You just fling everything into and out of shelves never having to fold things again. If you have not already signed up with one airline carrier or another to collect your mileage you are throwing money out the window. Upgrades and free flights come after saving up and you will be surprised by how much you accumulate flying from here to there and back. They sometimes offer 'buy one get one free' for so many miles which makes flying with a companion that much easier. Just make sure to check in with your card handy and to keep all old tickets in case they 'forget' to credit you.
Some credit cards offer one or more miles for every dollar spent.