I reward myself often with miles from programs I don't use often. I take the 10,000 mile upgrade instead of waiting for 25k for an economy ticket. Frequent flyer miles are not just for the rich. When I was a student I had accumulated 140,000 miles in 2 years enough for 2 business class tickets to Europe. You just have to be savy about how you accumulate, and how you spend the miles.

Phil