Looking for some sustenance post a night out on the town? The natural reaction for pho lovers is to stumble to the nearest pho shop that is open late night. If you’re in Koreatown, TPOL recommends Pho 32. If you’re in Chinatown the obvious choice may be Pho Pasteur because of its central location on Baxster Street, recognizable name (see Pho Boston), and inviting interior.
Alas, Pho Pasteur Chinatown is all show and no pho. The broth is bland, the meat is sparse, and the spring rolls are average. Pho for two along with a beer came out to $30 and I didn’t even order the customary extra big bowl. For that same price, I could’ve feasted at a Halal Truck. Following the disappointment of Hoboken’s pho and now this one in Chinatown, I’m beginning to believe the search for a great, consistent, affordable bowl of pho in this city is a pointless expedition.
Pho PasteurNot the worst prices but not the best qualityGenerous with the peanut sauce but not the spring rollsLooks freshReady to goNot bad but not great
TPOL saw some remarkable numbers this month despite limiting his posts to once a day. That will change in March as I have more to say than ever before. Here are the top posts for the month of February:
Chase gutted the UR churning program by restricting clients from applying for UR earning cards if they have had more than 5 new accounts in 24 months. Most of us have 5 new accounts before we wake up for breakfast. Now it is being reported on Al Jazeera that they are going to enforce this rule on all applications.
Holy bleep! It’s one month till the anti-churn establishment guts another awards program leaving points players with even fewer options to preserve this here lifestyle.
As a serial entrepreneur and compulsive organizer, I need to segregate my spending for each business for both tax and tracking purposes. With the new change from Amex, the only choice I have is to apply for a new account, deal with the approval process, and pay the annual fee just for this convenience. Why would anyone do that?
The time has unexpectedly come to decide whether I should keep or cancel my Citi Prestige. As I had written, the annual fee for my card prematurely came this month because I opened the Citi Gold Checking account. A perk of the checking account is a reduction of the Prestige annual fee from $450 to $350. Unfortunately, it also means that they reset the clock as to when the annual fee is assessed. It was supposed to be in May and now it is due the end of February.
I was supposed to go from a points millionaire to a real millionaire. The idea was that the points hustle would provide for an opulent lifestyle while I sorted out my own entrepreneurial aspirations.
If BOA wants to restrict the number of Alaska cards yearly from 50 to 5 that’s fair. If Citi wants to ask a second question before approving another card during the recon call that’s okay with me. What doesn’t make sense is Chase’s 5/24 rule for small businesses and now Amex’s lifetime ban on bonuses for those that receive a business card more than once.
In the post, End of MS Means Get Your Life Together from 2/23/2016, I wrote that there is hope in the points game if you made 2016 the year of leaving the cubicle and starting your own business. One of the reasons I said to do so was that Amex did not restrict bonuses for small business cards. As we now know, Amex has changed its policy to a once in a lifetime sign up bonus per customer leaving churners and bona fide businessmen with no choice but to look elsewhere for small business credit cards.
Tragically, there is no other place to turn for cards that offer great bonus categories for small businesses. As a serial entrepreneur and compulsive organizer, I need to segregate my spending for each business for both tax and tracking purposes. With the new change from Amex, the only choice I have is to apply for a new account, deal with the approval process, and pay the annual fee just for this convenience. Why would anyone do that?
The nerds in Amex’s analyst departments may believe that they have done away with churners by implementing this policy but they did not foresee the lost business opportunities that TPOL is predicting. One does not have to be clairvoyant to see how this course of action will negatively impact Amex’s bottom line.
While on the subject of psychic abilities, I would like to point out that TPOL, the Oracle of Outer Borough (Hoboken), also wrote the following in his piece on AA Devaluation: While devaluations are terrible, what keeps TPOL up at night is the harsh reality that banks are beginning to follow Chase and Amex’s stricter churning policies. These changes, if lasting, will make the severity of future devaluations a non-issue.
What bad news is next for churners, a devolution into a cash only economy? Only TPOL knows.
Here’s an interesting predicament that many of us are facing: the 29th of February is the last day to book Diamond Suite Upgrades before they expire. The current rules allow for reservations to be made after the expiration date. On March 1st, the new suite upgrades will be credited to Diamond accounts but the new ones arrive with a key restriction, the reservations must have a check in date before February 28, 2017. As a result of this inconvenient change, I am implementing an interesting strategy. I am going to use my expiring DSUs to speculatively book rooms in Hyatts around the globe in 2017 and use my 2016 upgrades for stays that I have confirmed for this year. In the past, I have been able to change the dates for suite upgrade awards well after I lost my Diamond status. I am hoping that I will be able to do the same thing with these expiring upgrades.
I lose nothing by trying this strategy because the current upgrades were going to expire anyway and the new ones have a one year shelf life. Since I will not requalify for Diamond for 2017 because I am focused on requalifying for SPG Platinum, I am hoping to enjoy the perks of Diamond in 2017 by implementing this method. Next year, I may become a Hyatt loyalist should Marriott ruin my SPG relationship.
This brings me to one of my favorite parts of being a points man, imaginary trip planning. Where should I go in 2017 and what hotel in the Hyatt portfolio should I stay at?
Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.
A crafty man, TPOL, needed to get from the Western Cape to Mauritius in business. At the same time, he wanted to visit Durban. The problem is that he only had one day to visit and couldn’t justify paying or using points for a flight there when he ultimately had to fly out of Joburg.
What’s a points traveler to do? Simple. I called United and fed them the following route:
PLZ-JNB
JNB-DUR
DUR-JNB
JNB-MRU
For the visual learners, let’s consult my favorite tool, the Great Circle Mapper:
The agent had no clue about the geography of South Africa and didn’t find a violation with the routing. As a result, I was able to enjoy business class from Port Elizabeth to Joburg on South African Airways, spend a night in Durban, connect back in Joburg, and then make my way to Mauritius in comfort.
What may seem like a hassle for some was a fun experience for me, especially because of the food in Durban.
South African Airways businessAn article about moving to Mauritius for work
When I formally became a churner in November of 2011, I spent hours, days, weeks, and months obsessing over credit card applications, learning about what card to use to maximize each dollar spent, and educating myself on airline routing rules in order to execute incomparable trips. As I expanded my operation, I became as obsessed with the art of manufactured spending, a practice that netted thousands of points. Now, with the restrictions imposed by banks, the loss of value from devaluations, and the limited MS opportunities, I have to pivot if I want to survive.
I’ve read on some blogs that the way to move forward is through reselling where an individual buys a product at discount and sells it online with the hopes of breaking even or even turning a profit. The idea sounds good in theory but actually doing it and doing it well is far from simple. Stiff competition, inventory overhead, and the time required to truly become an expert in this is not worth my time. Points accumulation is (to use a word that I hate) a hobby not a full-time job.
However, just because I am not going to become a widgets reseller does not mean that I will not apply the entrepreneurship principles from this technique to my points accumulation practice. This time instead of going through the same process as I did in 2011, I am going to dedicate those efforts to growing a profitable, sustainable business which will produce more than just points returns. It will, hopefully, generate profits. I assert that the only way to survive in the points business is by starting your own business. For me, that’s doubling down my efforts to increase blog revenue, publish more books, manage more AdWord accounts, and, most importantly, grow my own law practice.
Here are the reasons why you should also start your own business in the context of points:
1. MS is not sustainable: The idea behind MS is more than just spending without spending. It is gaining points for doing next to nothing. The limited options available now including reselling or running around trying to buy gift cards to buy money orders to find a bank that won’t report you to the IRS for behavior that is innocent enough requires doing more than nothing. These avenues require a lot of time and a tolerance for nonsense that is better served developing a viable business plan.
2. The death of MS means those in the cubicle will not be able to hit the mins: Assuming approval from a bucket of cards every churn cycle despite draconian anti-churning rules, it is challenging to hit the mins to realize those bonuses. Absent the boss suddenly realizing an employee’s talent and paying him what he deserves, the points participant probably won’t have the disposable income need to meet the mins. And even if she was making a substantial salary, the first rule of the churning business is to not make unnecessary purchases just to hit thresholds which may leave her in debt.
3. Starting your own business yields category bonus points: The way to pad point balances between churn cycles is through category bonus spends. With a real business, not a shell corporation, these expenses can net serious points. Chase INK provides the following perks: 5x points on office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services and 2x points at gas stations and hotel accommodations. Amex BRG provides 3X points on one of the following and 2X on the rest.
Airfare purchased directly from airlines
U.S. purchases for advertising in select media
U.S. purchases at gas stations
U.S. purchases for shipping
U.S. computer hardware, software, and cloud computing purchases made directly from select providers
4. Credit card application restrictions aren’t imposed on small business cards: Amex only allows clients to apply for a card and receive the bonus once in their entire life. That is ridiculous. This restriction does not apply to business card accounts. The more legitimate business that are opened with proven financials the more opportunities there are to churn and earn points. It is puzzling that this is not Chase’s rule at this point for its business cards. (Update 2/25/2016: Amex is now applying this restriction to business cards)
5. Increased Award Availability: Devaluations seem to be a daily occurrence. Even those with an embarrassing stash of miles will begin to squirm as they start to spend their miles. TPOL has booked most of his trips for 2016 and probably has enough reserves to last through 2017, but if the current trends continue, 2018 will present serious problems. On the other hand, as the points cache begin to dry up, there will be fewer people still standing to make award bookings at the new rates. Those that have followed this advice will be able to capitalize.
Conclusion
It is a common misconception among friends and family that my book, Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine,is strictly about points. Indeed, only one of twenty-two chapters (Step 1: Enjoy #ThePointsOfLife) addresses the subject. And even there, I point out the dangers of becoming obsessed with this fake lifestyle.
“It is important to reiterate that Step 1 must be consumed in moderation. Becoming an expert in points can be to your detriment. If you become preoccupied with this step, you will spend your days planning imaginary trips as a temporary escape from reality. Although therapeutic, this is a waste of time. Riskier still is having the capability to go on a once-in-a-lifetime trip a few times a year. Detouring for yet another grand trip may cloud your vision, forcing you to lose focus on what you originally set out to accomplish. Recognize that Enjoying #ThePointsOfLife is the cause, not the effect. Being inspired to strive for a better life, not just a better trip, is the real point of this lesson.”
Plainly stated, it’s time to start your own business today if you hope to continue to travel tomorrow.
Holy bleep! It’s one month till the anti-churn establishment guts another awards program leaving points players with even fewer options to preserve this here lifestyle. To combat this, I’ve been fighting with Citi to get me my new AA cards before my closing date. Sensing the impending doom, I wanted to make a booking for my trip in November to Africa which culminates with an already ticketed return on Etihad Apartments. Unfortunately, I think Citi sent the damn cards to Michigan again which means I have to call them again and deal with the automated phone system again…
And that concludes my complaining, for now. The reason I wrote this post is to tell my points colleagues that they should be wary of burning all of their AA points pre devaluation. While I recommend, taking advantage of the current rates for trips that have already been planned, I would caution against speculatively booking in an effort to be rid of all your AA miles. I say this for two reasons: First, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get approved for more and more cards and to hit the mins. Even with all the loopholes for churning the AA card, I still would keep some AA miles in the bank because there are some deals to be had post devaluation. For example, business class to the Middle East from the US only goes up by 2,500 and, as it turns out, business class flights to Africa from the US stay the same.
Note: In a churner unfriendly year, TPOL is scaling back on flying first in favor of business. If you do want to fly Cathay first which goes up from 67.5k to an obscene 110k or Qantas first which goes from a steal at 72.5k to a price gouging 110k, be sure to book now as OneWorld will not be the alliance to get you to Asia/Australia.
The second reason against blowing all your miles in a final hoorah is because we inevitably will become desensitized to depreciation. Post United devaluation, I said I would never fly Star Alliance again. Post Hilton devaluation, I said I would never stay in a Hilton again. That protest was short-lived. Last week I applied for the United personal card and am already plotting the best ways to use those miles. Last month I booked 5 nights in Moorea for 280,000 HHonors points, a great deal all things considered.
The same will happen with American. Next year will come and those that saved some points will be in a better position to plan international trips, while those that burned their points out of spite may find themselves either long haul in coach or on their way to Orlando.
While devaluations are terrible, what keeps TPOL up at night is the harsh reality that banks are beginning to follow Chase and Amex’s stricter churning policies. These changes, if lasting, will make the severity of future devaluations a non-issue.
In closing, I still preach Shut Up & Book! but this mantra includes a new addendum: save what you can.
Book CX first now but keep some leftovers for later.
Some travel off the beaten path. I prefer to stumble on it, in the literal sense. Put another way, TPOL enjoys a drink. Here are 7 adventures where the local libation influenced my behavior. Whether this makes me an Ugly American is not up for debate as only my bartender can judge me.
This post is not for the sensitive. Reader discretion is advised.
Nothing is more emblematic of embellishment than the Carnaval celebration in Brazil. Carnaval is a festival that takes place every year to mark the beginning of Lent. To commemorate the transition from excess to abstinence, the country hosts street parades, exclusive balls, and round-the-clock beach parties. The climax of the splurge is the Carnaval Samba Parade held in Rio de Janeiro, a competition where rival samba schools vie for the title of best school by designing their own costumes, decorating elaborate floats, and perfecting their dance choreography as part of an overall theme. It’s fair to say that it is slightly more risqué than the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Ninety thousand people watch the event live at the Sambódromo, while hundreds of thousands throughout multiple countries tune in from home. Celebrities from around the world pay top dollar for luxury suites to partake in the revelry. In fact, in 2011, three-time Super Bowl winner and fellow Michigan alum Tom Brady sat front row in a VIP box and, by all accounts, had a fantastic time.
Before going to Rio, my best friend, Michael Jeries, (hereon referred to as Mikey) and I researched parade ticket prices hoping to find great seats. To my amazement, I discovered that instead of just watching the parade, tourists can actually be in it! By corresponding with a local samba school in Rio via e-mail, writing in both Spanish and English, hoping the combination would magically translate into Portuguese, I somehow arranged for a courier to drop off the costumes at our hotel the day of the parade.
Our school’s theme was global warming, and the costumes we purchased were supposed to be Eskimos. What we received was some over-the-top outfit consisting of a skintight white gown with requisite pieces of flair along with a bunch of silver balls and feathers coming out of the head dress. Unable to make sense of the costume, we questioned if what we had purchased was authentic. Reminded of the saying “When in Rio…” Mikey and I put on our dresses and headed to the Sambódromo, hoping that we were not victims of an elaborate prank. Somehow we located our school and breathed a huge sigh of relief when we came across other participants also cloaked in this odd interpretation of Eskimo garb.
A few caipirinhas and a couple Skol beers later, we mustered the courage to dance in the middle of the Sambódromo, doing our best imitation of the samba while trying not to cost our school, Portela, the title. We also, más o menos, sang along to our school’s theme song, “Oh so agua so ao…so Portela!” Our school finished a respectable third, undoubtedly a result of our efforts.
Carnaval was unlike anything I had ever experienced, and being in the parade, without question, was the coolest thing I have ever done.
PortelaDrinks were necessary
2. Ziplining in Vang Vieng, Laos
So there we were, floating down a river in Vang Vieng, Laos. The journey was not a peaceful, holistic experience where man becomes one with nature. Quite the opposite, the ride began at the heart of the Nam Song River with bar after bar on both sides of the waterway. We could hardly go more than ten feet on our innertubes without a bartender reeling us in like fish on a hook. Throughout the pub crawl float, we were offered shot after shot of Lao Lao whisky, buckets of Red Bull vodka, and all the Beerlao we could drink. Combined with zip lines, the discography of MGMT blaring through the speakers, a plethora of herbal supplements, the usual assembly of miscreants, and you had all the makings for a disastrously great time.
Hours later, having successfully withstood the gauntlet of grimy bars and death slides with suspect safety records, we found a moment to catch our breath. The rest was short-lived, as a brief loss of focus had cost Brent his Detroit Pistons T-shirt and $200 pair of Armani sunglasses to the mighty Nam Song. At this point, we were two idiot tourists drifting down a river in Southeast Asia completely isolated from the rest of the world, in no state of mind to comprehend when and where we were supposed to exit the river. Finally, due to the chilly weather and more likely due to exhausting our stockpile of beer, we disembarked at some random egress. Laughing hysterically as some Laotian carted us home, we reflected on our reckless attitude for undertaking and surviving the backpacker’s baptism. The next day, a little wiser, albeit a little slower, we were back at it again, now wearing imitation sunglasses and locally crafted attire.
The Vang Vieng partyDrink first, then go down a river drunk = terrible ideaAvoid the buckets
3. Karaoke in Tokyo, Japan
Head to Shibuya for some proper karaoke. Before going to Japan in 2006, I thought that karaoke was a public event done in the presence of strangers. The karaoke rooms in Japan are private where patrons can enjoy pitchers of beer and sing a variety of songs without having to wait for a stranger to finish his 12 minute interpretation of Meatloaf’s I’d Do Anything for Love. While you don’t have to worry about the public judging your talent, you still have to be mindful of the computer that gives you a score based on accuracy.
TPOL received a perfect score for his performance of R. Kelly Step in the Name of Love.
Famous karaoke Shibuya
4. Terrorist Threat in Bali, Indonesia
In 2009, I was in Bali for New Years when I received a message from my friend that the State Department had issued a terrorist warning for Bali. Americans were advised to avoid large gatherings and remain extra vigil. There have been terrorist attacks on Bali in the past so this was not an idle threat. Since it was New Years’ Eve, my friend and I decided that the best course of action was to book a table at the busiest nightclub in Double Six Beach and arm ourselves with vodka Red Bull. The night proceeded without incident unless you include our unruly behavior.
NYE trafficBanana in the tailpipe
5. Shaq-tin’ a Fool in Maldives
I’ve written many posts about the overrated Conrad Maldives and the pursuit of the bungalow. Even though the Maldives is beautiful, paradise can get boring. Alcohol is required to break the monotony and turn a snooze honeymoon destination into a classic rager. Unfortunately, guests aren’t allowed to bring alcohol to the Maldives. Instead, Hilton Gold and Diamond guests have to wait for the 4-6PM daily free happy hour when the blitzkrieg to the bar commences or breakfast, where the sparkling wine pairs perfectly with what may be the only meal of the day.
Starving guests from food and alcohol inevitably leads to questionable behavior after it is consumed. This includes diving off of the bridge where the stingray reside and leaping off of a boat into the warm Indian Ocean, against the counsel of the hotel employees, into shark infested waters.
The bridgeCatch of the day
6. Wine Tour in Mendoza, Argentina
TPOL doesn’t know how to ride a bicycle. In Bagan, Myanmar that was a problem as I tried to get from one temple to the next without being run over by horses, buses, and electronic bikes. In Mendoza, it was an ever bigger problem since the only way to get the prize of delicious Malbec was to pedal from one vineyard to the next. (see my attempt to do so here) Without the assistance of alcohol, I don’t think that I would have been motivated to brave the busy streets and consequently would have missed out on one of the best day trips.
TerrifiedBut worth it
7. Junkanoo Parade in Nassau, Bahamas
What’s a parade unless TPOL is in it? I was in the Bahamas for New Years after messing up the visa for what was supposed to be a NYE trip to Brazil. Although this trip was pretty boring, the New Years Eve Junkanoo parade was not. The floats, the live music, and the atmosphere made for an incredible New Years experience. Even though there were thousands of people at the parade, it felt like everyone was a friend or family member. As a result, we didn’t feel there was anything wrong with taking part as we had done in Rio.
My accomplice from Rio
Conclusion
Drinking and traveling go hand in hand like Vodka & soda. With a ten-day trip to Tahiti planned in the near future with stops in Dubai, Shanghai, and Auckland, TPOL will certainly have more opportunities to add to this list and offend the weak at heart with his antics.
Last week I wrote about being a Nomadic Churner. This week I waited and waited for my Citi AA personal and business card to arrive at my current address. There is urgency in receiving the cards because I need to hit the mins now if I want to make a speculative booking before the deval comes along.
Well the new cards arrived today but they, once again, went to my parents’ house. Even though I provided Citi with a new address, spoke to the fraud department, and confirmed that I did not want the cards going to Michigan, the cards still went there.
With no other choice, I had to bug my parents to provide me with the full account number for the new cards so I can call Citi again tomorrow and try this again. As usual, I had to endure the questions about when I’m going to stop doing this ‘points business’.
Thanks a lot Citi.
I’m not in Michigan Citi! This world famous Ann Arbor squirrel is.
Caution: you are about to enter a no spin zone that details how blogs make money. Actually, I’m already lying since most blogs do not make anything. Unless you’re part of OPEC or selling snake oil, the life of a blogger isn’t one of glamour. The vocation of points blogging is a lot like the priesthood which requires a commitment to poverty, chastity, and obedience. Poverty is a result of spending hours obsessing over posts in the hopes that your Analytics account shows a spike in activity that can net a few more nickels. Chastity is an unintended externality of being a blogger. “Hey baby, I’m a blogger, how you doin?” Need I say more? And obedience in the blog world, at least in terms of points, comes from the tacit understanding that we will not obscenely broadcast offers and loopholes that will benefit our blogs individually in the short run but result in a net loss to the community. Of course, some people adhere to this rule more than others.
So how do blogs attempt to make money? I’ll tell you TPOL’s strategy which is clearly not aggressive enough.
1. Book Sales
TPOL’s plan was to start a blog to promote his book, Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine, so that he could live the life of a gorging artist. It was never my plan to write 917 and counting posts in less than two years and make blogging part of my daily routine. But here I am.
I wonder what comment is in moderation since I disabled that feature
And here is the book: (Always be closing.)
Step 1 of the book is Enjoy #ThePointsOfLife. If you enjoy traveling the world for free, imagine how much you’ll enjoy a permanent life outside of the cubicle.
That’s my pitch.
2. Advertising
The most obvious way blogs make money are ads. Scrolling through the blog creates an impression for which I am paid.
Here’s how that works:
It would take thousands upon thousands of impressions for this strategy to produce meaningful money.
3. Affiliate Links
Another way blogs make money is affiliate links. In the points world, readers click the link for a credit card offer, apply for the card, and if they are approved the bank sends the blogger a kickback. It’s not the love for the big banks that has some blogs describing the benefits of a card over and over and over and over and over and over again.
Unless you’re a high volume blogger with hundreds of thousands of hits a day, your blog will not be eligible for the money baby affiliate links. You can set up some back-end, roundabout link for cards and hope that users show compassion by clicking on those specified links. This is too much of a hassle and inefficient for the reader. Simply put, readers go to where they’ve always gone to get the latest credit card deals and that’s fine. I do the same.
There are other affiliate links that bloggers can put on their site like Amazon but I have found the click-through-rate to be very poor. Why would a reader go to TPOL first to then go to Amazon? That’s a lot of patience and loyalty that I do not expect from anyone.
4. Sponsorship
SPG? Is that you? Because I’m talking to you.
As the points game goes through its downs and downs, TPOL is worried about his chances of survival. The hustle can’t be killed off completely but the REdBird days of swiping your way to free first class are long gone. Concurrently, how many blogs does the world need which reviews Emirates Shower Class, SQ Suite Class, Cathay First, or Etihad Apartments? Here’s one more in case you are interested: Emirates, SQ, Cathay. Apartments coming in the fall.
Clearly, the way to survive in this business is by flying lie-flat.
Apologies that’s a misquote. The guys that last in this business, are the guys who fly straight. Low-key, quiet. But the guys who want it all, chicas, champagne, flash… they don’t last.
As much as I would love to do so, flying Emirates everyday is not a sustainable business model for TPOL. That is why, in addition to writing about crazy points schemes, TPOL spend hours writing Travel Guides that inform readers what to do when they arrive at their destination. My long-term plan is to link up with travel partners and media outlets which would enable TPOL’s Living Doesn’t Have to Suck message to reach more people.
The point of my blog is to show readers how they can use points as a springboard for travel while integrating lessons learned from such adventures which creates the disruption needed for them to strike out on their own, once and for all.
5. Donations
Donations! Donations!
No, TPOL is not asking for money but I probably should lobby readers more for points gained by referring them to bonus credit card offers. While I do not receive monetary compensation from such referrals, it would be very helpful to gain a few thousand or hundred thousand points from readers reaching out to me before they applied for that Chase Ink or SPG. Having said that, if anyone is interested in applying for the Chase Ink 60k offer, I do receive 10k bonus points if I refer you.
Come on! Get that Ink. You know you want that Ink! Chase 5/24 Rule. Churn churn churn!
Conclusion
If you’ve read my blog more than once, it should be apparent that I enjoy writing it. I used to post everyday even when my daily numbers were under 100 views. At the same time, I’m not against receiving a little pocket change as a result of my efforts.
