@ Avi: Thank you! There is a blog reader who keeps telling me to “keep up the good work”, “keep going” blah blah blah and then he throws in the “I never click on affiliate links” which is so totally defeating to bloggers, I mean, look at how many hundreds who have left this space to go make a lot more money writing articles for The Points Guy and so many other businesses faking expertise selling plastic for the banks. My blog only recommends the following blogs, if you are not going to reach to help one of us this hobby will suffer, sadly.

Frequent Miler
Doctor of Credit
Miles to Memories
Miles, Earn and Burn
the Milenomics team

The reality is that my blog would have folded years ago if the cc affiliate vendor stuck to the “you must sell ten credit cards a month”…I may get to that every six months these days lol. Anyway, that is why I say enjoy my blog while it lasts because when they take my links away this baby is done.

@ Nick PFD: Yeah, amazing…Tourism has been saving Greece’s ass for so long and I just read how it hit another record for the first 10 months of the year. Anyway, there is one comment in that tweet that summarizes the situation: “It won’t last” 🙂

Hello fellow Greek:
https://twitter.com/Schuldensuehner/status/1715503126168342736?t=GqRKJjERicEnqath06dYXQ&s=19

Sorry for not being clear, by “referral,” I meant any link where there’s a commission paid. I start with P2, and if nothing there, go to your blog (I guess that’s called an affiliate link?). If nothing there, I go to MtM, and if nothing there, FM.

Not sure how Substack would save you time, which seems to be your biggest gripe. Limiting the number of links would help, of course. And I hope you don’t ever throw in the towel completely. I really like all the quirky stuff you post, and your reasonable commentary on current events. I’d way rather get one post per month from you than nothing at all.

Now I need to catch up by delving into this latest post that I haven’t looked at yet.

Avi:

What I appreciate most about your posts is the quality, not the quantity. Right now you have both, but I’d like it just as much if it were shorter. Maybe producing them would speed up if simplified the format by providing a numbered list of 10 links, each with your commentary on them? Numbering them would help keeping it from getting out of control and consuming so much of your time. Just a thought.
Please keep blogging! I always check for a credit card referral link here first when I don’t have one from P2. Sadly, I often don’t see one for the card I want.

——————————————
First, thanks for the kind words. And for thinking of me when it comes time for a cc…wait, referral link only? Does that mean you will never click on an affiliate link? If that is true, you have contributed to the vast sea of dead blogs that has crystallized into only big businesses blogging that are left. There is a point that, you know, this is just not worth it anymore. I am reaching that point after 11 years but, bottom line, is that I can afford to do this. TBBing is not putting food in my family’s table and it never will. But it would be nice that revenue at least covers the costs and, heaven forbid, get me compensated minimum wage, please don’t laugh.

In the real world, online especially, if you want something to stay alive you must support it. You know, it is like public radio. Some will never donate but as long as a percentage does the show goes on.

Now on the actual content and making it shorter. I am going to limit myself to no more than three links in each section. Of course this will not apply to the miles/points section. We’ll see how this goes. I just can’t have them so long, it intimidates new readers I think.

Thought about going the Substack route for the non travel/miles/points material. And I may do this one day. Thinking of starting a newsletter there with like what you said, ten links and my commentary on them. And have them appear there before they appear on TBB. Or just leave the travel/miles/points stuff here and just separate the two things, TBB blog and Substack newsletter. But running two things is a little too much for me. Of course I could swing it but that will only come to the expense of the content quality. And since day one I never compromised that. If I could redirect all this energy to promotion/marketing I would not be begging here for a click…

Anyway, it is what it is, enjoy it while it lasts. When this blog quits we will miss each other.

Just booked another 2 nights at a Hyatt Place short drive away for 3,500 points per night.
Need four more nights to requalify as Globalist.

Later

Regarding Delta, what prevents them for “enhancing” SkyMIles again just when you got a little closer to hit that next elite level/million miler status?

@ Nick PFD: My last Amex move has been downgrading from Hilton Aspire to Surpass 🙂 I guess we are not of the type to get 8 Platinum cards and make it all on their credits lol.

@ Carl: Thanks again, my blog is sponsored by your sock drawer 🙂 One big down in this hobby is getting drawn into resolving issues stemming from an identity theft/data compromise event. With many accounts online, the probability increases to become a victim. I guess credit card sales bloggers will keep their mouth shut because it hurts conversions.I do not use any wallets, I feel warily enough for leaving some credits cards on file with some airlines/hotels dreading that eventual “event”.

I don’t Venmo or Paypal unless I absolutely have to and even then to known people for a purchase *I* want to make. Or on eBay. I only use Zelle once a month when my tenant sends me the rent for my one rental and that is OK as well because it is a known deal.

I don’t even want to use an electronic wallet. The damned iPhone keeps showing me a red dot insisting I “finish setting up my phone” by adding a credit card. Have not found a way to cancel that.

Good idea on taking a break for healing and maybe that recreational running is the thing. You’ve accomplished a lot since you started in on it all only a few years ago so be proud of that!

Have a great weekend!

The Delta revision is really interesting. With million mile status you get lifetime status. 1 million gets gold, 2 gets platinum … all the way to lifetime 360. Maybe more. I bought a ticket to Chicago in March with chase rewards and I’m already upgraded. Huh.

I think the trick is to grab all the chase multiplied rewards. Then move to sapphire reserve to buy tickets with the 150% bump.