Two days on the Mekong with no wifi, an elephant at sunrise, and miles accumulating back home. Here’s how we earn travel rewards without spending more.
Since our last update, life has been moving.
We wrapped up our time in Chiang Mai, spent three slow days in Chiang Rai, and then crossed into Laos for one of our favorite slow-travel experiences yet — a two-day, one-night river cruise down the Mekong. Luang Prabang is now home for a few weeks.
With no wifi on board, we had two full days to unplug, watch the riverside villages drift by, and meet incredible people from Switzerland, the UK, and Poland. One early morning we spotted an elephant wandering to the river for a drink and a bath. Pure magic — the kind of moment that reminds us why we chose this lifestyle.
Don’t chase deals — build systems
Black Friday is noisy. But early retirement rewards consistency, not chaos.
Instead of chasing every limited-time offer, we focus on tools that work quietly in the background — loyalty-eligible rates, multiplier cards, and smart portals.
Before booking any stay, we run the price through a portal like Rove Miles. One small step that earns more value than any Black Friday discount.
How we earn miles on purchases we were already making
👉 Join Rove Miles — 1,000-point signup bonus when you join through our link.
- 10x Rove miles per $1 on “Loyalty Eligible” hotel bookings
- 5x Rove miles per $1 when you buy Airbnb, hotel, or airline gift cards
Bonus miles on your first hotel booking when you use these codes:
- Spend $100 → 500 Rove miles with code BLACKFRIDAY100
- Spend $500 → 2,500 Rove miles with code BLACKFRIDAY500
- Spend $1,000 → 5,000 Rove miles with code BLACKFRIDAY1000
These deals work because you earn miles on things you were already planning to buy.
Here’s exactly how we’re using them
Airbnb gift card
We buy a $500 Airbnb e-gift card through the Rove Miles shopping portal via GiftCards.com. The card arrives by email, we load it into our Airbnb account, and we earn 2,500 Rove miles — plus the normal points from our credit card.
Marriott hotel booking
We’re booking a Marriott hotel in Malaysia through the Rove Miles portal. By using the code BLACKFRIDAY1000 on a stay over $1,000, we get 5,000 bonus Rove miles on top of the regular miles we earn.
Both of these were bookings we were making anyway. Rove Miles just makes them work harder.
Black Friday makes people rush. Early retirement teaches the opposite.
Slow, simple habits save you more in the long run. Using portals like Rove Miles turns normal purchases into miles that help pay for future trips — making travel more affordable every year.