I have learnt a lot from Somersoft and PC which are great forums and the audience is growing. Generally, people on here are looking at self-sufficiency, wealth creation and basically taking responsibility for themselves. I can't help but notice that a lot of the strategies that people have used and are using to support themselves are being shut down by Government and/or bank policy. Is it a coincidence that this has ramped up since the move from SS to PC? Not the fault of PC - I blame the institutions/ groups. We should be encouraging self-responsibility not penalising people. The latest It was on here that I learnt that I could earn an extra 200-300 a year in gift vouchers by using my Amex (2.5pts) instead of my Mastercard (1pt - same account). Not a huge amount I know. Letter arrives in the mail - Groceries and Petrol will still earn you 2.5pts as will overseas purchases but everything else will be 0.5pts. So back to using the Mastercard. Plus they have put the points up -it used to be 16000pts for a $100 gift card and now it is 20000 pts. So a 0.5% reward for spend. A very minor example but added to everything else it adds up.
It's not personal. There needs to be a balance between investors and owner occupiers. The balance has tipped a bit too far in favour of investors in the last few years. Changes have been made to tip the balance back towards owner occupiers. Yes. It is a coincidence.
If wealth creation where easy then everyone would be dong it, well not everyone but a lot more than there is but that would mean more competition
Well - doubt that's caused by government to penalise people trying to be self sufficient ... it might have a lot to do with us smart people putting absolutely "everything" on 55 day interest free CC, paying off monthly (so never any interest) and claiming a few thousand in Bunnings gift cards every year.
No it's a conspiracy. At for bonus points decreasing, Banks are under pressure to drop their ridiculously high interest rates on cards, they have to make a dollar somehow
I am a serial points hoarder. Sometimes I go to quite extremes that people ask "is it worth it?" A free business class return trip this year. And probably enough for one every year is well worth it!! To any destination in the world I don't care what others say. Ps. 2.5 pts per dollar is excellent. But 3 is even better
I dont get the free business class flight, I just put everything I can on it and accumulate the points enough for a business class sorry for the confusion
No problem at all. I've never joined any flight points programmes (until last year when we did an overseas trip) because we don't travel enough to use them. But it seems using points with some airline programme might get us more "value" than we get now?
or airline....Qatar frequently offers business class upgrades for fraction of the cost, or ask 3 hours prior to departure. A thread on this for those interested.
