I was meant to be flying to Costa Rica today but unfortunately had to make the very adult decision to cancel it and stay home.

It was going to be a little tight anyway, but on top of the usual things, lots of work was getting delayed + a last-minute work trip to Sydney + an unplanned trip back to Perth for a funeral. As fun as it would have been, I’m very glad to have these two weeks back to stay on top of work. Being self-employed, income can be very inconsistent so it’s important to make the most of it when it’s busy.

Luckily, I had booked my return flights with Qantas points, so I was able to cancel and get my points back (minus a 6000 point fee which is very reasonable). Yay for flexibility!

Qantas Frequent Flyer members can currently get 25% off Economy Classic Flight Rewards across Australia which is a great way to maximise your point spend on any domestic travel you’ve got planned.

To qualify, book your flights before 11:59PM AEDT 19 October 2025, for travel between 1 November 2025 and 3 October 2026. The discount is automatically applied when you book using Qantas Points.

To qualify, your flight must be:

For example, a one-way flight from Melbourne → Perth, normally 15,500 Qantas Points, now costs just 11,625 points + taxes with this offer.

If you have upcoming domestic flights to book, this is one of the most effective ways to get more value from your Qantas Points!

*Important reminder: credit card companies offer these bonuses because they make money from them. Please take your time when deciding whether a credit card will be more helpful or more harmful for you.

You can now receive an extra 20,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply for a participating Qantas credit card, on top of the existing sign up bonuses already available.

Participating providers include:
ANZ, NAB, Westpac, Citi, CommBank, St George, and others featured on the Qantas website

You must not have earned Qantas Points from any Qantas Points earning credit card in the past 24 months. Offer excludes:

Buying points can sometimes make sense - for example, if you’re just shy of what you need for a business class reward seat, or missing a few thousand points for a hotel redemption. In those cases, the out of pocket cost to top up can be much lower than the full cash ticket, making it a great deal.

But outside those situations, it’s rarely worth it. Even with a discount, you’re still paying around $1,638 for 100,000 Points and once you add the taxes and fees on most redemptions, it often ends up costing more than just paying cash for the flight.

💡 Our take:
The real value of frequent flyer programs comes from not spending too much extra money to earn points. When you earn them through your usual credit card transactions, shopping rewards, or travel partners, those points are a free bonus on top of things you were already going to buy. When you buy points outright, you’re giving up the main advantage of reward programs which is getting extra value without spending more.

If you’re close to a set goal you’ve been saving towards, buying a small top up can be worth it. But otherwise, focus on earning points from your everyday spending and promo offers, that’s how you make the system work for you.

Join us on a 4 day luxury retreat in sunny Queensland blending yoga, self care, and money mindset workshops

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🎙 Episode 204 – Legal money laundering? Ana’s debt recycling journey

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Tash Invests would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and play, from coast to coast, across land, waters and communities. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.