\n<\/p>\n
After 10 years of homeownership, I’ve had my fair share of pricey expenses.<\/p>\n
Washing machine won’t complete a wash cycle? That’ll be $330 for the labor and part swap. Fireplace won’t stay lit? Goodbye $460 for the cleaning and inspection \u2014 plus another $900 for a new pilot light.<\/p>\n
Then there are the never-ending water heater issues that seem to cost me $1,000-plus every other year.<\/p>\n
Unexpected financial hits are par for the course when it comes to owning a home. But with the right strategy, they can also create opportunities.<\/p>\n
In fact, a major home renovation is the exact reason why I recently added both the Chase Sapphire Reserve\u00ae<\/a><\/span> (see rates and fees<\/a><\/span>) and the United Club\u2120 Card<\/a><\/span> (see rates and fees<\/a><\/span>) to my wallet.<\/p>\n With thousands of dollars in spending on the horizon, I realized I could use those unavoidable expenses to earn enough points and miles for a bucket-list business-class trip.<\/p>\n Here’s how I’ve handled home expenses so far \u2014 and why this major project led to a change in my strategy.<\/p>\n Because I prefer travel rewards cards<\/a><\/span> that earn points and miles over ones that earn cash back<\/a><\/span>, I added the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card<\/a><\/span> to my wallet shortly after becoming a homeowner.<\/p>\n The card offered perks I knew I’d use \u2014 including a $300 annual Capital One travel credit<\/a><\/span> applied to bookings made through the Capital One Travel portal and lounge access at my two home airports \u2014 plus a simple earning structure that works well for everyday spending<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter<\/p>\n Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG\u2019s experts<\/p>\nMy original card strategy for home expenses<\/h2>\n