So Chase just put out a great offer on its United card: 50,000 miles (up from the previous public offer of 30,000), plus 5,000 miles for adding an authorized user, plus the annual fee is waived for the first year. This was also an affiliate link, meaning that Chase’s affiliate marketers–some of the bigger ones include boardingarea.com, Million Mile Secrets, and The Points Guy–were set to make some good money. Here, courtesy of TBB’s Twitter feed, is what the scene looked like on BoardingArea:
This was a new offer, so most of the bloggers dutifully wrote up a post yesterday morning about it, which is exactly what I would have done if I were a big-time blogger with a sweet Chase offer to promote. And then: hey, it’s Friday, so time to relax!
Except sometime on Friday, Chase also put out an variant on this offer which was identical except it had a $50 statement credit as well. In other words, a better offer.
And this offer was not an affiliate offer. I just randomly happened to notice it on the Fatwallet Finance forum, where a poster there had credited the link to someone on Slickdeals.
So to recap: Chase gave its marketers a pretty good deal to promote, then after they’d published posts on what a great deal it was, a slightly better offer comes out–one which pays $0 to the affiliate marketers. So their marketers can either promote an inferior link and look like schmucks, or they can promote the good link and make $0 just when they thought they had a lucrative new offer to promote.
MilesAbound pointed out on Twitter (warning: cheeky British language) that Chase really screwed with its affiliate marketers, and I agree. Since I’m a fan of Hanlon’s razor, I’m not saying that this is a nefarious plot by Chase to mess with their marketers. I’m just saying that if it were an evil plot, they couldn’t have pulled it off much better than they did yesterday.
(And by the way, if you’re not following me on Twitter, you’re missing out on a lot of fun.)
It will be interesting to see who and who doesn’t update their original post. Kudos to MP, she acted pretty quickly.
Provided the affiliate commission is more than $50, Chase is just being smart in keeping its marketing budget contained.
My new take on things of this nature is basically like this:
GOOD!
Chase, for one, needs to stop giving these monetary perks to the bloggers. Period. If users would (A) just stop clicking their links, (B) if Chase would cut off the hand that feeds and (C) if Chase wants to save money instead of giving it away to just a few select bloggers, then the best thing ever is that they refrain from giving out the perks.
So they didnt screw the bloggers with affiliate links, instead they helped me and you! How?
because if the bloggers dont have nothing to gain from the links, they will write less. If they write less, less deals will be outed. If less deals are outed, you can still do those deals. And if you can still do those deals, you will make more money MSing. THAT, my friends, is how “the community” will help each other by no longer supporting just a few blogs, but instead keep deals alive for the greater good of all of us!
And hey, I’m not against a blogger making money involving MS things… just have that blogger get out there and do some MS on his or her own too! get in the darn car and drive around all day like I do and actually WORK in the field, you sorry arses!
I signed me wife up for that UA card. I am glad to see that only me and Chase will get something out of it. The person that gave me the link should be thanked but he said he didn’t get anything out of it so I will buy him a beer or three because he DID NOT ASK for or expect one. And I will share tips of MS with him because he gave me that link–because he DID NOT ASK for or expect them.
“Chase really screwed with its affiliate marketers, and I agree”
I disagree. This statement just tells how greedy bloggers are.
Thanks again for the heads up on the better offer. Just for the record, BoardingArea does not have an affiliate relationship with Chase. That’s up to each individual blogger and not all are accepted
Thanks for the clarification!
…and can anyone here tell us the names of some of the boarding area blogs that do have chase for example?
How DOES a blog become an affiliate marketer of a credit card company?
I’m pretty sure this is a rhetorical trap question of some sort (because I think they all do) , but just in case its not, you can tell if somethings an affiliate link by looking at the url of the application link. If it has the bloggers name, it’s affiliate.
All you need to do is look at who is pimping the inferior offer 😉
BoardingArea has become a joke. A sprawl of bloggers who put out useless drivel on a daily basis, and then all shout at once about whatever latest offer that needs to be plugged. I still read a few select blogs here, but this proliferation of “blogging” to push credit card and related deals has to stop. It’s killing the good deals and providing no additional useful info besides regurgitating flyertalk.
Nick, thanks for publishing this post. I was actually debating on writing something similar, but now I don’t have to! Interestingly, I don’t have direct links for Chase, but happen to make referral commission on some of their cards, including this offer on United. I’m certain, the amount is waaaay less then direct links, based on my past Chase approvals. BTW I did update my links as soon as I’ve learned of this better offer from your post.
The crazy thing is: I had a reader email me and say he would apply through my link instead, so I could get paid, basically as a “Thank You” for my blog. What?? I told him not to, of course, but not much I can do. BTW thanks so much for all your hard work, you always stumble upon all these obscure deals. Don’t you have 4 kids to take care of? 🙂
As far as this whole situation, yes, Chase absolutely scre$%d over its affiliates. If I was a top blogger with a quota, I would be ticked off right now. It’s not fair for banks to impose these requirements on bloggers, only to undercut them on the same day. This system is so messed up, it’s not even funny. And yes, I do believe that top bloggers deserve to make good money. It’s a LOT of work. I am killing myself with my tiny site, and I don’t do a third of what these guys do. This industry is no different from News-related business. Do people get upset that journalists get paid? Should they work for free ? That would be ludicrous, wouldn’t it?
That being said, readers deserve to know of the better offer, regardless. It’s the right thing to do. Otherwise, my blog page “Best deals” should be titled “Best deals for me.” At least, it would be honest.
But some of them regurgitate it so well. I don’t even have to think for myself anymore. 😉
I had recently said this in flyertalk with reference to the MP debacle:
I HAVE EDITED THIS POST here because I have rethought my stance on this. To be honest, as of now I tend to think all affiliate links should be gone that pay bloggers out on clicks for apps when they spill the beans about what we do in MS. No one should get payouts. So therefore, as long as you receive any–even if you don’t need the money–you are in a way already offending my interests deeply…and not just mine, but many many here.
What I said in my post before was: I’m not against links making money, I Just don’t want the outing of deals to be the reason why someone did so.
But I will say this now: I fear–especially because I believe MP when she said she actually didn’t know she did it–that she or someone like her will do it again. And so by her having those links up, she will have just made money on blowing a deal–again.
In other words, what I said in my post before isn’t even possible: There can be no site in this realm that can make money WITHOUT blowing a deal.
***
I am not trying to dis MP here, but in this case, a rose by another name is still a rose. And so bloggers who have the following recipe are suspect of killing deals by nature:
-Have afiliate links that pay out anything
-Part of boarding area
-Write about ms deals they think dont matter
Those are the key ingredients. You find those and I dont know if that blog can be trusted with sensitive information.
Yea ms info should be shared but more in small groups and not with those types.
Chase pays somewhere around $125-175 for most approved apps
You really are comparing these blogs to professional journalism? There are very few bloggers who provide real, insightful and original content, and ironically the best ones rarely if ever plug any card offers (frequentmiler, travel is free, for example). The rest just spit out daily filler material to keep up rankings, like what skirt to wear on a plane, how to shut up your kid in first class, etc….
Gee if I could make ~$150 an app to write in a blog I would write as much as possible. To gain readership I would out all the great deals because I would know this would bring people to my blog.
I would make hundreds of k per year doing this! I wouldnt even have to MS. Who cares about some deal? Another will come around right? And everyone will think I am helping them so they will thank me for the info. They will thank me by clicking my links.
Right?…
Amen brother, been saying similar for months.
If you click on an affiliate link, you’re just as big a part of the problem as the pimp pushing the link. Go search FT/SD/FW and you’ll almost always find the non-affiliate link with equivalent or better offers. When ungodly easy affiliate income dries up, all these pimps who fatuously profess to do it for the “love of it” and for “friends and family” will fold like a cheap suit. Until then, they’ll continue to out means and methods that hurt the vast majority, all the while they continue to greedily line their pockets.
Friends NEVER let friends click on ANY affiliate links for ANY reason.
Your good credit is my best asset!
@leana – I find your post almost as offensive as your blog. The delusional notion that the “content” you offer is worth a penny is amazing. You’d have to pay me to ever visit again. And to say it’s hard work, is laughable.
@Rick B To clarify, I don’t think that ALL blogs can be compared to professional journalism. There are many crappy (in my opinion) sites, including those that have a significant readership. No, I won’t name names! 😉
My point is: Miles and points blogs serve a very real need. For me personally, it’s to keep up with the news in the industry. I don’t need deal analysis for the most part, because I can do it myself. Though, I do benefit from “View from the Wing” and “Travelisfree”posts, as well as PFdigest. They always have fresh and unique perspective. Interestingly, VFTW inserts affiliate links, while Travelisfree does not. Yet, both are equally useful. I don’t insert links, but it’s a personal choice, and I don’t pass judgment on those who do.
It’s true, many blogs make revenue from advertising, but I suspect it’s quite small compared to referral commissions. So, honest bloggers face a dilemma: Let readers know about the extra $50 on United card, or get $150 (based on what was indicated here, I don’t get anything close to that). Add to the fact that for some $150 feeds their family or employees, and they have quite a problem on their hands.
The banks do not play fairly IMO, but it’s their prerogative, I suppose. They are “the man with the gold,” so to speak.
Ultimately, it’s up to readers to decide who provides the most value and whom they should reward. Most in this hobby are smart enough to make that determination for themselves.
@Paul Thanks for your comment. I’ve said before that I always welcome feedback, good or bad.
Leana, while I don’t regularly follow your blog, I must say that I appreciate the eloquence and civility of your response to Paul’s comment. Bravo!
I can think of at least one blogger out there who needs to borrow from that mindset and ability to act with a thicker skin.
@Rich Thanks! I absolutely don’t expect everyone to love my blog. That would be quite delusional of me, wouldn’t it? I’ve even admitted in one of my posts that 99% of people in this hobby will not benefit from my blog. I don’t want anyone to waste their valuable time by coming to my site. My blog is meant to appeal to a very small, specific niche. As far as civility, we can sure use some in this industry right now. I’m not the best example on it, but trying to do better.
@ Marathon Man I agree with you that a thick skin is required to be a blogger. It’s a must, no question. The thing is, we are all human beings with feelings, and it can be very hard sometimes.
@Leana,
Yes true… But the moment a person posts something on the net it is out there and in full view for anyone and everyone.
If you or any person were to share a “secret” deal meant only for a small group of friends, dont kid youself–it can be and may eventually be found by many people… And what if one of them is the marketer or IT guy who shuts said secret deal down?!
Soooo many bloggers say, “oh mine is small and nobody really reads it…” Travel Summary said that after he published a no no.
Then he joined boarding area.
And what’s a no no? A thing to NOT post?
Well, anything MS.
MS is by nature a craft (not just a hobby, but a form of income for some) and it cant be blabbed about.
I mean, ya dont sit down at the blackjack table and look up at the pitboss and TELL him you are going to count cards, do ya?…
>>>>>>>I’m not against a blogger making money involving MS things… just have that blogger get out there and do some MS on his or her own too! get in the darn car and drive around all day like I do and actually WORK in the field, you sorry arses!
Why would they do that when they can pay others a few bucks to write for them using templates and readers applying for cards while they sleep? MS is too much work and inefficient use of their time! Yeah, say hi to them in Chicago 😉
Right! 🙂
If I understand correctly, Marathon Man basically disapproves of bloggers making money by revealing MS deals. That is because more deals revealed means less money for him (albeit converted in miles/points).
So, one category of people should stop making money so that Marathon Man can continue to make money. That is a nice piece of self-centered logic.
@ Marathon Man I honestly don’t have a strong opinion on the whole MS situation, as I don’t do any MS myself. I didn’t read that post by The Miles Professor, and I don’t know any specifics, so can’t really comment one way or another. I totally understand your feelings that some things are better kept private. What are those deals exactly? That’s where bloggers seem to disagree.
If someone told me about a sensitive MS deal and asked me to keep my mouth shut, I would absolutely feel obligated to not reveal it, even on my tiny blog. Everything else is a gray area IMO Thankfully, that’s not something I have to deal with, as my blog rarely talks about MS, period. I prefer not to even go there, but occasionally, readers request it either in an email or in the comments on the blog post.
For what it’s worth, I find your MS adventures quite entertaining, and have been following them on Flyertalk for quite some time. Heck, I’ve even dedicated a couple of posts to you! 🙂
@Leana, thanks.
but basically that’s the problem. Yeah I bet that if i asked any number of the bloggers, “Hey here’s something but please do not write about it” they would honor that. I know Mp would. She’s not going to stab ya in the back like that.
in other words, she wont write about something if someone tells her it’s sensitive, but her take is that everything else is likely fair game.
But the problem is, using that logic, you would have to basically lay out EVERY single deal ever AND every one you don’t even yet know about to make sure someone like MP doesn’t blog about it. So it makes no sense!
What SHOULLLLLLLLDDDDDD be done is:
Hey bloggers, don’t write about something UNLESS everyone agrees its ok to write about it.
As said earlier somewhere in here, NO MS stuff should be written about on public blogs.
Blogs about MS generally just sift thru writings and forums and take all the details and then neatly organize it into step by step processes for people to read and do. And so people who cant figure out the deal get to now, and people who are too lazy get to now. But the work was often done by many other people over time.
People with all sorts of handed down and learned skills were picking berries here or there of different types and flavors and laying little piles along the tracks for the farmers to come and gather up for the harvest, but instead, these certain types of bloggers come along and just take all the berries and make up pies they claim they made on their own and then sell slices! the farmers go bust and the berry pickers go bust.
MS cannot be written about. It SHOULD remain stealth and in a sort of “find me to get a clue what this is” type of code. Like a secret gramma’s pie recipe. Once it goes main stream, well, suddenly the pie aint that good and everyone gets obese because of the crap chemicals pumped into that store bought stuff anyway.
How else can I put it?
DO NOT POST anything MS.
John Brew you have twisted it up.
You have this bit correct to a point:
“Marathon Man basically disapproves of bloggers making money by revealing MS deals. That is because more deals revealed means less money for …”
EVERYONE!
For everyone.
Think of it this way. Some of us have been MSing the way we do now for 15 years. We aint changed. Some deals have come and gone but we been doing the same thing. And nothing we do is hurting the bloggers that have those links.
But they come along and plaster the bits and pieces of things people found over the years into one simple to read format where guys like you (maybe) can just read a few pages and do no leg work, and you can sit back and get those deals done without any effort. And the blogster gets rich on the fact that you clicked on his links to get CCs.
I am not selfish. I have helped more people in this space than you even know.
Blogs can make money if they want, but the problem is, they seem to only be able to do it IF they post big stories that draw crowds, and those stories loaded with content happen to come from touchy MS deals like the ones guys like me are trying to protect for everyone! including for you!
think it through again.
Back on point, I think this is a great experiment for Chase. By putting out a non-affiliate link so close to their inferior affiliate link, they can easily determine if the extra marketing push and exposure from blogs really does make a difference in credit card signups. If more people sign up from blogger links, even though there is a better offer out there, than the bloggers have proved their worth. If the better offer gets more applications, despite less publicity, than Chase can better manage its marketing and acquisition budget in the future. Things like this happen all the time, where companies are constantly testing out different offers and marketing incentives.
Good point! Though we still can’t rule out incompetence. After all, Chase has been doing the affiliate thing for years and has had plenty of time to test this out.
If Chase were smart, they’d track affiliates by account profitability. But I doubt Chase is that smart.
hey Moron Man, STFU — getting hella tired of your bullshit everywhere. we can all see thru the crap you preach. your goals are precisely contrary to the shitty logic you espouse when you pretend to speak on “EVERYONE’S” behalf like a jackass. not only can you NOT speak for everyone, you know you cant but still pretend like you do. this only confirms the point that any reasoning you bring forward is solely for the benefit of yourself and not very many others.
you talk about “helping more people than the prev poster even knows” BULLSHIT and laughable at that. blogs like MMS, OMAT, TPG have 100s of thousands in readership (including assholes like you) who they’ve helped, and thousands of churners/folks who MS who may or may not use their links. they even interact directly and often always help esp Ben @ OMAT. but lately I havent seen one helpful action from you. how is it that you HATE blogs but are the first douchebag on ALL these blogs every damn day? often the first fucking comment. if I didnt know any better, I’d say that kinda behavior is scary and hilarious at the same time. go get a life, man. go get a real fucking job so you dont have to worry 24/7 about people “killing your deals” cause its a “craft” from which “you earn an income.”
this was always supposed to be a hobby, a way to supplement a trip here or there. then over-entitled pricks like you came along and started MS’ing at ludicrous levels to earn money to feed your family. why? cause you were too lazy to get a real job or too retarded to hold one. you call folks who browse blogs or deals, lazy, when they do maybe $5k or $10k in MS every month? nope, they are too busy having and living an actual life. you think MS is akin to rocket science or should be treated that way, so that people need to spend hours and months “studying” to get a masters in it or be certified to participate. and THATS exactly whats wrong with that line of thinking. people treat it like a hobby NOT a job. and its certainly NOT a craft.
you have no right to tell anyone what not to do when you admittedly MS $2M+ a month — thats enough for several hundred noobs, or rather normal folks who dont abuse the shit out of any deal or promo that comes along at any given moment. or even their relationship with any financial institution. you talk about being a good steward of MS?? in what bizzaro world would that be? you are the worst fucking example of an MSer or rather in the truest synonym: a common ABUSER — the only way someone can describe you is a leech in the system. in no good conscionable way can you ever call yourself a “good steward” of anything remotely related to this hobby. you’re the guy who got banned from Costco for buying and returning high dollar value items. absolutely hilarious, I mean what a joke. you literally live on loopholes, thats all your life has come down to. you dont care about helping anyone else if theres nothing in it for you. so get off your high horse like you’re some MS messiah and this is just your domain. as if you discovered or invented it all by yourself. news flash: you DIDNT. and the world doesnt owe you anything least of all preservation of deals that you personally hit hard like theres no tomorrow. if theres anyone from whom any kinda deals should be hidden – its people like you who have NO sense of moderation.
in conclusion: you call bloggers greedy, what about your apparent greed? at best its nothing short of rotten. at worst, well we can imagine. you call readers lazy, what about your laziness in even getting an honest job that actually contributes something positive to society? these blogs help more people in a day than you will ever meet in your lifetime. so that theory of you helping “everyone” goes out the window. its plain and simple you dont want everyone or anyone else for that matter to make money or even find a deal because you think from your pathetic world view where everyone is out there to screw the system over by abusing the shit out of any given opportunity by running millions in MS every month like you do. but no moron man, not everyone is a low life like you that has to depend on the next cashback check to survive. most people do it for the thrill of it, not so they can earn a subsistence from it. stop living a sad, sad life where all you do is drive around 100s of miles everyday just to MS. you can find a better way to live, I promise, you dont have to depend on a house of cards. alas I realize my harsh criticism of your bullshit will only make you dig deeper in your grave of a stance.
Brad you are absolutely correct.
I should change whatever it is I do to make it so I can live the way I do now. I have no bills no mortgages two nice cars and two homes. I owe no money and travel the world nearly free with my family of four with two healthy little kiddos who can speak two languages.
I should change all that.
I will do this because you say so. You have obviously been studying me intensely and following my every move for years to make your assessment so I should do as you say and go work for some honest bank or something. 😀
Thanks for the tips!
Added notes:
The only blogs I get feeds from are FMs and also The Saverocity ones cuz I like Matt and his gang. But it sounds like you view as many of the same blogs as me if not more. I do comment on others of course. It’s part of my ‘job’ lol
I was sitting in the sun by a northern river sipping coffee and when I went back to our hacienda to use the facilities I picked up the phone and saw your angry mammoth post that dwarfed any of the bull I’ve ever sputtered. I read your garble with one hand and held me pecker with the other. Seems a fitting place to view such a post, wouldn’t you say?
I am able to shop at Costco and there online site now, btw but this reference you make sure does narrow down who you, “Brad” really may be, thus revealing you are as deep into this “hobby” as I am if not more.
Don’t kid yourself mate, you’re just jealous or something. That’s what it sounds like to me. Plus, many find that when someone presses that level of attack online, they are actually talking about themselves!
Anyway come to PHX in Nov and say it all to my face. Bet ya a dollar cant!
@ Brad – appears you have way too much time on your hands. Maybe you should MS more!
What level is abuse and what level is ok? Do you get to make that decision?
Brad – yikes. All that venom for MM, yet praise for the wonderful “hobby” bloggers (many whom have employees and LLCs?) who’ve supposedly helped thousands? WTF reality are you living in?
Anyone outing MS techniques to line their own pockets is a scumbag thief. As MM says, it’s taking money out of everyone’s pocket and shoving it in their own.
Friends NEVER let friends click on ANY affiliate links for ANY reason.
“My best asset is your good credit” – anonymous CC pimp – aka “travel blogger”
you should change from being a selfish douche for sure. like I said you are not owed anything. why would anyone listen to you when your only position is “spreading deals cuts into my profits.”
thats great you’re finally starting to get your life sorted out at this stage. many of us including me also have all bills paid (in advance), nice house in suburbia (no mortgage), several cars (including sports cars, you guessed it, paid off.) which is why we play this game in the first place, there’d be no point if you were upto your eyeballs in debt…. and we didnt have to scrape the bottom of the barrel like you and your “craft” to achieve it. lemme add while still in my early 30s. I bet my left nut I’ve traveled to more countries than you have, speak more languages than you and didnt have to “MS” to get there in life. I’m sure you’re proud of your life as you know it, I mean afterall THIS is all you know. few months ago you claimed you’ve been in this game 7-8 years. that turned into 10 years. and now you go around saying you’ve been doing this magically for 15 bloated years. when was the last time you had a real job eh? anyways, the best part – all this, your life as you know it, could end tomorrow as soon as the loopholes are plugged. and for that reason alone I hope each and every deal, including lucrative CCs close or shut down their doors on you 🙂 so that you actually have to go out into the world and earn an honest living. I doubt any bank would hire you though, but hey good luck. I’ll put in a good word for ya.
I dont have to follow you for any amount of time. the bullshit is strong with you and reeks all around. I’m the one defending blogs and the casual readers, so unfortunately I do come across a lot of your drivel. why is surfing other blogs part of your “job” – is it cause your pathetic blog was a huge fail? “tried to have affiliate links but didnt go nowhere so we removed em” LMAO you got no skills whatsoever to run your own site/business eh so you dont want anyone else to be successful? sounds like you’re the one who’s jealous here buddy. my post was nothing compared to the long-winded, self-important, stewardess garbage posted on your blog, on the forums, and in the comments section of many other sites. you’re a like a horrible, broken record. too bad no one listens to you and can see thru any crap you try to justify.
nah, not a fitting image. but hey, if you’re married and still have to hold your pecker to satisfy yourself and get thru the day, well then you keep doing you and piling on your sad life.
I may or may not be deep into this hobby – btw glad you finally acknowledged that IT IS a hobby and not some high level, sorcery or witch craft 😉 now if you would just act that way or even your age, maybe we wouldnt have a problem. the point being, its a free country, your repetitive railing EVERYWHERE is hella annoying. even if I was a casual observer just here for the LULZ, I would still say the same thing to you. I’ve bit my tongue for a while now just to see how long you would keep this shit up. you have no idea how businesses operate or why deals get “killed.” definitely more so cause of what you do when you milk every last penny and make it as unprofitable for that enterprise as possible because you have no sense of a limit, than what a 1000 other noobs do. but I realize now you dont actually care about any of that, you just want a cut as the middleman before that info spreads. I mean you’re the kinda dude who would bully TMP, a female over what – fucking mall gift cards? LOL. I hope you realize there are many of us who’ve known about this for atleast 10 months now, private forums or otherwise. you acted as if she crashed and burned your whole world to the ground in a day. for those reasons and many more my friend, you maybe sitting out in the sun for a lot longer than you bargained for.
I know you know this is the truth. I’ll say it to your face any time, any day. come to LA instead of scamming folks over at DOs. “dont spread deals and MS info… oh except if people are gullible enough to pay for public knowledge, and I get a cut of it. yeah then its OK to sell information. that wont kill deals at all but if anyone else ‘sells’ that information anywhere else, that surely will end the world like the mayans predicted.” lotta people know your story, what you’re actually about and you’re a joke and a half, buddy. get real.
The 5K offer difference isn’t enough to get eyeballs to make a valid comparison.
If Chase were really interested in seeing the difference of pimps vs good public offer, why not simply make a public offer that is equivalent to what it costs to pay pimps to push their product? If they are paying $200, give an extra 30-50K points for the public offer and see how effective that is (points surely cost much less than 1c ea). I bet it would be hands down a better way of getting new customers. But I could be wrong. There are all too many lazy and ignorant people who can’t be bothered with two minutes to do a Google search than just click a link shoved in their face a zillion times by a CC pimp masquerading at a “expert” travel blogger.
Paul, I’m not praising anybody. like I said its a free country and believe it or not, bloggers do “help” a lotta folks – it is in their best interest to “help” folks. adults should be smart enough to realize whats best for them. this is america, what is wrong with enterprising? having employees and LLCs?
you or anyone DOESNT have to use any affiliate links. incase you havent realized – this is the internet, EVERYTHING is an ad here. EVERYTHING is for sale. hell, dot com stands for commerce.
lastly, it is NOT your MS technique to oust or keep hidden. you are not owed anything. you see it as “taking money out of the game to line their own pockets” and I disagree, first its not a zero sum game. second we all benefit, there’s plenty of wealth to go around. third its not your money, why do you care? fourth why do I care if they take money out of your pocket, and why do you care if they take any proverbial money out of my pocket? you shouldnt, its a red herring. you conflate the situation as them stealing from you, but it was never yours to begin with. its like one day you come to the beach, see an amazing (unending) ocean in front of you and claim it all for yourself. someone else comes to the same beach and sets up shop: starts selling beachballs, jet ski rentals, sand castles, whatever. and you get mad cause its your beach, how dare they?? … lol they are scumbag thiefs but the rest of you are innocent and deserving because?? get real, if they are thiefs then so are all the heavy hitters who use and abuse the system like there’s no tomorrow. you just cant go and claim the whole ocean for yourselves where no one else is allowed to have any tradeships. thats not how it works.
lastly, the one thing that always amuses me so much is all you guys who hate bloggers – WHY do you spend any time on any of these blogs at all? all that shows is that you’re OK with learning any new info for yourself, but no one else should be privy to it. seems like a hella selfish way to go thru life. blogs are ok with what they do. banks are ok with what they do. affiliate/commission junction type sites are ok with what they do. then who the hell are you to step in and tell em they are thiefs when you are robbing the banks blind while you do ANY kind of MS yourselves. its like the pot calling the kettle black.
Brad to me ms is a craft not a hobby and its also a source of income. But I am a stupid fool who does “too much” and abuses everything I touch so you wish ill on me.
But man you sure are angry! It’s as if I struck a nerve right on your funny bone or something–I’ve never seen anyone get that angry, what, with the swears and insults and long run on, paragraphless sentences. And you say you are in your 30s?
Pretty jaded I’d say. Love to see what you’ll be like during a midlife crisis lol
Take another drink pal, I aint going nowheres.
And yea, I started miling in 1991 and did “MS” as we know it using the Alaska debit card starting in 2002.
I just never seen someone sooooo angry before! Sad. I can suggest some clinics for you if you’d like. 🙂
yes we know. and dont you wish ill on the folks you constantly rail against? I guess anyone who makes more money than you, even in a less sleazy way. how’s that any different? and yeah they aint going nowhere either. lets see how long you duke it out with these bloggers with a flawed and possibly failed philosophy.
if you quit doing that, no one would have a problem. not angry either, see the smile on my face? ear to ear baby 😀 just felt somebody should speak their mind when it comes to you and your bile. I see you got nothing to say but nice job being a grammar nazi. cause y’know that always works as a last resort. not one sentence was a run on. and sentences dont need their own separate paragraphs. wait, did you even pass 10th grade english? I cant imagine you actually got into college.
thats a pretty wide range: 12-23 years. I thought you were bad at english, but math too now? having a hard time keeping track of simple numbers or ‘miling’ (you prolly meant milking eh ;)) … and do you even know what jaded means anymore? I’m guessing not. because that word embodies you to a T when it comes to MS. you have no idea what abuse is anymore. you have no idea what limits are. that’s jaded, my friend.
the only one who is angry is you. on EVERY blog. several random posts. and many forums. try changing the way you think thru situations. it might just help you. but its gonna be hard to change your greedy and lazy ways. afterall those bad habits seem to have been ingrained over the last 12-23 years.
I just want to say a few things:
Why does everybody beat on me and my blog that it attracts all these angries when the angriest of them all posts here huh?
I must say I love this hobby because rants like these enrich my life by making me laugh non stop!
I would like to do a DO which will be highlighted by a wrestling match between MM and Brad followed up by TBB and Rick(ingy) FTG. All proceeds will go to charity of course.
I read some of this stuff here and I smile while shaking my head…
Never a dull moment in blogland.
Sell them Chase card boys (referring to the very helpful bloggers Brad was referring to) LOL.
There you go again with your anger, George.
I have to agree with Brad on this. MM you’ve obviously been doing this way too long and I think you need a fresh perspective. This is #Merica, land of the free, world leader in capitalism and land of opportunity. Of course I don’t think you’re from here, so maybe it’s not ingrained in you like most Americans. That goes for TBB as well 😉 seeing as you’re constantly ranting on these guys. And for all of the old-timers that have been msing for 15 years, the times are changing! Maybe what those bloggers do isn’t right but it certainly is allowed, they can make their own choices. You guys have been in this game so long that I think you’re having trouble with people capitalizing it–this is America, where that tends to happen! And MM it’s also allowed for you to defend your position no matter how old and silly your arguments are. But challenging Brad to say this to his face in PHX? Really, are we in the fifth grade again? Give me a break!!
Also, I don’t consider these credit card salesman to be ‘travel’ blogs but points and miles bloggers–hence they sell credit cards to people in order for them to travel on points and miles.
maybe cause your blog is shitty and uninspired? just a guess 😉 but thats never stopped you from plugging it everywhere. no matter how much people just dont care about TBB.
I dont believe the miles & points bloggers sell anything, unless you WANT to be sold. its very easy NOT to do something. like not clicking links. besides there’s nothing wrong with that. entrepreneurial individuals and capitalism are what makes america great. atleast they are legit businesses, doing something the banks themselves have approved. do they side step? sure, they aint angels. but there’s nothing wrong with LLCs, atleast they pay their taxes. how much has MM paid in taxes for all his 8 digit MS over the years? I mean MSers abuse every T&C known and find loopholes to exploit. there’s no way in hell you can defend that position and call M&P bloggers scumbag thieves. what exactly does that make you lot?
and yes those bloggers are helpful because their interests often align with folks who enjoy this game. no matter if they are noobs. y’know folks who dont live in a paranoid world and see the hobby just for what it is. unlike some selfish and greedy folks who think every step which THEY dont control leads to their house of cards falling down. “because only my domain.”
Norman/brad…
If this is America And the land of capitalism and people/bloggers can do what they please, then why cant I also do what I please? Whether my start date was 15 years ago or last month, I am still entitled to my own opinion about MS and to me I think many of the bloggers who out deals just to get hits are ruining it for others. Plain and simple.
But it is obvious to me that Brad just will not allow this thinking and has to attack no matter what.
No Norman I did not challenge him for Phx, read back at what I said: I said come meet me in Phx (I will be a speaker at the PHX DO) and say all this hatred to my face. I bet he cant. I bet he is gutless and would never do so. I bet one dollar because the other night, Trading Places was on and the Dukes bet a dollar over Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. But wait, that dates me and means Im just a dinosaur who must change, right? Yes, I must change to satisfy people like Norman and Brad.
Anyway I am entitled to my opinion just as you both are. Mine is that many blogs kill it for everyone incl myself. Yours is that I am dumb and bad or something. So be it.
I still think Brad sounds very very angry. I am not angry. I enjoy MSing and reaping its benefits. I still don’t think Brad would ever walk up to someone and speak the way he has in here to that person’s face. He can only spout off from behind the security of his computer keyboard whilst punching the clown between exciting blast sessions.
I have been around long enough to recognize when someone like Brad decides to “hone” in on me and make it a quest to seek me out, post in such a way, and dig up old things to try and take pot shots. This is a little creepy but like I said, he’s probably slappin Johnny upside the ear as we speak. This outlet is his only real form if excitement. In my mid 30s when I had no kiddos I was out too much to be wasting my time firing away at some old dude on the internet.
Wait, I’m almost fitty and I just took my kiddos tubing down the river. I was out! I just came back cuz I knew Brad was trying to yap at me again 🙂
I just love how when people feel cornered in our world, they seem to suddenly change and be against ms itself–like being all self righteous about t&cs and abusing loopholes. Suddenly they are too pure for that but Iabuse it–hmmm, just because that person doesnt dig my stance on something.
Have seen it alllll before.
I also think brad and a few others here are all the same person or have been asked by one person to post in a certain roleplay.
I can almost guess who it really is… Hmmm, so how do you feel about government over regulation on things?…
Brad, you may have made many valid points. Then again, you may not have made any valid points. I wouldn’t know because the vitriol you’re spewing obscures your arguments. If you disagree with Marathon Man, by all means, make your case. But for whatever reason, you’ve made this very personal. It shouldn’t and needn’t be. I don’t know you, but I’d like to think you’re better than that. Based on what I’m reading from you, though….
have to make it personal cause moron man makes it personal. he is so contradictory in his words and actions, then pretends to speak on everyone’s behalf personally, AND acts as if its for the benefit of others instead of just himself.
but not once or twice you gotta understand. I see his crap EVERY damn where. it gets hella annoying. so today it was time somebody let the cat out of the bag.
Brad what are you doing up at 4am? ;D
You make it personal Brad because of at least 3 obvious reasons:
1) it shows your level of maturity and class or lack thereof on both points.
2) I have been right about what I say and it hits home so hard that you feel threatened because you probably are one of these bloggers and you know what you do is wrong but you dont care so this is like your concious coming up to make you look in the mirror
3) because you hit below the belt and that shows your cowardice.
To me our exchanges since yesterday have been entertaining. I feel like Im swatting flies in a kitchen. To you I can almost smell the seithing anger and hatred. I dont think in all my 4 or 12 or 17 years of doing this I have ever seen it this bad. Oh I have seen it before but you–you are classic, man. I gotta say I am almost worried a psycho like you might actually try to look me up offline and harm my children or something–thats how much anger I sense in you. Cwazy!
🙂