Mary2e

Interesting thread.

To start off, I can't remember the last time I read any of the blogs and if I did, it was because someone directed me.

What I have noticed over the last year or so is that we have many newbies who only post in MilesBuzz, Spam, credit card forums, or whatever other forum they can find to get stuff for free.

I was beginning to think FT was turning into the "how to get travel for free" forum, rather than a place to share general travel/FF/point/miles information and strategies. It seems none of them are interested in getting any kind of status beyond what they get using or applying for a credit card.

These people generally don't contribute anything at all to the forums except asking for how to get more for free. I wonder how many lurkers are out there doing the same.

Have the blogs caused this?

If they have, well, eventually the offers are going to dry up, as they have in the past, and since many of the programs are one-time deals, such as getting comped status in a program, I wonder if they're going to go away once they do or will they stay and start to contribute after they realize the benefits they can get working a program, rather than working a credit card deal.

I would hate to see FT turn into the Fat Wallet of travel

saacman5033

Well said, and exactly right. Rick helped me get started in the miles game through personal emails. I have since shared information with him that I wanted kept quiet and he has certainly honored that.

QL_714

Great post but was the last line really necessary?

Mary2e

IMHO, yes, it was. It is my opinion.

There's a whole lot more to FT than Milesbuzz and how to work deals, unlike Fat Wallet, which is all about getting this for free or really cheap. I also don't visit that site because of it.

I get it, people want things for nothing. Really I do. I also get that most of us started out here trying to make the most of our programs by working them.

These newbies, if sent here by the blogs, are only interested in one thing. Traveling for free and it looks to me like they will all disappear when the deals dry up and/or they've used them all to their max.

So, if the bloggers are the cause of this, as well as deals being killed faster than they normally would, then I believe they are hurting FT. It's so bad in some forums that if someone with very few posts as a question, and those are from the gimme, gimme threads in Milesbuzz, I don't even answer any longer.

QL_714

The problem is your opinion seems to be based on incorrect information. There is more to FW than just deals. Have you ever visited the finance section?

Mary2e

Yes, I have. It was full of how to get your credit score up so you can apply for more credit cards.

But this thread isn't about FW... it's about bloggers ruining FT.

MM56

I was by no means suggesting that he should be "spilling the beans" on every deal that comes his way, just questioning the decision making process that he goes through when deciding what to post on, and what not to post on.

Of course, if a person has no profit motive, no decision needs to be made.

QL_714

You are correct this is about FT but again you post info about FWF that is incorrect.

tonerman

+1

edcli

Hmm that is an interesting analogy

AggieTraveler

I mostly post in the forums you reference, but I try to contribute what I can instead of just taking. Also, I rarely travel for work and only take 1-2 personal trips per year. I simply don't have the time to get status beyond the miles/points I can get with CC sign ups and spending.

So you complain about people who only post in "gimme threads", but you ignore them when they try to post elsewhere? Then how do you ever expect them to get involved in other parts of FT? I understand if all they ever post is questions and expect to be handed the answers (I've noticed some people don't even read the thread they're posting in), but what if they're legitimately trying to get involved?

Not trying to be rude, just trying to understand.

satori

The tax break and writing off my travel are two of the main reasons I work at home and write a blog as my full-time business.


I am the BoardingArea blogger with left coast views. No credit card referral links on my site and I am poorer for that stand.

sonofzeus

Fait accomplis:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/budge...l#post18556299

Mary2e

If it's a question relating to gimme, gimme and how to exploit something, I ignore it. If it's a genuine question, I respond. However, if they don't come back with some sort of contribution, I try not to respond again. I've now also started checking to see where their few posts come from - most often all they contribute is how to get something for free in one of the forums I mentioned.

In other words, I do my best to ignore those who do not contribute.

But my response was about how bloggers ruin FT, and if these newly attracted people who are only here for freebies is one of the byproducts of those blogs.

steventravel

The secondary problem is when "newbies" by most people's definition, under 100 post, try to post, they are shot down and ridiculed. As I am sure this post will be. Or someone posts a brilliant idea and people say to take it to PM. Seems like one can not win. Please feel free to PM me as I would love to bounce ideas off people.