Deals & Offers — Page 3

Amazon: $15 Promo to Make Discover Card Your Default Payment Method (Targeted)

Posted on November 21, 2024 // 1 Comment

Discover is offering a new $15 promotion simply for setting your Discover card as the *default* payment method. You should see the promo immediately after activating. I recommend to keep Discover as your default method for that next purchase using the $15 promo credit; you’ll get 5% back as well during this quarter.

If you don’t already have your Discover card linked, try this link for a different $15 bonus for adding your Discover Card to Amazon as a payment method.

This is separate from the Discover Shop with Points promo, where you actually redeem your Discover cash back rewards on an Amazon purchase.

Finally, try this link to see all your Discover + Amazon offers.

This is a recurring perk for existing Discover cardholders, which is why I never cancel a card with no annual fee. Check out my Discover it credit card review, one of my keeper 5% cash back cards. From now until December 31, 2024, Amazon is one of their 5% categories.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, Inspirational, Monthly Updates //

Last updated: November 21, 2024

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Amazon: Pay with Discover Card Points, Get $10 off $50 or 30%/40% Off (Targeted)

Posted on November 21, 2024 // 11 Comments

Discover it 14 Image Check offer link again to see if eligible for this new round. If you have a Discover card with cash back rewards, you can redeem them to buy eligible items at Amazon.com. The redemption rate is $1 in Cash Back Bonus = $1 to spend at Amazon, which is the same rate as their statement credit redemptions. Check if you have a targeted promotion and activate for an additional discount for redeeming a single penny’s worth of points. (To see the link, you may need to visit this page on the internet if viewing this via e-mail or RSS.)

Get $10 off $50/$75 or 30%/40% Off (max cap applies), valid on items shipped and sold by Amazon. Must redeem at least $0.01 in Discover cash back.

Here are some additional tips:

If you haven’t linked your Discover yet, first check if you can get a bonus here. If not, you can link your Discover Cashback points balance to your Amazon account here. Check again, possibly waiting a day or two.
If you have already linked your Discover card previously and aren’t targeted, consider removing your Discover card from your account completely, and then linking it again after a day. Try again in a day or two.
Items must be marked as both sold AND shipped by Amazon.com.
Be sure to select your Discover Card as your payment method and redeem at least 1 point or $0.01 in value of Discover points.
You should see the promo credit on final order checkout page, right before final purchase.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Last updated: November 21, 2024

Qatar Airways Credit Card: Up to 80,000 Avios + OneWorld Status Perks (Limited-Time Offer)

Posted on November 19, 2024 // 2 Comments

Qatar Airways has new limited-time offers on their two US co-branded credit cards through a small issuer called Cardless. Even if you have no plans to fly on Qatar, these cards offer many perks useful to even domestic-only US travelers. For example, Qatar Airways Avios are easily transferrable to British Airways Avios and can be used to book award flights on American Airlines. These cards also include different levels of OneWorld Alliance status, which includes perks to American Airlines travelers like access to priority check-in lines and even business-class lounges with the premium version. Here are the highlights of the two card versions:

Qatar Airways Privilege Club Signature Credit Card

Up to 60,000 bonus Avios. 30,000 bonus Avios after first transaction. Additional 30,000 bonus Avios after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Silver tier benefits instantly after being accepted for this credit card. Importantly, this in turn gives you OneWorld Ruby status. Applies to the first year only.
4X Avios on Qatar Airways spend.
4X Avios on restaurant spends till Dec 31, 2024. Usually 2X.
2x Avios on other eligible spends till Dec 31, 2024. Usually 1X.
$99 annual fee.

OneWorld Ruby status includes:

Access to Business Class priority check-in (shorter lines)
Access to preferred or pre-reserved seating
Priority on waitlists and when on standby
Alaska Airlines MVP status and perks
American Airlines AAdvantage Gold status and perks
British Airways Executive Club Bronze status and perks

Qatar Airways Privilege Club Infinite Credit Card

Up to 80,000 bonus Avios. 40,000 bonus Avios after first transaction. Additional 40,000 bonus Avios + 150 Qpoints after spending $5,000 in the first 90 days.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Gold tier benefits instantly after being accepted for this credit card. Importantly, this in turn gives you OneWorld Sapphire status. Applies to the first year only.
5X Avios on Qatar Airways spend.
6X Avios on restaurant spends till Dec 31, 2024. Usually 3X.
2x Avios on other eligible spends till Dec 31, 2024. Usually 1X.
$499 annual fee.

OneWorld Sapphire status includes:

Access to Business class lounges (including American Airlines lounges)
Priority boarding
Extra baggage allowance
Priority baggage handling
Access to Business Class priority check-in (shorter lines)
Access to preferred or pre-reserved seating
Priority on waitlists and when on standby
Alaska Airlines MVP Gold status and perks
American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum status and perks
British Airways Executive Club Silver status and perks

The application will check your Experian credit report, so be sure to unfreeze/unlock that first. You can only have one Cardless-issued credit card at a time.

This is one of those cards that you may not get as your first airline card, but once you’ve gotten most of the other ones you’ll start to look for other smaller issuers. This niche card still earns Avios which are very flexible.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Last updated: November 20, 2024

United^SM Explorer Card Review – 60,000 Miles Offer + Annual Fee Waived First Year

Posted on November 15, 2024 // 1 Comment

60k limited-time offer is back. The card_name is a Chase-issued credit card that offers unique perks on United Airlines including free checked bags and expanded award seat availability for redeeming miles. Here are the highlights:

Limited-time offer: 60,000 United miles after $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Free first checked bag for both you and one traveling companion on the same reservation (worth up to $160 per roundtrip) when you use your Card to purchase your ticket. Terms Apply.
Expanded award availability. Having this card makes it easier to find that saver award economy ticket.
Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit.
Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club^SM with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary.
2X miles on dining, on hotel stays, and on United(R) purchases.
25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Explorer Card
No foreign transaction fees.
Your miles don’t expire as long as your credit card account is open, with no limit to the number of miles you can earn.
Use your miles for any seat, any time, on any United flight.
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.

Keep in mind the following terms and conditions:

This card product is available to you if you do not have this card and have not received a new Cardmember bonus for this card in the past 24 months.

This card is very focused on making it a better experience to fly on United. You have the first checked bag for free on United flights, both for your and a companion traveling on the same reservation. The bag fee is now $40 per person, each way, so that adds up to $160 each roundtrip. Before you board, you might use one of your free United Club lounge passes. You also get Priority Boarding, which helps you find space for your carry-on. While onboard, you get 25% back on your inflight purchases of WiFi, food, and drinks.

Expanded award seat availability. You earn United miles for all your purchases (double miles on restaurants and hotel stays), but then they also make it easier for you to redeem those miles on Saver level tickets with no blackout dates. Expanded award seat availability is another of the top perks from this card, and I’ve found a very significant difference when searching. If you’re constantly trying to find economy tickets for the entire family like me, this is a big deal. Saver Award ticket redemptions start at 12,500 miles one-way within the continental U.S. and Canada.

Another unique feature of this card is that it offers primary coverage on the Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver. On most other consumer cards, this coverage is offered as secondary coverage, meaning it only kicks in after your personal auto insurance has been exhausted.

Bottom line. The card_name offers great perks for folks that fly United even just once or twice a year. The card provides lounge passes, a free checked bag, priority boarding, and inflight discounts. There are bonus categories to earn more miles, and special expanded award seat inventory for credit card holders to make it easier to actually redeem those miles for flights.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General //

Last updated: December 12, 2024

JetBlue Plus Card Review: 80,000 Bonus Points ($99 Annual Fee)

Posted on November 15, 2024 // 7 Comments

80k offer is back. The JetBlue Plus Mastercard is a rewards credit card that earns TrueBlue points for purchases and includes special perks for JetBlue customers. Right now, there is a special link above has an increased offer above the prior 50k and 60k offer levels (hat tip to DoC). Here are the highlights:

80,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.
First checked bag is free for the primary cardmember and up to 3 companions when you use your JetBlue Plus Card on JetBlue-operated flights.
6X points on JetBlue purchases, 2 points per $1 at restaurants and grocery stores and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
No blackout dates on JetBlue-operated flights & redeem for any seat, any time on JetBlue flights. Points required for an Award Flight will vary based on the published base fare at the time of booking.
Annual $100 statement credit after you purchase a JetBlue Vacations package of $100 or more.
Points awarded in your TrueBlue account don’t expire.
Earn and share points together with Family Pooling.
50% savings on eligible inflight purchases including cocktails, food and movies.
Points Payback option allows you to redeem points for a statement credit – up to $1,000 per year.
Get 10% of your points back every time you redeem to use toward your next redemption.
5,000 TrueBlue bonus points annually after your account anniversary.
$99 annual fee.

First checked bags on JetBlue usually cost $35 each-way, per person. The free checked bag perk applies to you and up to 3 travel companions on the same reservation when (1) the ticket is purchased with your JetBlue Plus card, (2) the primary cardmember’s TrueBlue member number must be entered at the time of booking. That works out great for a family traveling together. If you buy higher fare classes, a certain number of complimentary bags may already be included.

How does redeeming TrueBlue points work? TrueBlue works on a revenue-based system, where the points required depends on the current cash cost of the flight (with no blackout dates). If they sell it for cash, you can book it with points. This is different than traditional chart-based systems that charge a fixed point balance but imposes blackout dates and limited seat availability.

TrueBlue points are best redeemed for JetBlue flights. There are some other options like newspaper or magazine subscriptions, but I won’t cover them here.

TrueBlue points can be estimated at 1 points = 1.3 cents. Ex. 30,000 points would cover roughly $390 in JetBlue airfare. The exact value may vary, but 1.3 cents is a conservative average of what I found across Blue, Blue Plus, and Blue Flex fares. You can test it out yourself by pricing out the same flight on JetBlue.com using points or cash (you don’t need to sign-in or have an account). Here is an example of a randomly-chosen Blue flight from New York City (JFK) to Orlando (MCO). The roundtrip flight costs $250.20 cash total:

Or the exact same roundtrip flight costs 15,800 TrueBlue points + $11.20 in taxes/fees:

That means the 15,800 points offset $239 in cash, or a value of 1.51 cents per TrueBlue point. But again, 1.3 is a conservative average estimate.

This means 2X points back on restaurants and groceries can be estimated as 2.6% back in the form of TrueBlue airfare. The 3X points back on Jetlue-operated flights can be 3.9% back in the form of TrueBlue airfare. The 6X points back with the Plus card on JetBlue-operated flights can be 7.8% back in the form of TrueBlue airfare.

Upon the renewal of your $99 annual fee, you get another 5,000 TrueBlue points ($65 of airfare value at 1.3 cents/point). If you can take advantage of the free checked bag perk, there is definitely ongoing value for regular JetBlue fliers. I haven’t investigated the $100 off a JetBlue Vacations package, but it could be worth a look.

As a minimum baseline value, you can redeem up to 100,000 TrueBlue points per year at 1 cent a point for a flat statement credit. So 30,000 points = $300, and so on. You always get more value redeeming for a JetBlue flight, but I know some people may just want to cash out.

Bottom line. The JetBlue Plus card from Barclaycard offers several perks for regular JetBlue customers such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions. There is also a nice sign-up bonus for new applicants.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

There is also a JetBlue Business card that currently offers up to 60,000 bonus points. Also see: Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Last updated: December 12, 2024

Coinbase: $50 Bitcoin Bonus for New Customers (Ends 11/22)

Posted on November 14, 2024 // 3 Comments

Coinbase is offering a $50 BTC new user bonus for new customers that complete their first trade of at least $1. Offer expires soon on 11/22/24. The promo code GET50 should already be populated. Fine print says $50 in Bitcoin should arrive within 24-48 hours (arrived within 5 minutes for me). This limited-time offer is better than the standard offer ($5 bonus) and the current referral offer ($20 bonus).

Coinbase continues to try to be the largest, most reputable US-based cryptocurrency exchange platform. If you were ineligible for a Coinbase account in your state previously, I’d check again because they are now live in more states. As with a bank account, you will need to verify your identity using passport, driver’s license, or state ID card. I was able to upload my photo and get it approved instantly.

I linked my PayPal account for simplicity and bought $5 in BTC, and my $50 bonus arrived nearly instantly. For the purchase, there is either a $0.99 commission or you can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Coinbase Pro and pay zero commission (just remember to cancel).

Coinbase also has a program called “Learning Rewards” that regularly offers additional small bonuses ($3 to $5 a pop) for watching videos about new crypto and completing a short quiz.

Fine print:

After your first trade, $50 worth of BTC will be added to your account. Limited redemptions of code may apply. Promotion code expires at 11:59 PST on 11/22/2024. Offer available to new users in the U.S. who have not previously made a crypto purchase on Coinbase. Minimum trade of $1. Allow 24 hours for the bonus to be deposited into your account. Offer not available to new users who were referred to Coinbase through the Referral Program or who have previously opened an account using different contact information. Coinbase may update the conditions for eligibility at any time. Cannot be combined with another offer or promotion.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Investing //

Last updated: November 14, 2024

Best Interest Rates Survey: Savings Accounts, Money Markets, Treasuries, CDs, ETFs – November 2024

Posted on November 12, 2024 // 6 Comments

Here’s my monthly roundup of the best interest rates on cash as of November 2024, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. There are lesser-known opportunities available to individual investors, often earning more money while keeping the same level of safety by moving to another FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union. Check out my Ultimate Rate-Chaser Calculator to see how much extra interest you could earn from switching. Rates listed are available to everyone nationwide. Rates checked as of 11/12/2024.

TL;DR: Fed lowered rates again; slight drops are continuing on average. Still some 5%+ savings accounts. Still some 4%+ APY 5-year CDs. Compare against Treasury bills and bonds at every maturity, taking into account state tax exemption. I no longer recommend fintech companies due to the possibility of loss due to poor recordkeeping and/or fraud.

High-yield savings accounts
Since the huge megabanks still pay essentially no interest, everyone should at least have a separate, no-fee online savings account to piggy-back onto your existing checking account. The interest rates on savings accounts can drop at any time, so I list the top rates as well as competitive rates from banks with a history of competitive rates and solid user experience. Some banks will bait you with a temporary top rate and then lower the rates in the hopes that you are too lazy to leave.

The top rates at the moment are from newcomers Pibank at 5.50% APY and TIMBR at 5.25% APY. I have no personal experience with either, but they are the top rates at the moment. Most others have dropped at least a little. For example, CIT Platinum Savings is now at 4.55% APY with $5,000+ balance.
SoFi Bank is at 4.20% APY + up to $325 new account bonus with direct deposit. You must maintain a direct deposit of any amount (even $1) each month for the higher APY. SoFi has historically competitive rates and full banking features. See details at $25 + $300 SoFi Money new account and deposit bonus.
Here is a limited survey of high-yield savings accounts. They aren’t the top rates, but a group that have historically kept it relatively competitive such that I like to track their history. Kind of an index like the Dow or S&P 500.

Short-term guaranteed rates (1 year and under)
A common question is what to do with a big pile of cash that you’re waiting to deploy shortly (plan to buy a house soon, just sold your house, just sold your business, legal settlement, inheritance). My usual advice is to keep things simple and take your time. If not a savings account, then put it in a flexible short-term CD under the FDIC limits until you have a plan.

No Penalty CDs offer a fixed interest rate that can never go down, but you can still take out your money (once) without any fees if you want to use it elsewhere. Marcus has a 7mo/9mo/11mo No Penalty CD at 3.90% APY with a $500 minimum deposit. Farmer’s Insurance FCU has 9-month No Penalty CD at 4.50% APY with a $1,000 minimum deposit. Consider opening multiple CDs in smaller increments for more flexibility.
Langley Federal Credit Union has a 10-month certificate special at 5.25% APY ($500 min, $50,000 max). This is a promo for new members only. Anyone can join this credit union nationwide; you must maintain $5 in their share savings account. Early withdrawal penalty is 90 days of interest.

Money market mutual funds
Many brokerage firms that pay out very little interest on their default cash sweep funds (and keep the difference for themselves). Note: Money market mutual funds are highly-regulated, but ultimately not FDIC-insured, so I would still stick with highly reputable firms.

Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX) is the default sweep option for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has an SEC yield of 4.67% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 4.77%, which is better for comparing against APY). Odds are this is much higher than your own broker’s default cash sweep interest rate.
Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund (VUSXX) is an alternative money market fund which you must manually purchase, but the interest will be mostly (80% for 2023 tax year) exempt from state and local income taxes because it comes from qualifying US government obligations. Current SEC yield of 4.63% (compound yield of 4.73%).

Treasury Bills and Ultra-short Treasury ETFs
Another option is to buy individual Treasury bills which come in a variety of maturities from 4-weeks to 52-weeks and are fully backed by the US government. You can also invest in ETFs that hold a rotating basket of short-term Treasury Bills for you, while charging a small management fee for doing so. T-bill interest is exempt from state and local income taxes, which can make a significant difference in your effective yield.

You can build your own T-Bill ladder at TreasuryDirect.gov or via a brokerage account with a bond desk like Vanguard and Fidelity. Here are the current Treasury Bill rates. As of 11/12/24, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.60% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.38% annualized interest.
The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 4.88% SEC yield and effective duration of 0.10 years. SPDR Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) has a 4.57% SEC yield and effective duration of 0.08 years.

US Savings Bonds
Series I Savings Bonds offer rates that are linked to inflation and backed by the US government. You must hold them for at least a year. If you redeem them within 5 years there is a penalty of the last 3 months of interest. The annual purchase limit for electronic I bonds is $10,000 per Social Security Number, available online at TreasuryDirect.gov.

“I Bonds” bought between November 2024 and April 2025 will earn a 3.11% rate for the first six months. The rate of the subsequent 6-month period will be based on inflation again. More on Savings Bonds here.
In mid-April 2025, the CPI will be announced and you will have a short period where you will have a very close estimate of the rate for the next 12 months. I will have another post up at that time.

Rewards checking accounts
These unique checking accounts pay above-average interest rates, but with unique risks. You have to jump through certain hoops which usually involve 10+ debit card purchases each cycle, a certain number of ACH/direct deposits, and/or a certain number of logins per month. If you make a mistake (or they judge that you did) you risk earning zero interest for that month. Some folks don’t mind the extra work and attention required, while others would rather not bother. Rates can also drop suddenly, leaving a “bait-and-switch” feeling.

OnPath Federal Credit Union (my review) pays 7.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and login to online or mobile banking once per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization. You can also get a $100 Visa Reward card when you open a new account and make qualifying transactions.
Genisys Credit Union pays 6.75% APY on up to $7,500 if you make 10 debit card purchases of $5+ each per statement cycle, and opt into online statements. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
La Capitol Federal Credit Union pays 6.25% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases of at least $5 each per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization, Louisiana Association for Personal Financial Achievement ($20).
Credit Union of New Jersey pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make 12 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit, online bill payment, or automatic payment (ACH) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
Andrews Federal Credit Union pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization.
Orion Federal Credit Union pays 6.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make electronic deposits of $500+ each month (ACH transfers count) and spend $500+ on your Orion debit or credit card each month. Anyone can join this credit union via $10 membership fee to partner organization membership.
All America/Redneck Bank pays 4.65% APY on up to $15,000 if you make 10 debit card purchases each monthly cycle with online statements.
Find a locally-restricted rewards checking account at DepositAccounts.

Certificates of deposit (greater than 1 year)
CDs offer higher rates, but come with an early withdrawal penalty. By finding a bank CD with a reasonable early withdrawal penalty, you can enjoy higher rates but maintain access in a true emergency. Alternatively, consider building a CD ladder of different maturity lengths (ex. 1/2/3/4/5-years) such that you have access to part of the ladder each year, but your blended interest rate is higher than a savings account. When one CD matures, use that money to buy another 5-year CD to keep the ladder going. Some CDs also offer “add-ons” where you can deposit more funds if rates drop.

Synchrony Bank has a 5-year certificate at 4.00% APY (no minimum), 4-year at 3.90% APY, 3-year at 3.90% APY, 2-year at 3.90% APY, and 1-year at 4.20% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 4-year and 5-year is 365 days of interest.
BMO Alto has a 5-year CD at 4.00% APY. 4-year at 3.90% APY. 3-year at 3.90% APY. 2-year at 3.90% APY. 1-year at 4.30% APY. No minimum. The early withdrawal penalty (EWP) for CD maturities of 1 year or more is 180 days of interest. For CD maturities of 11 months or less, the EWP is 90 days of interest. However, note that they reserve the right to prohibit early withdrawals entirely (!). Online-only subsidiary of BMO Bank.
You can buy certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. You may need an account to see the rates. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance and easy laddering, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. Right now, I see a 5-year non-callable CD at 3.85% APY (callable: no, call protection: yes). Be warned that both Vanguard and Fidelity will list higher rates from callable CDs, which importantly means they can call back your CD if rates drop later. (Issuers have indeed started calling some of their old 5%+ CDs as of Fall 2024.)

Longer-term Instruments
I’d use these with caution due to increased interest rate risk (tbh, I don’t use them at all), but I still track them to see the rest of the current yield curve.

Willing to lock up your money for 10 years? You can buy long-term certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. You might find something that pays more than your other brokerage cash and Treasury options. Right now, I see a 10-year CDs at [n/a] (non-callable) vs. 4.43% for a 10-year Treasury. Watch out for higher rates from callable CDs where they can call your CD back if interest rates drop.

All rates were checked as of 11/12/2024.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers, Investing // Tagged: monthlyrateupdate

Last updated: November 13, 2024

Southwest Airlines Credit Cards: New $400 + 40,000 Bonus Points Offer

Posted on November 12, 2024 // 26 Comments

(Updated with new cash + points offer. It is now late enough in the year that you should consider timing things to get your points credited in early 2025 so that you can go for obtaining your Companion Pass for the rest of 2025 + all of 2026. However, this new cash + points offer doesn’t really help with that; this current offer is better if you would rather have part of your bonus as a fixed statement credit instead of points to redeem. Total first-year value is still very strong.)

Southwest Airlines Rapid points are very flexible, as they let you use points to book basically any available seat that could be bought with cash. A conservative approximation from my experience is 1.3 cents in Wanna Get Away airfare in per point. That works out to roughly $520+ in Wanna Get Away airfare for every 40,000 Southwest points. That also means 85,000 points is worth roughly $1,100 in Wanna Get Away airfare. Plus, they still offer two free checked bags on all flights.

In addition, their Companion Pass lets you pick one person to fly with free when you book both paid AND award flights (including to Hawaii!) on Southwest. Once you qualify by earning 135,000 points in a calendar year, you earn the Companion Pass for both the rest of the year in which you earn it AND all of the next year (ex. rest of 2025 + all of 2026). Importantly, all points earned from credit cards count toward the requirement, and each card also offers a 10,000 point boost toward the Companion Pass requirement. Oftentimes if you get both a new personal and a new business card in the same year, you can meet this requirement with the new cardmember bonuses alone (especially if you include the spending required to unlock the bonus).

card_name

$400 statement credit and 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening.
Receive 3,000 anniversary points each year.
10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year.
2X points on Southwest(R) purchases.
2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming.
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
2 EarlyBird Check-In(R) each year
25% back on inflight purchases
All points earned count towards Companion Pass(R).
$69 annual fee.

card_name

50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Receive 7,500 anniversary points and a $75 Southwest® travel credit each year.
10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year.
3X points on Southwest purchases.
2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming.
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
2 EarlyBird Check-In(R) each year
25% back on inflight purchases
1,500 TQPs toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent in purchases annually (no limit on TQP earned).
4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
$149 annual fee.

The following are business credit cards:

card_name

80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
9,000 bonus points after each Cardmember anniversary.
NEW: 4X points on Southwest(R) purchases.
3X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
NEW: 2X points on rideshare.
2X points on social media and search engine advertising, Internet, cable and phone services and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
Inflight WiFi Credits (up to 365 x $8 credits per year).
Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit. Receive a statement credit of up to $120 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS.
$199 annual fee.

card_name

60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
6,000 bonus points after each Cardmember anniversary.
3X points on Southwest(R) purchases.
2X points and Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
2 EarlyBird Check-In(R) each year
$99 annual fee.

Value of Rapid Rewards points. Redeeming Southwest points for flights varies in a narrow range, but a very reasonable approximation from my experience is 1.3 cents in Wanna Get Away airfare in per point. That works out to $650+ in Wanna Get Away airfare for every 50,000 points or $1,300+ in Wanna Get Away airfare from 100,000 points (you are still liable for taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way). Importantly, Southwest does NOT have blackout dates or seat restrictions when you redeem with points. This means that Southwest points are much easier to use than a “saver award” on traditional airlines.

Now, if you manage to qualify for the the Companion Pass on every trip that you book with those points, that doubles the potential value of each award redemption. In other words, 125,000 Rapid Rewards, would usually get you $1,850 in Wanna Get Away airfare, but with the Companion Pass you’d get an extra companion ticket for every flight booked.

There may be other options like gift cards, but the redemption value is less than half the value you could get from redeeming for flights.

Southwest points expiration policy, per Southwest.com:

Do the points I earn expire?

No, your Rapid Rewards points do not expire. However, if you choose to close your account, the points in your account will be terminated.

Southwest still includes two free checked bags per person. The fees on the other airlines have crept up to $30 per bag, each-way. That adds up.

Our family policy is to not try out a new credit card unless it offers us $500 in total value. Just the free award flights from the points are enough to satisfy that rule, and then you can add on the potential value of the companion tickets.

Card restrictions. All of these Southwest credit cards are subject to “5/24” restrictions, which means that your application will be automatically denied if you have opened 5 or more credit cards in the last 24 months (check your credit reports). Our household strategy is to have one person only apply for Chase 5/24 cards, and the other person applies for everything else. There is also this language on the consumer card:

The product is not available to either (i) current Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Card, or (ii) previous Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card who received a new Cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. This does not apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.

Basically, you can get one sign-up bonus from a Southwest consumer card once every 24 months. You can also get one sign-up bonus from a Southwest business card once every 24 months.

Stack your Companion Pass with Chase Ultimate Rewards points. If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest points on a 1:1 basis. If you book an award flight with those Southwest points while you have the Companion Pass, you can double the value of your Ultimate Rewards points as well.

Bottom line. Southwest credit cards offer new cardholders the opportunity to earn hundreds of dollars worth of Wanna Get Away airfare, but if you time things right and maybe combine the welcome offers from a personal and business card, you can also grab the Southwest Companion pass, which provides a free companion ticket on every flight bought with cash OR points booked both during the rest of the year in which you earned it, AND the full next calendar year. Finally, Southwest still includes two free checked bags per person on every flight.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers and the Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General //

Last updated: November 21, 2024

Barclays Bank Tiered Savings: $200 Bonus on $25,000 Deposit (4.50% APY)

Posted on November 12, 2024 // 1 Comment

Barclays Bank Delaware is an FDIC-insured US bank with a limited-time offer of a $200 bonus if you deposit $25,000+ in new funds into their Tiered Savings Account. You must open by 1/6/2025, fund within 30 days of opening, and maintain the balance of at least $25,000 for another 120 consecutive days after funding. Bonus arrives after another 60 days. You must be a new Barclays Tiered Savings customer (current and previous Barclays customers with a Savings or CD are not eligible). Note that they have other flavors of savings accounts, so be sure to apply for the right one. Direct deposit is not required. Found via DoC.

Here are the current interest rate tiers, as of 11/12/24. They are subject to change at any time.

Selected fine print:

**$200 Bonus Offer: To qualify for this bonus offer, you must be a new Barclays Tiered Savings customer (current and previous Barclays customers with a Savings or CD are not eligible), open an account 11/7/2024 through 1/6/2025, fund your new Tiered Savings account with at least $25,000 within the first 30 days of opening the account, and maintain the balance of at least $25,000 for 120 consecutive days. After you maintain the $25,000 balance for 120 consecutive days, the $200 bonus will be added to your account in approximately 60 days. Offer expires 1/6/2025.

You may make multiple deposits to your account from another financial institution(s) to meet the offer requirements, provided these deposits all occur no later than 30 days after opening the new Tiered Savings account. The funds deposited into your Barclays Tiered Savings account will earn the then current annual percentage yield listed on banking.barclaysus.com/tiered-savings for the Barclays Tiered Savings account. Withdrawals could affect your eligibility to earn the bonus if the withdrawal causes the account balance to drop below $25,000.

The 120 consecutive days will not start until the $25,000 is deposited within 30 days from opening the account. The bonus will be applied and treated as interest for tax purposes and could require Barclays to send you a Form 1099-INT (Interest Income) and file it with the IRS for the year in which you earn the bonus. While there is no minimum required to open a Barclays Tiered Savings account, as described above there is a minimum balance required to earn the bonus offer.

Bonus math. This is a 0.8% bonus on $25,000 if you keep it there for 120 days, which makes it the equivalent of 2.40% APY annualized. Bonus will be paid around Day 180 and the account must be open at that time, but you only need to maintain full balance through Day 120 after funding. The bonus is on top of the standard interest rate, currently a relatively competitive 4.50% APY for a $25,000 balance as of 11/12/24.

The equivalent of roughly 6.90% total APY over 120 days makes it a decent offer for those with compatible balances looking for short-term place to hold their cash for a few months. The total difference over a 5.00% APY savings account would be about $150 in interest over those 120 days.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

Last updated: November 12, 2024

US Bank Smartly Credit Card Review: Up to 4% Cash Back w/ $100,000 in Qualifying Balances

Posted on November 11, 2024 // 16 Comments

Update 11/11/24: Applications for this card are now open. No sign-up bonus. It let me check if I was “pre-approved” with a soft pull (had to unfreeze TransUnion for it to work), but I was not pre-approved. That might be because I recently applied for the Altitude Reserve (now-discontinued) after setting up a Smartly Checking and Savings account to get “in” with them but was getting impatient (was denied for US Bank credit cards in the past without a banking relationship due to my geographic area). Will have to sit this one out for now, but plan to try again later if they don’t pull it quickly.

Original pre-review post:

US Bank recently announced the US Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card, a new rewards credit card that offers up to 4% cash back on all purchases, if you have enough qualifying balances with them. This is the newest entrant to relationship banking, where banks offers you extra perks for combining multiple account types with them like savings accounts and investment/retirement accounts.

The card is not open to applications yet, but you can get on an e-mail waitlist. Here are the details of how that “up to 4% cash back” breaks down according to this US Bank press release and CNBC article.

Base rewards of 2% cash back on all purchases, with no limit. Technically, this card earns 2 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases. In order get 2% cash back, you must redeem those points into an eligible U.S. Bank checking or savings account.

Bonus rewards of 0.5%, 1% or 2% cash back based on your qualifying combined balances at US Bank. You must also have an open Bank Smartly Savings account. Your qualifying combined balances with U.S. Bank include “open consumer checking account(s), money market savings account(s), savings account(s), CDs and/or IRAs, U.S. Bancorp Investments and personal trust account(s).” Business accounts, commercial accounts, and the Trustee only (IFI) client relationship do not qualify.

$5,000 – $49,999.99 earns 2.5% total cash back. Total of 2.5 Points per $1 (a base of 2 Points plus the Smartly Earning Bonus of 0.5 Points),
$50,000 – $99,999.99 earns 3% total cash back. Total of 3 Points per $1 (a base of 2 Points plus the Smartly Earning Bonus of 1 Point).
$100,000+ earns 4% total cash back. Total of 4 Points per $1 (a base of 2 Points plus the Smartly Earning Bonus of 2 Points).

Other bits: CNBC article reports no annual fee. Points will expire if there is no reward, purchase, or balance activity on your account for 12 consecutive statement cycles. Bank Smartly Credit Card and Bank Smartly Savings available in all 50 states.

Bank Smartly savings account. Let’s take a closer look at the Bank Smartly Savings account, which also earns difference rates based on both your balance inside the Smartly savings account itself AND your qualifying combined balances at US Bank. Here’s their current interest rate grid, updated as of 9/3/2024.

Importantly, these rates can change at any time. But right now, if you have at least $25k in Smartly and $25k in combined qualifying combined balances across US Bank, you can get the current top rate of 4.10% APY.

There is also a $5 monthly maintenance fee, which is waived if you have a Bank Smartly® Checking account (or Safe Debit account which also costs $4.95 a month). The Bank Smartly® Checking account itself has a $6.95 monthly fee, waived with $1,500+ average account balance, qualifying U.S. Bank consumer credit card, or combined monthly direct deposits totaling $1,000+.

Therefore, technically if you get this credit card, that would make the Bank Smartly Checking account free, which in turn would make the Bank Smartly Savings account free. Right now there is also a $450 bonus for new Bank Smartly Checking customers with a direct deposit requirement.

Rough opportunity costs with depositing cash at Bank Smartly Savings. Let’s try some rough theoretical numbers. Let’s say you actually have $100,000 in cash lying around, but you could get ~5.10% APY elsewhere and so you would be giving up ~1% APY to park your money at US Bank instead. If you held all of it at Bank Smartly Savings to qualify for the 4% cash back on the credit card, you’d be giving up $1,000 in taxable interest each year ($100,000 x 1%).

In exchange, you are getting 2% extra cash back over your existing, flat 2% cash back card. Cash back rewards are generally considered non-taxable as they are a rebate on your purchase. If you assume a marginal tax rate of 0% (this is just a guess), then you’d need $50,000 in annual purchases ($4,166 a month) at 2% extra cash back to break even with the hit from the lower interest. If you assume a marginal tax rate of 22%, then you’d need a little less: $39,000 in annual purchases ($3,350 a month) at 2% extra cash back to break even with the hit from the lower interest.

US Bank self-directed investments accounts! As with the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program, an alternative way to satisfy the balance requirements with minimal opportunity costs is to transfer over existing assets into a self-directed US Bank brokerage account. For example, you could transfer over $100,000 in index ETFs inside an IRA or taxable brokerage account. This would appear to fully satisfy the requirements as a “U.S. Bancorp Investments” account. This way, US Bank also gets a stronger foothold in the world of wealth management, as all the banks seem to want these days.

Be careful though, as US Bank’s self-directed brokerage account has a slightly higher fee schedule than much of the competition. Stock trades are $4.95 each, although you get 100 free trades per calendar year if you have both a Bank Smartly Checking account and paperless statements. There is a $50 annual account fee and a separate $50 annual IRA fee; these are waived if you have $250,000 in combined statement household balances.

My quick take. If all of these details actually hold through launch, they would be a potential improvement over the best current situation of 2.62% cash back on all purchases via the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program (also requires $100k in assets held at BofA) and a BofA cash back credit card. (The Robinhood 3% credit card is still “coming soon”.) But will it last? Even the BofA 2.62% has remained something of an outlier, but my hunch is that it has encouraged enough of people to keep a ton of cash at BofA earning zero interest so that BofA is still happy overall. Given that this new US Bank program actually offers a decent interest rate and an even higher cash back rate, I am concerned about its longevity. On the other hand, maybe this is US Bank’s big push to become a major player on the national level of Bank of America or Chase.

I’d have to open a lot of new accounts to go for this one. Savings account, brokerage account, credit card, move over assets, all for a bonus that is based on my credit card spend so will trickle in slowly. (None of these have a big upfront bonus.) Given the amount of shady stuff US Bank will probably have to deal with when paying 4% cash back, I’d also have to trust that it will last long enough to be worth the effort.

US Bank has a history of making cards and then pulling them from the market, but sometimes they also let the grandfathered users keep the old perk system. Hmm…

Filed Under: Banking, Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Last updated: November 12, 2024

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Review: 60,000 Bonus Points

Posted on November 11, 2024 // 136 Comments

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a premium travel rewards credit card that has gotten very popular due to its useful rewards structure and flexible Ultimate Rewards points that can be redeemed for cash, travel credits, or transferred to airline miles and hotel points. I’ve had it for years. Here are the highlights:

60,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel^SM.
5X total points on all travel purchased through Chase Travel^SM.
3X points on on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out.
3X points on select streaming services. Includes Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify and YouTube TV.
3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
2X points on all other travel purchases.
1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
$50 Annual Credit on hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel^SM. New cardmembers will start earning towards the credit immediately and existing cardmembers will start earning after their next account anniversary.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel^SM. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
10% Anniversary Point Bonus. Each account anniversary, cardmembers will earn bonus points equal to 10% of total purchases made the previous year. That means, $25,000 in spend will earn an additional 2,500 bonus points.
No foreign transaction fees.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
$95 annual fee.

Note the following text:

The product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 48 months.

Chase has an unofficial rule that they will automatically deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards from any issuer on your credit report within the past 2 years (aka the 5/24 rule). This rule is designed to discourage folks that apply for high numbers of sign-up bonuses. This rule applies on a per-person basis, so in our household one applies to Chase while the other applies at other card issuers.

Ultimate Rewards points. This card offers a special 25% bonus on travel redemptions made through the Chase Travel^SM site. For example, 60,000 Ultimate Rewards = $750 in travel. 75,000 Ultimate Rewards = $937.50 in travel. Similar to Expedia or Travelocity, you can book flights on most major airlines and hotel chains. This makes it much more flexible to spend your points. You can even buy something more expensive than your points can cover and pay the difference in cash.

If you have other Chase cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points like the Freedom Flex, Freedom Unlimited, Ink Business Cash or Ink Business Unlimited, you can transfer points into this card account and take advantage of the this higher premium. In other words, your existing Ultimate Rewards points balance could be increased in value by getting this card.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card is the “ultra-premium” rewards card that offers a bigger 50% bonus on travel redemptions, along with more perks and a higher annual fee.

Prefer airline and/or hotel points? This card also allows you to transfer Ultimate Rewards points into hotel and/or airline miles. Transfer to United Airlines, British Airways, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Southwest, Hyatt Hotels, IHG Hotels, and Marriott Hotels at a ratio of 1 Ultimate Rewards point = 1 mile/hotel point. Miles redemption continue to offer great value for savvy travelers, especially for last-minute travel and business class seats. I personally use the transfers to “top off” my account to reach a free coach ticket or free hotel night when I don’t have enough points otherwise. My favorite options are United miles, Southwest miles, and Hyatt hotel points. I usually try to save up my points for a Hyatt hotel stay that gets me over 2 cents per point value.

Cash redemptions are a simple and easy option at straight conversion of 100 points = $1.

Sharing points. Ultimate Rewards points are instantly transferable to other accounts including family members, as long as they have their own Chase card with Ultimate Rewards as an authorized user. This way, you can pool points together for transfers and redemptions if you like.

Additional card benefits:

Primary car rental collision damage waiver insurance. Decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. Coverage is primary and provides reimbursement up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad. Most other cards only offer secondary coverage that kicks in only after the deductible of your individual insurance policy is used.
Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance. If your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather and other covered situations, you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses, including passenger fares, tours, and hotels.
Trip Delay Reimbursement. If your common carrier travel is delayed more than 6 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket

Bottom line. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a popular premium travel rewards card with 3X points on dining out and 2X points on travel. Ultimate Rewards points are very flexible, either transferrable to several airline/hotel programs or directly redeemable to offset a hotel/airfare purchase through Chase Travel^SM.

Compare with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, which offers a bigger 50% bonus on travel redemptions, along with more perks and a higher annual fee.

This offer is on my list of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General, Reviews //

Last updated: December 12, 2024

Class Action Settlement Roundup – Breyers, Clif Bars, Cash App, Earth Rated, MLS Realtor Fees

Posted on November 8, 2024 // Leave a Comment

Time to clean up some browser tabs! Here are some class action settlements that may apply to you as of November 2024. The trick is to take action and file now before you forget… and then forget! I say this because they could take several months or longer to finally pay out. When they do show up, it’ll be a nice surprise. Many times they end up more than the initially indicated amount.

Vanillaicecreamsettlement.com – Was Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream really as natural as they advertised?
Barsclassaction.com – Should Clif Bars and Z Bars be marketed as healthy given their sugar content?
Cashappsecuritysettlement.com – Cash App data security incident.
ERcompostablesettlement.com – Earth-Rated compostable poop bags became/are/were really popular. But are they really compostable?
Realestatecommissionlitigation.com – If you sold a house recently on MLS and paid a commission to a real estate brokerage, check this out.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Last updated: November 8, 2024

Amazon: $15 Promo to Make Discover Card Your Default Payment Method (Targeted)

Amazon: Pay with Discover Card Points, Get $10 off $50 or 30%/40% Off (Targeted)

Qatar Airways Credit Card: Up to 80,000 Avios + OneWorld Status Perks (Limited-Time Offer)

United^SM Explorer Card Review – 60,000 Miles Offer + Annual Fee Waived First Year

JetBlue Plus Card Review: 80,000 Bonus Points ($99 Annual Fee)

Coinbase: $50 Bitcoin Bonus for New Customers (Ends 11/22)

Best Interest Rates Survey: Savings Accounts, Money Markets, Treasuries, CDs, ETFs – November 2024

Southwest Airlines Credit Cards: New $400 + 40,000 Bonus Points Offer

Barclays Bank Tiered Savings: $200 Bonus on $25,000 Deposit (4.50% APY)

US Bank Smartly Credit Card Review: Up to 4% Cash Back w/ $100,000 in Qualifying Balances

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Review: 60,000 Bonus Points

Class Action Settlement Roundup – Breyers, Clif Bars, Cash App, Earth Rated, MLS Realtor Fees

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