We didn't fly very much when I was younger, just a handful of international trips to visit grandparents and some US vacations mostly to Florida. We did spend a lot of time driving around the east coast in the minivan, but always stayed at budget places. I always loved geography and wished I could travel. Throughout college and grad school I was very jealous of friends who had already graduated and had paychecks to travel through Europe and Asia and South America while I was cooped up in the library.

Then like others have mentioned, I met my future husband. He had traveled even less than me as a kid and wasn't interested in the international budget trips his friends took. If he was going to travel, he had a desire to stay and eat at the nicest places possible. So when he met me, he finally had someone to take (he paid!). But that still isn't where the bug started. At one point our relationship turned long distance and although he was ready to give up on us, I committed to flying twice a month and signed up for an AAdvantage account. At one point that account turned to Gold and I was dumbfounded. I thought elite status was reserved for those with highly paid travel-related jobs. Thats when I found Flyertalk and started learning about the miles and points world. I was able to get my brother who was in college at the time to start flying WN for the double college rapid rewards, and he reaped immensely from that. He is now slowly getting into it as well.

I'm still so behind though. I will be applying for my first miles card soon. I was balancing my checkbook yesterday and was mentally smacking myself at all the miles I've been losing out on. We always had a family cash back credit card because my parents are just too uncommited to follow "terms and conditions" when it comes to redeeming points and miles. They were better off with the cash anyways than with miles they'll never use. My husband has a list of itineraries planned for next year and I will enjoy planning and maximizing my points out of his itineraries.