I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Uhm, ouch. I fly like he does just not as often. I also have used some of his trips as bucket list ideas and recreated them for myself. Al Maha, Maldives over water bungalows, fly to Europe for a weekend to see a show etc. Ok so, I guess I’ll be over in the shunned corner.

I LOVE reading about your travels and wish I had the energy to fly to Europe for the weekend.

My travel goal is pjs in first class. This is a perk that I have never experienced and for some strange reason I really want a pair! I don't think I've ever flown first class -- just business class. Wanted to fly one leg of our Maldives trip next year in first, but I didn't have any mileage currency to make that trip possible (used Aeroplan to get there and URs to come back).

I will continue to live vicariously through your travels!

 

[afan]

And we were dismissed to come back at 130. So glad I live close. Did ask about the vacay and one of the lawyers is off the 2nd for vacay so they are pushing to get it done by then which I find funny becauae we got delayed.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

An update...the only thing I can figure out is that a CIP support shown on my 1/19 statement was posted by Chase in 12/18...

only other extra points I received in 2018 were my SW anniversary points and the 5,000 points for the upgrade to the Priority card

This (corrected 1099 from Chase) happened to me once before and they zeroed everything out lol. Maybe you’ll be so lucky haha!

 

[Lain]

Uhm, ouch. I fly like he does just not as often. I also have used some of his trips as bucket list ideas and recreated them for myself. Al Maha, Maldives over water bungalows, fly to Europe for a weekend to see a show etc. Ok so, I guess I’ll be over in the shunned corner.

I hope you didn’t really take offense. I’ll admit some of TPG’s reviews of places and your (and @Calfan’s and @CaliforniaGirl09’s and @tink1970’s and @*WDW*Groupie*’s) travels have made their way onto my bucket list.

My issue with TPG is he’s using his glamorous lifestyle, which is funded by the proceeds of his sale of TPG to Bankrate and by running millions of dollars in business expenses for travel, dining, and advertising through bonus categories that earns tens of millions of points every year, to sell credit cards to a diverse readership who, as you say, have different travel styles, without being forthcoming about better offers and best practices. Yes, people can travel like TPG or Plane Princess, but not if they apply for every shiny card that TPG pushes without understanding the different issuers’ rules and guidelines or developing a strategy.

ETA: And yes, as @SouthFayetteFan wrote below, you actually give good and practical advice that’s in the other person’s best interest without bias or consideration how it might benefit you.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

OMG yes! The way TPG flies, where he goes, and the places he stays are sooooooo out of touch with most people, including I’m sure many of his readers. TPG sells uses aspirational travel to sell credit cards, but most of the advice he and the blog peddles maybe will get you one trip of a lifetime, the way they push cards without regard to (or warning about) each issuer’s rules and guidelines for approval and bonuses, and certainly won’t get you his lifestyle. Most of us don’t have a business that spends millions of dollars on advertising, dining and travel every year that we can run through credit card bonus categories and spit out tens of millions of points on the other end. It’s interesting that TPG’s brought in Summer Hull (Mommy Points) and Richard Kerr (Award Travel 101) to expand (diversify?) the blog’s content and viewpoint.

Uhm, ouch. I fly like he does just not as often. I also have used some of his trips as bucket list ideas and recreated them for myself. Al Maha, Maldives over water bungalows, fly to Europe for a weekend to see a show etc. Ok so, I guess I’ll be over in the shunned corner.

See the difference though is that the advice you "peddle" will get people MANY of these aspirational trips because you won't push cards without regard to the issuer’s rules and you won't ignore guidelines and you will be realistic with how many points somebody can earn That's what makes @calypso726 > TPG ... well that and about a million other reasons!!

 

[calypso726]

I LOVE reading about your travels and wish I had the energy to fly to Europe for the weekend.

My travel goal is pjs in first class. This is a perk that I have never experienced and for some strange reason I really want a pair! I don't think I've ever flown first class -- just business class. Wanted to fly one leg of our Maldives trip next year in first, but I didn't have any mileage currency to make that trip possible (used Aeroplan to get there and URs to come back).

I will continue to live vicariously through your travels!

Thank you. I do appreciate you saying that. It does make me feel a bit better.

I’m sure you will get those jammies at some point

 

[palhockeymomof2]

This (corrected 1099 from Chase) happened to me once before and they zeroed everything out lol. Maybe you’ll be so lucky haha!

Would be nice......but that is definitely not my luck

 

[calypso726]

I hope you didn’t really take offense. I’ll admit some of TPG’s reviews of places and your (and @Calfan’s and @CaliforniaGirl09’s and @tink1970’s and @*WDW*Groupie*’s) travels have made their way onto my bucket list.

My issue with TPG is he’s using his glamorous lifestyle, which is funded by the proceeds of his sale of TPG to Bankrate and by running millions of dollars in business expenses for travel, dining, and advertising through bonus categories that earns tens of millions of points every year, to sell credit cards to a diverse readership who, as you say, have different travel styles, without being forthcoming about better offers and best practices. Yes, people can travel like TPG or Plane Princess, but not if they apply for every shiny card that TPG pushes without understanding the different issuers’ rules and guidelines or developing a strategy.

Glad you explained because I was feeling pretty hurt. No worries.

 

[Lain]

Glad you explained because I was feeling pretty hurt. No worries.

And in case you missed it, as @SouthFayetteFan wrote, you actually give good and practical advice that’s in the other person’s best interest without bias or consideration how it might benefit you.

No hard feelings?

 

[amalone1013]

DH is feeling very special. He is booked Biz Select with SW tonight and on checkin he got A1 (I think an A1-15 boarding position is included with Biz Select, for those who don't fly SW)

I am more excited that he will earn 6100 RRs...

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

And in case you missed it, as @SouthFayetteFan wrote, you actually give good and practical advice that’s in the other person’s best interest without bias or consideration how it might benefit you.

No hard feelings?

Well you see - I was just sucking up. I just want @calypso726 to take me to the Maldives if Plane Princess ever gets too princessy for his own britches!!

The major thing you did identify there though is that TPG often does not show the reality of what it takes to make that travel happen. Like you said, he masks the true source of much of his travel funds (affiliate bonuses, HUGE amounts of marketing spend, and of course comped travel by companies hoping to enlist his services as a shill) under the guise of "signing up for cards". Does the dude even sign up for new cards any more? Sometimes he makes it seem like I can fly first class to some exotic destination by picking up 2 credit cards...

 

[calypso726]

And in case you missed it, as @SouthFayetteFan wrote, you actually give good and practical advice that’s in the other person’s best interest without bias or consideration how it might benefit you.

No hard feelings?

No hard feelings. Just took it the wrong way and thought the post was implying that I was out of touch too and it caught me off guard since this isn’t Reddit or FlyerTalk. My smiley emoji buttons aren’t working on the reply so insert the laughing face and the the smiley with flower. It’s all good

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

DH is feeling very special. He is booked Biz Select with SW tonight and on checkin he got A1 (I think an A1-15 boarding position is included with Biz Select, for those who don't fly SW)

I once scored A16 when checking in 20ish hours in advance (likely due to some last minute change by another flyer and that spot opening up). I remember standing there proudly...(no biz select travelers on that flight) so I was first on the plane after the preboarders. My wife could only shake her head... I MAY have kept that boarding pass for a few months after that to commemorate the moment...

(Yeah...I'm weird)...

 

[afan]

Tried to buy more sb and it won't let me. Oh well I guess 40 is better than nothing.

Also submitted my claim for equifax. Did 8.5 hours cause I'm accounting for all the future times I'm going to have to unfreeze my credit because of them.

 

[tink1970]

My travel goal is pjs in first class.

I’m sure you will get those jammies at some point

I am ALL ABOUT pjs! I can't remember if I told y'all that DH left his on the plane after our BA 1st flight to LHR over Christmas and I was very annoyed with him, as perhaps you can imagine. We're flying first in Qantas in seven long months and he's been told very directly "do NOT leave the pjs on board." I've heard him walking around the house muttering "take the pjs, take the pjs."Thank goodness we live a quiet life or some might worry about him.

That said, I lovemy old style United Polaris more than the BA-they are roomier and I like the dark gray. I'm excited to check out Virgin Australia styles and I'll report back

 

[Lain]

Well you see - I was just sucking up. I just want @calypso726 to take me to the Maldives if Plane Princess ever gets too princessy for his own britches!!

You can be @calypso726 ‘s backup travel partner to the Maldives, but I’m calling dibs on backup if Plane Princess ever gets tired of visiting Scotland. I’ve wanted to go ever since... Highlander. “There can be only one!”

The major thing you did identify there though is that TPG often does not show the reality of what it takes to make that travel happen. Like you said, he masks the true source of much of his travel funds (affiliate bonuses, HUGE amounts of marketing spend, and of course comped travel by companies hoping to enlist his services as a shill) under the guise of "signing up for cards". Does the dude even sign up for new cards any more? Sometimes he makes it seem like I can fly first class to some exotic destination by picking up 2 credit cards...

You put it better than I did. But that’s the pernicious thing about social media, right? People only show what they want you to see, and usually it’s all things shiny and sweet. I’ll give TPG credit that he is very good at what he does, but that makes him the biggest offender. I mean, you, me, @calypso726, everyone else here, when we really get into giving advice it’s blocks and pages of step-by-step instructions on what cards to get, what are the benefits, costs, risks, how does this card play into the overall strategy to get you to where you want to go in the style you want to travel. It’s a lot easier than people think it is, but not as easy as TPG makes it out to be.

 

[Lain]

No hard feelings. Just took it the wrong way and thought the post was implying that I was out of touch too and it caught me off guard since this isn’t Reddit or FlyerTalk. My smiley emoji buttons aren’t working on the reply so insert the laughing face and the the smiley with flower. It’s all good

I’m usually a cheery kind of guy and joke around a lot. I thought you were kidding in your original post so I clicked Haha. I changed my reaction to Sad face because I hurt your feelings, even for a little bit.

 

[Andysol]

Uhm, ouch. I fly like he does just not as often. I also have used some of his trips as bucket list ideas and recreated them for myself. Al Maha, Maldives over water bungalows, fly to Europe for a weekend to see a show etc. Ok so, I guess I’ll be over in the shunned corner.

Are all your flights points, though? I know you've done some ABD trips as well, right?

I'd say your income bracket is likely higher than the average TPG reader as well as the average credit card churner (our average was around $120k/year if I recall correctly).

Most people who can afford ABD I would wager they don't bother chasing points as much. You're a bit of an outlier. My kind of outlier, but an outlier nontheless.

 

[PolyRob]

no congrat emails?

Nope. I don’t always get those but I think I get them more consistently than I used to.

I have now redeemed 4 Amex Offers and never once received an e-mail about it. I just go online to see if I got the money back or points. Kinda weird how inconsistent it is!

 

[PolyRob]

Looks like a public link for the BoA $300 checking bonus is out.

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/cgr6rs/_/euo1jt8

$300 after 4k of DDs in 90 days. I believe Serve worked earlier this year, for all the folks with shiney new Serve cards. (but we'd have to research again to be sure)

Hmmm I am torn. I was seriously considering opening a PNC Virtual Wallet and keeping it for the interest rates, but maybe I should do this. OR maybe I should do both