We visit the best snorkeling spots, interview the guy running Google Travel, learn of European travel scams, travel to Jordan & Jeddah, MS hack green style and so much more you will enthusiastically click on my links #fantasy.
TBB Blog Mission: To Entertain. Educate. Inspire. In That Order!
This site is ad free! You can support it by applying for CREDIT CARDS, consider doing your shopping with our AMAZON AFFILIATE LINK and clicking/forwarding any of our REFERRAL LINKS.
Some really good thoughts on this post by The Free-quent Flyer: Finding the constellation of rewards programs that’s right for you.
What to do when a bank closes your credit card and you have a points balance. CFPB to the rescue. Maybe don’t get to that point so you can play…longer?
A collection of great places around the Mediterranean!
As we are at it, how about some snorkeling spots around the world too.
A very interesting interview with the guy in charge of Google’s Travel team and where Google is going with it.
How to avoid travel scams in Europe. Kill all spammers. And PuppyMonkeyBaby!
10 Things Rich People Do Better Than You. I agree!
This is a great educational post about Jordan.
Saudi Arabia’s second largest city. Not sure you get a trip report from anywhere in Saudi Arabia too often, I enjoyed it.
MILES BUZZ
We are seeing more of these lately: Detained at the airport for MS. Check out some of the huge numbers you guys…
This is far out. This guy hacked the ink recycling rewards program of an office supply store. The balls, wow. Come on, call him names, pig and hog and stuff like that. Assuming it was all true. Sometimes I wonder about some of the people in this hobby…HT: Charlie
DO NOT Apply for these 5 credit card offers! If you see them offered to you with an enthusiastic pump…tell them to eff themselves and never return to their site because it is VERY clear they do not care about YOU! You’ll get the best advice here because YOU always come first! As long as we don’t burn out…huh!
This is what is wrong with this hobby! It has become an effing plastic pumping operation. And bloggers like me are about burned out. And the troll is laughing all the way to…more trolling #comeonweknowyoureadeveryday
A great comment by cheapblackad. Let me serve an excerpt for you:
The public trading of tips and tricks may seem like a good thing, but it’s gone too far. Keep it to in person, in locked forums and private chats, and would everyone please cool this jets?
Also, bloggers, get a 2nd job or shift away from credit card abuse as your key topic. Your business models are not sustainable.
So, son was accepted into that two month travel study program in Hong Kong this summer. I hopped on the British Airways site and started playing with it trying to see award availability to unload some AA miles before the devaluation date of March 22. I have a RT award on a 5 day hold, both on Cathay Pacific, flying out of Newark in coach and into JFK in Business class. 90,000 AA miles plus taxes/fees. I guess I should look into getting him a card soon too hehe.The flight out of HKG leaves in the morning and will not have a chance to enjoy the lounge. Who knows, he may get hooked like his dad and ruin him for life 🙂 #developing
And I leave you with this…
Please help bloggers you appreciate & make a positive difference in your life by spreading the word about their blogs, emailing and commenting and using their few $ links, thank you!
Check out my updated blog lists: Blogs I Love, Blogs I Like, Blogs To Ignore
TBB
travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com
Follow TBB on Twitter @FlyerTalkerinA2
You can subscribe to TBB below, winners only!
Going for 2 at first.
I love the fact about your son flying CX on miles! That’s the beauty of this hobby, sharing it with the family.
The futbol GIF is hilarious. I cannot believe he kicked the ball with such precision the second time!
Your Twitter at Ben is on point. I used to enjoy his blog, about two years ago he blocked my comments (related to better Ink offer). So I stopped visiting his blog. Same goes for the Financial Samurai, for similar reason. Their work product is really just a pile of sh*t at this point.
Citi bank black listed me in 2009 for 7 ‘extreme’ bank fundings via CC, I never got off that bank black list. But, when I got blacklisted for excessive AA card churning in 2009, that was only for under 2 years. So there is some hope for new inductees on that list.
10 Rich People do things is right on point. Last one felt like a sales pitch, but as long as they are a fiduciary, that works.
Finally, about setting goals. I am on a self selected 7 year plan of paying off a second home in pure miles/points/cash/GCs from CC/banks churning/spending. A very small place, bought in foreclosure, too good to pass up of a deal property. 15% paid off now, in less than 1 year. Really just paying back myself, nobody else. But, it’s a fun goal, I keep on driving my 10 year old Honda, hope still have it when this property (and furniture/appliances) is all covered by points. Maybe you will come out and visit? Get a beer from a fridge on MR points, sit on a couch from Discover ApplePay promo, sleep on a mattress from TY points, and enjoy the free Delaware River views.
Cheers,
PedroNY
Great goal. Given the recent events, is a 7 year plan still possible?
How do you pay off a mortgage with miles?
There is no mortgage, I am just paying myself back. I think it is possible, especially with bank bonuses and churning of CCs, $300 here, $500 there, add your spouse, it adds up over many years. Still doing miles and points, just not only that.
Cheers,
PedroNY
Pedro….
Was that you crying about the 5/24 rule expansion? Just want you to know we hurt…together 🙂
>>>>>>>>Maybe you will come out and visit? Get a beer from a fridge on MR points, sit on a couch from Discover ApplePay promo, sleep on a mattress from TY points, and enjoy the free Delaware River views.
Sounds great! Maybe one day. Delaware River views??? So where are you?
It’s just one bank, no worries. Life is Beautiful, we can adjust. Cap1 is fun right now, but I probably said too much…
River views are on the river. You can fly into EWR, about two hour drive. Unless you can make it to Allentown, about 1h from there. It’s a nice place to get away to, but has a WMT 15 minutes away! #strategic #2ndhome
U can venture an email? As I say tomorrow…I am a deal KEEPER!
Never been to Allentown. 2 hours from EWR, sounds nice to get away! One day…
23 Things You Should Know About Barclaycard Credit Cards
http://www.doctorofcredit.com/things-you-should-know-about-barclaycard/
What lesson are you teaching your son by sending him in business class?
Hey, it is not First Class! One way in Business, just to see if he likes this so he can finally do another post or two or more…I am getting seriously burned out here, can’t even pay for my Panera coffee anymore. Everyone stopped clicking…must be the bills from December orgy of Amazon shopping 🙂
http://millionmilesecrets.com/2016/02/11/million-mile-secrets-is-hiring-find-out-how-to-apply/
It should say in qualifications needed, the following:
Must be able to type in double space.
Must be a single hot chick, I’m single girls.
Must know how to cut and paste and have excellent knowledge of arrowncircleology.
Must know how to find horrible stock photos of people and places on the internet.
Must spend hours researching every other blog post for material to be posted and hand crafted by moi.
There are 3 comments. And they are all ridiculing the post. Ok, don’t go there!
Chase to Limit Credit Card Approvals (5/24) on Co-Branded Cards
http://www.doctorofcredit.com/chase-to-limit-credit-card-approvals-524-on-co-branded-cards/
Big part of the hurt is the post right above it by MMS, luring newbies by the masses…
Distraught…
The titans will definitely need to be pumping non stop targeting the newbies. I find it hilarious that one of the bloggers who recently lost her Chase affilliate links no longer talks about Chase as if they are no longer in the credit card business.
which one was that?
Mommypoints?
If that is the one….she had said “nothing in the blog will change” and I had said “Expect much less writing about Chasecards” 🙂
Or it could be DWL…same thing.
I think this hobby is under heavy attack and the bloggers serving it are in…disarray.
What’s interesting is that there’s an article about the increased Marriott offer, but the word “Chase” doesn’t even appear in the article…
Yep, I saw that too…
How many personal Chase CCs can I get in one AOR?
Two. Maybe.
That stinks, but you knew it was coming. The state of “The Hobby” has been on a decidedly downward trend for the last 6-12 months. Funny thing is, as Chase and Amex have tightened their rules, I have had less reasons to put spend on their cards. Citi, who has been more liberal with approvals and retention promotions, is getting most of my business. If it’s not a Citi card, I’m probably pulling out the SPG Amex or Everyday Preferred card out of my wallet, especially to take advantage of an Amex offer. The Chase cards are gathering dust and only get the occasional usage when it makes good sense.
You make a great point.
Waiting for the swing back to happen
Waiting…………
Can be true. But I wouldn’t unconditionally trust an anonymous source. First, they can lie. Second, they might not know babkis. Third, they might know something, but not see the whole picture.
Some of you will remember FT reports 2 years ago, when an Amex rep would tell people that the new lifetime restrictions would only be applied to extreme churners, and not everyone. Sure enough, he was wrong. Maybe this source is wrong too, which would be good for us.
Maybe CBD’s (CheapBlackDad) advice yesterday holds true for us too, Buzz. Maybe we should be looking for a second job/gig/hobby. CBD called you a Cassandra yesterday, but it is he who is the true “Cassandra”!
10 Most Outrageous Things I witnessed as a Flight Attendant in the 80s
Waiting for your masterpiece
Keep it clean…if you can
I am burning out man….Chase is pretty much out. Personal Amex cards are out. Birdies are all gone. MO carrying humans are being arrested/detained. I need a drink.
Buzz pot is legal here and I enjoy it as my nightly nightcap along with passing the age of 60, I barely remember my kids names. I don’t think I can come up with 10 things all at once but when silliness from the past rings a bell I will post it, if that’s ok with you.
Buzz…Here are a couple of reasons that nobody ever thinks of on why it’s a great job being a F/A.
1. You never have to shop or pay for nice work clothes (dry cleaning was a tax deduction too). I got to wear Ralph Lauren everyday at work looking successful, sharp and suave for 27 years, …..and Kmart Basic Editions, looking like the loser that I really am, the rest of the time at home.
2. You can pretty much live wherever the hell you want. Ninety percent of the folks I flew with working out of JFK commuted to Domicile on passes or jump seats from places all over Europe, throughout the US (even Hawaii) and S.A…My wife and I discovered Portland on a layover, moved there from Long Island and commuted to PDX from JFK. We would bunch our trips together working 12-15 days in a row (this is the main reason F/A’s are crabby) and then go home or vacation for the rest of the month. The following month we would bunch our trips together at the end of the month giving us thirty+ days off in a row. Not to mention everyone called in sick constantly w/o any consequences or questioning. Also I liked to work a particular trip that had 32 hour PDX layovers, where I went home instead of the hotel.
3. Chicks!!!! Buzz If you are young, straight (which was unusual but made the odds so much more in your favor) and not happily married it was a PARTY. New hires were the wildest, first time away from home but even if you worked 747 with about 12 or so older women and you are the only straight guy working with them one of those old bats is looking for company, no strings attached. Then there is the cute girl in your section flying to Europe alone that you have been giving free drinks to all flight. If those don’t pan out the girls at the desk working at those Hilton International were always looking to go out after work. And finally there were the layover drinking hangouts that many airlines staying at the same Intl hotel would hangout. Buzz the chicks who flew for Qantas were wild and great looking, totally playboy playmate hot!! Those entire Qantas crews would drink like the world class crazy party folk you would expect from Aussies, even the Pilots.
Awesome, thanks a lot.
I am starting a new productivity thingie…after I forgot my little notebook aboard my Southwest flight #Iamamoron I start emails in gmail and then leave them as drafts. Started one titled “Ramsey”…maybe one day…before I burn out
I think we kind of need a purge. There are way too many people in this hobby, too many points and miles out there, too many devaluations, too many of everything.
When the Ink cards were paying like crazy up to $300, these bloggers were killing themselves pumping it non stop. It was nearly impossible to score a freaking business/first class long-haul seat.
Any stupid newbie could sign up for the Ink card, claim that they have a “dog sitting business” or “sell crap on ebay”, get approved, go out there and buy Vanilla Reloads, get their sign up bonus, log on to United and book their Lufthansa First class seat. How can this be any easier?
At least without Serve/Bluebird, and churning restrictions, it will be less crazy even though it hurts all of us…
Put me in the camp that in the long run this for the best. Now if only affiliate links will go away. Once we see affiliate links dry up then we will finally see things start to improve. Boycott links.
>>>>>>>Boycott links.
http://travelbloggerbuzz.com/support-tbb/
Loved reading about the Jordan. I just got back from Jordan after visiting Petra, Amman and a dip in the dead Sea. A truly unique Muslim country where you can actually see history and modern vibes side by side. The goal was to see Petra (wanting to cross off all seven wonders of the wall before our daughter turn seven) on miles and points and I was suckered into newly minted Hyatt diamond and spent two days in Grand Hyatt Amman. Just wanted to say, if you haven’t visited Petra or wadi rum, you truly are missing a unique place in the world. I would love to go back to do some more hikes alone, carrying a one year old (second daughter) to the monastery was no joke but we made it.
Also didn’t do the Petra by night due to couple of factors :
Was very cold during the day, can’t take the risk of cold esp with kids.
I heard it was was over rated based on TA reviews.
Sounds very cool. Petra is on my go to list.
Hello.
Yes a donate button would be fine with me.
I just found out that in Paypal you can make up a link to it with whatever you want. Hmmm, I may go that route, the final stand lol.
I posted this on DoC regarding 5/24. I am not Nostradamus, but here are my two cents, with just a tiny bit of knowledge about Bank-Airline agreements.
If Chase does this, co-branded cards are with limited contractual terms, those contracts have minimum sales requirements from the bank to the hotel/airline, so Chase will be on the hook for a lot of mile/points every year. We will either see more banks getting partnerships with Airlines and Hotels that are not exclusive (think Hilton with Amex and Citi), as Chase will lose exclusivity if they don’t meet annual purchase targets. Or in alternative higher sign up bonuses as Chase will be needing to get rid of these miles, or more spending bonuses. Honestly, 2017 and especially 2018, will be great! For churners and spenders.
Cheers,
PedroNY
Targeted Amex Credit Card Signup Bonuses – Simply Cash, Platinum, PRG, Everyday, Delta
http://www.doctorofcredit.com/targeted-amex-credit-card-signup-bonuses-1k-for-simply-cash-100k-mr-for-platinum-50k-for-prg/
Consider using TBB’s CARDMATCH Tool in his credit card page, thanks.After clicking the creditcardsdotcom link/banner, click on Interactive Tools/CARDMATCH
This beats the heck out of having to minimum spend $10K for Business Amex Platinum 100K points offer.