I lived and traveled abroad for 7 months using credit-card points. My stash of miles meant I barely had to pay anything out of pocket.

• I spent a year saving up credit-card points, then used 33,000 miles (plus $5) to move to Argentina.
• For the next seven months, I continued to rack up points for smaller trips around South America.
• The points allowed me to save money long-term and explore more deeply than a regular vacation.

The idea to move from New Jersey to Buenos Aires came to me one afternoon while watching the Diego Maradona (famed Argentine soccer player) biopic series on Amazon Prime. I had only ever visited once before for a three-month backpacking trip, and I always knew I wanted to go back.

As a daughter of Dominican immigrants, relocating to a Spanish-speaking country and exploring a largely unknown place at my own pace was a dream. 

But moving abroad — like cooking meat in an asado — is a slow and steady process. I allotted myself one year to prepare, save, and, most importantly, rack up credit-card points to help soften the financial blow. 

Here’s how I did it. 

I started by signing up for a new card with a hefty bonus offer

I’ve been using credit-card points to fly around the world on a budget for years, so I knew the biggest bang for my buck came from credit card sign-up bonuses.

At the time, the Capital One Venture X card was offering 100,000 miles, or $1,000 in travel credit, after spending $10,000 within the first four months. It was a huge deal. Typically, cards might offer two times the miles on every dollar spent — this was five times that.

Once approved, I immediately used the card to pay for all of my regular bills, day-to-day purchases, and other travel bookings. I even lent the card to trusted friends, who then reimbursed me for their purchases in cash. 

Simultaneously, I used my existing United Airlines credit card to book flights for my family members. We use the airline frequently, which meant I was continuously adding to my cache of miles. Within a year, I had enough to book a one-way United flight to Buenos Aires for 33,000 miles (plus $5 in taxes).

My points took me all around Argentina — and into other South American countries

I learned cultural nuances, ate my body weight in steak, and adapted my Dominican American Spanish to the Argentine accent. One of the highlights of my seven months abroad was celebrating Argentina’s World Cup win at the Obelisco Buenos Aires and chanting the national song alongside 5 million local fans. 

At each location, I swiped for activities and food and used those newly accumulated miles to book the next trip. It was a constant loop feeding itself. 

The move only ended up lasting 7 months, but it was an incredible experience

Instead of squeezing Argentina’s major highlights into a rushed and complicated tour, I visited seven cities over a seven-month stay. This slow travel style saved me a ton of money — especially since I didn’t fly back and forth to the US. 

My time in South America offered me a new perspective on migrating. I respect my parents for completely uprooting their lives in the 1980s with no internet or common language. Unfortunately, unlike them, I wasn’t able to do it for the long haul. 

Although I have since returned to New Jersey, I continue to use credit-card points to fund my travels. They don’t pay for everything, but they make massive undertakings (like moving abroad for seven months) more seamless than ever before.