As you are reading this I am having fun with my kids riding roller coasters in the roller coaster capital of the world Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. I am posting this on Thursday and not Friday so it is not as lengthy. I may have a filler post on Friday, it depends how sore I am lol. We are taking a wild ride here again learning what MS it takes for hotels, take note of the crappy Marriott Microbonus promo, travel to North Korea and to some weird beaches, look at some awesome Supermoon photos, learn some wisdom on how to be happy in retirement and how simple advice is better, learn some awesome productivity habits, and today’s Blog Buzz is almost solely dedicated to Frugal Travel Guy website…just could not go on longer as I became visibly angry and almost started cutting myself!
TBB Blog Mission: To Entertain. Educate. Inspire. In That Order
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MILES/POINTS
MSing for Hotels. By Travel is Free. Great looking tables.
Marriott Rewards Fall 2014 MegaBonus: Earn Up To 55,000 Bonus Points For Stays Between September 15 – January 15, 2015. By Loyalty Lobby. MegaCrap is more like it. At least the free nights in the old Megabonus made this program tolerable to people who are not fond of this company (yes I am in this category). Now…they screwed this up too! You can register here for the main promo HERE. You earn double points starting with your second stay, up to 25,000 points. Zzzzzzzzz. The LL lobby has information on some other targeted promos that you may be able to switch to so read it if interested. I usually sign up for these promos just in case…but won’t even bother with this one!
TRAVEL
A Timelapse Tour of North Korea Like You’ve Never Seen. At Twisted Sifter. WOW!!!
Gorgeous Pictures Of The Supermoon Around The World
24 Unusual Beaches You’ve Never Heard of Before. At When on Earth (H/T: Mileage Update)
PERSONAL FINANCE WITH ODDZ & ENDZ
Six Keys to a Happy Retirement. By Financial Advisor. No argument here by me!
Advice Doesn’t Have to be Complicated to be Good. By Pragmatic Capitalism. This is short and sweet.
17 Small Productivity Habits. At Farnam Street. These are awesome. Adopt one or two and you ‘ll be so thankful that you ‘ll be clicking every link in my Support TBB page every single day!<—–Notice the strategic placement of the exciting exclamation mark, I learned this from the pumper bloggers 🙂
BLOG BUZZ
Note: This section is for long time followers of this hobby and references to blogs/bloggers may not make much sense if you are new to this. You are welcome to stay and read it of course but if you go WTF just remember this note!
A reader emailed me a link to open an account at, please sit down, Frugal Travel Guy. I had no idea that such a thing existed so…I was intrigued 🙂 The TBB journalistic spirit took over and assigned the case to the best investigative reporter we have on staff! So…we have an account at FTG.com now and we were so curious to see the latest “enhancements” to help readers travel frugally sell them more credit cards. You all know how I feel about the site already but, UNBELIEVABLY, they always surpass my expectations! You know how I have criticized the absolutely awful “credit card tool” that is basically a tool to shove the best credit cards in readers’ faces. For example, if you were a newbie and a business owner, married, with an excellent credit score and looking for cash back credit cards, the “tool” will recommend you apply for seven travel rewards credit cards (NO CASH BACK cards!) and then push you to apply for all of them in the same day. So, sit down please, how can you top such potentially harmful advice to a newbie who is just looking for a cash back card huh? Well, using the same exact parameters as described above, after going through the same crappy “tool” I was offered (after I logged into my account), please remain sitting down, 29 TWENTY NINE credit cards. Phuck meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I mean, they basically threw the whole credit card inventory in my face. Sad tagline was this: “Based on your spending profile, you will receive custom credit card suggestions that are perfect for your spending habits and travel goals”. Now, please excuse me, if you don’t get angry with such “expert” advice WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU????? Sell sell sell. Sell some more in the Chicago Seminars along with all the other salesmen! Yeah I am angry now…
Marvel at the exclamation marks strategically placed in blog headlines by Million Mile Secrets:
Get the Sign-Up Bonus Before the Barclays US Airways Card Is Retired!
Book American Airlines Award Tickets for Less!
Frugal Travel Guy had another sponsored post: Holiday Inn: Along the Journey to Extraordinary (Sponsored) Brought to you by FTG Staff, must be so proud! This is cutting edge advice or what!
Check out my updated blog lists: Blogs I Love, Blogs I Like, Blogs I Ignore
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First!
Welcome to the TBB Comments “First”, I will surely update your LInkedin Profile to let everyone know about this huge accomplishment lol.
Darn it, gotta fix my script. Or refresh more often.
Time to update them scripts of yours man!
Darn…bronze medal again!
Yeah, whatzup with all the bronze hardware?
Bad things come in threes?
Ok, I guess…Triple Threat? Just tried to come up with something snarky but I think I have failed me 🙂
Any thoughts from TBB on this “Disgraceful” (as stated by more than one blogger) passage of the Air Travel Transparency act by the House? Which, you know, doesn’t become law until passed by the senate and signed by big O. I mean, it sounds like crap, but what else is new with the airlines? You don’t generally hear too many consumer-friendly initiatives.
Yeah, it’s crap. I will let other “experts” bitch about it, they are all trying to find “relevant” contents these days. They sure need some filler in between “10 top credit cards for August” type posts.
numero 6?
Some time ago someone posted a comment at the end of them….”Ninety six” 🙂 Not sure how this all started, kind of silly but it keeps going…I like it!
Did Cedar Point yesterday with great weather and today looks wonderful too. I hope you got Fast Lane Plus if you like those rides. We bounced between Maverick and Dragster as Gatekeeper was down. Had a beautiful experience doing Power Tower while sun was setting! The views at CP can’t be beat! Have a blast!
GREAT day in Cedar Point. Weather was absolutely fantastic. Sadly, Gatekeeper was down and I still have not been on this ride! Yes, Fast Lane Plus just rocks. Expensive as hell..but all worth it I think. My top 3 are: Dragster, Millenium Force and Maverick. Actually, as I get older my body starts feeling the coasters more. I think I cracked my neck at the Power Tower ride which I will never do again. Looking back…I think the Dragster is my all time favorite ride! It NEVER gets old….at the end when it stops I am always like ” YES YES, I LOVE THIS RIDE”. To me, nothing comes close. Next time I go I will just ride the Dragster non stop 🙂
Gatekeeper is a fantastic ride, my #3 behind MF and TTD.
TTD? I need to go back and finally ride the Gatekeeper!
For me, nothing beats the Dragster. Nothing comes close! I absolutely LOVE that ride!
So looking for some entertainment (different than intended), I visited TPG site.
This guy is claiming over 1 million readers/month: http://thepointsguy.com/2014/08/send-tpg-to-sxsw-interactive-2015-vote-now/#disqus_thread
Seriously? Over 1 million? I guess that’s more than yahoo… Also did you notice how the only “stories” which have any value there – short trip reports have ZERO comments and some absolute crap like comparing 2 credit cards have tons of comments? What’s wrong with people? They really visit TPG for miles and points advice? I feel bad for them…
1m is totally reasonable. I do 100k uniques per month in a country with 20 per cent of the population and probably 50 per cent of the interest in FF miles and I do zero media promotion.
I assume most folks visiting your site are trying to use their points for a great knob gobbling experience.
Thanks to disqus’s voting system, the top comment on those credit card posts is usually someone calling out TPG’s bad info, poor disclosure, crappy inferior offer, etc. And then the sycophants chime in. Then the trolls respond. It’s like a reverse TBB. You’re right, quite entertaining!
All the online metrics confuse me, readers, uniques, page vies, bouncing rates and many many others. I wish a blogger did a post on WEB METRICS 101 and keep it VERY simple.I wish comments contributed to the rise in those metrics lol.
Yeah, sometimes the TPG comments get really funny…especially when they (whoever it is) responds defending themselves 🙂
I would like to think FTG jumped the shark but there are probably enough suckers out there to continue feeding the beast. Which got me thinking how many peoples former favorite blogs have turned into credit card sales sites? I used to like FTG, TPG, and MMS. Now my eyes bleed looking at those sites. When was they last time they posted anything useful?
Yeah, you are right….All these bloggers turned to mega business credit card pumping tools. It is kind of sad. You can all enjoy them at the Chicago seminars.MMS will have its booth and bow ties, TPG will bring his staff and give away some crap and FTG will be trying to get Nightline back and defend such irresponsible policies his blog unleashes to its sucker readers by…”hey, it is all personal responsibility” and stuff like that.
A big fear I have is if I choose to seriously put some efforts to monetize my blog…I may turn into one like them. I am sure my bank account will look much better but my credibility will be shot. Plus, I would look myself in the mirror each morning and hate myself instead of smiling 🙂
Air pilot’s prosthetic arm fell off during landing: investigators http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/air-pilot-prosthetic-arm-fell-landing-investigators-article-1.1903368
Lol… there was a news item recently how a drunk passenger attacked other passengers with her prosthetic arm or leg. Sometimes…you just can’t make this stuff up!
Did my post go to spam?
I just went through 40 pages of spam. I did not see your post, sorry! My guess is it never posted.
Thank you for making the Blog Buzz heading bigger, although I would like to see less of the other crap.
Nice work exposing FTG for capitalizing on people’s greed. It’s a shame what some of these bloggers will do.
I also notice you ask people to support you through Amazon referral link. Can you use that and Amazon Smile at the same time? Or is it more like support George or support the starving disabled kids?
I have to disagree with the big man, I like the other crap! Great Gif today but not as good as the male model falling and knocking everything over.
The bigger heading for Blog Buzz was not intentional. Getting the formatting done is a giant bitch sometimes, you have no idea!
Thank you for the compliment on my investigative work exposing FTG greed, my pleasure doing hard work for people everywhere.
I agree with Big Ramsey about my other content…especially some of the personal finance articles I find. If you take the time to read them I think you will greatly benefit. Or maybe not…
I do not think you can combine affiliate Amazon links with the Smiles program.I prefer to support the starving disabled kids more meaningfully instead of sending them peanuts with this method. Please continue sending them pennies doing it the way you want. Thanks for the support. I have no doubt if this site ever got credit card affiliate links you will be bitching about the hypocrisy, etc Sometimes I think my site should be sponsored by Mother Theresa or something…shaking my head.
That gif with the tripping male model is the best one I have posted here…by far. I need to repost it again soon. It’s like the Dragster ride at Cedar Point….it NEVER gets old!
Expect all 29 cards to be part of an upcoming travel challenge to get from Dallas to Chicago
Hey asshole, missed ya. Hope that venereal disease is getting worse for you and you get a successful travel challenge using all 29 cards. Does George throw you a towel to clean up when he’s done with you? Be a good slapper now will you?
Can you please explain if your snipes are homophobic – about Steve being gay, as if that’s something to be ashamed of – or if they’re jokes about sexual assault? I can’t figure it out sometimes. Thank you.
I did it! I actually did it! I remembered to click on the TBB Amazon link! And it was for a mattress purchase even – so have a coffee on me TBB.
idiot
Yup. A happy, entertained idiot.
Thank you very much, greatly appreciated!
“Here is the One Best, Most Rewarding Credit Card”
How many credit cards do you think the post on Gary’s site containing the above title contained?
Hint…. it isn’t 1
Yeah really…unbelievable!
httttp://deltapoints.boardingarea.com/2014/08/15/delta-points-proudly-welcomes-american-express-back-adverting-partner/
THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE TURN OF EVENTS. WE URGE DELTA POINTS TO RECONSIDER AND TO RETURN TO THE SWEET EMBRACE OF CHASE.
–END TRANSMISSION–
I edited the link so this esteemed blog will not enjoy any traffic coming from my site 🙂
My tweet:
Breaking News: Expect posts abt the amazing Delta @AskAmex cards every day now at Delta points again.Why? Because the blogs gets paid again!
First Ariana leaves FTG and then she tells barclay’s to take a hike. Respect increasing…..
Are you reading my mind? I have that post marked for the next TBB Buzz post as her site was in the “penalty box” for her tenure at FTG 🙂 I was shocked to read that Barclays would raise a stink about that…thought they left every one alone! If Barlays dropped the many smaller blogs as the big ones did…you will definitely read much less about the Barlcays cards…Guaranteed!
Oh, yeah, respectable. Dropping the Barclays links so she can continue to out the MS deals. Where’s your defense of the hobbyists now?
You make a valid point…Still did a honorable thing. I expect Delta Points to do something like that….bwahahaaahhahahahahaha
Comparing her to other bloggers makes no sense whatsoever. She gave up $500 a month. That’s nothing compared to what these bloggers make. Do you have any idea how much Ben or Gary makes? You really think if Ariana were making tens of thousands a month, she’d make the same decision? She worked for FTG – all content was controlled, but they paid her, and she was cool with it.
Add to that the fact that outing MS deals is a no no, according to you. No honor. Zero. None.
If she was making as much as Gary and Ben make she would be an idiot to cut them off. She is not an idiot 🙂
I always found it interesting she managed to keep her personal blog while getting paid by KKR/FTG.
I definitely see the move towards attracting new readers with MS related posts…like spending $82k in a month.I don’t like it either. But you can’t stop it…
I will link to the “:dropped Barclays” post because I think it is educational. You won’t see me featuring her “here is how I spend $82k in a month to MS”…no way!
Three months, George, not one. $82k in one month is doable, but insane, even for me.
Three, not one, months yes…my bad.
yeah, no more Barclays links on my site neither. I had them but I honestly kind of forgot about it…
I got a reminder in my mailbox today…
Sounds like Barclays decided to take action today…
You do know she didn’t just up and “leave”, but was on the verge of getting axed, right?
FTG writers were leaving right and left because she couldn’t manage them.
The blog’s posts were boring as balls and revenue was shrinking monthly.
I have a hard time believing the shitty content is her fault.
As the editor… The buck stops…
Wait…Revenue was shrinking monthly? That is not what ingy was telling us all here? Maybe he is wrong on the TBB metrics too and readership is exploding here instead?
Tough to be thrown into managing many things at once, if you have no prior experience. I myself like to work alone…managing people is a unique skill. I have a hard time managing myself lol.
My gut feeling is she had to adapt her writing style and her standards to make the revenue goals. And that, of course, meant pushing credit cards non stop. I know pumping works….or maybe it doesn’t 🙂
Managing people is quite easy. One must know the art of asking questions repeatedly without worrying about if they make sense or not, be an hypocrite and must be an egomaniac. That is all.
Obviously…I am not qualified then lol!
If I was on the verge of being axed, I wouldn’t be asked to stay on as a contributor, would I?
Writing with authority about something you know nothing about. Maybe you should start your own points and miles blog.
Oh no, not another one….So many bloggers already doing that!
So…how much does KKR pay for a: Travel Challenge? Rick’s me me posts? Howie’s “family member got xyz card” template posts…
Come on, give us some real information from the inside…You didn’t sign one of them competes did you?
Do an e-book “Working at FTG, an expose”…Heck, I ‘ll pre order it 🙂
You weren’t asked, but did the asking so that you’d be able to make some extra $$ on the side until you figured out your life. Man you’re getting good at spinning lies.
As a contributor you won’t have to manage anything or anyone and from what I hear the writers are all breathing a huge sigh of relief.
Hey Milo you sure sound like you know a lot going on inside the KKR offices (or Internet Brands or whatever). Whatzup with that?
And Milo in Greek means “apple”. Educating is part of the TBB mission around here 🙂
I didn’t ask. In fact, I turned it down the first few times since I already had another writing gig lined up. I’m still on good terms with all the writers and the IB staff . You’d know that if you weren’t an internet troll with no insider knowledge of the situation. If anyone needs to “figure out” their life it’s the person who is bizarrely fixated on mine.
Wouldn’t cutting all ties with FTG help you regain that credibility that you lost during the many months you horribly managed the blog? Nope, nope can’t do that because you’ve been irreparably corrupted… Now that you’ve seen how much $$$$ can be made by pimping credit cards and now that you’ve lost your only links, you can’t let go of that income source.
I can and I did choose to let go of the Barclay income source. But I guess it doesn’t matter because you’re fixated on some kind of conspiracy here, so you’re going to construct myths in your disturbed little head. The fact that you’re making my career decisions your business is pretty pathetic. I suggest you find a new video game to occupy your time.
In Ariana’s defense I liked working with her and I never got the impression from the other writers they were “breathing a sigh of relief”. I’ll miss her. She did a good job editing my “mailed in posts” and all her other duties.
I like the guys and gals I work with at IB or WKRP whatever they are now. It is the “corporation” that is at times not in sync with the free wheeling style of hobbyists and gamers.
I’m amazed they let her keep her blog as well, but good for her.
And George, your numbers are bouncing back a little. It is still a huge “time suck” serving no useful purpose, but feeding your ego and giving the disenchanted a place to play. . I’m sure momma will put her foot down one day and that will be the end.
So anyway, tweet away that I posted to see if you can increase your numbers back to previous levels.
I’m a big Ariana fan except when she is outing MS deals and …….
“Stay Angry My Friends”
You just can’t stay away from my blog, you are addicted. We love devoted fans around here, all staff of one!
Hey, I opened an FTG.com account. Still posing as a newbie looking for a cash back card and instead of 7 credit cards to apply I was served with…29. I did not choose to email my information to you…for obvious reasons. Instead of canning this abomination of a “Tool” it now leads newbies to apply for even more cards…if that was even possible! Shamefuly expertlike again at FTG…please don’t bother to tell us you no longer own the site yada yada.
Thank you for letting me know that my numbers are bouncing back. I couldn’t sleep having to wait “a few months” to be informed of such a momentous occasion.
Yeah, still a time suck but loving every minute of it. I could do other things that will impact my pocket in more positive ways but they certainly would not be as fun. I like exposing phony experts who are just credit card salesmen. You showed them the way.
FTG needs a total rebrand. And you need another hobby. DiffPaul had a great idea in the TBB comments for you but too bad it is too much work.
Does your momma know you are trolling in the internet calling us “juvenile” “cowards” and stuff like that? Maybe she did put her foot down and you stopped trolling (not completely). Mine so far has not. Sending her to her high school reunion with AA miles booked a few weeks ago #winning
Ariana is on a long way to get her credibility back. I always enjoyed her writing until FTG almost destroyed her credibility. We agree on one thing: we don’t like the MS deal stuff for…obvious reasons.
You stay Chase-y amigo.
I predict Howie will use the cousin of his father in law as a prop to pump the Ink Bold and the Arrival card…shortly lol.
29? I’m still just getting the good ol’ 5-7 credit card suggestions. What info are you entering to get 29?
Rick you’re so out of touch with what people are saying about your blog and with reality as a whole I’m not surprised you have no clue.
@Scott, can you elaborate about Ariana and Barclays?
While TBB is away, and everyone has a day off from reading his entertaining (cough) blog, please read up on ALS. About 15 years ago, I read this book > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuesdays_with_Morrie
Back on topic. I wish Rick was back fulltime at FTG. It hasn’t been the same since he left.
I absolutely loved that book. If I was Rick I would immediately think… how to get the affiliate link to push it to make me more money 🙂
Rick’s blog went downhill when he cached the first commission check from the credit cards. Reaching unimaginable lows ever since 🙂
TBB, looks like we cross-posted. I look forward to reading up on the Ariana/Barclay ‘discussion’. 😉
Check Pointchaser, Ariana’s personal blog (which she kept while working at FTG, what a deal!!). Looks like Barclays is cleaning house too…
Hey Buzz, looks like your buddy Just Another Points Traveler just published a looooooong post sharing the INFERIOR United offer claiming it’s the best offer out there. No $50 credit. Pathetic.
I will check it out, thanks for the heads up. She has the cutest baby and maybe them baby diapers are too expensive and she doesn’t go for DansDeals diaper deals? 🙂
Haha! But sounds like someone is being biased again. What’s worse? Affiliate links in posts or pushing affiliate links over better offers?
What is clearly worse is pushing newbies to apply for 7 credit cards in the same day (or perhaps up to 29!).
I haven’t gotten to the specific post yet…busy playing with my Gem Comment template lol.
Read the post and you are right, so awful! Very disappointed at her. I think she posted it late Friday night for me to miss it 🙂 She has told me she is going to make these pump type posts once in a while because diapers are expensive. Hey, I can understand that while all the pumpers in the Ignore list pump every single day 🙂
Here’s a real gem of mature, credible commentary:
“Hey asshole, missed ya. Hope that venereal disease is getting worse for you and you get a successful travel challenge using all 29 cards. Does George throw you a towel to clean up when he’s done with you? Be a good slapper now will you?”
In other news, I was very impressed that Arianna tossed Barclays (and the money they paid her) under the bus rather than let them edit her writing. It seems to me George that she is a great (and lonely) example of what you and we have been seeking in the travel blogging world.
Maybe a little love her way is called for (or at least a little like).
That was certainly an educational post and likely will make the next TBB Buzz post…But her tenure at FTG has a loooooong way to get that, you know, credibility back up 🙂 Such post sure help.
Credibility? As the leader of the moron patrol you seriously can talk about credibility??? Maybe you mean Creditability?
Let us all know when you’re out of your pot induced haze and you free your lemmings a*sclown. [Edited by TBB Template]
Sam – I’m impressed you’re able to breathe. Georgie you really have an impressive bunch of idiots that seem to think what you type is relevant to the world and makes a difference. Bravo on yet another worthless day of whining you slog.
Hehe. I am really loving the comments from stevesucks. By the way, he or she has all the qualities to be a successful manager – questions making no sense, hypocritical and egomaniac.
This comes with the territory Kumar. There are a lot of weird people out in da internet. I have come to terms with it. They will always be OUT there. In the meantime, I am going to bask in the glory that I am able to breathe lol