Originally Posted by
The Deal Mommy
Since my name got mentioned in this forum, I thought a few notes might add some context. Disclosure: I'm a freelancer, not a TPG staff member.
1. Here's what I had to say on TPG about teens and credit:
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/how-t...-about-credit/
2. I have never had a post edited in a way that made me uncomfortable, or that I wouldn't have published on my own site. Some of my rougher edges have been polished, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
3. Flyertalk insiders are not TPG's target audience, IMHO.
4. If something infuriates you every time you read it, why on earth are you still reading it? (Note to self: I haven't been here in a while, now I remember why. Stay off of this forum in future.)
5. If you have any questions or comments, please speak to me directly at Chicago Seminars or via DM [MENTION=776540]the[/MENTION]dealmommy on Twitter. Please use your real name if you do so, as I do on social media and on my articles. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.
Take care, Dia
TPG is a business. You're also running a business yourself as a writer. For any business to expect not to be critiqued is unrealistic. To insist that readers only comment via DM or in person, vice other venues, is a rather strange perspective for a working writer.
FT is full of threads commenting on practically every major airline, hotel, booking service, bank, etc. out there...this particular forum doesn't have anything on the discussions taking place in those other forums if you want to "complain about complaining". TPG and others routinely review and critique airline and hotel products - with both positive and negative comments. Yelp, Angie's List, TA, Consumer Reports, the list goes on of entities discussing business products and services - sometimes only for the pure entertainment value of said discussion, in the case of shows such as
Mystery Science Theater 3000 
. It's perplexing why P&M blogs feel they should be exempt from such discussion.
It's especially because TPG targets unsuspecting newbies that the company should not be surprised when those of us who know better call them out when the site provides (speaking in general not about your recent post specifically) incorrect or misleading info, for example. I'll comment on the TPG post itself too, though that doesn't do any good when it gets deleted from the site.
Here on FT it's not uncommon to see posts by newbies who are trying to redeem miles for XX trip and can't figure it out or don't find availability. They often say that they got such-and-such credit cards based on TPG and other blogs who said they should get it, but now need help actually using said miles/points. TPG doesn't care at that point because they've made their money from the noob and no one at TPG is going to help teach the person "how to fish". So yeah, those of us who are seeing what happens
after the sale may have something to say about TPG's content and business practices, regardless of whether we're the "target audience" or not.
Originally Posted by
The Deal Mommy
No one gets paid for Chicago Seminars. I would think Flyertalk Insiders would know that. We get our rooms comped and our flights reimbursed (to a point), but no speaking fees or other compensation. It's been that way for ten years.
I'm not dictating anything, simply asking for a modicum of decorum. If that's too much for you, I understand.
I don't see anyone here writing in poor taste or being impolite.
Receiving payment for a room and flights is compensation. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but it is what it is.