Originally Posted by
toomanybooks
And Eggo waffles. And Kellogg's cereal with nasty dried-up berries in it. And Dannon water to drink. And some sort of Swiss Colony beef logs. And Emmi cheese. And some popcorn.
While we sat and read 400 magazines a month.
Only sit and read 400 magazines a month? You were lucky. Our dad used to make us live in a bungalow made from all the old magazines because he said you don't earn as many points and miles from a mortgage as you do from churning credit cards, which he made us do every month. Also, we had to play musical first-year-free-gold-elite status with a rotating HHonors Surpass Amex so we could all eat free in the executive lounge when we traveled on points, or else Dad would thrash us within an inch of our lives with any old magazines left over. [Read in a Monty Python Yorkshire accent.]
Seriously, though, it sounds like the friends of the OP are very chippy and think that Tiki and the rest of us are "living above our station in life" because we've figured out a way to travel in style despite our modest means. Why should any of us have to offer apologies or explanations, as long as we came by these points and miles honestly, and handle our money responsibly? If people ask me how I manage it, I just refer them to Flyertalk so they can find a method that works for their particular situation. If someone finds out I've just come back from Japan (I don't volunteer the info, but sometimes people ask you where you've been), and I get the stink-eye from the inquisitor, I throw back a Cheshire cat smile.
And if someone hits me up for money, I say I give hand-ups not hand-outs and buy the person a subscription to a personal-finance magazine (and I earn 25 miles/$). Unless the money is for a registered charity; then I ask if the charity accepts credit card donations or donated goods like gift cards bought at supermarkets or drugstores (2x points).
There. Problems solved.