I thought back recently to a comment made by Mr Travel Summary, he was running a Travel Blogger Awards and I joked that I should be in there, his reply was that Saverocity isn’t really a Travel Blog, so it didn’t count.
I have to say I’m starting to agree with him, and wonder what Saverocity is. Firstly, it’s a network of sites; we are in the process of soft launching several more talented bloggers to join us. Some do indeed talk of Travel related things, and others Finance. I am not one to mandate content and hope that everyone just shares what is relevant to them. I think I write Travel related stuff here on the /travel domain, and I think I write Finance related stuff on the /finance domain… but who am I to judge?
I’m a Traveler, at least when I can be and not a Travel Blogger
I do enjoy some of the finer things in travel, don’t get me wrong, but you won’t see me writing a post dedicated to a hotel room – I know it is arrogant of me but I think I can come up with things a bit more exciting than that. Actually, when it comes to trip reports I asked Allison to write those up as she actually gives a crap about doing things, and is in charge of the awesomeness (the real awesomeness, like finding the best restaurants, checking out the museums we must see, learning about the culture etc) I am in charge of the boring crap – getting points converted efficiently and taking care of flights and rooms.
As a side note, I’m having issues with the space in general right now. I got into ‘Travel Hacking’ in order to facilitate an existing desire to travel. Optimizing that expense is really just a piece of life’s puzzle, and a tiny, insignificant one at that. We had traveled to over 60 countries before signing up for a Frequent Flyer Program, and we will travel to 60 more with or without them.
That is why I don’t get excited about doom and gloom devaluations – United doing this, Delta doing that… it’s all really trivial to me. I’ll still get my arse on the plane one way or another, I’ll use points for as long as it makes sense to do so, and then when the programs are fully gutted out I’ll use cash, and shop around, loyal to no one alliance. I guess that makes me a bad travel blogger at best.
Aircraft and Hotels are a tool to me, a means to an end. So yes, I am wondering if Mr Travel Summary was correct, and I am not really writing a Travel Blog, because I find myself caring less and less about the things that are ‘supposed’ to be breaking news.
I’m kinda glad I am not associated with a lot of the crap out there though
I actually have a bit of an issue with ‘Travel Blogs’ right now. In the circles I operate in (blogwise) Travel Blogs aren’t really about Travel, they are about Travel Products (Airplane seats and their free soda, Hotel Rooms and their free soap etc) and what’s more it seems that much of this content is designed as a front to sell a lifestyle, by which I mean – sign up for a Credit Card (or seven) so you too can post a picture of your lie flat seat.
I’m also quite disappointed with the number of people who are willing to sell out the tricks they copy from forums on their site in order to gain a few readers. It seems that this is good content now: Write about a Hotel and a Flight, rip off a deal, slap in a card link, retire…the space is getting so tiresome and disappointing like this.
I’ve often felt that the Travel Hacking world has a duality to it, there is one aspect, the earning and the burning side that are a hobby in and of themselves, learning new tricks to optimize your earning rate, and then learning more again to liquidate in the form of travel. I wonder though, that the addictive depth of it can distract from the really important aspect- living the travel experience itself.
After all, it would be sad to think that you put more emphasis on a hobby that had you standing in line at a Walmart every day earning ‘points’ that actually enjoying the fruits of this labor. For me, this is why I don’t worry; I don’t get too attached to ‘earning’. I was actually in my first Walmart yesterday and didn’t MS a single dollar… I guess Mr Travel Summary may have been onto something, I’m not really a Travel Blogger at all, just a guy who likes to travel and likes to pay for it in the cheapest way possible, but I won’t put myself out too far for a point or mile, and I don’t really care if their value changes because of this.
Travel Summary is right. You are not a travel blog. A travel blog outs deals and posts things to get CC links and then says, “Well it’s ok cuz it’s already out there! I am just helping people anyway! blah blah yada yada.”
http://mileageupdate.com/be-smart-yo/
TS should know. 😉 😛
I appreciate Saverocity. I appreciate your emphasis on quality of life and “the big picture.” I’ve gained some valuable knowledge from the finance posts on the site and some useful information from other posts to help me efficiently allocated time and resources to acquiring CC rewards that allow me and my family to enjoy some experiences we might not have otherwise had the opportunity to do. I appreciate that when commenting on an MS avenue that you describe both the pros and the cons and that you frequently include a comprehensive financial evaluation of total costs of using that avenue. Yours is one of the best blogs out there and I, for one, am grateful for your being willing to share your knowledge and expertise. Thank you.
Thanks! Sorry for the delay in responding, just been through a very long week clearing, cleaning and moving! It’s nice to hear this from you.
The internet content filter at my work does not categorize Saverocity as a travel website either. If a site is a travel-related website, it will usually spit out a caution page (for travel relating to company business purpose) before proceeding. It’s a good thing. 🙂
Yeah! I saw that on my security software I was listed as a “Lifestyle” site, which I actually prefer.
If yours is not a travel blog what is TBB? Lol
I think this post is right on target by the way. At this rate I may just add a Saverocity corner in my TBB Buzz posts 🙂
Then I know I made it!
The most of the so-called “travel bloggers” are just affiliate marketers pushing credit card links. Luckily, blogs and blog networks like this exist to provide a balanced voice of reason in response to the mob touting first Friday bonuses, recently (slightly) enhanced card bonuses, and ultimately their commission paying affiliate links.
Nice post, Matt. I like the way you see both the sides of the argument without any bias. Yes, even i feel that saverocity is not a travel blog – it is much more than that. It is well rounded blog on finance of which travel hacking is a part in order to reduce costs and save money. Yours is also not a true finance blog with just tons of boring information. Your blog is has more utility to the readers than any other blog out there. If i need to know travel hacking, i can come here and get some tips. If i need some genuine guidance on finance, i can hop around any time and i can find interesting stuff like Roth IRA or HSA which no other blogger writes in the way it adds more value to its readers (as far as i know). If i need to know which credit card is best to apply for, i can check your blog for inputs. If i need to know some of the best reselling deals, travel deals, how to play MS best way, name what you want that adds value to my life some way or the other, this is THE blog. Please dont restrict yourself to just one rotten space of travel. They dont have content that adds value to life on a day to day basis. Travel is just one portion of life. All they have is fillers. Your approach is whole. This blog is all about content, utility and value in the right and honest way in all corners of life. It is this versatality that brings life to this blog.
Hey Kumar,
This is a lovely comment, thanks very much for the support!
I actually see little difference between miles and finance 🙂 If we wouldn’t spend an hour of time to only make $20, we shouldn’t sacrifice this principle simply because there are miles involved. Miles and points are simply a less efficient market than most financial instruments, allowing for lots of arbitrage opportunity. As an example, if someone makes 100k a year pre-tax (just to have round numbers) and wants to take a large family on a weekend trip with meals in a suite, that will roughly cost $1000 or a few days of work to earn the salary to do so. Similarly, by pulling together information on a Diamond Challenge, Citi points and suite upgrades and a bit of efficiency, that few days of salary is now reduced to spending an hour or two total hitting a few drugstores and a Walmart. Well worth it!
Miles and points give us access to the distressed inventory that lets us move to the side of the seller and allows us to avoid the large bid/ask spread that we’d otherwise be paying. And, moreover, the trades we do are repeatable (at least until they die) allowing us to profit again and again with very little work. In other words, if you can’t MS conveniently where the benefit is comparable to your actual hourly salary, then there’s no reason to MS 🙂
Yep, we certainly agree about this. But don’t start talking about finance – that’s my gig 🙂
You’re not alone! I am facing an identity crisis myself!
No!! Don’t panic, I think its actually a good thing 🙂
Embrace the chaos, Matt. When F2B was launched, one of the founders (who has since moved on to BA) actively lobbied for me not to be on the site! I see your blog (in a way similar to my own) as “lifestyle” in the way that we choose to express our best lives through travel. Readers either embrace you or they don’t, but you’ll still sleep well at night.
I agree – and once I become a diaper dealing daddy we will be even closer – we should join forces and lobby that guy out of something!
LOL. I’ll let him stew in his own Schadenfreude.
My wife and I are expecting baby end of August too! New home ownership (complete with basement remodeling and yard re-org) + baby (adding to 14 and 10 year olds) + “cheap” travel + daily lifestyle deals = my (chaotic) new blog? Notice I left the personal finance part out?
Nice- why not get in on the PF stuff too, makes for a well rounded approach 🙂
I love traveling & personal finance. Saverocity is my favorite site! Keep up the great work!
I am neither an expert at travel hacking nor an economics whiz. Ask me about labor and delivery, at least the way it was practiced 30 years ago, or nutrition and wellness, and I’m your gal. That’s why I need you, Matt and those like you.
People who are willing to put themselves, not just their fabuloso lifestyles out there. I DON’T need five days of analysis of a vacation to the Big Island, along with a giveaway of the free crap someone got for staying in the penthouse.
I do need to have enough detail about deals and hacks that I can piece together how to do it myself. I do need to have insight from someone who is schooled in economics to help me analyze whether the choices I’ve made will get me to my Golden Years faster, and let my husband join me at a younger age than he otherwise might.
Your style, and the style of those posters who’ve chosen to join you at Saverocity are what I need: real, honest info, where the prospect of collecting referral royalties is incidental to the idea of helping people.
I’ve used many of your tips. I sent the “Are we there, yet” column on travel with wee ones to my daughter. It was published just before they left for what turned out to be the 19 hour trip from their home in Venice to the US, with my 8 month old grandson.
Thank you for what you do.
Thank you MickiSue! I hope we can keep on living up to that standard. Cheers
Matt