move Nobody Talks About
Okay, this one is underrated and I need you to pay attention. Capital One Shopping is a free browser extension that automatically applies coupon codes at checkout and earns you rewards on purchases you were already going to make.
Here is how I use it. Before I buy anything online, whether that is home items, clothing, gifts, or booking through a third-party site, Capital One Shopping checks for available codes and applies them automatically. I have saved money I did not even know was sitting there.
On top of that, the extension earns Capital One Shopping rewards that you can redeem for gift cards. It is not the same as Venture X miles, but it is free money on top of the miles I am already earning on the purchase. Double dip, rich girl.
This is not just for Capital One cardholders either. Anyone can use Capital One Shopping. But when you combine it with the Venture X, every purchase is earning in multiple directions at once.
The Rich Girl Strategy in Summary
Here is what the full system looks like so you can model it:
• Use the Venture X for everything, especially travel bookings and events
• Book all flights, hotels, and rental cars through Capital One Travel to maximize miles
• Use the complimentary Hertz President's Circle membership on every rental
• Redeem miles for experiences and events using the Purchase Eraser feature
• Install Capital One Shopping to stack savings and rewards on everyday purchases
• Let the $300 annual travel credit and anniversary miles offset the annual fee every year
You are not cutting back to travel more. You are being strategic about where your money moves.
A Note on Being Intentional
I want to be clear about something. This is not about chasing points to the point of overspending. The rich girl way is to buy what you were already going to buy, with a card that rewards you for it, and redeem those rewards for the life you actually want to live.
I do not carry a balance. I pay my card off monthly. The points are a bonus on top of smart spending, not a reason to spend more than I should. That distinction matters.
When you treat your money with intention, it rewards you back. That is the whole rich life philosophy in one sentence.
The Bottom Line
You do not need a big travel budget to live like a rich girl on the road. You need a strategy. The Capital One Venture X is the card that built my travel system and I am not shy about saying it has changed the way I experience the world.
Use your card with intention. Book through the portal. Let the Hertz upgrade work for you. Stack your savings with Capital One Shopping. And redeem your points for the experiences that make your life feel like the one you actually want.
Live rich. Love loud. And never pay full price for a flight again. 💋
