I use to evangelize FF programs, Hotel stay programs and Reward CCs to family, friends and co-workers and the occasional stranger (next seat over on flight, standing around waiting for a bump, etc).
That was in my pre-FT and early FT days.

Now, I stick to sharing information with family.
I will only share information with friends/co-workers/strangers if they bring it up AND if they ask a specific question. I still won't mention it if they say something like, "Yeah, how about all those FF miles you have."
I just smile and nod my head absently and then ask them if they got the latest TPS report.

I've had co-workers (who travel 2 and 3 times as much as me on business - company pays for all travel) tell me it is too much trouble to remember their FF#(s) or try to schedule their travel to stay in a certain hotel chain.
Yet, they act offended when I tell them where I am planning on going on vacation. I only share after they ask.
They also complain about not having enough money to take a vacation when the times comes.

Time when I do share:
Just the other night Mrs. infinityplusone and I were out at a resturant and our waiter returned with our check. He said, "Those Reward Credit Cards are really incredible." I had paid with my HHonors Amex.
I assumed he was talking about the actual Rewards and not that it was incredible to look at (yes, I've had people mention that they would like "that" card because it was cool looking).
I asked him if he had one. He didn't but he said that his wife did, she got it because of her job, she had only been in her job a few years yet they had earned enough points through her business spending and her staying at Hiltons that they had been able to stay at the Hilton San Diego Mission Valley for a week. He said that it was only the second vacation he has ever been on and it was the nicest time he has ever had.
It was sort of funny, in a neat way, because he was truly excited and a bit breathless in his short telling of the vacation story and that it was FREE.

Mrs. infinityplusone nudged my arm and said, "You should tell him about FT."
(I was going to, she is just a nudging type person like that)

From his behavior I thought he was a perfect candidate for joining the FT community and even thought that maybe he already was a member.
I asked him if he had ever heard of a message board where like minded people who enjoy travelling, who enjoy upgrades in hotels and on flights gathered to share their wisdom.

He said that he had never heard of such a place.

I told him that there was a wonderful place, a place where he would feel safe and welcomed, where he would not be made fun of or teased because of his desire to obtain upgrades and free breakfasts and week long vacations at hotels that you you don't have to pay to stay at.
I told him about, yes you guessed correctly, this place. FlyerTalk.

I ended up writing www.flyertalk.com on the back of a business card and putting it with the signed check and said something to the effect. If you want to take vacations like the one you took to the Mission Valley more often, visit that website. You'll learn hot to double and sometimes triple the points your wife earns for both hotels and airlines.

So all that to say... I only share when someone is truly interested in learning about the game.


CharterOne was bought by Royal Bank of Scotland, but it is still CharterOne, FYI.