Author: Kyle Burbank
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My Hands-On Experience with Manta Sleep White Noise Machine
If you’re a frequent traveler, you’ve probably seen ads on Instagram of YouTube videos for Manta’s sleep masks. These high-end and creative sleep masks certainly look appealing — but it was another one of their products that, ironically, caught my eye: their white noise machine. As I’ve written about before, I’ve come to love my Bose…
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My Experience Applying for Bilt 2.0 (And Did I Choose Correctly?)
Just like many other places online these days, Reddit is simultaneously an incredibly useful tool and an absolute cesspool. Earlier this week, when Bilt revealed its official 2.0 card details (which I won’t detail in writing right now, but you can watch my video below), that dichotomy was on full display as the r/BiltRewards subreddit…
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Travel Tuesday: Cosmopolitan Las Vegas Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts Hotel Review
Continuing what has been a tradition for me the past several years, I started 2026 with a visit to Las Vegas for CES. And, in a repeat of last year, I decided to use one of my nights on the Strip to try out a hotel I’ve never been to. This time around, I not…
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Another Rant About Vegas Table Games – Avoid the Nasty Middle
I’ve spent the last few days going up and down the Las Vegas Strip during CES 2026. Not only have I come to this show for several years now but have also been visiting Vegas for far longer. In that time, I’ve seen a ton of changes — some good, but mostly bad. Most recently,…
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JustBid.com Review: Is It Legit?
A few weeks ago, my wife was telling me a story about how her boss got a good deal on an under-desk elliptical by using a site called JustBid. When I first heard the name, what came to mind was the likes of DealDash, which boast big savings but charge you a per-bid fee. That’s…
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Travel Tuesday: Why I’m a Travel Creature of Habit
Something funny about me is that, for as much as I enjoy exploring new places, I love returning to familiar foreign locations nearly as much. Moreover, when I do return to cities I’ve been to before, there’s a good chance I’ll even book the same hotel from previous stays. That’s how I’ve ended up having…
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Use Your Amex Platinum Credits Even If You’re Not Traveling Yet
With Christmas now past, we are dangerously close to the end of 2025. That also means that your days are numbered if you want to use up your American Express Platinum card’s credits — including the monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual ones. And while claiming your Lululemon, Resy, and Digital Entertainment credits may be straightforward…
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My First Retention Bonus Offer — And Why I Turned It Down
When I downgraded from the American Express Gold card to the Green card last year, I had a feeling I might be canceling the card altogether once renewal time came around. Sure enough, this past week, I went ahead and closed the card. But, before I officially did so, I achieved a credit card enthusiast…
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Travel Tuesday: Flight Tracking App Flighty Says This is the Most-Delayed Airline
Imagine this: you’re waiting for your flight, checking your watch, and confirming your boarding time. Yet, when that time arrives, the gate agent comes on the P.A. and announces a delay. Worse yet, you have a connecting flight to catch, which suddenly seems in jeopardy. Unfortunately, these types of delays are all too common. In…
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It’s That Time Again: Starbucks for Life is Back — Enter for Free
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. That’s right — it’s Starbucks for Life time (what did you think I was talking about?). I’m aware that I’ve already overhyped this, but this annual promotion does mean that there’s an easy way to potentially win some free coffee or other prizes, which is pretty exciting.…
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Bilt Just Debuted a Double-Dipping Opportunity for Flight Bookings
For years, credit card issuers and others have put a heavy emphasis on their own travel booking portals. From increased rewards for those who book using those sites to offering credits that can only be redeemed on them, the likes of Chase, Capital One, Amex, and others have been pushing them hard. This leads to…
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Travel Tuesday: Donating Your Travel Currency on Giving Tuesday
Lest you think we’re done with the retail holidays, today marks another — albeit quite different — one: Giving Tuesday. For those unaware, this is the day that emphasizes charitable donations over retail purchases. Actually, in addition to Giving Tuesday, today has also become known as Travel Tuesday (no relation to this column). Notably, while…
