Intro
The problem is rarely the redemption.
It’s choosing between several options that all look reasonable.
These pieces track how those decisions get made.
Foundations
Defines the system
Start here if you are new to the site.
Why this exists.
How value is defined, and when points beat cash.
The rules that sit underneath every decision.
Decision frameworks
Reusable decision tools
When to use certificates, and which type to use.
Decision lenses
Ways of seeing the same problem differently
Why the highest-value redemption is not always the best choice.
What happens when your miles and points stop being just for you.
Different tools carry different optionality.
Second order effects
What happens after the decision is made
Sometimes a great redemption can still be sub-optimal.
Why timing mistakes don’t always kill the trade.
In practice
Where the system is tested
A structured decision for a one-night stop.
When the math says yes, but the answer is still no.
Where fixed credits lose to simpler options.
The cost of switching from points to cash when a rebate is introduced.