Exactly why the 'points project' I am just commencing is to stop bothering to earn them. Am ditching EDR and have switched to low fee or no fee, no FF point cc's. The money saved on cc fees and surcharges will go towards buying the fares I want that either I can't find award availability for or else the award taxes are ridiculous making it not worth it to use points.
I admit I probably wouldn't be doing this if I hadn't already got to LTG, or if QFi still flew ex ADL.
Each to their own. In my case I am an affirmed
Points Runner, and it is way, way too lucrative to give up. though it also has other perks such as improving quality of travel, low ATM fees etc.
However in my case I view points as a very cheap way of gaining long-haul international flights in J or F.
I say "very cheap" as :
1/ Taxes and charges normally still have to be paid (though sometimes are low, or even $0.00)
2/ That normally there is some cost involves to acquire points in either money and/or time. However sometime like the current ANZ sign up for my wife and I you can gain 100,000 QFF points combined for 2 x 15 minute time periods to sign-up
I assess every purchase for value, and so do not blindly buy just to gain a point. For example I rarely by fruit and veg at Woolworths, and will forgo the 3 Amex points and 1 EDR point in favour of 1.25 Citibank point by shopping at my preferred green grocer who always has better produce, as well as being cheaper.
I include my time to acquire in this. But equally I value my time in ways to save cash. So for example I will not drive to the market for my meat and veg, where I know it would be cheaper because it would take me all up another hour or more of my time.
There are ways to super-charge ones points earn...if one is alert. ie my EDR averages 4 points per $ rather that 1 point per $1...with another 3 Amex points per $ on top of that.
My Amex Edge card for its yearly fee earns me a flight that I use that is worth more than the yearly fee PLUS 3 points per $ on a wide range of purchases beyond what you can get in the supermarkets PLUS bonus offers and discounts on top of that.
Yes sign on bonii can be attractive, but I deliberately only take the best. ie 50,000 for $0.00. 40,000 for $59 etc.
My Citibank Sig is free for live and earns high VISA points per $.
Points are out there for low cost. A lot of them. And I do not intend to give up flying internationally, at low cost, in J/F each year on holidays anytime soon. Long may it last!!!
PS: I rarely fly for work, or stay in work-paid accommodation, and only domestically when I do. Nor do I run a business that I can earn points through. For those that do, good luck to them as there are sorts of ways to earn points, and so the opportunities available is different for each of us.
Tally ho!!!