She Lived in Hotels for 4 Years on Points & Miles Then Quit - With Frequent Miler’s Carrie Yoder (Ep. 144)

Check out the new Smart Travel PodcastThis episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel PodcastDeAndre Coke sits down with Carrie Yoder, Creative Director at Frequent Miler, to explore a side of long-term travel that does not always make it onto Instagram. Carrie shares how she and her former partner built a life around travel, points, miles, and extreme flexibility, eventually visiting around 70 countries while spending years living nomadically. What started as an experiment in proving that long-term travel could actually cost less than a traditional lifestyle gradually became their everyday reality.Carrie takes DeAndre inside the evolution of that lifestyle, from backpacking through Asia on a tight budget to learning how airline miles and hotel points could completely change the way they traveled. She explains why IHG became especially valuable during their nomadic years, how hotel promotions and inexpensive stays helped them build huge points balances, and how points eventually opened the door to experiences that once seemed completely out of reach. But after years of constant movement, travel began to feel different. Once-in-a-lifetime experiences started becoming routine, and Carrie realized she was ready for something she hadn't had in years: a home base.That realization eventually led her to West Virginia through the Ascend WV program, where she was actually paid to relocate and build a more stationary life. Now, Carrie is entering a completely new chapter. After years of being the P2 in a two-player points strategy, she is learning how to become her own P1, rebuilding her credit card strategy, earning points independently, and deciding what travel looks like when she is no longer traveling simply because she can. The conversation explores travel burnout, identity, solo travel, financial organization, and the surprising challenge of rediscovering travel excitement after seeing so much of the world.Timestamps:(00:00) Intro: When the Dream of Full-Time Travel Becomes Too Much(03:00) Meet Carrie Yoder and Her Role at Frequent Miler(04:55) How Carrie Started Traveling Full Time(06:58) Discovering Points & Miles While Traveling on a Budget(12:00) The Evolution of Nomadic Life and Using IHG Points(17:47) How Points Changed the Way Carrie Traveled(19:54) Visiting 70 Countries and What Kept Her Going(26:04) Why Carrie Finally Walked Away From Nomadic Travel(30:06) Getting Paid to Move to West Virginia With Ascend WV(33:11) From P2 to P1 and Rediscovering Points & Miles(36:45) Rebuilding Credit and Creating Her Own Card Strategy(43:00) Figuring Out What Travel Looks Like on Her Own(46:35) Using Daydream Explorer to Find New Travel Inspiration(49:07) Carrie's Role at Frequent Miler and What's Coming Next(51:15) Final Thoughts on Nomadic Life and Why She Still Recommends ItKey Highlights:Nomadic Life: Carrie spent years traveling full-time and has now visited around 70 countries.Travel Can Become Routine: Even extraordinary destinations can lose some of their magic when constant travel becomes everyday life.IHG Strategy: Cheap stays, promotions, and award opportunities made IHG especially valuable during Carrie's nomadic years.Travel Burnout Is Real: Years of moving constantly eventually left Carrie craving stability, routine, and a permanent home base.Moving to West Virginia: Carrie joined Ascend WV, a program offering financial incentives and other benefits to remote workers who relocate to the state.From P2 to P1: After years of participating in a two player points strategy, Carrie is now building and managing her own credit card and rewards strategy.Rebuilding Credit: Carrie started carefully with a Capital One Savor card while focusing on improving her credit and avoiding unnecessary complexity.Travel With Intention: Carrie's biggest challenge now is deciding where she genuinely wants to travel instead of simply chasing another destination.Points Feel New Again: Building her own balances has brought back some of the excitement and curiosity she experienced when first discovering points and miles.