I haven’t blogged much in the last year or two, so announcing my retirement may be a little redundant but… I’m done for now. I may post the occasional trip report in the future, and I’ll still hang out on Twitter, but it’s hard to imagine being as fully immersed in blogging as I have been in the past. As you all have noticed, the points and miles scene is both a lot less interesting now compared to when I first started the blog years ago, but even beyond that I’m starting work on a master’s degree in statistics while still working full time and I don’t anticipate having the bandwidth to even think about blogging in the future. I haven’t taken a rigorous math course in about two decades, so… it’s on! Let’s see how this goes. No guts, no nerd glory.
Anyway, this is as good a time as any to write a self-indulgent “Nick’s got opinions!” column. So here goes…
The Credit Card Blogger-Industrial Complex
I’ve had a theory for a while now that customers who sign up for credit cards via links from bloggers who carefully explain how to game the system are less profitable than customers from other channels. If that were true, however, you would think the banks would have figured that out by now and cut off the flow of marketing dollars to bloggers. There are a few possible explanations as what’s going on:
- There’s the TravelBloggerBuzz theory that clueless newbies are roped in and end up paying interest on their credit card charges.
- Or maybe banks have dropped the ball on measuring their channel ROI. Anybody who’s worked for a big company knows that’s certainly possible.
- Or maybe blog marketers are a low-cost marketing channel (if memory serves, the typical acquisition cost for a new credit card account is a few hundred dollars) and it’s easier for banks to break even.
Or maybe it’s some combination of the three. I don’t know. Still, the business model used by the likes of BankRate and TPG is fragile: if a couple of big players decide they don’t like that marketing channel, the business model vanishes. I’m curious to see how this ends up.
A Bias Toward Action
Not blogging anymore is the right thing for me now, but I’m really glad to have blogged. When I started blogging I was in a rut, careerwise, with a string of dysfunctional job situations (I had about ten managers in the course of two and a half years, plus a layoff–it was quite a run). I started the blog first and foremost because I figured if I was spending all of this time tracking all of this stuff, I may as well try writing about it as well. But I also started it because with all the chaos going on in my professional life it was nice to have a venture, however small, that I had some degree of control over and could put my creative energy into. That’s why things like, for example, a certain large bank getting annoyed about the “Ask the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard” advice column amused me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to have some extra spending money, but I was never after a second job with this thing, I just wanted to shoot the breeze about credit cards.
And you know what? It was a great experience. I learned new things (WordPress plug-ins! AdSense!) and met interesting people. So if there are any impressionable youngsters reading this, I encourage you do think less and do more. Try new things. It’s fun to daydream and toss around ideas in your head, but it’s a lot more rewarding to get off your butt and do something. Especially if you get in the game early like FTG, TPG, or MMS.
Greedy Bloggers Killing Deals
And about those guys: look, I know a lot of you reading this (assuming anybody is reading this, I think I only have about six readers left by this point) don’t like the big-name bloggers for various reasons, but here’s the thing: of all people, we should know that people respond to incentives. I mean, if credit card companies give people the incentive to buy gift cards and then cash them out, it’s a no-brainer that that’s going to happen, right?
Well then if credit card companies give people the incentive to promote a luxury travel lifestyle while surreptitiously acting as credit card salesmen, it’s a no-brainer that people will do that too, right?
So while I’ve called out people for blogging excess once or twice, I don’t get as perturbed by it as others. Getting annoyed at “greedy bloggers” is like blaming gravity for a plane crash. I mean, sure, maybe they are greedy, but so what? If any particular blogger didn’t exist, another one would step up to fill the void. It’s, like, the system, man! I have all the respect in the world for Will at Doctor of Credit for doing what he’s done and I think the world would be a better place if everyone followed suit… but at the same time, given the world we live in, I respect how others (though not particularly the big names mentioned above) balance sales vs content. It’s not easy.
Thanks
Finally, thanks to anybody who’s read this blog over the years, and special thanks to all the other bloggers who have linked to it and/or shown up in the comments over the years. It is a privilege to write stuff and have strangers read it, and I deeply appreciate it. Happy churning!
I can understand — I barely have time to keep up on this stuff these days, let alone write about it. Best of luck!
First, let me say thanks for your blogging service. We enjoyed it!
Second, I agree with your assessments.
Third, at this rate no blog will be left in the world famous Bogs I Like list, so sad.
Fourth, I am left alone to fight the system man!!!!
GeorgeTBB
P.S. When I join you we should have a retired bloggers meetup. But if you invite Ingy I am not coming. Lol
Thanks for squeezing out one last commentary. Always enjoy your perspective and upfront style and delivery.
Yeah, good luck on all going forward: to infinity and beyond!!!
Welcome to retirement! I’m here, too 🙂
You are a loser, go kill your self
Ladies and gentlemen, James Larounis!!
Thanks, I remember you!
Thank you for the kind words!
Thanks George! I’ll still be haunting your comments section from my bed at the Old Bloggers Home.
Thank you sir!
Why the MS in statistics?
– data scientist-type
(Willing to share career advice worth exactly two cents if interested.)
Harvson, good to hear from you! I’ll drop you a line.
Best of luck in your studies and thanks for all that you have shared.
Thanks David!
I was wondering why HE wasn’t mentioned in your original post. How is he expected to cobble material together now? Best of luck to you.
Pixie is invited in the old bloggers reunion tour, she can take the place of Ingy ANYTIME!
“think less and do more”
Thank you for that advice; it’s something that I’ve been thinking about myself, and this morning, for me personally, it’s an appropriate point to hear again!
Thank you for your blog, and best of luck in your degree-seeking venture!
Thanks for all the blood, sweat, and digital ink spilled over the years.
Enjoy grad school – I certainly did, a long time ago!
Thanks, and good luck in thinking less! 😉
Thanks!
Sigh. I got into the points/miles game a few years ago and now find out that they are(mostly) liars and shills for the credit card companies whose valuations cannot be trusted. What am I supposed to do now?
What we really need is a blog on which cards to keep and which to cancel.
I appreciate blogs like yours that debunk the guys who suck us in but who debunks the debunkers? Also, I guess we figured out that nobody does things out of the kindness of their hearts so why did we think there were so many points guys and girls viewing us from their lofty perches on the wing?
Yours was always one of the best and has been/will be missed.
Thanks, I appreciate it!
You will be sorely missed best of luck to you
This sucks!
Please do come back even occasionally when you feel like it. It can be therapeutic, but you probably already know that. Good luck and all the best!
Have always enjoyed your writing. Best of luck to you!
Thank you!
Thanks Andy! I hope you keep blogging.
Thank you!
Thanks for all the blogging. I have probably done more traveling with points and miles in the last 10 years than most bloggers but I’m too lazy to blog about it. I do post some photos on instagram: worldtravelguy.
Take care and good luck with the new math class.
Thank you!