Why You Won't Make Money as a Travel Blogger

Why Travel Bloggers Don't Make Money

Let me start this post out by saying my first blog I ever started was a travel blog. I had just returned from a trip to Negril, Jamaica and right around this time I was becomming interested in blogging. Upon returning from my trip I made a few trip reports on Trip Advisor and realized I really liked writing about my experiences so I decided to start a travel blog. I soon grew frustrated and dropped it after a few months, but I definately understand the desire to share your passion about travel and/or a particular destination. That said it's a tough nut to crack in terms of a money making venture or even driving decent traffic. 

It seems everyone today wants to be a travel blogger. Myself and many other affiliate marketers and people who make their money online will tell you it's a terrible idea.

It's definately understandable, traveling is fun and when we find a destination we love it's a topic we are very passionate about and we want to share that destination and our experience with others.

The travel niche however is a tough one to crack and the vast majority of people are not going to make any money or drive any traffic to their site.

If you have a love of blogging and traveling more power to you, but starting a travel blog as a money making venture is a losing proposition and here is why...

Saturated Market

Think about websites like Trip Advisor and Lonely Planet. Not only do they have reviews for destinations and hotels but people also post "Trip Reports" about a particular destination. There's literally tens if not hundreds of thousands of "travel bloggers" on Trip Advisor.

Typically when we think of bloggers and competition we would probably think of people who go buy a domain and hosting and setup their own stand alone site but in reality Trip Advisor is probably the largest collection of travel bloggers out there and you are competing with them for search rankings.

Travel Not Suited To Affiliate Marketing

In many ways the travel industry is not suited to affiliate marketing. Say for example you're running Banner Ads for Apple Vacation. Maybe I read a blog post of yours and decide Playa Del Carmen, Mexico sounds like a great destination I would like to visit.

Even if that happens, what are the chances I'm going to book my trip within the 24 hour window that your cookie is active on my computer? Typically when we decide we want to take a vacation we have to check with our travel partners to make sure our dates line up. We have to check with our employer and make sure we can get those vacation days off work. Typically this takes at least a few days and with most affiliate programs having a 24 hour cookie your cookie is likely to expire before someone books a trip and then you don't get your affiliate commission for that sale.

Now that said you can advertise more than just trips,  you can sell travel guides, you can sell luggage or advertise sites that sell luggage but travel itself is not really ideal for affiliate marketing.

Your Competing With Huge Names

An excercise I encourage people to do when exploring a niche is to do to do some Google searches for relevant keywords. If a bunch of small sites show up that shows me it's a niche I can break into. If the first page results are all huge names such as Huffington Post, Yahoo, Salon, Wikipedia, etc that means it's going to be tough, if not impossible, for me to gain any significant rank.

Most travel destinations are very competitive. For example, I just pulled a search on the term "Negril Jamaica" which happens to be one of my favorite destinations.

As you can see from the image above, if I wanted to write a travel blog on Negril, Jamaica and I were trying to rank on first page of Google I'm competing with the likes of Trip Advisor, Lonely Planet, Beaches Resorts, Wikipedia, and others. It's unlikely that I will outrank them.

Also keep in mind that regardless of what destination you choose to write about not only are you competing with other travel bloggers, but typically every resort or vacation city has a tourist board publishing articles and trying to get people to their city. Pretty much every resort and hotel has a blog pushing their resort as a place to stay and their destination as a place to visit. My point is it's very competitive.

You Don't Have The Personality

I think one thing a lot of people don't realize is travel shows and travel blogging is as much about the personality of the blogger or host as it is about the destination. Think how enjoyable it is to watch a show like Anthony Bourdaines No Reservations versus watching a travel show on PBS or public access. The personality of the host is as important if not more important than the actual content or destination the blog or show is about.

If you're a vlogger do you have the sense of humor and personality to keep people engaged? As a blogger do you have an easy to read writing style and sense of humor to add some entertainment or comedy or an interesting perspective in addition to just sharing facts about a destination?

How To Make It Work

Personally, I'm not trying to enter the travel blogging space, but I do think there are a couple ways to break in if it's something you really want to do. I'll cover this more in depth in a follow up report but the couple secrets to actually ranking and making money as a travel blogger is to do a top 10 blog. Top 10 places to eat in Rio, top sites to see in Mexico City, top 10 cheap eats in Miami, etc.

Top 10 articles do great, they are quick and easy to read, and they get shared on social media so doing a blog full of top 10's can be a good way to make some money.

My other tip is to become a location expert. Don't write a blog about your travels all over the world. Focus on a particular destination. For example write a blog about Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. On your blog however have literally everything anyone would want to know. Focus on search terms people visiting would be looking up. Things such as where can I watch the Super Bowl in Playa. Many sports fans hate being on vacation during big sporting events and will actively seek out a place to watch them. How to get from the airport to my resort. Focus on things your readers will be wondering about and searching for and write blog posts which answer those questions.

As I said we'll dig deeper into this on a future post but here are a few tips for making it as a Travel Blogger should you choose to pursue that avenue.

What Does Softshell Crab Taste Like? I'm Not A Huge Fan

If you're a seafood lover chances are you've probably heard of Softshell Crab. Maybe you've never had a chance to try it though.

I'm a huge seafood lover, and among seafood crab is probably one of my favorite treats. I actually prefer crab to lobster. That said I've never had a chance to try softshell crab.

For those of you who aren't familiar softshell crab is typically served either plain or as a sandwhich and the entire crab is fried and eaten; not just the legs and claws.

So what is softshell crab exactly? For a short period of time crabs shed their outer shell and are caught and eaten before they have a chance to regrow their shell.

I see a common question that comes up on Google, is what does softshell crab taste like?

I tried softshell crab yesterday at the Charleston Crab House in Charleston, South Carolina (pictured below)

Charleston Crab House - Charleston, SC

 Here's my take on softshell crab. I had a softshell crab sandwhich. To be honest I wasn't really crazy about it. First off, just wrapping your head around eating the entire crab can be off putting to some people. I'm not easily grossed out. I'm a huge seafood fan, I eat crab, lobster, sushi, all types of fish, shrimp, muscles, oysters and the like. That said I had a bit of a difficult time wrapping my head around eating an entire crab whole.

Softshell Crab Sandwhich

As for the flavor, taste and texture. The crab has a thick deep fried coating so that's a lot of the flavor and texture you get biting into the sandwhich. Many people wonder about the texture of the shell. I've heard it compared to a fried piece of rice paper. I would somewhat agree with that, there's a paper like thing the shell forms around the meat and I would compare it to fried rice paper, though a bit tougher to chew through. 

As for the taste, it does indeed taste like crab, however not like the crab legs your used to eating. It's hard to describe but it's not the same crab taste you get from eating crab legs. Crab legs are sweet and have a very clean taste. Dirty woudln't be the right word to describe softshell crab, but it's a much more fishy and earthy taste if that makes any sense. 

So what would I rate a softshell crab sandwhich on a scale of 1-10? I would probably rate softshell crab as a 6. It wasn't terrible, some people may actually enjoy it; just read online reviews, many people love softshell crab. Personally however I probably won't be having it again, I'm glad I got a chance to try it, but there's many things I would prefer over softshell crab. That's just my two cents.

Negril Jamaica Vs. Playa Del Carmen Destination Throwdown - Comparing & Contrasting - Pro's & Con's

I've been wanting to do this blog post for quite some time now and am finally getting around to it. I'm somewhat hesitant to post this particular posting following up my article titled "Jamaica Farewell: Why I Cancelled My Jamaican Vacation And Why I Won't Be Going Back Anytime Soon." That post was extremely controversial and I've even stated afterwards I felt as if I was a little strong with my words and sentiment, though I do feel all were valid points. I had many accusing me of hating Jamaica or being paid by other destinations, of course none of that is true but I have a feeling I'm going to get a lot of backlash after this post with people attempting to argue Mexico has more problems and issues and safety concerns as opposed to Jamaica.

7 Mile Beach Near CoCo La Palm - Negril Jamaica

This post isn't really to knock any particular destination, quite the opposite I love them both but I did feel it may be helpful to some travelers understanding these two destinations and the differences.

Traveling is a very personal thing. What I may enjoy about a particular destination someone else may not enjoy. Things I am looking to get out of my travels may not be in line with what someone else is looking for in their travels. For that reason I just want to point out this is my perspective and my personal opinion.

Why did I decide to write this post? Years ago I fell in love with Negril, Jamaica as a destination. In all my travels I have yet to find a place which had beaches as beautiful as Negril, and you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere in the world with a similar or comparable vibe as Jamaica has. After traveling to Jamaica a number of times I reached out to fellow travelers on travel boards and asked if I like Jamaica what other destinations may I enjoy? One destination which kept comming up was Playa Del Carmen.

Beach Bar On Side Of Road - Cozumel Mexico

It's interesting, in many ways Playa Del Carmen and Negril Jamaica could not be much more different, however at the same time I loved both of them and can understand why other travelers would as well. In addition to this though these two destinations couldn't be any more different I can see why someone would suggest one if you enjoyed the other if that makes any sense.

Because these two destinations are often traveled by the same travelers and because people who enjoy one seem to enjoy the other I thought I would put together a Travel Destination Throwdown comparing and contrasting these two destinations as well as listing the pros and cons. We are going to break this down by categories such as budget, flights, airport experience, beaches, food, lodging, and others. So let's dive in...

The Cliffs - Negril, Jamaica

Travel Destination Throwdown

Negril, Jamaica Vs. Playa Del Carmen Mexico

Flights

In this category we are basically comparing the affordability and availability of flights to these two destinations. Both destinations have affordable flights and both destinations have a pretty good availability of flights from most major cities. Even if you are not in a major city you can typically catch a connecting flight from Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta, Raleigh, and other cities. 

Granted the popularity and number of travelers to Cancun, Mexico beats out the number of travelers to Jamaica and for that reason there will be slightly better availibility of flights as well as pricing but overall both destinations have affordable flights and are fairly easy to get to. Mexico does win out slightly as there are more flights and flights can typically be found a bit cheaper but overall both are good.

Coconuts Bar - Cozumel Mexico

Airpor Experience / Customs & Immigration

Both destinations are tourist destinations and are laid out pretty well and are pretty simple for a tourist to navigate their way through customs and immigration and out of the airport. This should also be a minor concern for your trip, you're spending a very limited amount of time in the airport both arriving and leaving so this shouldn't be a choice that makes or breaks your trips or sways you towards or away from a destination, however I would say Cancun Airport has Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay Jamaica beat.

Cancun airport is more modern and nicer looking than Montego Bay airport. That however is a minor concern. My biggest point to give Cancun is that everything is more modern and laid out in a less confusing way. If you need a pen or pencil to fill out customs forms they have them for you in Cancun. In Jamaica on the other hand I've always had to borrow a pen from another traveler.

Just overall I feel like airport employees as well as customs and immigratin people at Cancun airport seem to have some understanding they are in the hospitality industry. Though they aren't hotel staff you can tell they have had some training in dealing with tourists, smilling at people, treating people in a friendly and polite manner, etc. This may seem trivial but many travelers to destination like Jamaica and Mexico are first time travelers or it may be someone's first time leaving the country. This may seem silly to a seasoned traveler but the whole customs and immigration process can be confusing and intimidating to some people. Having a warm and friendly staff willing to assist travelers just makes for a warmer reception in the country.

5th Ave - Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

I wouldn't by any means say in Jamaica airport that they are rude, however that said you just didn't quite have the smiling faces and friendliness you have in Cancun. I've even somewhat felt like at Jamaica's airport some of the employees are almost mean mugging you or at the very least aren't especially friendly.

Again, not a decision which should make you choose one destination over another but it is something worth pointing out and something I have noticed a difference in.

Ground Transportation

In this category we are going to be talking about ground transportation or the ease of getting from the airport to your resort. To someone leaving the country for the first time this can be intimidating and oftentimes fairly costly as well.

If you don't do your research ahead of time I can tell you both destinations will have you spending more money than you need to on ground transportation. Everyone is looking to make a buck off driving you to your resort and if you don't research and explore the cheapest options you'll wind up paying more than you need to.

In Jamaica if you are staying at a All Inclusive resort or if you booked through Apple Vacations or a similar company you will most likely have ground transportation included in your package and will be taking a large bus to your resort. If you didn't get ground transportation in your package you could pay upwards of $150 for a transfer from Montego Bay Airport to your resort. If you do some planning ahead of time and learn how to use the JUTA bus system you can get there for as cheap as $18 per person which isn't too bad.

Mayfield Falls - Jamaica

Mexico, though I'm more familiar with it than Jamaica, does have a pretty cheap and easy way to get to your resort if your staying in town, and if you do some research. If you're staying at an All Inclusive resort they tend to be isolated and away from town for the most part. For this reason a public bus probably is not a good option for you as even once you arrive in Playa for example you'll still most likely have to take a cab to your resort. You probably will save a few bucks doing this but honestly it's probably not worth it, just pay for a van.

If your staying in Tulum or in town in Playa however the ADO bus system is a fantastic way to get to your resort. Buses leave about every 10 or 15 minutes, it costs something like $7 or $8 per person, and the buses are hardly something out of a movie with chickens running around, the buses are air conditionied, have a movie playing, and very comfortable seats. The bus arrives downtown Playa Del Carmen right by the Ferry to Cozumel and is easy to take and unintimidating. 

I don't think this is a category which should make or break a decision either way, however I personally feel like depending upon where you are staying, there may be cheaper options in Mexico. There are affordable option in Jamaica but hiring a private transfer could easily run you $50 or $60 per person or $120 per way so considering just ground transportation could cost you $240, that's pretty steep. That said however doing some research you can get ground transportation in Jamaica for as little as $18 per person and in Mexico for as little as $7 per person. Mexico just slightly edges out Jamaica in this category but not by much.

7 Mile Beach Negril

Budget

Both Negril and Playa Del Carmen can be done on a budget. Both destinations offer simple rooms as well as hostels to budget travelers and both destinations can be done fairly inexpensively in terms of both lodging and food. 

Playa Del Carmen has a ton of cool hostels and unique Boutique Hotels. Jamaica also has a small offering of hostels and Boutique Hotels as well. 

This isn't a dig on Jamaica, but it is a reality. Many a first time Negril visitor has complained about lodging.It's just a fact of life that the accomodations as well as service in Negril specifically but also Jamaica as a whole may not be up to the standard of Mexico, Dominican Republic, or other islands.

Don't get me wrong there are plenty of safe, secure fun, nice, and clean accomodations in Negril but what you'll get for say $100 in Mexico or the DR is going to greatly outweigh what you get in Negril for a similar price. To me personally having a granit countertop in bathroom or a flat screen tv on the wall is pretty much inconsequential, however I do feel it must be pointed out that a 5 star in Jamaica is probably more like a 3.5 or 4 star in Negril. Negril does have some very nice luxury accomodations where you'll be pampered and have a private butler, however that said for your run of the mill accomodation you're probably going to get more for your money in Mexico.

Fruit Lady On The Beach - Negril

As far as budget for food. Again both destinations can be done cheap. Finding a cheap meal often means venturing off the beach or outside of the tourist areas. Oftentimes you'll find meals for half of what they would be on the beach. Negril can be done cheaply. Many if not most hotels offer a free continental breakfast and there's plenty of affordable food offerings on the beach from burgers and snacks like that to the fruit ladies who will walk the beach to the Patti man where you can pickup a tasty lunch for a buck.

I can't stress enough that both destinations can be done very cheaply when it comes to eating. I personally find playa a bit easier just because it's more an environment we are used to with streets and it's much bigger as opposed to Negril where it's not necessarily easy or safe to walk the road so you tend to walk the beach. Places don't stay open nearly as late, and there aren't as many choices, especially cheap choices. In Mexico though I wouldn't recommend it, one could eat Subway, pickup a snack at 711 or pickup a cheap slice of pizza for not much more than a buck. In Negril though there is the possibility of cheap dinners there's not as many options, they aren't always as easy to get to and they don't stay open as late.

As far as budget for watersports and day trips and other activities you may want to do.  I think in terms of budget this almost comes down to a tie. I would give Mexico a slight edge if a traveler is willing to take public transportation and do a bit of research before embarking on their day trip. Here's the reason I say this...

In Jamaica if you want to take a day trip you pretty much either have to go with a tour company or hire a private driver. I would say on average for a full day of driving your going to pay someone anywhere from $80 to $120 per person depending upon whether you hire a private driver or do a group tour.

In Mexico day trips through a planned company will run about the same say $80 to $100 for a trip to the Tulum ruins from Playa Del Carmen. That said because Mexico has more of a public transportation system setup, actually a pretty fantastic public transportation system via both the Collectivos and ADO Busses as well as taxis all at reasonable prices it's fairly cheap and easy to get around without a tour.

Negril Sunset

On my first trip to Mexico I actually put a $20 deposit down on a day trip to the Cozumel ruins and a Cenote that would have wound up costing $80 per person. When I got home back to the hotel at the end of the evening I stumbled upon a tip from someone on Trip Advisor who advised skip the organized tours and take the bus yourself as it only costed about $3 or $4, and admission into the ruins was only around $7. It didn't make much sense to pay $80 for what in reality I could do on my own for say $15 or so, going myself seemed like the better option. I was at first a little intimidated taking the bus in Mexico but was pleasantly surprised to discover the bus station is easy to navigate and buy a ticket. The bus is air conditioned, has comfortable seats and window curtains to keep the heat and light out and on top of that they play a movie. 

To me that is much preferable to having to be outside your hotel at 6:00AM to catch a megabus loaded with other passengers and be hearded around like cattle for the day at precise times. I'd much prefer to venture out on my own, maybe make a stop along the way. Checkout a local bar or restaurant, and in the case of Tulum maybe take a stroll downtown, visit a Cenote, and basically just do what you want at your own pace.

I like doing the same in Jamaica as well for anyone who selects Negril as their vacation destination. Though there are some larger group tours I much prefer hiring a private driver for the day. My particular driver generally having a Patti from his favorite Patti shop and a cold Red Stripe waiting for me when he arrived to pick me up in the morning. 

In Jamaica hiring a private driver allows you to stop along the way. I have a fantasic driver I use regularly and by driver I actually mean bartender I've befriended over my trips but he's my tour guideand my go to guy when I'm in town. I say this to point out in Negril it seems almost anyone is a tour guide or moonlights as one to supplement their income it seems.

My driver would often stop along the roadside to show me a particularly interesting fruit tree or roadside attraction or anything interesting for that matter. You can move along the day at your own pace, do other nearby activities in addition or instead of things an organized tour may have scheduled.

I digress though. From a budget perspective if you do some research it's very easily to travel up and down the Yucatan coast and even to Belize and other places if you're a bit adventurious and do a bit of research so in some ways one can do Mexico cheaper. That said I have to give a tip of the hat to Jamaica for winning in the coolness and uniqueness of the day trip type activities. Places like Mayfield Falls, Blue Hole, and Port Antonio just can't be matched by Mexico in my opinion. This however will be covered in a future section.

As for budget both destinations can be done in a frugal manner, however I would say Mexico has a slight advantage strictly from a budget perspective in both hotel quality, food, and day trips.

Beaches

NEGRIL WINS!!! I know some people are going to say thus far I've unfairly labled Mexico the winner in the above categories. Keep in mind much of this comes down to personal preference. Not everyone is going to enjoy the same things as me, have the same needs as me, is going to want the same thing or have the same budget so this isn't a be all and end all. This is my take and my perspective on these destinations. Maybe you'll agree and maybe you won't. 

Getting back to beaches though. Negril wins hands down, end of story. In all my travels I have yet to find a beach which can even hold a candle to Negril's 7 Mile Beach. Not only just the beauty, the perfect temperature of the water, the clarity of the water or the softness of the sand. The entire vibe on the beach is just amazing. The vendors are fun, there's tons of great little beach bar shacks and places to eat for every taste. I also love how they don't allow buildings to be built over the top of the palm trees which keeps Negril from looking like some tourist skyline. 

Mexico has some nice beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean side. The beachs in town in Playa Del Carmen aren't the greatest. If you get a few miles down the beach or even better down to Tulum or Alkamel there are some nice beaches. Still however the Yucatan in my opinion doesn't compare to Jamaica. Some may disagree with me, if you do I'd love to hear from you and maybe you can turn me onto a new beach I havn't yet visited so please leave a comment below. 

One other thing I feel I have to mention where Negril takes the cake is in addition to the beaches Negril has the cliffs. Only a few minutes down the road but a much different experience and much different vibe than on the beach. The cliffs offer a different experience to enjoy the water. Most of the hotels on the cliffs have some nice sun tanning platforms, huts, waterslides and jumping or diving platforms and you can jump right into the crystal clear caribbean sea.

Some of the hotels in Negril on the beach even have a sister resort on the cliffs so you can split your time and experience both. This is one of the great things about Negril that you have something like the cliffs, a totally different experience and a very cool thing to check out just a few minutes down the road. As cool as a day trip but only a taxi drive down the road and it doesn't tie up your whole day of laying on the beach.

Beaches and cliffs and entire swimming and enjoying the water category goes to Negril hands down, it's not even a contest here.

Day Trips / Excursions

This one is a tough one. I'll say right from the start Mexico wins as far as ease of getting up and down the coast and to many excursions by yourself taking public transportation, either the ADO Bus or  Collectivos which are like community vans which run up and down the highway all day.

 

My first time to Playa I actually booked a group tour for $80 per person and put a $20 deposit down. That evening I read online I could take the bus to the ruins for $3 and get in for about $7 so wound up cancelling the excursion and doing it myself and used the Collectivos and ADO busses to go all over Mexico and even over to Belize. The busses are air conditioned, easy to figure out, easy to buy tickets, have bathrooms, movie playing, comfortable seats. Heck you can take the bus all the way to Belize if you like.

Mexico has some great excursions and I like that you can do them yourself and don't have to book a formal excursion or hire a driver.

That said for excursions I have to give it to Jamaica as far as having the coolest excursions. Mayfield Falls, Dunns River Falls, Blue Hole, MIneral Springs, etc.

This is a tie going to both destinations for different reasons. Mexico ease and affordability of getting around by yourself and Jamaica for having the better excursions. Downside to Jamaica is for most you have to either hire a driver for $80 to $120 a day or go on a formal excursion.

Food

I'm going to give my opinion here but realize I think for food it's going to come down to personal preference. Some people are going to prefer Jamaican cuisine and the fresh seafood and others are going to prefer Mexico and Mexican food.

One great thing about Playa is there's literally culinary treats from around the globe. Many people don't know what a huge Italian population Playa has. Because of that there's tons of great Italian restaurants and Pizza places. I'm Italian. I've been to Italy, live in Chicago and I would say I've eaten the best Italian food in my life down in Playa... Sorry Nona.

Playa also has some great authentic Mexican and Mayan cuisine once you get off fifth avenue and some wonderful street food as well. I even saw a big restaurant featuring Israeli cuisine while in Playa and they do have some wonderful seafood as well. My favorite places for Seafood are probably La Pesca or Tarrya down by the beach. Great ceviche and wonderful fish tacos.

Rasta Pasta - Marleys Restaurant @ CCLP - Negril Jamaica

For food I personally give it to Playa simply because the HUGE number of choices of different foods and cuisines. It's also easy to eat at any budget point in Playa. I find Negril can be cheap for lunch and snacks and fruit but dinners get expensive in my opinion.

As far as fruit, I love fruit. Jamaica wins hands down. Never have I eaten such juicy and flavorful Mangos as in Jamaica. They also have wonderful Pineapple's and everything else for that matter. Alot of interesting stuff I've never tried back home either like Quinapas and Jamaican Apples which are kind of a cross between a Pear and an Apple.

One last thing to mention about food. In Jamaica it's safe to drink the water. May not seem like a huge deal but honeslty it is. In Playa and Mexico as a whole it can be a pain remembering not to drink water, eat lettuce, brush your teeth with tap water, etc. In Jamaica you don't have to worry about any of that, so that's one plus for Jamaica.

Safety & Security

Negril and Jamaica as a whole has for years had an unfair reputation and stereotype of being a place you would go but should stay on resort. I've been traveling to Jamaica for over a decade and never felt scared to leave my resort. I've travelled into town, into the hills and mountains, up and down the beaches, etc. I've gotten myself into a few sketchy situations but have never really felt that unsafe. I'll admit Jamaica is a little outside of my comfort zone but rarely have I felt "in danger".

Sadly much of that has changed. In the past few years the overall "vibe" in Negril has been changing. It's not as safe and just does't have that carefree feel I like to have on vacation. In the past year or two things have been steadily declining. Just read on Facebook or TripAdvisor or even blogs and you'll see many people talking about getting their hotel rooms broken into at night, in some cases at knife point or with a machete pointed at them...yikes.

Jamaica has always been a place you want to keep your wits about you but honestly you should feel safe on your hotel property and especially in your room and it's very troubling to me the number of stories of people getting robbed on the beach or even worse on the hotels property or in their room. Police don't do much and depending upon the hotel you stay at some handle situations like this better than others.

I'm sure many people will point out that Mexico can be dangerous as well and that's true. That said I personally feel much more safe and secure in Playa than I do in Negril. For one there's more people around. I think part of it is just due to things being more organized and more modern from the police force to hotels to the streets and businesses.

Honestly you can find a negative story about any destination I'm sure but there's quite a few in Negril we've been hearing about. There was an incident in Playa about a year ago where an American was killed by police, however he was high on cocaine, getting in fights and was apparently evading arrest so it's not just like some innocent tourist being picked on or robbed by police.

Honestly, this section is probably going to come down to people's own comfort level and preference, however personally speaking I feel much safer in Playa than Negril. If you'd like to read a recent writeup we did on Negril as well as a follow-up article which tells another recent story of a couple being robbed on property in their hotel room read the two links below.

http://rulesforrebels.blogspot.com/2015/03/jamaica-farewell-why-i-cancelled-my.html

http://rulesforrebels.blogspot.com/2015/03/update-on-jamaican-farewell-why-i.html

Overall Winner

Quite honestly I'm really torn here. This is going to come down to personal preference, some people who love one will hate the other. Personally I love them both. Mexico gets the edge in affordability, safety and security, and getting around. Jamaica in my opinion gets the edge in having the most beautiful beaches and overall the most beautiful country. Personally I'm more comfortable going out and about and around in Playa.

One thing I can say is though these two destinations are polar opposites you will find a lot of people who travel to both. I actually discovered Playa when asking on TripAdvisor, if I like Negril where else would I like? Someone suggested Playa and though these two places are night and day, I can see why someone who would recommend one would recommend the other if that makes sense. 

What's your thoughts? We'd love to hear from you. Leave your comments below...

Update On Jamaican Farewell: Why I Cancelled My Jamaican Vacation & Why I Won't Be Going Back Anytime Soon

My post I made about a week back titled "Jamaica Farewell: Why I Cancelled My Jamaican Vacation & Why I Won't Be Going Back Anytime Soon", started quite a bit of controversey. If you havn't read it you can read the entire post by clicking the link above.

If you checkout the comments section it stirred up quite a bit of discussion, I think to date we have over 160 comments off this single blog post, only posted a few days ago. While some people agreed with me that Negril is starting to go downhill and the overall vibe is changing as well as the safety and security of travelers. I also had a lot of people very unhappy with my post and calling me a hater.

Is Negril Jamaica Still A Safe Destination To Visit?

I don't hate Jamaica, far from it, I absolutely love Jamaica. I've traveled there numerous times, have friends on the island and overall it's probably my favorite vacation destination in the world.

That said even in years past, I've found myself in a few sketchy situations but still returned to the island. If you read my post you'll know that recently I booked a trip to Jamaica on 7 Mile Beach. I didn't even bother doing any research before booking as I've been to Jamaica 8 or 10 times and didn't feel the need to research the destination. A day after I booked however I started doing some reading and realized there's a fair number of reports and reviews online about travelers complaining about aggressive begging. Now this wouldn't deter me from going, but I've also been hearing a lot of complaints about violence and thefts while on the property of hotels, as well as on the beach.

Now if I go into town or go into the hills I realize I'm taking my own safety and security in my hands and I should have my wits about me. On the beach and even more so on my hotel property and in my hotel room I feel I should feel safe and not have to watch my back. Recently however there's been reports of people waking up to a man in their room robbing them. In one report a man was in the room with a knife. There's other reports of things being stolen out of rooms by people fishing things out of the room through the window, when valuables are left near the window. Granted travelers shouldn't leave valuables out in plain  sight or near the window but you'd think you should be safe in your hotel room.

Then again today, I read a story on Facebook which was also posted on TripAdvisor about a couple who was robbed by a man with a machete, conveniently while security was changing shifts. I personally know a lot of the security guys at hotels and there's some great guys who protect guests and make sure they have a wonderful time, but not everyone is great and honestly it seems to be like some of these are inside jobs with security conveniently being absent while thefts are happening.

I'll post this review I mentioned below, but just wanted to do a follow up to my past post saying that I deeply regret cancelling my Jamaica trip. Not only did I want to go but I really wanted to show my girlfriend the island and really wanted her to meet my friends in Jamaica. That said due to all the recent negative things going on I decided to cancel my trip.

Was I being overly cautious? Probably so, but I get one vacation a year and I spend good money to take a vacation and I don't want to have to worry about my safety every minute of every day and even while in my room.

It's a sad state of affairs and honestly the goal of my first post was not to hate on Jamaica or detour anyone from going there. I was simply trying to start a conversation about the worsening problems in Jamaica as well as overall vibe of the town changing.

I mentioned in my first post that one thing which was very troubling to me is that longtime visitors who've been to the island 30, 40 and even 50 times are now saying they will not be going back. Typically Jamaica lovers are very defensive of the island and it's reputation, in large part due to the untrue stereotypes it has gotten in past years, however today it seems that those stereotypes are seemingly justified. Go to a nice or all inclusive resort and don't leave. It's sad to say, and I even used to laugh when people said things like that because I've travled all over the island by myself and never was overly worried, however if I were to go back I'd probably spend most of my time on the beach and not venture off much.

In two days I'm going to be sitting on a beautiful beach in the Caribbean but it's not going to be Jamaica and that saddens me. Lets turn things around and start a discussion which will improve Negril and the island as a whole not only for other tourists like us but for the locals as well.

Recent Incident In Negril

Check out this bad TA review on Xtabi:
“Terrifying Experience!! will never return.”
1 of 5 starsReviewed 2 weeks ago
Me and my Partner stayed at Xtabi for one week in January, I am so late writing this review as I wanted to give the owner a chance to explain himself with regards to the nature of the events which were to unfold during our stay.
On our 3rd last morning I got up early as I always had, and was sitting on the porch, apparently this was around the time security was due to change as well, and instead of one waiting for the other to arrive, he left the entrance unattended. A man approached me on the balcony with cleaning equipment (as very few xtabi staff wear uniforms it is impossible to tell who is working there and who is not), I spoke with him for a few minutes, seemed genuine enough. Once he left my boyfriend shouted down that we had been robbed (a samsung s5 and $200), I think out of sheer adrenalin, I ran after the man, he caught me on the path and dragged me back to the villa, (all the while i was shouting get your hands off me), he then produced a machete, with the words 'Well Im packing', terrified we barely moved and he left.
Although this is an awful experience, it was the brush under the carpet treatment that really distressed us further. We met with the police that day and were told we had to be given compensation as the low level of security and lack of uniforms was dangerous for clients. we were due to meet the 'tourist' police at 3pm. of course our day was ruined and we hung around waiting for this man to arrive, but of course he didn't. we were told 'o its actually tomorrrow', so last day is ruined as well. At 3 pm again the next after hanging around again no show, the manager rung him again he said 5pm. i asked to speak with the original police woman and were told the 'tourist' police were on their way. I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist but to be honest I think this was a scam. the man arrived (obviously not wanting me to contact the first police woman) couldn't give me her name, contact info or our original statement. In fact he didn't even want to give us another statement so we could try to claim insurance, he also told us the first police officer lied when she told us we should get compensation (she at least looked professional, had a badge and arrived in a police car, unlike him) he also got mad when I said I had been in contact with the embassy (I kept my mouth shut after that). I was told by management that they could not make any decisions as the owner was away (how convenient), he would be back in a week. so I left it two weeks and emailed to confirm there would be no further correspondence from him, he replied with a very altered version of the events to which I cleared up for him and he never contacted me again. I was never asked if me or my partner were ok, would we like to change rooms or did we need anything. Absolutely appalling. in relation to the rooms, very outdated, over priced. beautiful views, Ant infestation in our room which we were handed a can of spray for (thanks). Our steps down to the sea was rusty and hanging in there by wedged rocks (probably safer to dive in). Food is average, Office staff not very helpful when I wanted to organise trips. Rented over priced snorkling gear that broke twice, in the end we just rented off another hotel which was half the price for better gear.
Stayed January 2015, traveled as a couple
1 of 5 stars Rooms
1 of 5 stars Cleanliness
1 of 5 stars Service

Banks Offering Instant Debit Cards On The Spot - Chase Bank & Wells Fargo

Have you ever found yourself needing a replacement debit card on the spot? Whether you signed up for a new checking account and need a debit card right away or if you have an account and had your debit card lost, stolen, or compromised, I'm sure we all at one point or another have found ourselves wanting a replacement debit card quickly.

I recently found myself in this situation. I'm leaving the country Monday on a trip. Today, Friday afternoon, I stopped at a bank to do something for my business. I had to pull a few hundred dollars out of the banks ATM machine and it turned out to be one of those machines that suck your card, and give it back to you after the transactoin. I hate these ATM's as I'm notorious for leaving my card in them, however rarely do you come across those machines anymore these days.

Unfortunately, the bank I was at had one of these machines and it wasn't until about 4PM that I realized I had lost my debit card. I was at my bank when I realized it so I asked the personal banker if it would be possible to get a rush card sent, however the quickest they could do it was 3 days which I would be gone by then.

I hopped on Google and searched instant debit card. I think instant debit cards are going to be the wave of the future as I found lots of articles about instant debit cards, as well as press releases by companies offering this service to banks. I eventually stumbled upon two banks that issue instant debit cards whether for new accounts or replacement cards.

Chase Bank & Wells Fargo Offer Instant Debit Cards On The Spot

The two banks are Chase Bank and Wells Fargo. Surprisingly a lot of small community banks and credit unions are offering these as well, but as far as the big chain National banks, Chase and Wells Fargo are the two offering this service.

My origional plan was to withdraw some money tomorrow, Saturday, before my bank closes and put the money in my girlfriends checking account. However, I've been meaning to open up another account soon anyways, so tomorrow I'm planning on heading over to Chase and opening up an account so I can get a debit card on the spot.

Just wanted to share this information incase any of you have found yourselves needing a debit card on the spot or same day. These two banks can do this for you.

2 Banks Offering Replacement Debit Cards On The Spot

1. Chase Bank

2. Wells Fargo Bank

Jamaica Farewell: Why I Cancelled My Jamaican Vacation & Why I Won't Be Going Back Anytime Soon!!!

 Why I'm Writing This Article...Not To Dump On Jamaica, I LOVE Jamaica

I know this article is going to get some backlash and let me say at the outset, it isn't my intention to dump on Jamaica or talk negative about Jamaica.

I'm a longtime traveler to Jamaica and even used to jokingly refer to myself as a Jamerican as so many longtime regular travelers to Jamaica do. I love Jamaica, I love the people, I love the food, and I've always been the first to stand up for Jamaica, it's reputation, and people when I felt people were unjustly giving Jamaica or Negril a bad rap.

Negril I Miss You!!!

I'm writing this article not to dump on Jamaica, but hopefully to get a lot of regular Jamaican travlers on board with pushing to improve the safety situation in Negril and Jamaica as a whole

I'm a longtime member of TripAdvisor and honestly in the past I'd be the first one to poke fun at people who's high expectations didn't allow them to have a good time in such a beautiful and wonderful place. I'd be the first person to chastise people who expected a destination to cater to them versus just going with the flow and taking a place for what it is. I'd also be the first person to stick up for Jamaica when people complained about beach vendors. I'd be the first on in line saying this is their home we are just visitors, or saying they are just trying to eek out a living and feed their family take it easy a polite no thank you will do. 

Let's be honest, Jamaica is not a cheap place to visit. Granted you can choose to stay at budget places or high end all inclusives but apples for apples Jamaica is not going to be as cheap as Mexico, the Dominican, Columbia, Brazil or many other destinations. I think it's also fair to say that the customer service and service industry of Jamaica is not what it is in other destinations, not even other third world destinations.

Jamaican Standards Not On Par With Other Destinations

 

If we compare apples to apples the quality of hotel, food, and service I get in Jamaica is not going to compare to similar price points or star ratings in many other destinations like Mexico, Playa, Honduras, Costa Rica, and others. A 5 star in Jamaica is probably like a 3.5 star in Mexico or other places. I never had an issue with this though. I realize Jamaica is a ya mon, all is irie, laid back place and I actually think that's part of the charm of Jamaica. What I'm not willing to accept however is the same laze fair attitude when it comes to safety and security.

Jamaica - Lovely People

I'm willing to accept that when I go to Jamaica and drop $150 or $180 a night on a hotel that the room will be outdated, food may be so so if staying AI, and service may not be what some are used to at other destinations. I have no problem with that.

That said dropping a similar amount of money in Mexico or other destinations you'll probably have a very modern well done, well maintained hotel with great customer service and Five star food. That's perfectly fine with me and I'm not making issue with that, though I do still think it's important to point out. I'm someone who doesn't complain when my tv doesn't work, and I don't even complain when a little bit of sewage water is comming out of the drain of my shower, par for the course, it's Jamaica and I'm barely in my room anyways. I'm not someone who needs modern updated digs or cares if my bathroom counter top has granite. I do however find it unacceptable when i can lift my sink out of the countertop with two fingers.

Beach Hagglers Don't Bother Me...BUT Aggressive Begging Does

 

I'm not one to complain about the beach hagglers. On TripAdvisor and other sites I'd always be the first one to respond to visitors who complian about the beach hagglers telling them and others, hey it's their home, were just visitors. It's part of the experience. Enjoy their funny and witty sales pitches, take it for what it is, roll with it and enjoy. If you focus on that stuff and let yourself get negative you'll hate it. I was always one who enjoyed joking and bantering with the hagglers and took it as part of the experience. Also, it's their home and their beach, I'm just a visitor. I really and truly felt that way.

Negril Jamaica Hotel - 7 Mile Beach

What does get on my nerve is the straight up begging, and oftentimes in an agresive way. In my travels to Jamaica and Central America I've had people ask for money, however I have never had anyone demand money the way I have had so many agresively demand money from me in Jamaica.

One particular incident a guy told me to give him $5. When I politely told him no, he told me "would be a shame if you got stabbed". Really, give me $5 or I'll stab you?

On another occasion I thought I had made friends with a beach vendor who ran a small convenience store. He asked if I'd like to see where he lived which was attached to the place and right on the beach. I questioned whether it was a good idea, however I saw another American women back there talking with another guy so figured what the heck, it was only about 15 yards back off the beach. I walked back there and that's when an agressive sales pitch to buy Marijuana started. When I declined multiple times he started getting aggressive with me and I was getting backed into a corner by him and another guy. I balled up my fists ready to fight my way out of there and wound up seeing a gap and just ran away. Even after these experiences I still went back to Jamaica another 4-5 times.

 So What Actually Made Me Cancel My Trip & Lose Money In The Process?

 

So, as you can tell, I'm not someone who ever viewed Jamaica or Negril with rose colored glasses. I have always realized Negril is a little rough around the edges and that common sense and street smarts will go a long way to keep you safe. I also realize that Negril isn't necessarily a dangerous place and 9 out of 10 times you'll probably have a great and safe trip.

So you're probably wondering, what actually made me cancel my trip despite losing money? And believe me, I'm cheap so for me to lose $216 to cancel and change destinations that was a big deal to me.

Negril Jamaica Lighthouse

What made me cancel my trip was hearing from MANY long time Jamaica visitors who have been to the island many times, sometimes dozens of times, say that they are fed up and they aren't going back.

If you are a regular Jamaican traveler you know how defensive Jamericans can be about their beloved island. I havn't travelled to Jamaica nearly as many times as many of you have but still love the island and was always quick to stick up for Jamaica when people would say bad things. I would write off their negative stuff as they had too high expectations or are too picky. They expect a destination to cater to them and their lifestyle vs. just going with the flow and enjoying.

What bothered me however was hearing so many long time regular visitors say that the vibe in Negril has changed. It's not the same as it used to be. It's no longer safe. They no longer feel comfortable. They had too many negative incidents happen down there.

Knowing how defensive those who love Jamaica are about the island and it's people, and to hear those same people saying they are fed up, or no longer feel safe, I felt I wouldn't enjoy my trip and wound up cancelling.

 Trip Advisor Is Not Doing Anyone A Favor Censoring Safety Concerns On Their Forum

 

Trip Advisor as many of you may know is very big into censorship of anything negative about a destoination and safety. If you don't believe me try posting a news story or even asking about a particular incident that may have happenned in a tourist destination. It won't be more than a couple hours before the post is either taken down entirely or heavily edited or people's posts removed.

Mayfield Falls Waterfall Jamaica

Personally I feel TripAdvisor is doing more harm than good with this. As many people will tell you, much of the negative stuff you hear or read is hearsay heard differently from 3-4 people as the story gets passed along. If TripAdvisor would actually let an article be posted and commented on, I think 9 times out of 10 the subject would work itself out and the group consensus would be something along the lines of the incident was involving locals and a feud and had nothing to do with tourists. Or even if it did involve a tourist it was someone trying to buy drugs, or someone who ventured into an area they had no business being in late at night or something like that.

By not allowing this type of stuff to be discussed, TripAdvisor, allows people's imaginations to run wild and allows stories to get passed along inaccurately like in a game of telephone and stories which may be mundane take on a much scarier tone because it is being censored like were not supposed to know. Also, how can a site censor a topic like safety and security, like myself as a traveler don't deserve to know where I'm going. Not only is it doing a disservice but it's also potentially sending someone to a destination they otherwise would not go to because they didn't have all the informaiton they needed at hand to make a decision. 

 Sadly Jamaica Farewell.... For Now At Least

 

So what made me cancel my already planned trip to Jamaica, even despite losing a couple hundred dollars in the process? 

Like I said, I've had a few close calls and scary situations in Jamaica and I've still returned back. I've always felt even my own city has it's issues and just be streetwise and have some common sense.

I've traveled to Jamaica during US State Dept warnings about the island when the whole Christopher Dudus standoff was going on. I had no issues with traveling as Kingston and those issues were a world removed from Negril. That would be like people saying of my home city Chicago, don't travel to Chicago because of all the violence, when in reality tourists will be downtown and on Michigan avenue and have no reason or desire to travel to Englewood or Pullman. That wouldn't be fair, nor would it be a reason not to visit.

Negril 7 Mile Beach

I'll be honest much of what I've heard is reports online and from TripAdvisor. If I heard one story I'd write it off as a disgruntled guest. If I heard two stories a couple scardy cats. However when I hear story after story of incidents with vendors, muggings, etc and hotels, security and police in many instances from reports seem to take it very lightly or say they can't do anything about troublesome neighbors I just feel I'd rather go to another destination where I'm safe and comfortable and spend my money and enjoy my time there.

Like I said, I'm quick to defend Jamaica and quick to write off complainers as whiny people or scaredy cats, however when I keep hearing from longtime visitors that the vibe has changed, that they aren't going back, that Negril is really in a troublesom period, I just can't justify going, it's just not worth it as small as the risk may be of something bad happening. It's almost laughable how casually many website posters are talking about the security situation in Negril. It's one thing to say  use common sense and street smarts and don't carry around or flash valualbes. Many of the stuff I'm reading almost seem to read as if it's a 50/50 shot whether you are mugged or have some very negative threatening encounter. I don't know about you guys but I'm very much so a fight or flight respone type person. If I'm in a situation I have two responses, I'm going to run like hell or I'm going to fight you to the death and a "casual mugging" as many people almost seem to put it could very easily end up in a life or death situation and that's not something I take lightly.

I'm not writing Jamaica off forever. I love the island, I love the people, I love the vibe, and the beaches are unmatched compared to anywhere I've ever traveled before. That said until Jamaica and specifically Negril gets things under control, runs off some of the bad elements who prey on tourists, I will not be going back.

I truly hope Jamaica gets things in check and makes a change for the better and am eagerly awaiting that to happen so I can make my way back there. That is a large part of why I'm writing this article to hopefully to get others to bring attention to this very issue and maybe even make the tourist board realize if you want visitors and tourist dollars you need to clean things up. I don't want Jamaica to become some sanitized Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville touristy cookie cutter destination. I love that Jamaica isn't an uptight place where you have to sign waivers to do activities and things like that. That in large part was always what I loved about Jamaica but take security and safety seriously, put a stop to the stories about iPhones getting snatched, people getting mugged or having knives pulled on them. Get the guns off the streets and clean things up a bit and I will return. Until then it's other destinations for me sadly. 

Seasplash Hotel Negril Jamaica

Lastly, to those of you who say we should support Negril in it's darkest hour so to speak by visiting. I understand that sentiment, however I spend good money and my hard earned money to travel and I don't feel it's my duty to do that. I should be able to enjoy my vacation in a place where I'm not worried about my safety and security and that's just how I feel.

Thanks and if you agree with the sentiment behind this article and feel the same way I do please share this article on Twitter, Facebook and other Social Media platforms to bring attention to cleaning up this place we all love. To any of you with Youtube channels pleaese make a video sharing some of your thoughts on why you love Jamaica and how it's changed over the past number of years. Thanks.

Earn Cash Back, Frequent Flyer Miles, Or CC Rewards With BlueBird & Vanilla Reload Cards

Okay, so this isn't as good as the US Mint Credit Card Hack from a few years ago but a quick easy way to make some money or rack up some rewards or frequent flyer miles. In this post we will teach you how to rack up credit card rewards, frequent flyer miles, or make an extra $200 a month with Cash Back from a Wells Fargo 5% Cash Back card or other cash back cards.

This doesn't take much time, less than an hour. After that maybe a half hour a month recurring to do this each month. This doesn't take much time or money but you can earn free vacations or even cash back. There are however 4 requirements you will need to meet...

The Requirements...

1. Must have a social security number and reside in the USA.
2. Must have good credit, preferably 720 or higher, though possible to get other cards with lower scores.
3. Checking account or savings account with "BillPay" or "ACH Transfer" ability
4. Need to have a CVS, Walgreens, 711, or other stores that sell "cash cards" and can be reloaded with a credit card.

What To Do...

1. Apply for a Wells Fargo 5% Cash Back Credit Card...

This card gives you 5% cash back for grocery, drug store, gas, and a few other purchases for six months. This card is meant for those with higher credit scores. There are some other cash back cards and you can earn credit card rewards, miles or points on but make sure it's a high earning card. If you have a card that does not offer good rewards you will actually wind up losing money due to the few fees that are involved in buying the reloads and paying bills as often time paying bills with cards adds a small surcharge. If you're denied by Wells Fargo applying online you can call on the phone and generally get a quicker decision. Once you have confirmation you've been accepted to the card you can move on to the next step.

2. Apply for American Express Bluebird Card:

You can often buy a starter pack at Walmart for a few bucks, but it's just as easy to buy one online and wait for it in the mail, shouldn't take longer than a week max. This card doesn't pull your credit for an approval so you won't have your soft credit dinged any points as you would applying for a real credit card. You do however need a social security number, probably due to Frank/Dodd and Anti-Money Laundering Policies but you're credit won't be pulled and you won't be dinged. It basically just allows them to validate your identity.

3. Now that you have the Wells Fargo Card and the Bluebird card in your possession go to any one of the stores that qualify as a drugstore, gas station, or grocery store and buy Vanilla Reload cards with your 5% Wells Fargo Credit Card. It's important that these are Vanilla Reload cards and NOT One Vanilla, My Vanilla or any other variations of the Vanilla brand. You may want to find a store which sells these cards prior to getting all this setup. The card should look like the pic below...

The Vanilla Reload cards are reload packs. They allow you to put cash onto many prepaid and other debit cards. They do have a $3.95 charge per card and you can only load a max of $500 on each card. The tough part is locating a gas station, drug store, or grocery store that allows you to purchase the Vanilla Reload cards with Credit Cards. Many of them will only accept cash or will take a card but only debit. Once you find a location which will allow you to use credit cards buy them with your Wells Fargo 5% cash back card.

It will depend on your credit limit and how much a store will sell you. Buy as many as you can up, you max out at $5,000 per month.

4. Now you have Vanilla Reload cards. Visit VanillaReload.Com adn enter the unique 10 digit PIN number into the box. You will find it on the back of the Vanilla Reload card after you scratch it off like a lotto ticket. After doing this enter your 15 digit BlueBird card number. BlueBird will allow $5,000 per month to be loaded and a $1,000 daily limit. This will take you a min of 5 days to accomplish.

5. You now have $5,000 loaded onto your BlueBird card. Go to the "settings" tab on the upper right hand corner and link it to your bank account. You can do this as soon as you get your card as well. Once it's linked you can transfer the entire $5,000 from your BlueBird account that you recieved by buying the Vanilla Reloads to your bank using the "Withdraw Funds" link/feature.

*Some people have been shut down either by Bluebird or their Credit Card company by doing the direct transfer of funds to your bank account. To fly under the radar you may want to instead use your BlueBird card to pay bills, pay your taxes. Though many bills will not allow you to pay with a Credit Card most will allow you to pay with a debit card for a small fee of $3 or $3 vs 2% or 3% which is generally waht you'll be charged to pay bills by card, if they allow payment by credit card at all. It's up to you if you want to take the easy/lazy way and transfer to the bank or if you want to pay your rent and other bills with the debit card.

6. Last step here. Now you have $5,000 in your bank account. Use Billpay or ACH to pay off the $5,039.50 balance on your Wells Fargo 5% cash back card. The reason your paying $5039.50, even though you only loaded $5,000 is because you pay $3.95 per load. This is also why you want to make sure you have a card where points are at least valued at a penny or more, because you're paying about 0.8 cents per mile you earn. If you have a poor earning card you will lose money. If you have a good earning card you will be earning about 0.2 cents per Dollar spent and come out ahead. This is what you will have completed...

1. $5,039.50 Charged on Wells Fargo 5% Cash Back Card for Vanilla Reloads.
2. $5,000 moved from Vanilla reloads to BlueBird.
3. $5,0000 moved from Bluebird to bank account.
4. $5039.50 moved from bank account to pay off Wells Fargo 5% Credit Card.

You're now left with...

1. $5,039.50 credit card balance paid off.
2. 5% rebate of $5,039.50 which comes to $251.98, subtract the $39.50 you paid for 10 Vanilla Reload cards.

Total Monthly Gain: $212.48

Couple Other Things To Consider...

1. No reason to, but don't inform the cashier you are buying the Vanilla Reload cards for what you are doing. If they realize it's easy money they may hoard the cards for themselves.

2. Finding these cards can be a challenge. I'm surprised how hard it is to find these cards. I do find them at a few different CVS locations near my home though. If you get a rapport with a cashier they will sometimes save the cards for you when they come in, be nice and bring them a coffee or something.

3. Not sure how this is taxed if at all. You should do your own research. I'm under the impression this is considered a discount and not taxable income but I suppose all income earned is ordinary income at the least.

4. This sounds somewhat complicated but it's very easy and simple. This type of earning is referred to as arbitrage. It normally takes me 2 minutes to drive to the CVS by my home and buy $5,000 worht of cards. A couple minutes everyday for each reload. Basically less than an hours worth of work for $212.48. Do you make that at your job? the toughest part will be locating the cards and a store who sells them.

Wrapping Up:

Your not gonna get rich off this but at the same time hard to not take advantage of $1,275 over a 6 month period with basically 2 hours worth of work.