@FinStar wrote:
@Open123 wrote:
@kdm31091 wrote:
Whatever reason you justify it to yourself with is the only one that matters. If you like it, keep doing it. Not everyone has the spending habits to justify getting many signup bonuses, and/or we dont all travel often enough that having a ton of potentially devalued miles makes sense.
Collecting the bonuses makes sense if its your thing and you travel often enough that you can use the miles before they inevitably lose value. To me, the cards make sense for a frequent traveler. At least once a month if not more. But judging by the number of people who go for the workarounds to redeem their miles/travel credits without actually traveling (ie gift cards), id say more people have these cards than probably really benefit from them in many cases. The number of people with many expensive travel cards who don't seem to travel very often is puzzling.
However, we all know the risks and pitfalls of collecting bonuses and have to make the choices we feel are best. At the end of the day, its your credit and your choices, and no one else has to agree with them.A couple of things.
1. At this point in my life, I don't need any internal justification for anything I do. I will do what I do, regardless of what anyone in the world thinks.
2. Sure, everything boils down to a person's respective risk tolerance vs. reward. Whether a person agrees or objects is entirely irrelevant.
Maximizing a return, whether travel rewards or cash, is purely an objectively quatifiable endeavor, nothing more and nothing less. Whatever has a higher % return has the higher return--anything else is just...er...irrelevant meanderings.
Agree.
At the end of the day, kdm doesn't pay my bills, knows anything about my lifestyle let alone influence any decision regarding my financial goals (or those of others I'm sure). So, I would say, who cares?
At any rate, thanks for posting this Open. I received an email on this yesterday along with a Citi AA PS WMC Business Card pre-qualification. Instead, I opted for the personal AA PS WMC since the 50K sign up bonus was available for both and was approved. I already have a Citi AA AmEx from years ago and will likely combine CLs. I do travel to Europe frequently and considered the new 2016 program highlights given the sector redemption changes. Again, my decision and I'm glad you provided some good perspective on this.
If you read my comment instead of rushing to bash me as usual, I actually was talking about justifying actions to one's self and not to others. So your comment about "kdm doesn't pay my bills" has no bearing. I was simply saying that as long as one's decisions work for them, that's all that matters. Actually, the same thing you are saying, but somehow you found a way to try and talk smack about me again.
@kdm31091 wrote:
@FinStar wrote:
@Open123 wrote:
@kdm31091 wrote:
Whatever reason you justify it to yourself with is the only one that matters. If you like it, keep doing it. Not everyone has the spending habits to justify getting many signup bonuses, and/or we dont all travel often enough that having a ton of potentially devalued miles makes sense.
Collecting the bonuses makes sense if its your thing and you travel often enough that you can use the miles before they inevitably lose value. To me, the cards make sense for a frequent traveler. At least once a month if not more. But judging by the number of people who go for the workarounds to redeem their miles/travel credits without actually traveling (ie gift cards), id say more people have these cards than probably really benefit from them in many cases. The number of people with many expensive travel cards who don't seem to travel very often is puzzling.
However, we all know the risks and pitfalls of collecting bonuses and have to make the choices we feel are best. At the end of the day, its your credit and your choices, and no one else has to agree with them.A couple of things.
1. At this point in my life, I don't need any internal justification for anything I do. I will do what I do, regardless of what anyone in the world thinks.
2. Sure, everything boils down to a person's respective risk tolerance vs. reward. Whether a person agrees or objects is entirely irrelevant.
Maximizing a return, whether travel rewards or cash, is purely an objectively quatifiable endeavor, nothing more and nothing less. Whatever has a higher % return has the higher return--anything else is just...er...irrelevant meanderings.
Agree.
At the end of the day, kdm doesn't pay my bills, knows anything about my lifestyle let alone influence any decision regarding my financial goals (or those of others I'm sure). So, I would say, who cares?
At any rate, thanks for posting this Open. I received an email on this yesterday along with a Citi AA PS WMC Business Card pre-qualification. Instead, I opted for the personal AA PS WMC since the 50K sign up bonus was available for both and was approved. I already have a Citi AA AmEx from years ago and will likely combine CLs. I do travel to Europe frequently and considered the new 2016 program highlights given the sector redemption changes. Again, my decision and I'm glad you provided some good perspective on this.
If you read my comment instead of rushing to bash me as usual, I actually was talking about justifying actions to one's self and not to others. So your comment about "kdm doesn't pay my bills" has no bearing. I was simply saying that as long as one's decisions work for them, that's all that matters. Actually, the same thing you are saying, but somehow you found a way to try and talk smack about me again.
I read your comments. However, your common perception and "generalization" for individuals on what's "right" for you versus others is simply overblown. You don't have to understand. Who really gives a flying fig if people obtain the cards for whatever reason? I can not sit here and tell someone that their $30K Barneys New York card is something that would work for them or not or someone who decides to go for a CSP for either the cool factor or whether they travel or not. That's none of my business. Individuals will know in the end whether it was wise decision or not. And, hopefully learn from it or seek/research for better advice. It's just human nature.
@FinStar wrote:
@kdm31091 wrote:
@FinStar wrote:
@Open123 wrote:
@kdm31091 wrote:
Whatever reason you justify it to yourself with is the only one that matters. If you like it, keep doing it. Not everyone has the spending habits to justify getting many signup bonuses, and/or we dont all travel often enough that having a ton of potentially devalued miles makes sense.
Collecting the bonuses makes sense if its your thing and you travel often enough that you can use the miles before they inevitably lose value. To me, the cards make sense for a frequent traveler. At least once a month if not more. But judging by the number of people who go for the workarounds to redeem their miles/travel credits without actually traveling (ie gift cards), id say more people have these cards than probably really benefit from them in many cases. The number of people with many expensive travel cards who don't seem to travel very often is puzzling.
However, we all know the risks and pitfalls of collecting bonuses and have to make the choices we feel are best. At the end of the day, its your credit and your choices, and no one else has to agree with them.A couple of things.
1. At this point in my life, I don't need any internal justification for anything I do. I will do what I do, regardless of what anyone in the world thinks.
2. Sure, everything boils down to a person's respective risk tolerance vs. reward. Whether a person agrees or objects is entirely irrelevant.
Maximizing a return, whether travel rewards or cash, is purely an objectively quatifiable endeavor, nothing more and nothing less. Whatever has a higher % return has the higher return--anything else is just...er...irrelevant meanderings.
Agree.
At the end of the day, kdm doesn't pay my bills, knows anything about my lifestyle let alone influence any decision regarding my financial goals (or those of others I'm sure). So, I would say, who cares?
At any rate, thanks for posting this Open. I received an email on this yesterday along with a Citi AA PS WMC Business Card pre-qualification. Instead, I opted for the personal AA PS WMC since the 50K sign up bonus was available for both and was approved. I already have a Citi AA AmEx from years ago and will likely combine CLs. I do travel to Europe frequently and considered the new 2016 program highlights given the sector redemption changes. Again, my decision and I'm glad you provided some good perspective on this.
If you read my comment instead of rushing to bash me as usual, I actually was talking about justifying actions to one's self and not to others. So your comment about "kdm doesn't pay my bills" has no bearing. I was simply saying that as long as one's decisions work for them, that's all that matters. Actually, the same thing you are saying, but somehow you found a way to try and talk smack about me again.
I read your comments. However, your common perception and "generalization" for individuals on what's "right" for you versus others is simply overblown. You don't have to understand. Who really gives a flying fig if people obtain the cards for whatever reason? I can not sit here and tell someone that their $30K Barneys New York card is something that would work for them or not or someone who decides to go for a CSP for either the cool factor or whether they travel or not. That's none of my business. Individuals will know in the end whether it was wise decision or not. And, hopefully learn from it or seek/research for better advice. It's just human nature.
People can do and should do what they feel is best, of course. This is a forum, where we state our opinions. My opinion is that if one is going to get a premier travel card and then try to "work around" the travel requirements for the credits by using gift cards, I don't personally understand why they would bother. However, you are 100% correct that I do not have to understand - it's their business.
But this is a discussion forum, so when people talk about their decisions and what they are doing, they are going to get feedback, positive and negative, which is also "human nature" and the entire purpose of a forum existing. So when one makes decisions and chooses to write about them, people will respond. Some will say "great job!" and others will say "why did you do it that way?". It's how it goes.
