Originally Posted by mooper

I got involved when, through spending on my credit cards for my business, I began to accumulate large quantities of miles and other perks. Wanting to optimize my return, I learned the game. Now almost a decade later, I've earned somewhere north of 17 million miles/points, status seemingly everywhere, and I travel at a very low cost almost at will. My friends, family, and employees have benefited from my knowledge and participation as well.