Each credit card and point or mile policy will be different. Generally, you can expect your points to stay good for 18 months, though some programs' points may expire sooner or later. To prevent forgetting about a point or mile expiration date, you may want to set a reminder in your cell phone or mark your calendar. Account inactivity is one of the most frequent ways that points go bad. Even small purchases on your point or mile earning credit card, like buying a song on iTunes or Amazon, will keep the account active and your points safe. In most cases, redeeming points will also count as account activity. This means that you can use a small number of points on something, like a magazine or clock, to keep your account active and your points usable. Some programs may also allow you to donate your points to charity. This should also register as account activity and keep your points from expiring. If you've lost track of time and your points or miles have expired, you may still be able to get them back. Often, this involves paying a fee, which can be quite expensive depending on how many miles you have. Reinstate your points or miles as soon as possible if you intend to do so. Most companies only allow your account to be reinstated for a period of time following expiration. International flights often offer excellent deals for point or mile redemption. However, don't let the possibility of a freebie cloud your judgement. Flight upgrades are sometimes worth even more than a free flight. Though not always the case, domestic flights under $300 often cost as many points or miles as a significantly better upgrade or longer distance flight. Many point or mile programs restrict the redemption of points or miles during peak travel season. But even if yours does not, flights during these times often cost more points or miles than usual, which will devalue what you have earned. You should also attempt to book flights paid with points or miles well in advance. This will help prevent getting stuck with a multiple layover flight.
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One-sentence summary -- Learn your card's point or mile expiration policy. Preserve points or miles by keeping your account active. Redeem points or miles to maintain them. Reinstate expired points or miles, when suitable. Spend your points or miles wisely. Avoid the busy season.

Q: Depending on the size of your party, it might be too much work and money to cook for everyone by yourself. To avoid the stress and cost, ask each guest to bring a dish to share. To ensure that no one brings the same thing, assign different dishes, like salad, side, or dessert, to each guest. Make sure to specify that the party is a potluck on your invitations. Set out bowls of chips and nuts, veggies, and fruit for guests to snack on throughout the party. To add a Christmas flair, have green and red snacks, like celery and strawberries, placed next to each other. If you want, you can serve just hors d'oeuvres for the full party. Make sure to have lots of filling options, like deviled eggs, hearty dip, or shrimp cocktail. If you’re planning on a more upscale dinner party, choose a nice entree with a wintry feel, like roast beef, turkey, or ham. For a vegetarian option, try pasta, like ravioli or lasagna, or a vegetable quiche. Make sure to give yourself enough time to prepare the dish on the day of and have it hot and ready to eat by dinner time. Whether you serve an entree or not, sweets are a must at any Christmas party. You can go with traditional frosted Christmas cookies and milk, or make a bigger dish like red velvet cake, pudding, or tiramisu. You can have your desserts out for the whole party for guests to munch on, or serve them after dinner or hors d’oeuvres. Set up a bar on a counter or island and stock it with your favorite holiday drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Make sure to have red wine, champagne, and eggnog on hand, as well as peppermint hot chocolate and milk for cookies.
A: Ask guests to bring dishes for a potluck-style party. Have plenty of snacks like nuts and popcorn. Serve a main course for a more formal party. Make a tasty holiday dessert, like Christmas cookies or red velvet cake. Offer holiday drinks and cocktails.

Article: Measure the height and width of the space you want to cover, such as under a bed or desk. Sew a curtain panel according to these measurements, then slide it onto a tension rod. Insert the tension rod under the bed or desk legs, then adjust the curtain to your liking.  Instead of sewing 1 long panel, sew 2 to 3 narrower panels. This will make it easier to access the things you need. This works great for bunk beds, shelves, and entertainment cabinets. You can even use it in place of closet doors. If you have a cat, place the litter box under a table, then cover the sides of the table with your makeshift curtains. Slide small metal pails onto a tension rod, then place the rod into a sunny window. Place potted herbs into the pails for an instant, mini herb garden! Don't plant the herbs directly into the pails as they don't have good drainage. Put them into smaller plastic pots first, or leave them in the pots that they came in. Place 2 tension rods inside a deep drawer, 1 on each side. Get some hanging file folders meant for a filing cabinet, and place them inside the drawer; the hooks will sit right on the rods.  Place the rods down the length of the drawer on the left and right sides. Don't place them towards the front and back. The rods need to be high enough so that they can hold up the folders. About 10 inches (25 cm) from the bottom should be enough. Thin, slender rods will work the best for this. Don't use thicker ones, or they will create too much bulk. Decide on the height of your pet barrier, then sew a curtain panel that has a pocket on both the top and bottom edges. Slide a tension rod through each pocket, then insert it into your doorway. If you need to, use thumbtacks to secure the sides of the curtain to your doorframe.  The bottom edge of the curtain must have a pocket and be attached to the bottom rod, otherwise your pet will just crawl under it. Use 1 panel for this, not 2, otherwise your pet will find a way to crawl between the panels. The barrier needs to be tall enough so that your pet can't climb over it, but low enough so that you can step over it. Simply close all of your drawers, and slide your tension rod vertically down through all of the handles. Keep in mind that this only works with drawers that have C-shaped handles, and not with knobs.  This is best for drawers that you don't use regularly, as you will need to remove the tension rod each time that you want to open them. This is also a great solution for nosey pets who have learned how to open drawers.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Hide clutter with custom curtains. Place a tension rod in a sunny window and hang plants from it. Convert a deep drawer into a filing cabinet with 2 tension rods. Attach a tension rod to both sides of a curtain to create a pet barrier. Slide a tension rod through the handles of drawers to baby-proof them.