Rainbowgirl revealed

[rainbowgirl]

I have been a member of AFF since January 2012 and lurked for a couple of weeks before that trying to decide whether to join or not. Today is the first day I have been brave enough to introduce myself.

I love flying. It's been 6 years however, since I was last on a plane. I am hoping that a long way in the future, probably when my partner and I reach retirement age, we can go travelling around Australia and overseas. It will take a lot of work, planning and saving. I joined AFF in the hope that I could learn everything I needed to know about flying and work on my saving strategies.

I am a member of several point schemes including Everyday Rewards and Flybuys. I use these point schemes to save money on day to day expenses. We keep only what we need in our transaction account. The rest of our funds go into long term investment funds and we top up the transaction account as needed. I use the points from these programs to save money on groceries and other essential items so that we have to top up the transaction account as little as possible. I know the points conversion rate for flights is much better, but as far as I know, you can't get interest on QFF points, so I'd much rather have the extra investment savings at this stage.

I love collecting points. I've learnt a lot about targeted marketing through reading the Everyday Rewards and Flybuys discussion threads. These threads have helped me develop strategies which I hope will lead to me saving money. I also like it when the rewards programs offer cash discounts as well as points. I have no idea whether my strategies will work. I am not an expert. I have never studied marketing and have no inside knowledge of how these programs work.

A couple of days ago I made a comment on the EDR General Promotions thread about my personal opinon on credit card details and the internet. Several AFF members had a different opinion which is entirely reasonable in the circumstances. I wondered whether my comment would lead to speculation between members, of how I booked my flights and whether I flew at all. I wanted to set the record straight.

I would like to keep contributing to the Everyday Rewards and Flybuys threads. I have great respect for AFF members and the wealth of information they share on a day to day basis. I'll be careful to limit my personal opinions to points collecting.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Hi rainbowgirl, it's great to have your contribution and welcome
I'm a bit slack about chasing up my Woolies bonus points but since reading your posts have become a little more active, thankyou

 

[casanovawa]

Nice introduction Rainbowgirl, but 6 years is just entirely toooo long to not have flown!!!!

My ethos in life is that i don't know what is going to happen in 6 months, let alone 25 years when i retire, i could have dodgy knees, dodgy back, lost my marbles or any number of other ailments that could hamper my travels and enjoyment and so i plan (and am doing) travel each and every year... I would encourage you to try and enjoy it more regularly than to wait for some long distant point in the future and I'm sure many on this forum would be happy to give you advice on how you can...

 

[drron]

Rainbowgirl as far as I am concerned you can contribute to any thread you wish.You obviously want to travel in the future so the more knowledge you get by asking questions now all the better.
I dont know how casanovawa knew my history but as a guy with a dodgy knee,dodgy back and who several insist has lost his marbles dont put your travel off too long.In my profession you see too many who have put their travel off until retirement only to be hit with a health crisis that puts an end to their dreams.
As I keep telling people-life is not a dress rehearsal.

 

[Rallo]

Hi Rainbowgirl , I greatly appreciate your contributions as well as the efforts of others who take out time to help us all in the great points chase. No need to apologise for your opinions on issues, without them forums like this would cease to exist.
Keep up the good work

 

[casanovawa]

Absolutely drron... I have seen at my work alone over the last several years a guy who seemed fine before revealing to us that over the previous couple of years his memory had been getting worse and he had then been diagnosed with Alzheimers... He retired and went off to Africa to do some work with their church group and a couple of years later was back and came in to see and tell us about his experiences... He needed to read what he had written off a bit of paper and have his wife standing by his side to help him... Another guy i think in his 50s or so and one weekend we heard he had had a partial stroke, he recovered and came back but about a month later he also retired...

Got me to thinking that even without the typical parts of the body that wear down and give out, you just never know when all those long planned dreams and bucket lists can be taken away from you, you are really only sure of today and not too far into the future, so never leave some of the important things, or the things you would love to do, for the distant future assuming everything will be fine, do a bit every day, week, month and year....

 

[rainbowgirl]

Nice introduction Rainbowgirl, but 6 years is just entirely toooo long to not have flown!!!!

My ethos in life is that i don't know what is going to happen in 6 months, let alone 25 years when i retire, i could have dodgy knees, dodgy back, lost my marbles or any number of other ailments that could hamper my travels and enjoyment and so i plan (and am doing) travel each and every year... I would encourage you to try and enjoy it more regularly than to wait for some long distant point in the future and I'm sure many on this forum would be happy to give you advice on how you can...

We do hope to travel soon while our children are still young. We'll probably shop around and work hard to get some cheap fares when we decide to go. My partner travelled with his family when he was young and he wants us to travel as a family. If we don't get to travel during retirement then I can accept that but at least we'll have the funds to look after us with whatever situation we face.

 

[cove]

Well revealed rainbow girl!
We all have hopes and dreams and with luck and a bit of planning we can all succeed.

 

[blackcat20]

I love flying. It's been 6 years however, since I was last on a plane. I am hoping that a long way in the future, probably when my partner and I reach retirement age, we can go travelling around Australia and overseas. It will take a lot of work, planning and saving. I joined AFF in the hope that I could learn everything I needed to know about flying and work on my saving strategies.

Not all of us on here are super frequent flyers (I've only done 4 flights this year ), but there is heaps to be learnt and shared regardless (especially in regards to EDR points). Welcome aboard!

 

[markis10]

I know the points conversion rate for flights is much better, but as far as I know, you can't get interest on QFF points, so I'd much rather have the extra investment savings at this stage.

Points are a currency, and while you dont get interest, in fact invariably holding on to them results in depreciation, they can be used to save cash, so dont be afraid to look around AFF in its entirety. In the last few years we have seen offers that used points where buying more points was cheaper than buying the equivalent product, for instance:

$30 a night hotel rooms with Priority Club worldwide
J class airfares to many international destinations for less than the cost of an economy airfare
Business Class trips with Virgin for 6900 points and $40 (BNE or MEL to SYD)

These offers are not always obvious and many require research and planning as well as some leg work, which is why they are not popular with the masses, but when you have friends that ask how you can stay in top hotels so often and fly a lot for leisure in premium classes for less than an economy fare, you know you have finally got a handle on the game, rather than the game having a handle on you. When your flatmate describes the garage as a refugee camp because of the select and macro products, you know they have not got the picture!

 

[Alanslegal]

I love collecting points. I've learnt a lot about targeted marketing through reading the Everyday Rewards and Flybuys discussion threads. These threads have helped me develop strategies which I hope will lead to me saving money. I also like it when the rewards programs offer cash discounts as well as points. I have no idea whether my strategies will work. I am not an expert. I have never studied marketing and have no inside knowledge of how these programs work.

Most of us here love our points and enjoy the chase of getting them. Just remember in your pursuit of points collection, you do not have to increase your spend to get more points but more importantly, plan and strategise where you spend your money. Use the appropriate credit cards and rewards cards, pay your accounts on time and maximise any promotions that pop up now and again.

 

[casanovawa]

Ok, i must have missed the $30 hotel room one...

And yeah i am a big fan of not changing my spending habits as invariably whether redeeming for products or for air fares the extra money spent is more expensive than buying it outright or saving your money unless flying in higher classes of J/F and that is what the retailers know and why they offer it to get people to change their spending habits in the chase for points... But working out how to change what and when you spend to maximise returns is a definite plus...

 

[rainbowgirl]

Most of us here love our points and enjoy the chase of getting them. Just remember in your pursuit of points collection, you do not have to increase your spend to get more points but more importantly, plan and strategise where you spend your money. Use the appropriate credit cards and rewards cards, pay your accounts on time and maximise any promotions that pop up now and again.

I'm usually fairly careful how much I spend on each rewards card and try to spend just the exact amount of money to get the best reward. My credit card account has a points scheme as well and I use Amex where possible for the best points result. All accounts are paid on time.

When I first joined Everyday Rewards I thought I would need to spend lots of money to get rewards but now I have a better idea of how to get rewards from this program. I love reading stories of how members get the best points result from their shopping trips.

 

[Simo]

Wow 6 years since last flight.

The biggest thing is make sure your points don't expire in certain time periods.

 

[Major]

Wow 6 years since last flight.

The biggest thing is make sure your points don't expire in certain time periods.

Which is why I am going To AKL next Tuesday on EK

 

[lmere12]

Hi Rainbowgirl, maybe these threads will be of interest to you


http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/airline-frequent-flyer-programs/avianca-life-miles-new-ff-40866.html
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....rograms/us-dividend-miles-buy-gift-21844.html

 

[JohnK]

Welcome to AFF rainbowgirl!

I guess there are no photos? Just kidding.

Good to have you along and don't let the bullies get to you. Everyone is entitled to have an opinion and it is always good to read the opinion of others even if we do not happen to agree with that opinion.

Good luck in your quest for points and hope that your bonus points offers are plentiful. I am still going strong on my goal of getting to 1,000,000 QFF points....

 

[straitman]

I have been a member of AFF since January 2012 and lurked for a couple of weeks before that trying to decide whether to join or not. Today is the first day I have been brave enough to introduce myself.

I love flying. It's been 6 years however, since I was last on a plane. I am hoping that a long way in the future, probably when my partner and I reach retirement age, we can go travelling around Australia and overseas. It will take a lot of work, planning and saving. I joined AFF in the hope that I could learn everything I needed to know about flying and work on my saving strategies.

I am a member of several point schemes including Everyday Rewards and Flybuys. I use these point schemes to save money on day to day expenses. We keep only what we need in our transaction account. The rest of our funds go into long term investment funds and we top up the transaction account as needed. I use the points from these programs to save money on groceries and other essential items so that we have to top up the transaction account as little as possible. I know the points conversion rate for flights is much better, but as far as I know, you can't get interest on QFF points, so I'd much rather have the extra investment savings at this stage.

I love collecting points. I've learnt a lot about targeted marketing through reading the Everyday Rewards and Flybuys discussion threads. These threads have helped me develop strategies which I hope will lead to me saving money. I also like it when the rewards programs offer cash discounts as well as points. I have no idea whether my strategies will work. I am not an expert. I have never studied marketing and have no inside knowledge of how these programs work.

A couple of days ago I made a comment on the EDR General Promotions thread about my personal opinon on credit card details and the internet. Several AFF members had a different opinion which is entirely reasonable in the circumstances. I wondered whether my comment would lead to speculation between members, of how I booked my flights and whether I flew at all. I wanted to set the record straight.

I would like to keep contributing to the Everyday Rewards and Flybuys threads. I have great respect for AFF members and the wealth of information they share on a day to day basis. I'll be careful to limit my personal opinions to points collecting.

Hi rainbowgirl,

Welcome to AFF and thanks for the great intro.

 

[rainbowgirl]

Hi rainbowgirl, it's great to have your contribution and welcome
I'm a bit slack about chasing up my Woolies bonus points but since reading your posts have become a little more active, thankyou

Thanks Princess Fiona. I have been impressed with some of your point collecting stories. Thankyou.

 

[AVC]

The thing about opinions is that what may work for one doesn't necessarily work for another. But that doesn't mean anyone is wrong.

But there is plenty to learn to maximise your points without expending any more than you normally would.

And +1 to what drron said. There's a few of us around here who see first hand how fragile human life can be. It's not worth putting off for too long.