I’ve been doing some cleanup on the blog lately, trying to make it easier to use because, after all, a happy reader is one who comes back. I always appreciate hearing if these changes actually do help, so if there’s something I need to go back and undo, let me know.
Credit Card Links Updated
I did a thorough review of all of my credit card links. Most were still accurate, but a few needed changes. I actually found a few with better offers and switched them out on my top “Recommended Cards” page. I think the pages will also load more cleanly now with some formatting changes. Remember that I have over 50 links but don’t get paid for most of them. That’s why I rarely promote them in individual posts, and I could mention them multiple times and never include a link.
The few cards that offer me any kind of commission are very clearly marked as “my affiliate link.” You can also send me an email if you want a referral for an SPG American Express personal or business card, for which I receive 5,000 bonus points, but any American Express cardholder can do that. As always, I list the best offers I’m aware of. If you come across something better, send me a link to a better offer and I’ll give you a $10 gift card.
- Airline Credit Cards
- Hotel Credit Cards
- Bank Point Cards
- Business Cards
- Recommended Cards
- Maintaining a Good Credit Score
New Mobile Theme
For those who access this blog with a mobile device, like an iPhone, I’ve installed a new plugin to create a cleaner mobile theme that should be easier to read. Please let me know if this helps at all. I chose my main blog theme on purpose because it’s meant to reformat itself to fit smaller displays, but it doesn’t always work. I’ve heard this plugin might also have a few issues, so write in if you want me to go back to the old approach.
Subscriber Growth Continues
I’m happy to say that this blog now has over 1,300 followers on Twitter, 300 fans on Facebook, and an amazing 1,000+ RSS subscribers. Although that last number is probably higher; counting RSS subscriptions is a tricky practice, and using another approach I get something closer to 4,500. All in just nine months after starting this blog in January. Thanks guys!
A good number of you probably subscribe to this blog through BoardingArea’s RSS feed. If you’re able, I’d appreciate it if you would also subscribe to Hack My Trip’s own RSS. You can use the same link to request an email summary, too. Just one email a day, with all of that day’s posts in an easy-to-read format. And for those of you who like the RSS feed but hate the extra ads, you’ll be glad to know that Google is taking them away for good in a month or two. (Honestly, I would have done it sooner myself, but Feedburner is screwed up such that once you start displaying ads there is no way to turn it off.)
Upcoming Events
I will be on both the International and Domestic portions of SMD4 coming up in two weeks, and I look forward to seeing a lot of you I may have missed at the Chicago Seminars. Also, I’ll be at the LAX Frequent Traveler University come the first weekend of December. Be sure to stop by, or at least send me a tweet if you have trouble finding me!
My itinerary for SMD4 — all in one week! (Map courtesy of GCMap.com)
About Scott Mackenzie
