Why You Should Follow Me On Social Media & The Return Of FFU Text Alerts

Why You Should Follow Me On Social Media

Before you write this post off as a vain attempt to boost my ego, there is a legitimate reason why you should follow me on social media!

This morning at around midnight, Canadian Kilometers posted a mistake fare from FlyerTalk that was from Seychelles (island off of Africa) to Dublin in Etihad Business Class for $361!

Obviously someone at the airline forgot to add a extra $0, because that fare is worth substantially more than $361…

When deals like this happen, instead of recapping the deal on this site with a post (which is somewhat pointless), I prefer to redirect Readers to the original post and try to get in on the offer in real time so I can add any useful info and analysis.

The easiest and quickest way for me to do this is to post on Facebook and Twitter, which is exactly what I did last night!

In addition to sharing the deal, social media allows me to chat with Readers in real time and answer any questions.

As you can see above, a few Readers had some questions. Since I had already made my booking and knew the trick to add in a free stopover without increasing the price, the Readers who were following me on Facebook could ask questions in real time and I was happy to help guide them thru the process!

I legitimately LIVE for these kind of deals and nothing get my heart pumping faster than trying to get in on these deals before they get killed! My number one joy from this site comes from helping others get in on these kind of unbelievable deals that most normal people will never experience. Not to mention it is always fun meeting up at FTU and talking to other people to see who got in on what deal.

Therefore, if you are on Facebook or Twitter, it is really to YOUR ADVANTAGE to follow me (as egotistical as that sounds)!

Link To Facebook

Link To Twitter

And to be honest, the way I hear about these deals is because as a Reader, I follow all the other bloggers on Facebook and Twitter!

Return Of FFU Breaking Text Messages

Now if you already do follow me on Facebook and Twitter, and are waking up this morning only realize that you slept thru the deal, I have some good news…

When I first started blogging, I decided to remove the fourth wall and put my cell phone number (617-971-8467 ) online in case anyone had any dying travel questions and needed to get in contact with me.

In addition, I know a lot of people who have real jobs and families, can’t be on Facebook and Twitter all day, so I created a FFU Breaking Deals Text Alert.

Unfortunately, I had so much interest in the free service that I had to cap how many people I could add to it because my phone wouldn’t let me send out 1,000 texts at a time.

Well I am happy to announce that FFU Text Message Alerts are back and open to everyone!

How To Set Up FFU Text Alerts

1. Create A Twitter Account

Even if you have never heard of Twitter, think social media is a fad, don’t think you will ever use it, or don’t have an account, to receive FFU Text Alerts to your cell phone you have to sign up via Twitter. Unfortunately there is no way around it : (

Twitter is free and takes about 10 seconds to set up.

If you don’t feel comfortable with social media, feel free to use a fake name and don’t put a picture. It makes no difference to me!

Also you don’t have to use Twitter once you set it up. You only have to set it up once and the text service will be good to go forever.

Link To Create A Twitter Account

2. Follow FFU Alerts

Once you have an account, click the link below and follow @FFUAlerts.

Link To FFU Alerts

This new @FFUAlerts account is what I will use to ONLY SEND OUT BREAKING DEAL TEXTS TO YOUR PHONE. Nothing else, so you won’t be spammed.

These deals don’t happen all the time, so maybe expect 1 text a month. I’ll only send out the juicy stuff!

Of course, I will still also be sharing the deals via my main Twitter and Facebook account!

3. Set Up Mobile Notifications

To set up mobile notifications, simply do the following.

After clicking on that gear looking thing at the top, click on Settings

Next click on Mobile and enter your Phone Number.

Once you enter your number, this screen will come up.

This part I definitely missed when I was setting my phone up.

YOU HAVE TO TEXT 40404 WITH GO FROM YOUR PHONE to activate the service.

Why Twitter can’t just send you a text confirmation like most other companies, I am not sure, but you need to text them first before it works!

After you are all set up, your screen should look like the image below.

Go ahead and uncheck all the other boxes (except the one that is checked in the image below) so you don’t get spammed with junk texts.

If you don’t want to receive texts at certain hours (bed time), you can tell them not to text you.

After you have activated mobile notifications, simply go to back to the @FFUAlerts page and click on the Head Silhouette and select Turn On Mobile Notifications.

Text notifications are then set up and you are good to!

Once it is set up, any time in the future I post anything to the @FFUAlerts account, you will receive a Text Message (like the one below) on your phone!

Although the process of setting this notification system up looks like it takes a long time, you honestly can do the entire process in 1 minute.

While I know there are quite a few people that will put off doing this or not do it at all, it is to your advantage to set it up because it makes sure you will get notified of the next deal.

In the past, we have seen Singapore Suites bookable with United Miles, 4 Mile First Class Awards to Asia, free flights and hotels via Expedia Canada, $280 mistake fares to Europe, etc. So who knows what the next deal might be?

Also in the age of the internet (I know I am part of the problem), the minute these deals hit the webs / blogs, they get killed, so again it is to your advantage to know about them as soon as they hit the web because they typically don’t last that long!

I really hope that someone doesn’t miss out on whatever the next deal is because they didn’t spend 1 minute setting up text alerts…

Recap

Overall, I am beyond ecstatic that I was able to get in on this mistake fare and help scores of Readers do the same!

I have never been to Africa, the Middle East, or Dublin, so I am excited to visit all 3. Not to mention fly in Business Class on Etihad (which is not something you can easily do with the miles most of us have)! As an added bonus, I will be able to credit the miles to AA and earn 15,000 miles in the process!

I hope that everyone who heard about the deal last night, got in on it.

For those of that didn’t, there will always be another and I hope that you follow me on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for Breaking Deal alerts so I can hopefully share it with you (or you share it with me)!

-Parag

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