No way to let this final week pass without sharing some thoughts on the current state of this game. The first (and most important) question – Is this hobby dead?
Of course not.
If there are points to be earned, there’s still a game to be played.
(And discounted travel to be had)
That said, for most of us, the peak years are probably over. For a long time, we weren’t a blip on anyone’s radar. Companies weren’t worried about weird little nerds trying to vacation for free. We were approved for credit cards by the bucketload. Doors were wide open all over the place.
Today?
Well, it’s different. The “gamers” are definitely on radars. We’re planned for, limited, and sometimes shut down. Plus, there’s a ton of us now. If we look at this hobby as Tom Cruise…we’ve in the moment when he laughed like a psychotic clown and jumped all over Oprah’s couch. Sure, there are still years of good movies to come (Tropic Thunder, some decent Mission Impossible sequels, etc) but peak Cruise isn’t walking through that door.
(I apologize for that exceptionally strange paragraph – even by my standards)
Anyway, the point is, there’s still a game to play. We’re no longer in the prime years. But, so what? We roll on…
Credit Cards
With limits from Chase, Barclays, and Bank Of America…plus all the once-in-a-lifetime stuff at American Express…it’s harder than ever to get approved for cards. Bonuses are challenging. So what do we do?
At this point, it’s helpful to have access to other social security numbers (not in a shady way). I’m talking about your relatives and friends who aren’t interested in credit card signups. They come in handy. Get whatever you can, then get some cards in their name, and then ask someone else. If it’s possible in your life, that’s a pretty effective strategy in these changing times. Just stay organized.
No matter who applies, make sure you keep screenshots of the terms. You never know when you might be in for a bonus fight.
Spending
Since getting approved for cards is challenging these days, spending a lot of money is another way to go. Obviously, it’s NEVER something to mess with if there are any issues keeping debt under control. The main ways you guys have been spending large amounts are: with businesses, friend/family-owned businesses using your cards, reselling, or buying gift cards. The last option is (by far) the most common.
We’ve definitely passed the peak Jerry Maguire years for Mastercard and Visa gift cards. Not dead, but we’ve seen better days. Another option is buying discounted third-party gift cards (Starbucks, Target, Best Buy, etc). It takes some rate-checking with gift card exchanges to make sure you can break even. Of course, the idea is always free points. A little profit is even better. The main concern is making sure that gift card exchange is trustworthy. I should mention a relatively new one that’s run by a friend of the blog. I think there might be some strict volume requirements to remain an active user there but, considering I have no personal experience with it, I have no clue. I’ve just known them to be honest people. They might be at capacity, but it’s worth checking out and adding to your list of options – if you’re into third-party gift cards.
Travel
One thing that seems to still be in its Rain Man peak is flight deals. And occasional hotel + flight package promos. Really keep your eyes open (particularly if you’re flexible with dates). Websites like TheFlightDeal and SecretFlying keep popping up. Typically, you need to book those deals quickly. Be ready to jump if a great opportunity comes along. For some of you, it’s also worth keeping an eye on the travel category of Slickdeals and the Mileage Run deals on Flyertalk.
Blogs
I’ve gotten the question recently – “Which blogs would you recommend once you’re gone?” From a deal perspective, it’s not really necessary to read a long list of them anymore. The good stuff is posted on dozens (maybe even hundreds) of different websites. At this point, Doctor Of Credit pretty much has everything covered. He does one thing I disagree with (which I’ll talk about in a second), but he doesn’t lie to readers. I’m not aware of many other blogs with trustworthy opinions on credit cards. TravelBloggerBuzz is another good one that comes to mind. It’s run by a man named George (who knows he’s driven me nuts on more than one occasion). But I respect that he’ll never mislead you. Neither guy will push you into bad deals. And, as far as I know, that’s still a rare thing for blogs. I can’t say for sure…my focus has been on the people here. Just be selective about who you take advice from. As always, I’m not a fan of Bowtie, The Points Guy, or most of Boarding Area.
Before moving on, I’d like to speak to any bloggers who are reading. Probably my last opportunity to do so here. I know a few of you and am pretty sure there are others lurking in the shadows (possibly in a creepy Hamburglar mask or something). Bloggers, since I’m on my way out of the world of miles and points blogs, let me ask something that I’ve always been curious about…
When you see higher bonuses on a card but talk up your inferior offer as “the best available” – how does that feel? Or, when you won’t post great offers because they don’t pay you – is that a strange sensation? Wait, I don’t actually care. Let’s do this another way…
Dear honest blogger who has chosen to link to those types of websites-
Why do you do it?
Allow me to answer that. We both know it’s not about a “hat tip.” It’s a big circle jerk you do for return traffic. Well, you don’t mislead readers on your website, right? So, take a stand and stop sending newbies to pimps. You know very well the only “person” you need to credit for a Hertz rental car promo is Hertz. That’s who “broke” the deal. A new Citibank card? Guess where that deal comes from…Citibank. You choose to see it a different way because you don’t want to make waves. But I’m asking this one thing of you on my way out. Take a stand. Protect your readers. Just because you’re not lying to them doesn’t mean you should send them to websites that will. At least think about it?
