Have you ever helped a newbie with this hobby and then regretted it? That seems like a strange question, considering helping newbies is the exact purpose of this blog. I’ve been doing this for five years and it’s not the affiliate revenue that keeps me going. Hearing from people who’ve benefited from reading this blog … Read more
Over the past year I’ve been documenting my manufactured spending adventures on social media. If I purchased an especially large batch of gift cards or liquidated a massive number of money orders, I shared it with my followers on Snapchat. Sometimes if I came across a possible red flag, I would share it on Twitter. I figured … Read more
While promoting the launch of a new Doha – Dublin route, Qatar Airways CEO Al-Baker made a seemingly left-field statement about flight attendants on U.S. carriers: “By the way, the average age of my cabin crew is only 26 years, so there is no need for you to travel on these crap American carriers. You know … Read more
The Chase 5/24 Rule has been a thorn on most of our sides since it was implemented last year. It’s one of the most stringent rules implemented by any bank to curtail credit card churning. With a few exceptions, Chase will not approve credit card applications for people who have applied for five of more credit … Read more
There aren’t many people in this hobby fawning over long-haul economy class products. Most of us collect points and miles in order to fly in business or first class. It’s hands-down the best way to travel long-haul and if given a choice, I’d choose a premium cabin over economy any time. Except, when it comes … Read more
A lot of people out there think manufactured spending has to be done in massive numbers. That if you aren’t spending $100,000+ every month you may as well sit on the sidelines. Some people are discouraged because they don’t have enough credit or places where they can buy Visa gift cards they can churn for miles. The … Read more
Last week, American Express introduced changes to the Amex Platinum Card, which will take effect on March 30. Among the new features of the card is a $200 annual Uber credit dished out in $15 monthly increments…accompanying a $100 annual fee increase. Personally, I don’t mind the fee increase because I’ll definitely get use out … Read more
I have an undeserved reputation in some circles as someone who “kills deals“. To my knowledge, no travel or manufactured spending hack has ever been shut down because of the limited exposure on this blog. I’m aware of hacks that got shut down after mass media exposure or after prominent bloggers shared it. But not with anything … Read more
There is a tendency in this community to follow the herd. That’s normal in any group . People look towards each other for advice and in this case, that pertains to how we earn and redeem our miles. There’s nothing innately wrong with that, but sometimes I wonder whether this herd mentality can limit the experiences of … Read more
It’s been an interesting couple of days since the “Muslim Ban” went into effect. As someone who has gotten used to racism and islamophobia over the last 15 years, I was completely shocked at the reaction around the country. The travel community in particular really stepped up to the plate. Airbnb offered free housing to stranded immigrants, … Read more