Stardate 05.16.2026
I tell people almost daily that I don’t like credit cards.
Use them carelessly and they will quietly take control of your life. Years ago, I listened closely to Dave Ramsey, who teaches people to cut them up and walk away for good. I did exactly that. For a long time.
His plan works. It builds discipline. It creates margin. It teaches respect for money.
Over time, I made a small adjustment to his approach. It’s an adjustment that only works because the discipline came first. Without that foundation, this would be a dangerous game to play. If you have ever struggled with debt, this is not for you. The consequences of a missed payment are too heavy. I mean that sincerely.
Winter in Iowa can feel long. The sun sits low in the sky and disappears before I get home from work. I’ve learned that a mid-winter trip to sunshine does wonders for my spirit and my health. A little Vitamin D goes a long way when the days feel short.
That’s how my wife and I found ourselves on a flight from Cedar Rapids to Tampa/St. Pete on Allegiant Air. Allegiant has a knack for connecting smaller airports to warm destinations at prices that make you look twice. Our one-way tickets were about $55.
During the flight, I noticed something interesting. The flight attendant mentioned that wine is complimentary for Allegiant credit card holders.
I looked at my wife, expecting her to rescue me from temptation.
She nudged me.
“You should do it.”
A few minutes later, during a stretch of noticeable turbulence, I was filling out a paper credit card application with handwriting that already challenges the English language on calm days. The plane bounced. My pen bounced. I’m fairly certain the application looked like it had been written during an earthquake.
I handed it in anyway to qualify for the in-flight bonus offer.
Then came the waiting.
Three weeks passed. I called to make sure someone could actually read what I wrote. They politely told me to be patient. About a month after the flight, the card arrived.
The next step was clear: spend $2,500 within 90 days to earn the reward points.
Mission accepted.
Every charge was planned. Every purchase was something we would have paid for anyway. And when the statement arrived, it was paid in full before the due date.
My wife and I have a rule: if we ever pay even ten cents in interest, the card gets closed.
No exceptions.
I remembered telling the flight attendant that once I had the card, I would be enjoying my complimentary wine on future flights. Six flights a year covers the $59 annual fee. Three round trips to Florida or Arizona during winter takes care of that easily.
There’s something funny about how this all started. A casual comment from a flight attendant. A nudge from my wife. A shaky pen during turbulence.
And now, 50,000 rewards points sitting in an account waiting to be used for more sunshine trips when Iowa turns gray again.
“Be very careful,” I tell people when I share this story.
Discipline came first. The card came later.
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance.” — Proverbs 21:5
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Captain’s Addendum
Spock: “Fascinating, Captain. A credit instrument used with logic instead of impulse.”
Bones: “I still don’t trust it. One late payment and you’ll need medical attention.”
I smiled thinking about that turbulence and my shaky handwriting. Some journeys start with a small moment that feels almost insignificant at the time. A nudge. A conversation. A decision made carefully.
Sometimes discipline opens doors you would never dare to walk through otherwise.
Mission Log complete.
Grateful for sunshine, safe flights, and lessons learned along the way.
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