So it's been a little slower around here lately. Part of that is definitely the reduced travel and we just aren't attracting a lot of newer folks to the thread which creates activity and buzz. DIS traffic as a whole has to be down.
I also know that some of the shutdowns and craziness that happened earlier this year drove people away from the game, and the whole thing is cyclical too. Long term churners are rare... many people just decide the game isn't for them after a few cards.
That said, I'm interested in hearing what everybody has to say on this discussion topic:
Do you personally feel churning has improved or worsened this year?
I'm not looking for a commentary on what went well or poorly from a global churning perspective - I purely mean this on a YOU level. Perhaps your churning has improved because you got more educated on what was available. Perhaps a benefit introduced by a card worked perfectly with your strategy. Or perhaps, the things that died this year made things worse. Weigh in, join in, let's drum up a little fun activity here!
I still consider myself a newbie with churning. So I am only looking over the last 2 years since I started in 2018.
I'll break my thoughts into two groups. Travel redemptions and credit cards/points
Travel redemptions were way, way down this year. In 2019, we were able to do 4 trips on points. In 2020 we were planning 5 trips. We were on a trip in March (all hotels, airfare covered with points) when everything started to happen with the pandemic here. When we got back from that trip, I only went in to the office one more day before they closed and sent everyone home to work. All other travel I had planned for the year was cancelled. In addition my trip to Hawaii in January 2021 is now cancelled
. I have spent some of my travel budget this year on crafts and spent this year on latch hooking, painting, diamond painting and crocheting. As well, I am ahead on my annual book goal. So making the best of staying at home.
Credit cards. Looking at 2019 between 2 players we got 13 cards. In 2020, we did 7 cards. Year over year we are down, but I didn't feel like we really were missing out. Was able to get some of the last CIPs before that got shut down. We haven't been without an MSR for more than a week or two so it has worked for us. When Chase Biz cards came back, we were ready for that. Had to change a few plans on what to get as I am still in AMEX pop-up jail. Didn't go for the SW CP for DH earlier in the year when it was clear we weren't flying in 2020. Now I am set to apply for cards in Feb 2021 to get the CP for myself. So plans changed but it didn't impact us too much.
The bigger impact is the lower expenses. No gas for the car, no travel expenses (food, activities), no more tuition, leftovers for lunch instead of going out at work,... I am not sure I could do faster credit cards on this spend. Also my MS activity is 0. I have gotten a few fee free VGC at staples but I just do not have the motivation to run out to buy and then redeem at Walmart/Serve. Hopefully that will pick up in 2021.