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A Michigan family of 4 took a $6,000 vacation to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico and only spent $300 on the whole trip - here's how they were able to do it

Dec 19, 2019, 19:55 IST

When it comes to personal finances, Andy and Nicole are no strangers to number crunching.

After successfully paying off their nearly $200,000 mortgage in less than four years, the couple decided to go on their first family vacation.

The family stayed at the Paradisus Los Cabos, where rates start at $314 per night. If they'd taken a less savings-oriented approach to the trip, their five-night stay alone could have cost around $1,570. But instead, the entire trip cost them just $329.

The family stayed at the Paradisus Los Cabos, where rates start at $314 per night. If they'd taken a less savings-oriented approach to the trip, their five-night stay alone could have cost around $1,570. But instead, the entire trip cost them just $329.

The solution? "We found this magical world of travel rewards," Andy told Business Insider.

So, how exactly did they do it? To cover the real expenses of the trip, the couple spent 10 months piling up travel credit — around $6,000 worth of it.

He and Nicole signed up for credit cards with big travel bonuses — miles, points, and cashback. They put their typical monthly expenses on credit cards, hit the minimum spending requirements needed to receive the bonuses, and then repeated the process.

He and Nicole signed up for credit cards with big travel bonuses — miles, points, and cashback. They put their typical monthly expenses on credit cards, hit the minimum spending requirements needed to receive the bonuses, and then repeated the process.

Working toward a nearly free vacation by earning points is no easy task. In his blog, Andy lays out a few tips he's learned along the journey.

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