My old life is catching up with me!

[Matt]

I do encourage people here to use 'usernames' rather than full real names, primarily for reasons of identity theft. However, I wonder how many of us do so for other reasons? Not for fear of our identity being stolen, but also to keep our deep, dark, secret hidden...?

This week, Facebook somehow triggered a connection to a guy I had known in my 'real life'. I have had 3 Facebook accounts, one was my 'real' one... for friends and family (I kicked it to the curb a couple of years ago). Another for my 'real work' one... I haven't used it much either... and lastly a Saverocity one. Somehow, they blurred, and a guy infiltrated Saverocity, when he did, the flood gates opened. I've slowly been accepting requests from people that I know from back in the day, and my worlds start to merge together again.

When I first set up Saverocity I did so as a distinct thing from my 'real job' and I've been trying to figure it out going forward.

In 2015 I plan to launch a Wealth Management boutique, it will be a State Registered Investment Advisory. Can I do so as Mr Saverocity, or do I need to keep this dark secret hidden? I can see the skills and interests overlapping, but does one go too far into places unknown to cause harm to a new brand?

It's a funny thing when worlds that were once segregated combine again, and I wonder how integrated they should be. Do you guys have the same worries? What is it about what we do that makes us concerned about delineating our online presence, and if we feel the need to do so, are we out of our depth in what we are doing?

 

[PurpleSquirrel]

Matt,
My reason for an alt-id. Many regular people think MS is unethical/illegal/over the board. I've no intentions of changing their opinion but do not want them to malign my name(which is easy to do). Using real name makes it too easy for people trying to target you.

 

[sriki]

@Matt You might get banned from the finance industry for MSing ( like the guy in UK who was so for scamming oyster tickets). So, my advice: Take down this thread and start the firm using a name far from Saverocity. This is tounge in cheek response with a hint of seriousness involved.

Back in the day, I anonymized my online presence a lot. I had a normal online presence where usernames mimic my real name, pictures that can be associated to me and also had a very generic persona that could not be traced back to me. If you are visting "certain" sites, it's preferable to still do it. I do not frequent those places anymore but if someone does they should. Having said that, the tools for monitoring and tracking activity have also evolved over the years making this anonymous persona very hard to pull off. Unless there is a specific goal ("I do not want ad companies tracking me" does not count), I feel it's more of an hassle than its worth.

Even if the usernames/pictures are completely bogus, it's fairly easy to identify any and all people of this community and many others communities too.

 

[smittytabb]

Compartmentalizing your life and/or online presence is not only difficult, but somewhat out of your control. Most things tend to see the light of day eventually. If you need to have things in the shadows, it is a real exercise to keep them there.

 

[Annie H.]

Seems difficult to me for you to be able at this late date w/SEC and other financial regs. OTOH there are ways to keep real self off the grid forever esp. with long standing so-called political connections. Much easier years ago before computers were so widespread. Ironically, prepaid cards are/were a staple in this.

Just a start:
http://www.ptshamrock(dot) com/index.html

Really doing this requires a lot more work.

 

[Matt]

@Matt You might get banned from the finance industry for MSing ( like the guy in UK who was so for scamming oyster tickets). So, my advice: Take down this thread and start the firm using a name far from Saverocity. This is tounge in cheek response with a hint of seriousness involved.

Back in the day, I anonymized my online presence a lot. I had a normal online presence where usernames mimic my real name, pictures that can be associated to me and also had a very generic persona that could not be traced back to me. If you are visting "certain" sites, it's preferable to still do it. I do not frequent those places anymore but if someone does they should. Having said that, the tools for monitoring and tracking activity have also evolved over the years making this anonymous persona very hard to pull off. Unless there is a specific goal ("I do not want ad companies tracking me" does not count), I feel it's more of an hassle than its worth.

Even if the usernames/pictures are completely bogus, it's fairly easy to identify any and all people of this community and many others communities too.

The entire thread is very serious, I think that it hammers home a message to many people. Why do we seek to compartmentalize? Are we doing something wrong? I personally have not broken any laws (that I am aware of) and therefore how is maximizing rewards any different from maximizing tax breaks?

A part of the reason for the thread (along with this happening in the past week or two) was that I wanted to kick off a Career section here, and like the Finance section I wonder how it will work out. Clearly the most activity is in Level 2 Manufactured Spend, but equally clearly to me the members here have finance questions/needs and career related ones too. As I build out this concept of Lifestyle - beyond the limits of Travel Hacking - why would these compartments appear?

In other words, could you trust career advice and personal finance on a site you come to that you think it 'naughty' or something?

 

[Matt]

Seems difficult to me for you to be able at this late date w/SEC and other financial regs. OTOH there are ways to keep real self off the grid forever esp. with long standing so-called political connections. Much easier years ago before computers were so widespread. Ironically, prepaid cards are/were a staple in this.

Just a start:
http://www.ptshamrock.com/index.html

Really doing this requires a lot more work.

It would be very straightforward, this is just a personal decision as I proceed. There's a huge difference between the requirements of the SEC and State and marketing your business - I could be totally transparent with one, and obfuscate the other. That is what other people do.

 

[Matt]

Compartmentalizing your life and/or online presence is not only difficult, but somewhat out of your control. Most things tend to see the light of day eventually. If you need to have things in the shadows, it is a real exercise to keep them there.

I don't believe in hiding things for this reason, plus its just daft to be scared of something.

 

[sriki]

The entire thread is very serious, I think that it hammers home a message to many people. Why do we seek to compartmentalize? Are we doing something wrong? I personally have not broken any laws (that I am aware of) and therefore how is maximizing rewards any different from maximizing tax breaks?

There is wrong and there is private. Our community understands what we do and also approves the methods we employ to gain maximum rewards. In a different community/forum that's geared towards something else, these things are not apparent and in many cases do not share a common interest. Hence, there is apprehension about perception and hence the need to compartmentalize arises.

"Maximizing rewards" is a gray zone as most banks have T&Cs about perk abuse and cash equivalents. Enough is said about that. This is very similar to maximizing tax returns. When an individual does it, no one bats an eye but when mega corporations do it, they become evil mega corporations. Maybe, it's not even people vs corporation but more related to the amount of revenue involved. A person doing it to gain a few thousands VS a corporation doing it for millions might be a sore spot.

In other words, could you trust career advice and personal finance on a site you come to that you think it 'naughty' or something?

To be totally honest, I had to read this line twice not because it wasn't clear but because I wasn't sure about "MY" answer the first time. But, I think if I deem a sub section of a forum to be deceptive or unethical (not naughty), my confidence of the advice sought and received in another area carries less weight. Say this site streams pirated movies online in one section. Now, say you provide world class finance/career/motivation advice in another. I doubt it would have the same effect as it would when it stands alone. I hope I made some sense.

 

[PurpleSquirrel]

Matt,
Because sooner or later, you'd be gaining a 'brand' name and you want this brand to be stable and reputable. Travel hacks, MS are not gonna get you the reputation. Consider what kind of brand you want to establish first. MMS wants to be hub for MS/CC hacks/travel hacks and he doesn't care what rest of the world thinks but for newbies, he's a life saver.

#1 - Who are your audience/customers? 'Entire world' is a wrong answer. Try defining your customer profiles.
#2 - What do these people want that is not available elsewhere or what can you do better than other providers?

 

[Matt]

Matt,
Because sooner or later, you'd be gaining a 'brand' name and you want this brand to be stable and reputable. Travel hacks, MS are not gonna get you the reputation. Consider what kind of brand you want to establish first. MMS wants to be hub for MS/CC hacks/travel hacks and he doesn't care what rest of the world thinks but for newbies, he's a life saver.

#1 - Who are your audience/customers? 'Entire world' is a wrong answer. Try defining your customer profiles.
#2 - What do these people want that is not available elsewhere or what can you do better than other providers?

I know you have a good point here, but it bothers me also. I'd like to think that within travel hacking/blogs/whatnot there are different types of people - those that are ethical and those that are not, those that are community minded and those that are not... etc.. I mean, I could have 'cashed in' on the whole blogging thing long ago, but instead have focused on a brand that aligns with my principles. Further more, I think that the notion of the site surpasses just travel hacking. At least it does for me. I travel hack simply to avoid paying rack rate for travel, it is just one expense on the balance sheet.

On Christmas Eve I chatted with someone about Saverocity and they brought up the site 'Lifehacker.com' which I think as a notion is more accurate to what I would want to achieve - hacking everything to be more effective, and basically live life better. As such, I see a broad audience, and I see it crossing over 'worlds' as was highlighted by my Facebook experience.

I know that the smart thing to do is segregate the worlds, or maybe that is just the common thing, but I think I might go for dumb and different.

 

[smittytabb]

I know that the smart thing to do is segregate the worlds, or maybe that is just the common thing, but I think I might go for dumb and different.

I think it's smart, different and gutsy. But why not? I came to this same conclusion years ago when I realized that I had so many varying components to my life and that authenticity is found in the whole of the separate component parts, and that nothing is contradictory. Besides, complexity is interesting.

 

[Fuerza]

One of my coworkers follows one of my Amex Sync Twitter accounts. I have no idea how he found it either. I never announce my miles collecting to coworkers, family or friends. Fuerza is my forum name on several places. At best you might be able to trace it back to my real email. I need to cover my tracks better.

 

[Badassity]

Matt, I agree with sriki on this. I don't think you should blend the two.

Thinking back not very far to when I knew not much about miles and points, I categorized it as too good to be true. And anyone trying to pawn it off as more than that on the same level as a used car salesman.

Knowing what I did not know then, there is no way that I'd ever trust my money to what I perceived as a huckster. If you push the limits by pursuing MS and Lifemikes sweet mistakes what's to keep you from pushing the limits with my money?

It wouldn't take someone not interested in travel hacking very long to come to the conclusion that what you're doing is unethical. I'm not saying it is, because I don't think so knowing what I know. But a Joe Schmoe trying to get quick info on a financial advisor is likely to come to that result.

I'd trust you with my assets now if I didn't look after that myself. But a few years ago if I had the tech savvy and common sense to search for you, I would remove you from my shortlist, if I did not understand what I found here.

Money is as personal as it gets. And the majority of your clientele likely will not come from this community. Unless that's what you have in mind. Then disregard all my BS above.

 

[midnightinharlem]

You cannot let your worlds collide!

 

[creditwarrior]

I don't think compartmentalizing your social media lives is wrong. I've had a YouTube channel for many years and never show my face. I'm an attorney and didn't want a video blog to make me seem less "professional" if anyone came across it. Family members have come across it and asked if it was me, and of course I said yes. They know me well enough to recognize my face even when blurred out. I have separate social media accounts for that YouTube channel that are not connected to my personal social media accounts. The same with MSing, I don't intend to combine both worlds.

 

[Haley]

Annonymiy is nearly impossible.
My SIL just found my primary MS/travel hacking Twitter account. It is those damn Twitter suggestions.

Of course I make myself easy to find. I do not do anything to try to hide myself and I have many sites where I have the same user ID. I have had several people ask me, 'are you Haley/B from xxxx?' over the years.

Lots of people have hobbies that they blog about w/o seeming unprofessional. For example someone might have a silly hedgehog blog yet still be taken seriously at work.

Anyhow. I'm no help, really. I think that a lot of work and time has gone into the Saverocity 'brand' and that it does have trustworthy, honest, and welcoming as primary associations. So that would be a plus for linking your finacial planning services to Saverocity. OTOH I also agree that many people might be uncomfortable with some aspects of what is discussed in the various blogs. Which is a valid reason to not link them, or at least not strongly link them.

I don't think there is any reason to work to keep the two worlds apart. Aside from it being impossible, I think the sort of people who would be most put off by the blogs are also the sort of people who don't make much use of the interwebs.