Category: Uncategorized

  • Folk advice part 3: (Don’t) wait so long

    Folk advice part 3: (Don’t) wait so long

    Companion song: Wait So Long – Trampled by Turtles this one is worth a listen if you haven’t heard it – about as cool as a song with banjos and fiddles gets Today concludes this goofy folk music-inspired series of timely MS advice. Part 1 and part 2 are here if you missed them. If…

  • Folk advice part 2: Don’t think twice, it’s alright

    Folk advice part 2: Don’t think twice, it’s alright

    Companion Song: Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright – Bob Dylan Time for part 2 of churning and MS advice pulled from folk music. In part one, I posited that diversifying your lineup of plays and not overlooking opportunities with limited profit ceilings was both a good way to scale up, but also a way to…

  • Folk advice part 1: One trick ponies

    Folk advice part 1: One trick ponies

    Companion song: One Trick Ponies – Kurt Vile When I’m working at my 9-5 or couch MSing, I usually listen to high-tempo music like early phonk or the seminal metalcore album Jane Doe as the perfect background to focus.  As a result of losing plays over the last few weeks, I’ve spent way more time…

  • Friday crossword hijinks

    Friday crossword hijinks

    It was yet another tough week in churningland, punctuated by (fairly inconsequential in the grand scheme of things) fintech shutdowns and some ominous A/B testing. Instead of worrying about things we can’t control, let’s start the weekend early with another churning and MS mini crossword. I’m linking out again because embedding it directly starts the…

  • Playing devil’s advocate: speculative transfer edition

    Playing devil’s advocate: speculative transfer edition

    Throughout each year, there is a (somewhat) predictable flow of transfer bonuses from both banks and loyalty programs enticing you to move your flexible and somewhat liquid bank points to rigid and somewhat less liquid program-specific points.  The value proposition is often compelling – reducing an already appealing saver award rate by up to 30-40%…

  • An origin story, and thoughts on giving vs taking

    An origin story, and thoughts on giving vs taking

    Will’s guest post last week got me thinking about my own churning and MS origin story and how that shaped my approach. This is an extended version of a story I shared at the MEAB meetup in June, so apologies if it sounds a little familiar to some of you!  The origin story Somewhere in…