Lets go on a wild ride churning Chase credit cards, learning of Hilton 1 & 2 Category hotels, swimming in gorgeous pools, flying over NYC with wingsuits, laugh our heads off watching a Well Fargo Banker training video (MUST WATCH), learn how credit card numbers work, learn incredible things about the adult film industry, and piss off more bloggers for writing the truth as we see it on a drunken stupor late at night with mega blog drama galore (because we have a real job during the day as this blogging gig brings almost nothing since we don’t pimp credit cards every day here if you know what I mean?). My continued references to the TBB Amazon link make me laugh more than anything because it takes a real nut to do what I am doing here all for YOU 🙂
TBB Blog Mission: To Entertain. Educate. Inspire. In That Order
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MILES/POINTS
Complete List of Chase Churning Cards. By Running With Miles. This is what you get when a blogger does not get paid by Chase. Compare it with Mommy Points who in her post titled “Can You Get a Chase Signup Bonus a Second Time?” does not dare to write the actual word “churning” and dances around but calling the duck what it is! By the way, duck meat is very fattening! Good luck finding other bloggers getting paid by Chase to blog about churning Chase cards. Stay Chase-y my friends.
Best Hilton 1 and 2 Category Hotels. By Travel is Free. Only 5k and 10k Hilton Honors respectively. This IS a deal! Thing is…there are not that many! Learned something new. Such as the Doubletree in Johor Bahru, Malaysia is a Cat 1, we have family there…I know where to stay next time we visit, yes!
I am very bored about the state of my hobby. At least we have all the blogger drama to keep me entertained lol. Way too many bloggers vying for your attention and your clicks (preferably credit cards lol) repeating the same old non news. Hey wake up ya all. You missed the first Friday of the month 3x points with your Chase Sapphire Card. I can see some now running to their computers to pull out Template 69 and make the post (while seeing MMS and TPG calling their staff to get on with it or no bonuses for you!) Zzzzz…
The Ann Arbor Public Schools calendar finally came out for next school year and you award experts, can you lend a hand? Looking to burn my last Delta Skymiles and take my daughter to Australia (preferably Sydney but Melbourne can do I guess) during Feb 14 (or 15/16) to Feb 23 (or 22) flying out of DTW and then flying on V Australia out of LAX on Business class. If you have any ideas please let me know while I continue to review blogs for all TBB readers. Thank you!
I am also completely disinterested in next credit card offers to go for…Nothing excites me as I had them all pretty much. So I am looking to do the unthinkable…getting the Spirit card. I guess I like to do things that are anti commercial in my blog haha. Hey, look at my water I just paid for in my non reclining seat lol.
TRAVEL
The 2014 Winners of the National Geographic Traveler Contest
25 Gorgeous Pools Everyone Should Swim In Once. Too bad I can’t use my hotel points for most of these hotels #sadface
Incredible video: Wingsuits over New York City
ODDZ & ENDZ
This is how they train bank employees to attack customers who just want a free checking account! HILARIOUS video (Contains foul language!). ROFL!!! Sell sell sell!!! This could be Chase breathing down on your favorite bloggers to push more Chase credit cards!
Here’s What The Numbers On Your Credit Card Really Mean. Well, you always learn something new!
Amazing little known tidbits about the adult film industry. This was not approved by Chase by the way lol.
BLOG BUZZ
Matt at Saverocity wrote “Enough With the Drama Already?” Yeah, lots of drama lately about killing deals and stuff like that. These arguments have been going ever since this space got monetized in a big way through credit cards. The urge to pump is unbearable.
Milevalue is looking for an award booker. LOL
Been on a bitchy mood lately. There will be changes/additions/deletions from my three Blog Review lists coming up in August. All decisions are final and subject to change. So there! I guess this is bullying. Really?
There was a certain post about some mall on Thursday morning from The Miles Professor. Of course, as self appointed blog reviewer (and “voice of reason” as someone called me which I thought was hilarious) I spoke my mind. To make the long story short…the post was taken down which I found surprising but very welcome. And then she made an excellent post about the reason she took it down. I thought it was all because of me and some people accused me of gloating who, for those who know me in real life, I am the furthest away from doing gloating crap. And bullying? Me? I shake my head. I despise bullies. In 5th grade I beat up the class bully Thanassis so bad I became a school hero (one of my greatest moments of my life…it’s been downhill ever since!). Actually that was the last time I ever fought because, you know, I am a lover and not a fighter 🙂 Anyways, the comments rolled in after that, you know, the typical back and forth you see almost every time when something similar is written. Zzzzzzzz. And on it goes…Even ingy stepped in the comments to offer his support against the angrys and that it is perfectly fine to apply for seven credit cards at once because it is all about “personal responsibility” LOL. Let me continue…like I said, not much is happening unless you consider the possible loss of robes in Hilton as tragic as View from the Wing does 🙂
Then my friend Travel Summary decided to call me out with very well written arguments which I disagree with. And then IT HIT ME! As you know, controversial type posts draw traffic, more comments, and more traffic. All bloggers enjoy seeing our posts visited by more people. Some bloggers in Boarding Area have become masters in writing controversial headlines to attract clicks. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah…If you do not agree with something it is better NOT to make a comment in that blog post because you are rewarding the blogger in a way which may lead to more controversial type posts! You know, it is like the affiliate credit card scene. If you reward a blogger with a click that appeared in a post filled with many affiliate links with content that was idiotic/repetitive/lame/stolen, well, you are only rewarding the blogger for irresponsible blogging practices! So, no commenting anymore by me in those blog posts. Of course I will continue to comment on blog posts I want to encourage more of so… there! And whatever I say will be said here. Plus I don’t have the time to be making comments every time some blogger wants to raise some controversy and increase hits!
I have been and will write here what is on my mind. My blog is my avenue to vent what builds up inside me and a way to deal with my inner inadequacies and psychological traumas inflicted upon me in childhood. To me, it is a cathartic experience expressing myself about a hobby that has been a true passion for much longer than all these new bloggers out there blogging to help their family and friends travel for free! (please click my Barclays Arrival credit card Amazon link). TBB reviews blogs and writes about them. This little space full of weird eccentric quirky people has attracted many now and is not so little anymore. So, I thought it was a good niche. If I see positive I praise it. If I see crap I say so. Chase does not control what I say or not. You can go get your info and your credit cards from these sites if you prefer non independent pseudo “experts”. I think you are a Tool if you do that, Think! (every time I say this I…chuckle!). Wine is flowing, let’s keep going…
I am in agreement with Marathon Man‘s post in FlyerTalk here. Please take some time to read it to understand how we think. I came across it after seeing it in this post by Saverocity’s Matt attempting to define good stewardship. One commenter’s note just jumped out at me and want to share it with you. bigmouth said: ” Every person in this whole game (bloggers or just old timers who do not blog) are doing it purely out of their self-interest. There is no such thing as “common good” here. And the self-interest of the blogging business is in direct conflict of those “old timers” because it’s in blogger’s inherit interest to broadcast the “secrete” to attract as many readers as possible in order to gain the lucrative affiliate bonuses when reader sign up for credit card offerings. This is much easier than doing the leg works of going to Walmart and CVS trip after trip. After all, once you post something unique and useful to thousands of noobs, you can still racking in cold hard cash while you sleeping. How efficient is that! It is in “old timer’s” inherit interest to keep all secret to as few people as possible so that they can continue their games and get all the freebies. So bloggers by design is in direct conflict to non-bloggers.” Bold/underline font is mine for emphasis, bingo!
I just saw late on Thursday night The Miles Professor reply to a comment I left on her blog (which someone thought it was bullying WTF!). I immediately started replying and then caught myself…”Just drop it TBB, you are becoming a Tool by doing this!”. Oh, I stand by what I wrote 100% too and not taking it down! I have the original post…first time in the mall buying gift cards and just had to blog about it and push the Barclay’s credit card, seriously? Ok, I am getting a little upset now. Breathe, breathe…I am okay. So let’s talk about my favorite Canadian blogger next (no…not that one!)…
Things that drive me crazy! “Today—July 31, 2014—marks the launch of Johnny Jet Card Matcher, an exciting new and completely free credit card matching tool available to all Johnny Jet readers.” Basically it is the Wallaby Financial wrapper and, guess this, it is completely free to Johnny Jet readers! Phucking A…ever heard of something like this having to pay a fee up front, WTF!! Apparently it is not free to Johnny Jet? Why are all these travel “experts” pushing credit cards huh? Umm, never mind. Thanks for the full disclosures!
At the end of the day this hobby is ridiculous, we are all ridiculous doing the things we do and most ridiculous of all is listening to masters trying to make a buck blogging about ridiculous stuff by pushing the same credit cards in ever more ridiculous ways. I think I should call my therapist soon…
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TBB
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First.
100% agree with you that this hobby is ridiculous.
Since no one is in mood to claim second and third, i gladly take all the three places for today 🙂
You are on fire tonight! Amazing you were first since I posted so early tonight 😉
Frankly I’m surprised. You have a DDF account and yet you thought that the RWM post was even worth a mention.
I guess it’s good that the masses are complacent and that the bloggers that came to my last seminar have kept their word to keep stuff offline.
It was slim pickings the past two days man. I just wanted to make a point primarily with the comparison because I am, you know, biased 🙂 Besides, believe it or not, I do get newbies who read me so I want to educate them too. I have no time for DDF any more. One day I will attend your seminar for, you know, review purposes 😉
No, but linking to that article shows that even with reading 600+ blogs that knowledge from forums and seminars will never be replaced.
Granted I’ve never been to a seminar aside from my own due Sabbath observance, but I assume people must be learning something at them given their prevalence..
Down to 345…aiming for under 300!
Very true on the point about “forums & seminars”…Again, some of course 😉
I do remember reading the AP thread on your forum where one reader after another demanded you take it down or Amazon “would kill the deal”. The funny part? It was 2009. Or maybe 2010; everything is getting more and more blurry these days. 🙂
I understand and respect the concern and even occasional paranoia, but I’m with Matt on this. Too much drama! Seriously, who doesn’t know about Simon Mall or AP? I read both posts and found but very generic information. If these “secrets” need to be guarded nowadays, then we’re in a pretty bad shape, me thinks.
Every year it gets fuzzier, whassup with that?
Yeah, too much drama. Many many don’t have a clue about that mall and AP…and the key is to get them to read your blog and click on your Barclays cc link (preferably Chase when you can get them of course). All the rest is really BS 🙂
To me, it’s precisely “murkier”. Especially in regard to our hobby. But OK, fuzzy will do, too. 🙂
Not to try and reintroduce my old argument again, but just forget credit card links for a moment. What ARE bloggers allowed to talk about? Everyone wants originality, yet no one in our hobby can write original articles EVERY DAY. No one. It’s a myth! All bloggers have to repackage old information every now and then. This is true for everyone, including the bloggers you like, including the bloggers you love and yes including yours truly, too. 🙁
This is even true for travel bloggers who have nothing to do with miles and points. They also repackage old info; but in our hobby, repackaging old info may also mean outing something that other people would love to keep swept under the rug.
I don’t mean to criticize, George, but since you review other blogs, you are not faced with this dilemma. You always and will always have enough material. 🙂 But you must appreciate that this is not the case for everybody.
Whether or not a blogger sells affiliate links, they still have to write. It always goes against my nature as a writer, to discover something and keep quiet about it. Sometimes, being quiet about something is excruciatingly painful. And sometimes, you have to weigh the risk of outing some secrets against the risk of losing your relevance, that is if you have any to begin with.
If this is true even for my tiny, tiny blog, then to everyone who makes even a part-time living with theirs, losing relevance is like a death sentence. Cryptic language is one thing that can help. On the other hand, cryptic language will drive away everybody who happens to stumble upon your website from a search engine…
When anyone finds a solution to this conundrum, please feel free to let me know. 🙂
Conundrum indeed amigo, I think you laid it out nicely.
Many times they don’t write it though. They cut and paste or use a template and pay a staffer to publish it 🙂
Excellent point about me always having material to write about 😉
Yeah, originality is hard. But some are just anything BUT original and just pump rehashed crap daily posing as experts trying to trick readers to click on their credit ads. THOSE I have a serious problem with. The only way they go back to their cubicles is for banks to cut them off completely. Here we go again….
I need to go to lunch now 🙂
I’m not sure I’d want to go to a DDF conference if every two minutes I get pulled up as an example in some quote… 🙂 Not that I’d want to anyway, conferences are so boring, I’m all about the social hour(ss)!
Yeah, I am sick of the drama.
I think that TBB does a great job, but I think this week was overkill, not just by the Buzz, but from many people who share a mindset. It’s important I know, and there are some really pressing things going on here, but I think every now then we need to hit the reset button, remember there are people involved, and step back a moment.
I agree about the drama and overkill.
We disagree on the last point. I see hobbyists and business men who primarily pump credit cards. I am a hobbyist (I can see Delta Points now going mad screaming “he pimps the Amazon link every day in every post”…it’s ok to go WTF!). I am busting my ass here trying to produce something of a high quality to (primarily) entertain, educate and even inspire. I see my tough love as a way to inspire bloggers in a way, to shake them out of their bubble they have built drunk in the bank money they have been getting and getting them to see HOW THE REST OF THE REAL WORLD sees them. Yes I believe in praise and do it more than any other blogger (most just kiss each other’s ass for hits/traffic/ghostwriting/etc). But, like I said, I decided to fill this niche of blog reviewer in MY hobby space that has grown so much, it would be hypocritical if I just gave ONLY praise. Besides, it would be boring as HELL for ME first of all (and I am guessing the readers).
My blog is a form of self-expression. Nobody has to read it if they don’t like it. I like doing my thing, I always have.
If I offend bloggers I am sorry. They offended me first 🙂 I try to be fair. I listen and LOVE negative feedback.
I am hitting the reset button. I am no longer commenting on others’ blog posts that I think are designed to draw comments and traffic like several lately. I will continue to review blogs here as long as I can, errr, my wife allows me lol. Like I always said, don’t take things too personally what I say here. Better yet, Ignore me like most bloggers in the Ignore list do!
But for crying out loud if I think your blog deserves to be in the Love & Like lists I will certainly do it. SO GIVE ME THE GOOD EXPERT EDUCATIONAL CONTENT (Along with everything else I list in the blog reviews). YOU HAVE A FREE PASS TO MAKE IT IN THAT LIST! I WANT BLOGS TO MAKE THAT LIST!
Actually, you know what. I can’t believe people care about my lists LOL.
TBB
Bully/Coward/despicable —->ALL of that for Amazon link LOL
P,.S. At the end of the day, when bank credit card easy money goes away, you can see how fast the vast majority of numerous blogs of new “experts” split! Their blogs only exist to pump credit cards. I can’t wait for that day! But, we live in America, where you never underestimate the stupidity of a vast portion of people to do idiotic things with their finances….like applying for 7 miles/points credit cards in one day while only looking for cash back cards to offset the cost flying from Tampa to Topeka.
I have slightly edited my linked to FT post about the Miles Prof debacle.
I do not think it’s ok to bully her or any person who posts a viewpoint. But like I always say in MS: If you cant take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Now, everyone has their views about the writers they read. I will say that she’s not evil like the rest of ’em. She’s quite the opposite. And proof of this is the FACT that she did take down the post! The others will never do this. She also has a human side… the others do not have this. But she f’d up by posting this whole thing and knows it, and hopefully that’ll teach all writers a lesson about what they are about to post!
Here is the updated text now in that FT link shown above:
Plain and simple… for the Miles Professor OR ANY WRITER ONLINE to have avoided the onslaught of negativity after her blunder of posting about the gig in question, she should have NOT POSTED IT TO BEGIN WITH! I have edited this comment for a couple reasons: Firstly, because I do not mean to single out MP. ANY writer who posts something like this is potentially opening up a huge can of worms that could cause so many problems that in the end it would be deemed best that they never posted to begin with.
Secondly, it is important to note that it is NOT ok to bully someone online like people have been doing to MP about this issue. MP or anyone–doesn’t matter. This time it was her post, but next time it could be someone else’s. It is not ok to lambast them –but as I will continue to say, to avoid ANY of that even remotely happening, posters should just be cognizant of what they write and be prepared to have a thick skin anyway. If this doesn’t make sense, I cannot help ya.
Marathon Man: Thanks for posting here.
Why are you going to Chicago Seminars man?
I keep seeing the term “bullying” which bothers me. I do not think calling a business out for its product constitutes bullying. TBB is like the Foursquare of blogs. Oh wait, bad analogy as the new Foursquare totally sucks. Ok, how about the Yelp of blogs then lol. Just because someone felt bullied is it bullying? Getting very philosophical here after heavy wine intake, beware!
We all make mistakes. My life is loaded with them. We learn. We move on. We strive to improve.
Hate seeing your name next to FTG, TPG, MMS, MV, DP and pretty much everyone in THAT list in the Chicago Seminar. You stick out man. You do NOT belong there. My opinion of course.
Should I add a disclosure from now on “This is NOT intended as bullying” as the bloggers add so prominently how much they get paid by the banks to show tricks they do so they too can travel for “free”?
I need to go to sleep now…
I cannot speak for MM, but I treat CS like a DO. Great to see some bloggers and non-blogger “gamers” (new and old), bend our elbows some, talk shop, talk about OTHER TOPICS IN LIFE too, and maybe pick up a new tip here or there (usual in one-on-one conversations).
Additionally, I find it all an amazing social experiment and experience. It’s like a ComicCon for a different group of misfits, myself firmly included. (Where else can I have a (Mr.) bird buy me a drink!?)
…and, again this year, I will think of TBB when (st)ingy starts his “how-iee — how-iee — how-iee” chant. 🙂
I went to the first two Chicago Seminars. I got turned off in the 2nd one when the Nightline cameras were more important. Then got turned off with all the booths and the cheery credit card salesmen hawking their credit card “expertise”. There are better gatherings around by far. Just my take on it. I understand yours. I also want to say I didn’t pick any tips I did not already know. Wait, I did pick up a kindle fire that my daughter still uses it as I won the raffle. Then again, I bought bunch of tickets…for charity.
I heard mr. pickles canceled his appearance, is it true?
Please pick up some tiips by Howie on Avios okay? 🙂
I think you are all right…been on a major grumpy mood lately…You wanna know why? Because almost every one has become a credit card salesman these days! I see this crap in Feedly all day long. This Travel Skills dude mcginnis or whatever his name is goes to Boarding Area and all of a sudden becomes a credit card expert and starts pushing the same damn cards like everyone else.
Phuck meeeeeeee
Ok, I am calling my therapist now!
I’m with ya man… and I totally agree. And yeah, if a business (or any blog, etc) does something no good, and people call em out, that business needs to either address that or take the heat. If not, that business shouldn’t really, well, be in bitness!
I dunno I think I am going to CHI for 3 reasons… 1) to try to get a few lost souls to come around from the dark side. To try to make a few people say ohhhhhhh so THAT’S how I should approach this! 2) to call out these other dudes live on stage if I feel their content is in fact still killing deals by the time I get there (which it likely will be) but in a way where I wont look like I am, well, bullying lol. 3) to meet others like a DO like Mark here says.
I am going to talk a bit about the things people who MS need to do to avoid problems. It will be a helpful topic geared to all levels that may help reduce pain. Based on stuff I have learned. You know, ways to avoid trouble and stay claer of some of the dangers some cannot see coming. I think that can only help the masses, regardless of the fact there are just too many people in this space now.
Ok, thanks for the reply. Your call of course like everything we all do.
my opinion is by you appearing as a speaker there you are giving these guys (in the Ignore list) way more credibility than they deserve along with the organizers. Watch out, some of them will try to “buy you out” and get you to write for them or something. Of course, after you give them the content, they will have interns go all template-y inserting the credit card affiliate links du jour.
If you fly in at the same time as MMS make sure he does not hawk all the carts LOL
MM, if you can, have a third party with no stake in the matter read your statement and give you their honest feedback on what they read out of the monologue you posted on FT this week.
I understand you and a select few have elevated this MS to a craft or art as you call it, but some of you have lost (some) common sense in your multiple daily orgasmic credit/gift card sliding/swiping/inserting/churning activities while watching the cardinals and bluebirds.
The fact that a simpleton with a CC and basic reading abilities can replicate standard MS, perhaps not as artfully as the chosen few, indicates that this is not something that can be kept away from the masses?
Just saying.
3rd party? What is this, an IRS audit or something lol.
Orgasmic…that’s it, you got it! I find it plenty orgasmic taking away from the banks that shoved junk down investors’ throats….especially in Germany 😉 I am fighting back for YOU! Please bailout Greece again, these assholes got a primary surplus for a change and gave money back to buy votes as “social dividend”…WTF!
Well, it sure does not help keeping it away from the masses when more bloggers write about them to sell credit cards and build traffic!
You should have stayed in Ann Arbor…Oliver, we could go MSing together in Ypsi late at night lol.
Actually, Real Madrid is practicing at EMU these two days and the game in the Big House is on Saturday vs Manchester United. I am not going. I am not going to pay more than what I paid for the World Cup game for a meaningless game in the height of summer watching most of the B team trying to make the A team.
Later, say hi to Angela for me 🙂
The main thing that keeps this away from the masses is the masses themselves. It’s hard enough to get people interested in the occasional credit card signup bonus, much less the activities involved in MS.
you make a point Oliver… maybe to some the sheer fact I appear to be some higher level of being in MS is in a way shunning them away from ever attaining any of that. But I am an introspective person who does everything I can to NOT be like that. I do help people, I do try to share and I do not think I am better than others or smarter than others. I am certain much of what I wrote can be interpreted in many ways, but one thing remains clear: If you wanna do MS, you can, but you have to first agree to NOT BLABBER ABOUT IT ON A PUBLIC SITE!
I have made this mistake before–I talked about it at the CLT DO. I am also guilty of having done that and I can tell you that there are FTers who may remember it too. At the time I was the person on the chopping block. Fortunately for me, I learned and changed, and also there were a lot less of us in the space so it had little affect over all. But the fact is, had I shut up to begin with, a certain gig may have lasted a lot longer for people, myself included. i did not know –or if I did know, I did not think.
I have tried to warn others like the bloggers to please not make the mistakes I have made. Promise me son not to do the things Ive done. Walk away from trouble if you can… But none of them like old Kenny Rogers songs and right now his plastic surgery looks like crap but the Geiko commercial is funny.
If I had a $100 bill for every credit card I helped others new(er) to the hobby get (after making sure they can handle it, you know, and NEVER advising to apply for 7 credit cards in the same day) I could be rich and not busting my own balls here for a dollar or less on Amazon link purchases ( Delta Points in a rage now: “You see, you see, TBB pimped his Amazon link AGAIN…LOL”)
I am turning more and more towards just shutting up about this stuff other than my inner circle. If I had affiliate links I could be letting these “secrets” out to impress fresh newbies who have had no cards and advise them how to line up my pockets so they can too travel for free.
@ Marathon Man — I think you are way off base and judging by your comments you may not understand the dynamics of the private sector workplace.
Every day as an employee you are critiqued and criticized with every piece of work that you produce. The only thing TBB did was call out her “sub par” work. This isn’t something I would consider “bullying”. To expect sympathy from coworkers, friends, family every time you are criticized at work is ludicrous. Look she isn’t doing this as a public service, she makes (I would assume) a pretty substantial salary from this hobby.
Exactly Too Nashty (ok, that is kind of funny): TBB criticizes blogs that are businesses. These businessmen will tell you to complain to airlines/hotels for subpar product or service (heck, some cause others to get fired!) and then call it bullying if some other blogger (hey we are all in a brotherhood or something, really? Don’t need your interview and guest posts fellow blogger) dares to express his opinion, let alone one whose niche is to cover the blog scene. So please everyone spare me por favor. It is not like I am making anything out of this endeavor (I see Delta Points now jumping up and down “he is pushing the Amazon link every day, he is a pimp too!!!!” LOL). I would like to know how many people clicked on the Barclay card before it was taken down too…as it will take a year for TBB to make that. My point was that perhaps you should not blog about something you do for the first time, get some info wrong that may have led readers to undue hardship (apparently the wording it was corrected we were told) and then smoothly insert the Barclay link, especially when you are on a roll pumping those links since joined BA. I can go on but…
Ok, my therapist is booked. Calling Walgreens (I am Ignoring CVS) for my medicine next 🙂
I still do not know why MM is going to Chicago. Ladies and gentlemen: We have for you today: FTG, MV, TPG, MMS and….Marathon Man…Just does not seem right 🙂
as said above:
I dunno I think I am going to CHI for 3 reasons… 1) to try to get a few lost souls to come around from the dark side. To try to make a few people say ohhhhhhh so THAT’S how I should approach this! 2) to call out these other dudes live on stage if I feel their content is in fact still killing deals by the time I get there (which it likely will be) but in a way where I wont look like I am, well, bullying lol. 3) to meet others like a DO like Mark here says.
I am going to talk a bit about the things people who MS need to do to avoid problems. It will be a helpful topic geared to all levels that may help reduce pain. Based on stuff I have learned. You know, ways to avoid trouble and stay claer of some of the dangers some cannot see coming. I think that can only help the masses, regardless of the fact there are just too many people in this space now.
also, I had been wanting to speak at a DO to get to a point where people who care about MS would hear me and my thoughts on this stuff. Ingy was the first DO holder to let me. The CLT DO happened first so I spoke there, but Matt asked me after Ingy had already asked me, and I committed to it and will follow thru. But no, I am am NOT selling out. You will see.
Marathon Man:
Please go to ftg and take the Credit Card Tool test. Pretend you have a business and looking for only cash back cards. Play with a few other scenarios. Compare the results. THIS is what passes as helpful advice to help newbies? Read the content they pump out all expertly designed to sell more credit cards? Why legitimize this corporate outfit, why honor it with your presence?
Ok, I need to get to the gym now…
well actually lets get something clear here:
I dont think I specifically said that TBB was bullying. I think MP said he is, but I have not.
I just said bullying is not a good thing to do.
I dunno how else to put it.
Sorry if i offended anyone here. TBB inclulded.
I hate bullying with a passion. Did I tell you the story about when I was in fifth grade? 🙂
I saw it in the US high schools here (only my senior year). Awful stuff. Stays with you. I am with the underdogs and the little people based on those experiences. Maybe I am still traumatized about it 🙂
I don’t get offended easily, no problem at all. I have heard so much crap thrown at me officiating high school soccer games for many years that nothing bothers me. In fact, I enjoyed it. I used to show them yellow cards with a smile and then turn to the parent of the little snot and smile at them too…oh what a feeling. I miss it. I may go back and do it again but I got this little TBB blog thingie that has taken a life of its own lately lol.
I just took my family of 4 to Australia for 3 weeks in June using a warchest of Skypesos. Your biggest problem will likely be finding a matching flight to LAX from DTW (although VFTW/OMaaT noted that VA award space is dry at the moment). We had to book the award in economy to LAX (connection in MSP) then biz from LAX to Australia on VA (which we LOVED!). If you can expand your dates, I would recommend it for booking flexibility and also length of stay. I don’t remember if you’ve written about the age of your kids, but mine took at least 5 days to get over the jet lag (ages 4 & 6). We all easily slept about 8+ hours on the flight from LAX, which meant we were well-rested for exploring the city soon after arrival in the early morning. However, this did not erase jet lag and my kids were ready for bed by 6PM and waking up early (i.e. 3-4AM) for about 5 days straight. Not ideal. I think that I would recommend a minimum of 2 weeks so that you can relax a bit and enjoy the experience. We visited Melbourne, Sydney, Cairns/Reef, Brisbane, and their surrounding areas. Drop me an e-mail, I can give you a lot more details. Oh, and one thing – I felt Australia was more expensive than traveling in Europe or Hawaii, so prepare your budget accordingly. The amount that you will pay at a normal family restaurant or standard attraction can be eye-watering when compared to the equivalent in the US. I was told it is partially due to the fact that their minimum wage is $16+/hour. On the bright side, Aussies don’t tip unless service is over the top or you’re in an ultra-fancy restaurant, so you’ll save in that area.
If you need more info about BNE, just ask, I live there! I can’t advise about Delta miles on VA but domestic VA is OK, even in economy. Use Avios for domestic QF. Aussie only looks expensive because you are quoted the full price with tax already included. There’s no tax added at the register and yes, we are free from tipping (thank God), hopefully it stays that way! If you do come to BNE, let’s meet and have coffee, I can even show you some local Galahs!
My daughter is 12 now. She has been asking about Australia ever since I sent my son there on a People to People trip (which he loved). Unfortunately, due to school schedules, all we can do is about a week plus a weekend before max. I realize the problem would be the domestic flight on Delta. And I am worried about the Australia V availability lately too. I move slow. I think the main disadvantage of this blog is it allows me less time to earn and burn. And I don’t like that. Maybe I need a template for that 🙂
I will announce here when I book it, it may take a while. I hope I do it before Delta raises the price…again.
Tara: Aiming to land in Sydney if I go. But BNE is the 2nd choice if Sydney can not be done. If we make it to BNE I will make sure we get together. Like I said, I move very slow with these things. Especially after TBB phase of my life 🙂
Can I book domestic QF on Avios online or do I have to call? I am afraid of calling BA 🙂
We flew into Melbourne (which apparently loses their direct VA LAX flight in October). We used Avios to fly to Sydney on QF and then again from Sydney to Cairns. Since Skypesos allows open jaw and a stopover, we started our “return flight” from Cairns to Brisbane, did a stopover for 4 nights, then continued onward from Brisbane to LAX. Booking the domestic Australia flights with Avios was easy-peasy on the BA web site, no fuel surcharges but gov’t taxes/fees were around $25/ticket. Note that you can only book QF flights with Avios and not their LCC JetStar. Are you planning to stay in one city the whole time? You might need to split between Sydney and Brisbane anyway, due to flight availability but I think it would be worth it. If you want to see/touch Aussie animals, Brisbane is probably the better place in my opinion. You can get your picture taken cuddling a koala (which you can’t do in New South Wales) at Lone Pine Sanctuary. They also have a large area where you can pet different kangaroos and wallabies. You can also see the strange-looking platypus. Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo is about an hour north of Brisbane in Beerwah, worth a visit for the crocs and the croc show, as well as many native animal interaction opportunities. In Syndey, we used SPG points at the Westin, but since you will be a party of 2, that opens up more options. At the risk of vendoming 🙂 , I have to say that the Park Hyatt Sydney has an excellent location with die-for views and there is an awesome breakfast restaurant about a block behind it called “Pancakes on the Rocks”. So if you have Hyatt points or free nights, it would be worth it. Tip: create a VA frequent flyer account to search for their award availability, it will be far easier than using DL. You might have to virtually move to a hotel in Australia to do that. 😉
Great info, thank you!
Been meaning to move to Australia for a while 😉
Yeah, PH Sydney is a target. I like Vendoming once in a while lol.
This is way in the preliminary stages…I should stop reading blogs and commenting and then I can look to book.
I appreciate the info again, thanks.
Don’t be a vendomer in Sydney. Use your IHG CC free night at the Holiday Inn Old Sydney which is a quarter mile away from the Park Hyatt. Rooms are your basic hotel accomodation. However, you can’t beat the price for the same great neighborhood as the PH. Plus, it has a great roof deck view with a small pool.
If there’s anywhere a PH is worth the points it’s in SYD. What’s the point of doing all of this MS to go on a once in a lifetime trip and stay in a Holiday Inn?
Looking out your window at the Harbour and Opera House is priceless.
When our shuttle back to the airport came early and left without us the PH SYD even drove us to the airport in their Audi on the house.
Definitely will splurge for at least one night in the PH SYD. I have seen the views, just wanna do it. At the same time, never felt anything for the real Vendome 🙂
Looks like I will blow the free IHG night at the IC in Hong Kong.
For flights within OZ, in addition to Avios, AA awards can often be another reasonable option.
Pancakes on the Rocks is one of my favorite breakfast spots in the world. Half for proximity to a day of touring. Half for delicious pancakes.
I wonder what Gary Leff will say about them 🙂
George, you are welcome anytime, just let me know if you route through BNE. You may find the award space easier. BNE has separate terminals for domestic & international that you have to use a bus between which is a real pita. If you are only in transit, have a long enough layover and want a quick look around BNE, I can give you and your daughter a quick tour. I live about 10 minutes from the airport.
I never get to meet anyone from the blogosphere, all those DO’s & seminars in the States are just too far for me and we don’t seem to have them in Australia.
Erik has already covered some of your questions about Avios. About joining Velocity, you need an Aussie address and they do send you an actual card which doubles as a global wallet (prepaid card but can only be loaded from a bank account, not credit card). Email me if you need an Aussie address or just want me to search some dates as I am a member. Lone Pine & Australia Zoo are the main tourist attractions. There are better places to view native wildlife in the wild which can be done as a day trip. O’Reilly’s is great for all ages http://www.oreillys.com.au/activities-events and so is Currumbin http://www.cws.org.au/ down on the Gold Coast.
I would actually recommend splitting your stay between Sydney & Brisbane to see more. If you had more time, I would suggest going up to the Great Barrier Reef & Cairns. Feb is a good time to visit as it is after the kids go back to school here so less crowded at the attractions.
There are 2 Radisson properties in Sydney so you can use your CC Visa to get 2 & 2 for 4 nights. In Brisbane, unfortunately no Carlsons. we do have a Starwood 4P, Marriott, Hilton & Accor but there’s nothing much of interest downtown, you want to be in either the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast where there are some IHG. Or use Rocketmiles to earn miles for that part of the trip.
Tara, thanks…great info!
Depart DTW Feb13 or 14 return Feb 21 or 22 (school starts on Feb 23)
Either BNE or SYD one way and will return from the other one. Can worry about the domestic flight later. Please let me know how it looks or I should not even bother if it looks awful. Business Class.
No rush…too many things going on…l
OK the Velocity award search doesn’t accept DTW so I tried ORD. On the outbound it seems you may have trouble using DL to get to LAX. Once you are in LAX, there is Y and premium economy available to either SYD or BNE on the non-stop. The only J availability on the outbound is LAX-BNE on 14 or 15 Feb.
The return (I checked Feb 20, 21 & 22) wide open in all classes – Y PE & J for both SYD-LAX & BNE-LAX.
Domestic Aussie segments are easy to get, on such a short route BNE-SYD vv, don’t waste your miles on J, Y is perfectly fine.
Depending on your domestic feeder flights, looks like your best bet is LAX-BNE on 14 Feb and return 21 Feb from SYD. Don’t forget the dateline!
Tara:
Thanks a lot, I appreciate it. I know getting to LAX from DTW can be a problem on DL 🙂 So I may get there in other ways. But really want to fly J both ways. Feb 14 or 15 on the outbound really cuts the time in Australia! If you use any of these services (Expert Flyer or KVS) and can save a query for 2 J seats on Feb 13 LAX-SYD or LAX-BNE please do so (or anyone!).
I so suck in burning. And always Feedly blogs to go through to focus on a burning target these days! So I appreciate the feedback! Yeah domestic flights I don’t mind flying cargo 🙂
Thanks!
In the past week I confess that I am guilty of:
Blogging about Bluebirds that are only found in an exclusive remote location.
Providing complete directions on how to reach this remote location using points and cash.
Putting up maps complete with red arrows showing where these Bluebirds can be found.
Posting numerous photos of said Bluebirds and also a few photos of my spouse (not holding the Bluebird).
And yet somehow no one is angry at me!
Love your photos!
Well, if you would have posted how your fed the bluebird CVS vanilla at a WM, the bully sh!tstorm of epic proportion would have been unleashed by our resident eyebrow loosing greek yelper. 😉
Tara: I think we both love Bluebirds too much 🙂
Oliver2002: I think deep down you are jealous you live in a place without Bluebirds, the plastic and the real kind? Stay orgasmic my friend. (Same as stay Chase-y with the big blogger pumpers)
That was a nice dig, Tara. Loved your photos also 🙂
Lol. Expect a post soon from me about places where vanilla is alive and well.
Oh oh…Will you add the Mapquest address map next to them so the hordes of DanDeals forum participants can wipe out the inventory in a…few hours? 🙂 Or will you go on a big pic&arrowing mode?
I have a VR place. They’re out there even if they’re not blogged about.
Sure! Here you go: #ad
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005MIWPGC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005MIWPGC&linkCode=as2&tag=diawkids-20&linkId=QKN2DTE7PKMXUXZU
I wish there was a way I can push a button to change your link to my affiliate link so I can clean up too 🙂
LOL, these birds don’t eat vanilla, but if Chase, Amex or whatever decided to make a “banana” prepaid card I’m in pretty good shape!
Tara – You seem nice, but people have to actually read your blog to get mad.
I read Tara’s blog, and love it.
Thank you Guera and to everyone who liked my photos!
Thanks for you Sri Lanka posts. I was much more aware of the birds in Yala thanks to your posts (as well as the useful general SL info).
Good to see someone actually visit, not just exploit it for cheap first class fares.
Buzz-
One highlight of Australia and New Zealand that I have never seen in any guidebook or trip report: These are without a doubt the best time zones for being the first comment on the TBB website. Most TBB posts go live in the late evening, and that’s usually late in the afternoon but before dinner down under. None of that constant checking, over and over, like looking for Springsteen tickets on Ticket Master.
I know what’s coming next-folks like Marathon Man will say I’m killing the TBB first deal, not being a good steward, yadda yadda. But to me it’s all about sharing and community.
Thanks Sam for the laugh this morning! Love it. I think you should keep this a secret too 🙂
That WF video is hilarious. I had a post a while back called “Wells Fargo Credit Cards: Putting the ‘WF’ in ‘WTF’” and just a few days ago some WF fanboy stumbled upon it and blasted me for not having my facts straight about how wonderful WF is. The closing line “So, until you get your facts straight and get off your damn soapbox to stop whining, please don’t speak!”
I have played that video several times and laugh every single time! I think it is a classic. And probably so so true.
I don’t know Buzz, I think you are starting to lose it man. Your rants used to be much more thoughtful. They seem to be more reactionary as of late. I thought your criticism of Travel Summary was way off base.
I even think your criticism of mommy points above doesn’t logically make sense. Why would the Chase overlords not want her to use the word churning in a post? Chase makes money off of people churning their cards, even off the likes of us. MP makes money off of people using her links. So it makes no sense to argue she doesn’t use the word churning because her Chase overlords don’t want her too. They all make money. Maybe she didn’t use the word churn because she didn’t want google indexing it. Maybe she didn’t use the word churn because waiting two years between cards is not true “churning.” Unofficially, you have been able to do chase cards every two years for awhile.
I don’t mean to be too harsh, because I like the blog, but as of late you remind me of my grumpy old dog who barks at anything depending on which way the wind is blowing.
@Scott — You are a true nitwit.
I’m pretty sure Chase doesn’t make money off of people signing up to get the sign-up bonus repeatedly and then sticking the CSP in a drawer. They would rather have people pay the annual fee to hold the card.
That being said, I too think it has been a grumpy week here at TBB.
Hey, Grumpy here…Which is hilarious because I am only grumpy when I see stuff like this.
Maybe it is because I expected more of Travel Summary? Chase does not want bloggers to write about churning their cards. If they do they will be hearing from the Compliance people and may lose their links. Can you remember any of the Chase-y bloggers write about Chase credit card churning…they dance around the term all the time and never ever put it on a headline. I just wanted to show the difference in the content between the two bloggers. Nothing against Mommy Points the person, I think she is one of the nicest persons in the blogland. But it affects content when you get paid by the banks. So I thought it was good to show it and show some of my newbie readers a good blog post talking about it. I repeat, the term was not used because it is not allowed (as far as I know…and, you know, I don’t know anything about this stuff, I just raise hell here for my personal entertainment…it’s not like I am doing it for the money you know).
TS wrote a post today selling the Barclay card. Same card the Miles Professor sold when she discovered the mall for the first time and had to blog all about it.
Then I read today the MMS interview with “I discovered miles months ago and then I decided to start blogging about it when I found out how much I can make selling credit cards”.
Yeah, I am grumpy. Maybe it is the market downturn. Maybe it is because I am not taking my meds. Maybe it is because I am spending too much time in this blog and can’t find a way to fold honorably lol. Maybe it is what it is. Thank you for telling me how you feel, I appreciate that. Don’t hold back.
Or maybe I am developing a drinking problem lol.
@harvson @TBB
I do think Chase makes money off of us but you all are probably right that Chase gets cranky if an affiliate does not stay within the parameters they set.
George, sounds like you need to come around to the notion that all affiliate links are bad and away from the idea of only using the ones for bloggers you like.
I actually liked how Dan phrased it in the comments a while back. Chase and the other banks are paying bloggers commission to write advertising copy. Sure, Chase could shoot one thousand ads at Franklin’s barbeque and entice you to get their card, and you’d see it as another ad from Jamie Dimon’s bank.
If instead you read how Emily and Daraius went to Polynesia (in a 30-part series, natch), and you trusted/liked Daraius, you’d see that as a trusted person recommending that you get a credit card. The fact that they’re working for Chase is secondary, and not immediately evident. The intent is the same as the Franklin’s ad.
I don’t think Chase is going to put out ads showing people how to extract money from it, and they’ll keep tight reins on how many loopholes/tricks the pitchmen/pitchwomen can “divulge.” Witness, for example, how the Chase reconsideration line numbers quietly disappeared from MMS.
And that’s… how you stay Chase-y, my friends.
Oh yeah…forgot about the reconsideration phone numbers too.
Great comment, looks like a Gem to me!
Not really. It was Dan’s idea/comment.
For the record George, I haven’t placed an affiliate link in a post in quite some time. I’m not sure what you’re talking about when you say “TS wrote a post today selling the Barclay card. Same card the Miles Professor sold when she discovered the mall for the first time and had to blog all about it.”
Please, do not insult me by lumping me in with the professor on this issue.
OK so I realized you made this comment on 8/1 and were referring to my TripIt Pro post, where I did put an affiliate link. You’ve said many times in the past that you don’t mind bloggers making money as long as it isn’t in a deceptive way. Do you think my placement of that link was inappropriate? Did the content not meet your standard for being “useful” enough?
George, I think the problem is that you personally have started to change your viewpoint on how deals should be shared or what is considered appropriate. I mentioned in my post yesterday that over a year ago you praised my Ink/Bluebird award cost chart post, even though it had an affiliate link in it. Then you called out my post on MS a few days ago for being too much even though it had no affiliate links. It was the same type of post (actually much less in my opinion), but it seems like it’s *you* that’s changed the way you see things.
Things change. Back then there were many more ways to MS play around. They have all been closed/limited. I did not think your Simon/SPG post was appropriate because it was just another mention. Besides, you do such a good job with analyzing this stuff that even a caveman can “get” it. I do not like getting phone calls from them asking me about the reasons for my gc purchases for “audit” purposes. And I am not buying the line “but I am a small blog, nobody reads me, yada yada”…we’ve been over this stuff so many times.
You write very well, almost as well as MMS’s ghostwriters 🙂 So, find your niche.I still don’t know what Travel Summary stands for! I am tired of reading trip reports of luxury places, there are so many of them out there. Find your voice.
I did not like the Trip it post because, personally, I never liked Trip it the product, I found it wildly overrated. And you started off with the Barclay Arrival affiliate link right off the bat. Would you have written it if you could not insert the Barclay Arrival link? Of course you will say yes. All bloggers do. Heard that one before many times.
And yes I HAVE changed the way I see things. We all evolve. I see a sea of blog posts every day and they are all pretty much dispensing “expert” advice trying to trick readers to click on their credit card links.
I was expecting more of you. You never had the quantity but that was okay. Since going full time I do not see an improvement in quantity (sorry passed over your trip reports, can’t take anymore from everyone unless it is a place I plan to visit or is one I visited and had the time to see what another blogger thought of it). So, in other words, have I featured a link from your blog since you went full time? I don’t think so! And then BOOM. Here is the mall and here is why you are an idiot for not doing it too. Then I thought your comeback calling ME out for speaking my mind what I thought of it was overboard and would love to challenge your arguments. But not going to take the time to do this online. Maybe in Phoenix. Trying to keep this baby manageable.Enough drama this week amigo.
TripIt Pro is crap compared to Kayak’s free tool, when it comes to it’s core functions. I’ve never seen it reviewed before, but TripIt Pro sure gets a lot
copycoverage.TripIt Pro is crap compared to Kayak’s free tool, when it comes to it’s core functions. I’ve never seen it reviewed before, but TripIt Pro sure gets a lot of
copycoverage.Easy to blog about “You can get TripIt Pro for free with these cards, bang bang bang”.
Just saying 🙂
Chase and Amex both specifically prevent the use of the word “churning” and actions around closing accounts to reopen to obtain multiple bonuses in their affiliate agreements. Blogs that used to post about churning have edited and/or removed posts with such references.
Sorry Scott but you’re wrong here. Loyalty Traveler confirmed that use of the word/concept of churning is frowned upon by the affiliate networks and can result in loss of affiliate links.
http://loyaltytraveler.boardingarea.com/2013/05/20/bacon-bits-about-credit-card-affiliate-marketing/
I do agree that it’s a little harsh to criticize that kind of post, even if it is a cash grab/link dump. It’s relevant info.
I realize that. I still think TBB went off the handle this week.
It happens. This is not Facebook where we all show off how awesome we are. This is a way to save on my therapist bills. Let go what’s inside me, therapist says it’s good and who am I to argue? If you kept up with all the blogs I keep track and your eye sockets were attacked every single day by the crap they have to put up with you would have lost your handle long time ago amigo 🙂
P.S. No template was used in any comment and no bank approved them. And this blog made $2.22 yesterday…a HUGE day by all standards lol.
George, we did MS in Germany before MM cardinal even hatched and Papa redbird and Mama greenbird even met. Search ‘überweisungsservice’ in the LH M&M forum for details. Better than the mint deal, no human contact involved!
Back in AA I was never tempted to do MS, even though Xyzzy raved on about how the UPS guy had become his best friend. A colleague and I just kept referring each other for savings accounts at various banks. I recall bursting out in laughter when the guy who sell hot dogs downtown raved on about the golden $ coins the mint was introducing 🙂
Read this week that FC Bayern declined to take part in that fake tournament because it requires a 5 year sign up.
BTW, about to buy 200$ weber Q1200 with your amazon link. Hope it’s enough to buy me a panera bread next month in AA!
I just knew you will reply and make me shut up 🙂
Hot dog guy about golden $ coins: LOLOLOLOL
Holy crap, it is a 5 yr commitment, wow!
Lunch is on me.
was this pre 2002 back around the time of US saving bonds ms?
It was around when I got my first M&M credit card, ca late 2000. Its still around today, but limited to 20k a month.
What kind of MS can you do in DE now?
A method to do 20K /mo in Germany?? Watch how quickly some of our favorite bloggers organize a “Rookie Bootcamp for International MS”.
Think of all the the linky opportunities when advising that LH F is the suggested mode of travel & all lodging must be “free” (of course, only after meeting that new cc spend)! 😉 :p
I can see it now…. :p 😉
It’s coming…Brace yourselves 🙂
Thanks for the tip on OZ flights on AA awards!
About pools: you CAN referral conga your way to the Hard Rock in Vegas on Jetsetter. They even do resort fees up front so it can be 100% free.
Gotta say, though, I’d do the Golden Nugget Shark Tank pool instead.
I prefer to sneak in myself, I learned that from a blogger 🙂
First shot fired, wear eye protection for the rest of the day, http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/48702
Left shot back u template-y blogger you! 🙂
Will the Template 69 employee please stand up, please stand up.
Dan above called intern on his iphone and gave instructions “Template 69, Release. Post Now. Over”
ROFL.
Mazel Tov !!
I think this week’s whole drama could have been avoided if you slept on a W bed, which are far superior to all other beds according to Luxury Flights and Luxury Toilet Seats With Lucky. You would have woken up less grumpy on the morning of the Miles Professor’s post. And you can earn SPG points when buying a bed using your Starwood Preferred Guest American Express, now with a 25,000 point bonus.
Not working. Been sleeping on a W bed for a year and LOVE it. Son likes to take nap and been asking for one too. I got when the discount was 50%. I wish I could get it from Amazon 🙂
“I am also completely disinterested in next credit card offers to go for…Nothing excites me as I had them all pretty much. So I am looking to do the unthinkable…getting the Spirit card”
Whaat??? We are back to the hay day of card churning. Two 75k AA cards every 65 days. This is the best it has ever been. And no affiliate links so it’s not getting pumped about. And of course it was 100k. I’m getting close to 1m AA miles from this now between me and wife. Doing BofA Alaska cards at the same time, the 25k plus 15k for $10k spend version. So after “spend” I get 50k Alaska. Twice every 3 months. Phuck me (why don’t you allow real cussing here btw?) it has never been so good.
I also agree your rants against TMP and TS were totally unjustified and your failure to censure FM for blogging about the same shows at this point it’s just down to personal bias. I will also add that I think your behavior is bullying behavior. I have seen this in the past. Happy to discuss politely over a beer next time we meet. I am not saying you are an aggressive bully, but you use many of the techniques that bullies use. You should talk to your therapist about it 🙂 (I am perfectly serious here – you should reflect on your behaviors and see if you see it)
The old catch-22 for bloggers. And this is where Rick is right.
The bloggers are hated if they write good content, hated if they write boring content.
Hated if they share a zombie link or write about getting 1MM AA miles from Citi in 4 months, hated for not writing more about the zombie link and for not writing about getting 1MM AA miles from Citi in 4 months.
Why did you feel you needed to mention Rick in your statement?
I think he brings a lot of the flak upon himself when he posts here and it’s mostly deserved. But I don’t disagree when he points out that the “angries” want it both ways.
You are especially hated because you not only have little to no disclaimers but you shill crappier links.
Remember when you were shilling your own portal links instead of letting people know they could use their own to buy visa/mc gift cards at staples?
Where is the apology for shilling your crappy 50k chase ink link whole people could get 70k in branch without an annual fee waiver. Did the sm, work? Nope it didn’t and you conveniently took the post down.
If these are not douchy tactics, I don’t know what this is.
Aww shucks, I always wanted to be hated when I was a kid.
But to be clear, which crappier links am I shilling?
Do you really like seeing a disclaimer above every post? Should I write in every single deal that I post to go to a portal? Are you actually happier reading FTG because there’s a disclaimer?
SM worked fine for me and many others. I was told I had to remove that post ASAP and that’s that. I get to say more things candidly at a seminar, but there’s only so much I can say online.
I don’t pretend this isn’t a business. I didn’t start it as a business in 2004 but over the years that’s what it because for better or for worse.
Don’t like it? That’s definitely your prerogative. But based on analytics I must have a lot of haters who visit to get their daily angry fix 😉
Dan, even a broken clock is right twice a day. But we don’t need to talk about those two times.
“The bloggers are hated if they write good content”
No, they’re hated if they STEAL good content for the sole purpose of getting clicks. Most of us wouldn’t criticize anybody for coming up with good ORIGINAL content (see: Miler, Frequent; Free, Travel is)
“Hated if they share a zombie link”
False
“hated for not writing more about the zombie link and for not writing about getting 1MM AA miles from Citi in 4 months”
Correct. I’ll leave it to you to figure out that there is a reasonable medium between those extremes.
Disagree that it is bullying but I suppose if you are feeling victimized, you would say that. But there is a difference between negative feedback and bullying. Look it up.
I do agree that TBB applies his critiquing inconsistently. He lets Dan and FM off the hook far too much.
Finally, I find it amusing how many guys are stepping up to the plate for TMP and I think her pretty picture has something to do with it…
I just read the above comment in this thread of the thread and just a few points before I pick up my daughter from camp.
on Frequent Miler: He has the BEST way to handle affiliate links. Don’t know how he does it and gets enough clicks to keep them, he is surely an outlier. Appreciate the effort to have something original. That does not mean it is any good. Actually, the content lately has been very subpar. Like today, look at me I won an award. Of course I let him win it because Delta Points deleted the name off my ballot 🙂 Definitey going to Like from Love. Hope he still wants to do lunch with me 🙂
on DD: I appreciate he posts here with all the flak he gets. I admire what he has done in 10 years doing this. HIs forum is great. I appreciate his hard work and the dude knows his stuff (compared to so many pseudo experts). Never pretended he was doing all this for friends and family. Was a big help when we forced (haha) Fairmont to sick to the Lifetime Platinum deal. I always cringed at his pumping practices which have gotten worse after losing Amex links. To the point of probably taking DD off my Like list. Besides, the original content posts has been less and not as good as in earlier times. His community loves him. He does not need my list lol. Or maybe I am a little pissed off he mentioned Rick and the term “angries” which I really really dislike. Or maybe this is considered bullying too. I don’t know and, frankly, I don’t care. I also think Chris’s comments do make valid points.
Just like diversification in investing, you always have a dog in your portfolio. With me, I consider I am doing something right if I piss off every blogger out there sometime! 🙂
I am not going to make any comment on bloggers’ looks because I can see it now: “you angry bully sexist coward” LOL
I gotta go
George–OF COURSE you are grumpy. Given the state of world affairs, let along the rapid degradation of our game, one would have to be taking some pretty damn good drugs NOT to be grumpy. Damn the torpedoes–keep telling it like it is. The “kumbaya” crowd need to toughen up a little.
Thanks a lot. Going through Feedly every day and seeing all the crap is making me a little grumpy. Check out this Travel Skills dude who moved to BA and suddenly discovered all Chase and Barclays cards and somehow he turned into an expert too all of a sudden?
Yikes.
what we need to do people, is make it so all the CCs have a reason to no longer want to give affiliate money to the bloggers.
For the CCs, however, they are gonna be like: Ok we like all the cash that generates. It generates XYZ number of hits or apps to our cards. You guys find a way to replace that revenue and we will cut em all out.
THERE my friends, be the challenge before us ALL!
and this was not my idea. I do think it is a very good one tho
Noble goal but oh man so…impossible?
I would rather direct to the good bloggers who offer something constructive so they can keep blogging instead as a more practical solution?
Ideally, it would be great if this field is regulated and only Certified Financial Planners would be allowed to dispense credit card advice instead of computer repairmen, mortgage brokers, college students, etc.
Then I can clean up baby
LOL.
And then…I woke up!
There’s an old axiom: Talk good, Action better! On 2 occassions our little posse of players have dropped the dime on a couple of the worst offenders by orchestrating a small number of visits to local Chase branch managers and talking to supervisors at the Chase Ink call center. Both times we highlighted postings that encouraged people without businesses to sign up for the Ink cards. Not that we give a damn, but its a clear case of promoting deception. I’ve heard talk of hiring hackers to do mischief, but that crosses my risk line. Point is that these guys aren’t going to stop unless forced to do so by the banks or the CFPB. If one cares enough about it to take action, then those are the targets.
I don’t like to be pessimistic, but it feels like we’re in the hyper stage of a runaway inflation spiral with all the new cc pumping bloggers coming online over the last year, along with the degradation of once-reasonable big blogs into nonstop pumpers, the return of massive signup bonuses that are churnable, and the inevitable devaluation it all leads to. I’m burning miles and racking up cash while I can, because I think the MS game is likely to get much more difficult in the not too far off future.
I share the same feelings about the direction of the hobby.
Banks are not going to do it, too many perverse short term incentives built into the system.
Not holding breath about CFPB either.
Ninety-forth
LOL, thanks a lot for the laugh. Classic!
TMP may be pretty, but that’s not the reason to defend her. I met her at CLT and she is an extremely nice and sweet girl. And, if I remember correctly, most people in this hobby are men. I actually met all of you there and it’s nice to see those that organized the event stepping up for her and each other – Marathon Man, MilesAbound, Matt (you rock!). It was great and I can see why. I sadly missed out on tickets for PHX and I hope your craft stays strong. Take care of each other and keep the mission going.
I agree with you. I agree with all of you. I think you all have the same goal for MS. I could see the glimmer in all your eyes when you talked about MS. TBB, you may not be a bully, but like others said, you overreacted and caused harm. Whether you meant it to be harmful or not, you caused harm. Plain and simple.
On FM, whether he has affiliate links or not in his posts, you’d be surprised at how well advertising traffic pays when you have 5 ads and tens of thousands of visitors a day. If you think about it, he has all the incentive in the world to post outing bid deals and he does, but no one suspects him because he doesn’t put links. He’s also wrecked more deals than most of the other bloggers put together. So just keep in mind… he makes more money off a single post without any links than most bloggers with their Barclays links. So maybe attacking the links is not the right way? Maybe you should question the content…. good or not, it’s harmful. And while you’re all pointing fingers at each other, the real mole is at large.
I respectfully disagree about causing harm. If somebody legitimately points out something about my (hobby mind you) blog and I feel harmed but the person is right…is that person a harmful person? Ok I had a long day today and some wine, it’s late at night and not sure if I make sense.
You point out an important factor that contributes to the blogging practices and how people are compensated! In most industries you have a good indication of how much a person gets paid. In my industry, you get the sales charlatans posing as “advisors” who basically go out and “eat what they kill”. Most are blood sucking scam. Some (me include, hey I am biased okay!) refuse all compensation by anyone other than the client. And fees are transparent and if you know where to look you can make a pretty good guess of how much we make. In this credit card pushing world WE DON’T KNOW. AND THAT BOTHERS ME! Most people who click on TPG and MMS I bet you they have no clue these blogs can clear high six figures (even more!). I think customers should know how much their clicks compensate a blog. If not the actual price, give me a freaking range! Then they could make a better decision (as in “Holy crap, this guy will make $350 from me while he tells me how I can earn 3x on Subway the First Friday of the month with a CSP but then he tells me I can get 5x by buying a gift card at Staples by getting the Ink card?”). You know what I mean????
I also have no idea how much these ads can generate, nobody tells me this stuff and I have no time to find out.
I can assure you FM could have blown lots of things up but blogs mindfully. Hey he has a unique niche and he does a pretty good job. But lately the quality has dropped off in my opinion. And did you see any other scrambling to correct the UA credit card aff link with the better non aff link offer? Nope, didn’t think so.
It is what it is. Been a hell of a week. I take all this crap and nobody even clicks on my ridiculous Amazon link so please no more talk about causing harm man, the joke is on me 🙂
What the intention is or what the percentage is of deals he knew killed is not relevant. At the end of the day, he kills more deals in sheer number and reaches more readers. Thus, his writing is worse for the craft. If he knows about 20 deals, writes about 7 and 3 die, that’s a lot worse than someone who writes about one and kills one.
I can tell you how much they make from ads. If you get 10,000 page views a day for 5 ads (he probably gets way more), that’s 50,000 impressions a day. 1 cent per impression and, on BA, you keep half. $250-$400 A DAY! That’s how much. Every single day. FM may not have blown every deal, but I guarantee you he made more that day he mentioned those mall cards than TMP (who did forego most of her potential CC income taking down the post in the morning) or TS. My point is he blows deals and kills MORE deals than most other bloggers. He shares more, he is worse for the MS mission, plain and simple. So why no links? Because he rakes in $10k a month without them… 6 figures for driving traffic to his site… and all he writes about is MS. I am not upset or angry. I am just pointing out where the source of deal killing is.
Holy crap, I can make so much in BA just by ads, wow!
Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. I read everything.
The more I blog the more I feel like the joke is on me 🙂
Which goes to show you that TBB is indeed a joke….it is Entertainment after all!
Again, goes back to my main point.
We don’t know what the bloggers make. The metrics are kept silent and the bank cc app $ are contractually forbidden from being revealed. It just blows!
I would like to see what FM has to say….hope he comments here but I probably already pissed him off for calling him out on his “I won an award” because, you know, the only reason I did not win it was because Delta Points deleted my name off the ballot #notfair.
Or you could be another blogger trying to get some cc apps away from FM? 🙂
Thanks again. Love posts that challenge me in general and primarily to think harder about this stuff and….life in general. I love learning!
It has been an “interesting” week. A few weeks ago, I also discovered the “place” which MP mentioned. I stopped by VM last night to feed the bird and get MO. At the cashier, I saw the lady in front of me pulled out her BB card, and that was the very first time I saw someone else using BB. Then, she told the cashier to load $40 cash to her card. I went to the MC and there was a long line. People were doing essential things such as paying bills, sending money back home since they do not have/access normal bank account and/or credit card…
I believe that we are very lucky to participate in this “hobby.” I got into this hobby a few years ago since it helped to reduce our travel costs. Lately, it is getting harder, but in the worst case, I would go back to the old way of saving for travel. I agree with Matt that we should focus more in “sorting out life.”
As George says “at the end of the day this hobby is ridiculous;” thus, my question is should we treat it that way (as a hobby)?
So, please relax, and enjoy your weekend. Thanks.
I treat MS like a job, not a hobby. It used to be a hobby but now, it is a temp job that I, as any contracted employee looking to do my very best while I have the temp position, am going to work my arse off as much as I can. It pays for travel and it pays the bills. I even make some savings from it.
Some think MS is a hobby and for some maybe it is. But people need to remember that there are other types of people out there. For me, if someone outs a deal –like when FM outed the staples deal (and yes, that is why they pulled the portal links to things), that someone is essentially messing with MY income. Lemme ax ya: If someone was actively messing with YOUR income, how would you feel?
To some people, MSing to make $1000 is a ton of money. To others, $1k is nothing. The amount here is just an example but the point is though, it is real money being played around with, regardless of the amount. And you have to generate a ton of cash in and out to net that $1000. Not sure how that qualifies anything as a hobby.
I have learned many of my own risk thresholds and what I can and cannot do for myself. Also I know my “temp” job could end or change for the negative at any time. that’s how it goes in temp work. But I don’t have to like that, or those I perceive as doing that change–instead, I want to find every way I can to prolong the work and make it so the job continues.
I am working late tonight. I check back this site to make sure that George gets to relax 🙂
1) MM, you are the grand master of MS! I have great respect for people who do MS as a full time job, especially > 2 mil per month at times (I read it somewhere). I cannot even imagine how…
2) I agree with what George says about “deals staying alive, not outing them, network with your friends, help others, find your own tolerance, be mindful of the risks…” I also walk the talk.
3) This is the internet age, and it is also a free country. There are so many blogs; however, we are not being forced into reading or clicking on anything.
4) IMHO, a hobby is a thing that is done for fun and/or pleasure. My earlier comment was for George since he stated “this hobby is ridiculous.” Therefore, we should not get too upset/mad since it is not good for our health.
I will end with a Vulcan salute of “live long and prosper.” Thanks.
Right back at ya:
“To infinity and beyond”
To me it is a hobby. And I don’t do much of it because i am too busy with real life (which now includes reading blogs in Feedly and commenting in my own blog lol).
My whole beef with it is many blogs take the “hobby” and package it in a way to be perceived as experts and then, bang, click on my credit card links. I mean, the whole MMS site was based on that, look at the mission! It is just deceptive marketing damnit because some of these big blogs are so out of touch what goes on on the ground that is completely laughable!
I agree with what MM is saying in principle about deals staying alive, not outing them, network with your friends, help others, find your own tolerance, be mindful of the risks, etc.
MM: Dude, you are a natural born speaker. Charge a speaking fee to KKR (in Chicago) and the FTUs. Ghostwrite more (but not on MMS please lol). Or start a blog with the Top 10 credit cards recommended by Marathon Man…ok, the last one was a joke 🙂 Shoot, I ‘ll link to it here (for a fee LOL)
Ok it’s late at night, I need to get a life!
TBB, as you have found out, being a successful blogger is lucrative. 😉
Amazon link revenue yesterday: 60 cents. I am playing 50 cents right now because I aim high as usual 🙂
I did like FMs thread about winning his award.
And good to see LOT finally recognised for the amazing airline they are 🙂
I remember getting the email informing me I was nominated. Just another company hustling for business and trying to make a name for itself. I get this crap all the time.
In my real job, an outfit came out of nowhere offering social media marketing services. So, they employed a ‘formula” and came out with the 50 most influential financial people (or something like that, can’t remember what the angle was exactly). Guess what, we all got the emails and DMs and many of us retweeted and publicized the said link. The approaches kept coming, even with DMs. What pissed me of was I was somewhere between 30 and 50 when another much more influential vendor had me pegged at No 8 a few months ago. Just kidding. Catch my drift? This one had that Rich Dad,Poor Dad dude as No 2….eeek I was in the same list with that guy.
So, yes, I admit my comment on Frequent MIler’s blog was an over reaction. I apologize. I have been very prone to blowing up lately, not sure what is going on. This blog state of affairs is getting to me. Bunch of credit card salesmen hawking what their master (Chase Bank) is ordering them to sell. It is getting to me. And here I am making 60 cents yesterday spending all this time on a blog I started because I was bored. All I can say is I am NOT bored now lol.
Enjoy the weekend everyone. Stop reading blogs, See you Monday morning. I ‘ll tell you all you need to know. Click my Amazon link (I am only doing this to piss off Delta Points, do not click his Barclay link LOL)
Well thanks mates, but I aint the grand mastah… there are blokes I know who eclipse all what I do and hey, all the power to them. Of course I personally know some of these people and many of them, I will say, have this huge ego and better than thou manner that pisses me off. No one is better than someone else just cuz they did a couple bucks in spend each month. Not them, not me, not anyone. And I know that, fortunately, but some of these cats out there do not.
I can also say that most people who I know who say things like, “well I am the smartest person about this or that” are usually NOT that!
Anyway I am considering many options of what to do and where to do it and what to charge if anything. I will post new links about all the new CCs and get hits off them too (just kidding! I will NOT do that. It will be the thing I avoid! It does no good.
I can tell you that when I drive by certain stores or banks I just–just gotta go in. I see $$$ signs there. How can I not? But i do my day job in cargo shorts and a t shirt. I don’t have to wear a monkey suit. Plus when you MS, your weight goes up and down. If i miss a week at the gym, that darn monkey suit dont fit no more anyway. The shorts always do.
Yeah I think I know about some of these people you are talking about. I always felt so inadequate next to you guys 🙂
I had more time going in to these stores and banks before I started my blog 🙂
I ‘ve been working off Panera and Starbucks stores since 1999. And proud of it. I can wear suit if I want to (think this was a song? lol).
Oh yeah the credit cards. I wish there was a company that was more fiduciary like but so far what I have experienced (which is not much) is they are all phucking arseholes who make bloggers their bitches who have to comply doing things they would not do to their own family 🙂
At the same time here I am handling 150 comments (WITHOUT THE RESIDENT TROLL WHO KEEPS ON SELLING, say hello to him in Chicago…I miss him…NOT!) for 60 cents yesterday. Something is off whack. Been dealing with it for…months. Not sure what to do, waiting for intervention (subliminal message to my wife to…save me lol).
Will hit WM today after client meeting to feed my birds.
Exactly what do blogger get paid through these chase or other credit card clicks or application. Is it really that much $$$
It’s more than “really that much $$$”. Most I’ve seen is $200/CC.
Rumor has is that OMAAT made 7 figures.
MMS made so much, he doesn’t care much about his blog anymore , it’s just gravy from here.
TPG has an army of writers.
FM can support himself. Probably from CC commissions rather than MS (he ain’t Marathon Man).
I agree with ABC 🙂
Here is more info: http://travelbloggerbuzz.com/travel-milespoints-blogosphere-has-turned-into-a-giant-credit-card-pumpization-scheme/
We are talking about BIG business. So when are you starting your own blog to help friends and family travel for free? 🙂
$125 + per approved application (most are more than 125 but some are less than that at 75-100 per approved app) Chase is probably the best paying of the banks
I am sensing the big volume producers like TPG cut their own deals with banks directly and get much more?
Love to learn more but too busy typing comments lol.
Well, well, what a “marathon” comments section. I had to keep coming back every hour or so just to see who has posted what. George, if someone pays you aff comm just for number of visitors to your blog, your blog must beat all CC pumping blogs by a handsome margin. Personally i have learnt a lot about many bloggers and other known figures this week alone compared to the past 6 months. Has been great learning as a common reader. However, i am not going to add fuel to the fire by posting any of them. In the end, i hope all these guys get together for a beer party sooner than later and have a hearty laugh together. If not, the beneficiaries in the other camp would be laughing on their way to the banks or their first class airline seats or hotel suites.
Who says they are not laughing on their first class airline seats or hotel suites now?
Yeah, it has been a crazy week all right around here.
I am still amazed my little blog gets so many comments! If I had known about this I would have never started it 🙂 I like it but….man, this is becoming like a 2nd job now! Made 60 cents yesterday. At this rate KKR will buy me before I croak 🙂
I just have to say that lost in the Mileage Plus card and “the Drama” is an offer (dare I say, deal of the century) that really hits close to my heart and just isn’t getting the attention I feel it deserves.
In celebration of International Beer Day (Aug 4), RocketMiles is offering free beer as a reward for booking a hotel in select cities they designate as beer hubs!
Greatest. Offer. Ever.
i do not see my city offered so we’ll let you have all beer you can handle, enjoy!
Yeah, POOR OMAAT. Only 7 figures? No wonder the poor baby needed a kick starter.
I am really sick of all these pimps and have pretty much burned out, as it seems George has also. They are NOT doing it to help people travel, they are doing it for $$$. Nothing wrong with that just be honest about it.
I lost it when Feedly was almost at 600 blogs. Down to 342 and shrinking to reclaim my sanity.
Is that a photo of Lucky holding the ducky when he was a baby?
Come to think of it, showing some resemblance 🙂
I used to love pop tarts!
Look, you guys are all missing the biggest news here…
The Stouffer’s Dinner Club program will be ending this year!
https://dinnerclub.stouffers.com/index.tbapp
Do you know hard it is going to be to throw away those Mac & Cheese boxes without needing to look in the boxes for codes any longer?
Geesh people, C’mon!
This is a tragedy! THE END IS….NEAR….ER!
What people really missed out on were Ham Perks.
http://wisconsincouponmatchups.com/2014/02/pick-n-save-and-copps-roundys-ham-perks-starts-216-ends-412/
Milesabound just announced ” this month’s Whore of the Month winner is Gary Leff for his shitty post comparing Citi and Chase 3x on dining options, which is just an excuse for him to pump out affiliate links”……………………………..IT HAD TO BE TOUGH CALL / STIFF COMPETITION
The prize is WATER!
Just read his bizarre post about “the one flight I fear taking the most”…ooooohhhh, so scawrey
To give credit where credit’s due (no pun intended), MV has recently issued a series of non-pimping posts that have been very helpful. If he keeps it up, he should be considered to be taken off the Blogs I Ignore list.
Must be the beginner series? Easy to repeat, I could do this every day with older posts too 🙂
Not sure I saw the UA card with the $50 credit there yet…but I generally skim the headline and pass on that site.
Can blog in the Ignore list be taken off? YES! But some are so way way WAY down in the sewer it is a truly heroic feat and must be lasting which…is not happening.
One day I will edit those lists….Been thinking to take the Extra Pack of Peanuts guy who has not been pumping cards lately…only podcasts. At least podcasts can not hurt people. Only 7 cards in one day can just scar them for life 🙂
I started first and may be finish last as well?
Last, hehe 🙂
Exsqueeze me?
🙂