Mid-week roundup from around the web

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I periodically like to clear out my RSS reader and pass along the most interesting news that has recently crossed my desk:

  • Marriott's April 8, 2014 devaluation sucks, putting the Courtyard Portland City Center and Residence Inn Portland Downtown/RiverPlace in Category 6 and therefore out of reach for Megabonus and annual free night certificates;
  • Frequent Miler makes me laugh, since I can't bear to spend any money on Amazon unless I've redeemed Plink points for gift card credits;
  • Chasing the Points reminds us to not just manage hard credit pulls, but also utilization ratios;
  • Frugal Travel Guy wants you to sign up for a card that offers just 50,000 HHonors points and a $50 statement credit, and that you'll never use again (don't do it);
  • View from the Wing wants you to sign up for a card that offers 75,000 HHonors points and has a $75 annual fee. Instead, apply for the no-annual-fee version and then upgrade the card to Surpass and earn a total of 90,000 HHonors points for the same annual fee;
  • Frugal Travel Guy gets upset about your whining;
  • Milenomics does the shuffle;
  • PFDigest tells you to watch what you write in your PayPal message boxes (I usually go with "March rent").

Good work today, team.