Aisle: Free Food after Venmo/PayPal Rebate

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

If you like the idea of free or discounted full-sized samples of trendy new food products, especially plant-based or health-focused ones, check out Aisle Offers. I also noticed that there are some discounts available on more established brands. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works:

  • You will need to opt-in your phone number and agree to receive a lot communication via texts.
  • Browse various offers from new food brands and make sure you successfully register first. Each vendor may send you specific details from a different phone number. For example, Cretor’s confirmed that you can buy any flavor, any size, any retailer but only up to $4.75 max rebate.
  • Buy the product (again, sometimes limited to specific retailers).
  • Text them a picture of the receipt.
  • Aisle will either Venmo or Paypal you the funds.

It seems that they are trying to minimize the friction of giving out free samples to folks, as opposed to manned tables like Costco or traditional paper coupons.

Here are several examples of free products that I see right now, although they will change quickly and are based on the retailers and stocking patterns near your specific geographic location. Something of a treasure hunt.

Might be a fun thing to try if you like such snacks. Hat tip to Doctor of Credit and Reddit. Reddit users report wait time usually varies from same day to 1-2 days, but is sometimes longer. The company appears legit; here is their brand-facing website.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Apple Watch as Standalone Phone For Kids: BetterRoaming eSIM Review

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

Our middle school has adopted some of the recommendations as outlined in the book Anxious Generation and other public policy folks:

  • Phones are not allowed during the school day at all. They are allowed after school.
  • Recommended: No smartphone until high school.
  • Recommended: No social media until age 16.

However, the school also does not provide any supervision when not in an after-school activity, so we needed a way to communicate with them regarding pickups and carpools and such. I ended up buying an Apple Watch SE w/ Cellular (you can get a refurbished one for under $200) and went with BetterRoaming for service as a standalone phone. The major providers like T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon all have different policies, but they cost at least $12-$15 a month for an independent smartphone if you don’t already have some sort of expensive unlimited plan with them. However, if you’re on a cheapo MVNO like me (Mint Mobile), many don’t support smartwatches at all. Of those that do, like the free smartwatch included on Visible+, they only let you use the watch as a paired device that shares the number with your existing iPhone.

BetterRoaming is an eSIM provider that operates worldwide, formerly known as UK-based Truphone before it was acquired by private investors. I could not find a concrete source, but based on their other eSIMs, I believe it uses AT&T towers in the US. The cost for service is $99 annually upfront ($8.33/month) (or $10.99 per month, month-to-month) and includes unlimited talk, text, and data. This was the cheapest standalone plan I could find.

There was a 7-day free trial, which I appreciated. The setup was relatively easy; the parent will need an iPhone that is connected to the Apple Watch via the Watch app for setup and changing settings, but be sure to follow the directions from BetterRoaming carefully and set up the watch as an independent phone with its own phone number. Pick “Set up for a Family Member”. Apple Watch uses eSIM so the rest is done over the air.

During real world usage, I have found that texting with my child does not work very reliably. I’ve done it with the watch right next to me and sometimes the watch does not get the message. Other times, it’s probably my kid who does not notice the message. Making traditional phone calls is the most reliable method to make contact. (Sometimes she forgets to charge the Watch and it dies as well, so definitely have a fallback plan.) The speakerphone on the Apple Watch is pretty good, but based on my personal experience the speaker can get damaged if exposed to salt water.

There is a “Schooltime” feature on the Apple Watch that restricts usage during preset hours, like Monday-Friday, 7am to 3pm. The child can disable the feature, but it is logged. During Schooltime hours, incoming calls are all ignored and don’t show up on the watch at all. I added my phone number as an whitelisted phone number; this way I can always contact her in an emergency, or during M-F school holidays where the feature is still accidentally active.

Overall, a couple of months in, I am satisfied with the combination of Apple Watch + BetterRoaming service. My middle school child now has the equivalent of a flip phone that is attached to her wrist (more likely to be heard, but also less likely to be lost). I didn’t have to change from my cheap MVNO plan (yet, I’ll need a family plan soon). I don’t have to worry about running out of minutes or text or data, even though we barely use them. I can track her location with “Find My” app, if necessary. I feel the cost is fair (of course, I’d like it to be cheaper given the light usage). With luck, the watch will last long enough to be passed down to the next child. 🤞

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

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Hilton Honors American Express Cards: 100,000 Bonus Points w/ No Annual Fee

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

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Limited-time 100k offer with no annual fee on personal, 175k offer on business. Hilton Hotels and American Express have co-branded credit cards with special perks for Hilton customers. Each person can only get one welcome offer, per card in your entire lifetime, so it’s best to apply during a temporary bump-up and/or limited-time offer.

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  • 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months. Offer ends 1/8/2025.
  • 7X Hilton points per dollar on purchases directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • 5X Hilton points per dollar on purchases at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations.
  • 3X Hilton points for all other eligible purchases.
  • Hilton Honors(TM) Silver status comes with this card. Spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on this card within a calendar year and upgrade this benefit to Hilton Honors(TM) Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • No annual fee.
  • See Rates and Fees

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  • 175,000 Hilton Honors points after $8,000 in purchases within the first six months. Offer Ends 1/8/2025.
  • 12X Hilton points on eligible Hilton purchases.
  • 5X Hilton points on other purchases on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year, 3X points thereafter.
  • Up to $240 in Hilton credits annually (Up to $60 per quarter). Get up to $60 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made with this card directly with a Hilton portfolio property.
  • Complimentary Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status (free breakfast, room upgrades based on availability, 5th standard reward night free).
  • Upgrade this benefit to Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the calendar year if the total eligible purchases on your Card Account during a calendar year reach $40,000 or more.
  • Complimentary National Car Rental(R) Emerald Club Executive(R) status. Enrollment is required through the link on your American Express online account. Terms apply.
  • $195 annual fee.
  • See Rates and Fees

What are Hilton Honor points worth? The best value is from booking free hotel nights or using their “Points & Money” option where you pay with a combination of Hilton points and cash. Hilton has some really nice properties, but the value varies from hotel to hotel. I just ran a search and for the same 60,000 Hilton points, I could book rooms that cost $320 or $532 cash. I’ve seen some valuations around 0.6 cents per point, which I think is fair on average, but I would be more conservative at 0.5 cents a point. That would make 150,000 points = $750 value and 100,000 points = $500 value towards Hilton hotel stays.

The good part of Hilton points is that they have so many different hotel brands, from business-class DoubleTree to luxury Waldorf Astoria. Hilton also lets you transfer and pool points with other with other family or household members. As long as you keep them active (once every 12 months), I do like to keep some around. These credit cards are handy for creating activity.

Free Night Award details. When it is offered (not all the time), the Free Night Award is valid for a one-night standard room at eligible Hilton properties, and also covers resort fees and taxes. There are many great and valuable options to redeem, but importantly read about the property exclusions here. Here are the full terms. To redeem the Free Night Reward, you must call 1-800-446-6677 (1-800-HHONORS). It’s quite easy and the agents are pretty helpful if you want to combine multiple certificates, combine a paid stay and a Free Night Award, etc. Free Night Rewards will expire 12 months from date of issuance.

I’ve used this Free Night Award at the Grand Wailea in Maui, and that standard room would have cost 110,000 Hilton Points otherwise. Other fancy possibilities include Conrad New York, Conrad London, Waldorf Astoria Park City, and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.

Bottom line. Hilton American Express cards offer regular Hilton customers a good opportunity to earn additional points towards free Hilton hotel stays as well as additional perks like status upgrades. The best time to apply for a Hilton co-branded American Express card is during a limited-time increase to their welcome offers. This is because American Express has changed their policy to only allow each person to get a welcome offer once per card.

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

See Rates and Fees for Hilton Honors American Express Card.

See Rates and Fees for The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Wings Financial Credit Union: $600 New Member Bonus + $50 Refer-a-Friend + 4.75% APY

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

New $600 Fall Bonus. Wings Financial Credit Union has an improved bonus worth up to $600 plus a $50 refer-a-friend bonus for new members (along with some other promotions). Please note that each has its own separate set of requirements.

Here are their official membership requirements, but anyone can join Wings Financial via partner organization (Wings Financial Foundation). When I applied, they paid the $5 membership fee for that partner organization on my behalf. I did experience a hard credit check, which is (unfortunately) common amongst credit unions.

Up to $400 Checking Bonus

  • Join Wings and open a new checking account by 10/31/24.
  • One offer per person; valid for U.S. residents only. Must be 18 years or older.
  • Must use promo code OWNIT24 at account opening.
  • Within 60 days of account opening, have recurring Qualified Direct Deposit(s) totaling at least $1,500 to earn the $150 bonus, $3,500 to earn the $300 bonus, or $5,000 to earn the $400 bonus.
  • Complete at least 5 net PIN or signature-based debit card or credit card transactions over $25 each on your Wings Visa Debit Card.
  • Enroll in Wings digital banking.
  • Enroll in eDocuments. You must do this manually after logging into your account online, and they will send you an e-mail confirmation afterward. Enrollment in eDocuments must also be active on the Bonus Payout Date.
  • If requirements are met, Checking Account Bonus will be paid by 1/17/25 (“Bonus Payout Date”) as a deposit to the Wings checking account; account must be in good standing (positive balance for the last 30 days).

$200 Savings/CD Bonus

  • Complete Checking Account Bonus Requirements (above)
  • Open a Wings savings account OR certificate account with minimum opening balance of $25,000 within 60 days of membership opening date. IRA accounts excluded. New deposits only; must be opened in branch or by phone. Must have a minimum available balance of $25,000 on 1/31/25 to earn $200 bonus.
  • If requirements are met, Savings/Certificate Bonus will be paid by 2/7/25 as a deposit to the Wings checking account; account must be in good standing (positive balance for the last 30 days).

$50 Refer-a-Friend Checking bonus

  • Register your information at member’s referral link (that’s mine). I have already registered on my end, and successfully referred members in the past. This form is independent of the $300 bonus above and does not require a promo code, and was stackable for me. I recommend you register your information at this link first, and then open the accounts with the proper promo code from above added.
  • Become a Wings Financial member and open a Share Savings Account (minimum balance of $5.00 required)
  • Open a new Wings Checking account (First Class or High-Yield).
  • Enroll in eDocuments. You must do this manually, and they will send you an e-mail confirmation afterward.
  • Complete one (1) direct deposit* of $300 or more into new checking account OR complete five (5) debit card purchase transactions of $5+ each. (ATM transactions excluded.)
  • Both referring and referred parties will receive a $50 Visa Reward card mailed to them upon completion. Wings has fulfilled this bonus as promised for me in the past.

New members definition:

5. New members and new recipients only:

a. Cannot have been a previous member (owner of a Primary Share account) of Wings Financial Credit Union within 12 months of promotional account application.
b. Cannot have previously received a new account bonus.

Direct deposit definition:

Direct Deposit must also be active on the Bonus Payout Date. “Qualified Direct Deposit” is an Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) automatic and electronic deposit of your salary, pension, Social Security or other regular income into your Wings account deposited as a Pre-arranged Payment and Deposit (“PPD”) entry. Income earned through self-employment or working an IRS-classified “Gig Economy” job does not qualify as a Qualified Direct Deposit. Other electronic deposits or person-to-person payments are not considered a Qualified Direct Deposit.

High-Yield “Rewards” checking account details. Most importantly, both checking options have no minimum balance requirement and no monthly fee. The High-Yield Checking is a “rewards” checking account that currently pays 3.04% APY on balances up to $25,000 if you (1) are enrolled in eDocuments, (2) have ACH direct deposit(s) totaling over $300 in the 34 calendar days preceding the last day of the month, and (3) have 15 net PIN or signature point-of-sale debit card transactions over $5 in the 34 calendar days preceding the last business day of the month. The net is calculated by counting the number of PIN and signature point-of-sale debit purchase transactions over $5 and subtracting any PIN or signature point-of-sale debit return transactions processed during that period.

Platinum Plus Savings at up to 4.75% APY. The Platinum Plus Savings account appears to be the best to pair with the $200 bonus above. No monthly fees. $25,000 minimum to open, must also maintain that minimum balance to earn APY. If you have ACH direct deposit(s) totaling over $300 in the past 34 days, you will earn 4.75% APY. If the requirement is not met, the rate will be 0.25% lower (currently 4.50% APY). Most payroll platforms will let you split your direct deposit into multiple accounts these days.

If you assume that you must keep the $25,000 there starting in November (must be deposited within 60 days) and hold through January 2025, that’s a hold period of 3 months (could be less if you’re aggressive). Over that period, a $200 bonus would be the equivalent of 3.2% APY annualized on top of the base 4.50% to 4.75% APY for a total of up to 7.95% annualized during that period.

Note that savings rates can drop, although the total is still probably going to be competitive. You may wish to open a 9-month promo CD at 4.75% APY (new deposits) if you want to lock in a rate, but the holding period will be longer.

There are different requirements to keep track of, but they stack together nicely. Mostly a new checking account, switching direct deposits, and keeping $25,000 in the Wings Savings if you have it. I like that you’re still earning a solid APY on your cash. I would participate, but I am already a Wings member and did a similar bonus in 2023. They fulfilled the bonuses without issue.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Bask Bank Interest Checking $200 Bill Pay Bonus (New and Existing Customers)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

Bask Bank has added two separate bonuses for their Interest Checking account:

  • Up to $200 total bonus for qualifying Bill Pay activities. Must have a new or existing Bask Interest Checking Account by November 29, 2024. Conduct two (2) electronic Bill Center transactions of a combined minimum total of $50, posting each month through 3/31/25. If you do that, the next month you’ll get $50. Total bonus limited to $200. Fine print.
  • Additional 2% APY through 1/31/25 if you open a new account by 12/31/24 and complete qualifying automated deposits (ACH transfers explicitly qualify) and maintain an average monthly balance of $5,000 through the reward period. This is on top of their normal APY, currently 1.00% APY. Fine print.

Interest Checking has no monthly fees and no minimum balance. You could also pair with the Bask Bank Interest Savings account, currently paying a competitive 5.10% APY. This is not a fintech; Texas Capital Bank is the underlying bank, previously also behind the old BankDirect brand. Hat tip to Doctor of Credit.

I’ll probably be going for the $200 Bill Pay bonus only, as it seems straightforward enough. These are decent bonuses from a reputable bank that I’ve dealt with for over years. I already have an open Mileage Savings Account with $20 or so in it so that I can earn a few American Airlines miles each month as “interest” and keep my AA miles active. (The payout isn’t as great as it once was, so I don’t keep anything sizable in there anymore, but maybe they’ll hike it back up someday.)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Best Interest Rates on Cash Roundup – September 2024

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

Here’s my monthly roundup of the best interest rates on cash as of September 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 9/15/2024.

TL;DR: Rates are dropping at all maturities, from money market funds outward, but really fast starting at 1 year out. Still 5%+ savings accounts and short-term 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 rate at the moment is at Poppy at 5.50% APY (3-month rate guarantee). Newcomer Pibank is also at 5.50% APY. I have no personal experience with either, but they are the top rates at the moment. CIT Platinum Savings at 4.85% APY with $5,000+ balance.
  • SoFi Bank is at 4.50% APY + up to $325 new account bonus with direct deposit. You must maintain a direct deposit of any amount 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.

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 7, 11, and 13-month No Penalty CD at 4.50% APY with a $500 minimum deposit. Consider opening multiple CDs in smaller increments for more flexibility.
  • Merchants Bank has a 1-year certificate at 5.25% APY ($1,000 min). I could not locate their early withdrawal penalty. This is their fixed-rate CD, watch out for the flex-rate ones.

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 is the default sweep option for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has an SEC yield of 5.19% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 5.32%, which is better for comparing against APY). Odds are this is much higher than your own broker’s default cash sweep interest rate.

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 9/13/24, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 5.03% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.02% annualized interest.
  • The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 5.21% SEC yield and effective duration of 0.10 years. SPDR Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) has a 5.11% 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. You can also buy an additional $5,000 in paper I bonds using your tax refund with IRS Form 8888.

  • “I Bonds” bought between May 2024 and October 2024 will earn a 4.28% 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-October 2024, 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 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.
  • 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.
  • Pelican State Credit Union pays 6.05% APY on up to $20,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, log into your account at least once, and make at least 1 direct deposit, online bill payment, or automatic payment (ACH) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization membership.
  • 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 5.00% 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.

  • Lafayette Federal Credit Union (LFCU) has a 5-year certificate at 4.32% APY ($500 min), 4-year at 4.42% APY, 3-year at 4.52% APY, 2-year at 4.78% APY, and 1-year at 5.04% APY. Slightly higher rates with jumbo $100,000+ balances. Note that the early withdrawal penalty for the 5-year is a relatively large 600 days of interest. Anyone nationwide can join LFCU by joining the Home Ownership Financial Literacy Council (HOFLC) for a one-time $10 fee.
  • Advancial Federal Credit Union has has a 5-year certificate at 4.47% APY (higher $50,000 min). Anyone nationwide should be able to join via membership with partner organization US Dog Agility Association, but I would call or check first.
  • 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 3.80% APY (callable: no, call protection: yes). Be warned that now 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 September 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 [none available] (non-callable) vs. 3.66% 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 9/15/2024.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Delta SkyMiles® American Express Cards – Welcome Offers up to 80,000 Miles

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

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Delta Airlines American Express cards offer various special perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and the ability to earn Delta Skymiles with card purchases. As you can only get the welcome offers once on each of these cards per person per lifetime (each card is considered different), I recommend waiting until a limited-time offer to maximize your benefit. Here are the current offers:

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  • 50,000 Bonus SkyMiles after $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • $200 Delta flight credit. Get a $200 credit to use toward future Delta travel after $10,000 in purchases on your card within a calendar year.
  • $100 Delta Stays Credit. Get up to $100 back annually as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles(R) Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • First checked bag free (worth $70 roundtrip, per person) on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $280 per round trip for a family of four ($35 each way, per person).
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • Zone 5 Priority Boarding.
  • 2X miles at Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • Simplified Pay with Miles option. Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
  • 20% back on eligible Delta in-flight purchases with this card in the form of a statement credit .
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
  • See Rates and Fees

50,000 Skymiles is worth at least $500 in Delta airfare. Delta offers a minimum value out of your Skymiles via the “Pay with Miles” option. That means 50,000 Skymiles can reduce the price of your Delta ticket(s) by $500 at the very least. (5,000 mile = $50 minimum redemption.) You can still book the traditional award tickets and possibly get better value.

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  • 60,000 Bonus SkyMiles after $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • $2,500 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year. Also earn $1 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases in a calendar year.
  • $150 Delta Stays Credit. Get up to $150 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • $120 Resy Credit. Up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible purchases at U.S. Resy restaurants, using your enrolled Card. Enrollment is required.
  • $120 Rideshare Credit. Up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers using your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card. Enrollment is required.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • Up to $120 Global Entry Fee Credit. You can get either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck(R) (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Main Cabin Companion Certificate. Receive a Companion Certificate on a Main Cabin round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • First checked bag free (worth $70 roundtrip, per person) on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $280 per round trip for a family of four ($35 each way, per person).
  • Zone 5 Priority Boarding.
  • 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $350 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

The Platinum version can be a worthy upgrade from the Gold version if you can take advantage of the annual Companion Certificate (i.e. book two tickets together on Delta at least once a year). I’ve used it several times in the past and it is easy to use while booking tickets online at Delta.com. My savings from using the companion certificate has ranged from $200 to $500.

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  • 70,000 Bonus SkyMiles after $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • $2,500 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollars (new) each Medallion Qualification Year. Also earn $1 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases in a calendar year.
  • Delta Sky Club access (updated). Enjoy complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club(R) when you fly Delta. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve cardholders get 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; in order to earn an unlimited number of visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter. Once all 15 visits have been used, eligible Card Members may purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits at a rate of $50 per visit, per person using the Card.
  • Get four Delta Sky Club(R) One-Time Guest Passes each year when you fly together on Delta. After that, you may bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person, per location.
  • Centurion Lounge access. Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion(R) Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
  • $200 Delta Stays Credit. Get up to $200 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • $120 Resy Credit. Up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible purchases at U.S. Resy restaurants, using your enrolled Card. Enrollment is required.
  • $120 Rideshare Credit. Up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers using your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card. Enrollment is required.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • Up to $120 Global Entry Fee Credit. You can get either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck(R) (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Main Cabin Companion Certificate. Receive a Companion Certificate on a Main Cabin round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $280 per round trip for a family of four ($35 each way, per person).
  • 3X Miles on Delta purchases.
  • 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
  • $650 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

The Reserve version can be a worthy upgrade for frequent Delta fliers. Enjoy Delta Sky Club and/or Centurion Lounge access on your Delta flights, that First Class companion certificate can be worth thousands, etc.

BUSINESS Card Versions

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  • 60,000 Bonus SkyMiles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • $200 Delta flight credit. Get a $200 credit to use toward future Delta travel after $10,000 in purchases within a calendar year.
  • $150 Delta Stays Credit. Get up to $150 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $280 per round trip for a family of four ($35 each way, per person).
  • Zone 5 Priority Boarding.
  • 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases at U.S. Shipping providers and at U.S. providers for Advertising in select media on up to $50,000 of eligible purchases per category, per year. 2X miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants. 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $150. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

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  • 70,000 Bonus SkyMiles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • $2,500 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollars (new) each Medallion Qualification Year. Also earn $1 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases in a calendar year.
  • $200 Delta Stays Credit (new). Get up to $200 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • $120 Resy Credit (new). Up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
  • $120 Rideshare Credit (new). Up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • Up to $120 Global Entry Fee Credit. You can get either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck(R) (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Main Cabin Roundtrip Companion Certificate (enhanced) on US domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. You still have to pay the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments).
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $280 per round trip for a family of four ($35 each way, per person).
  • Zone 5 Priority Boarding.
  • Not a Medallion Member? Cardmembers with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
  • $350 annual fee (increased). (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms and limitations apply.

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  • 80,000 Bonus SkyMiles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • $2,500 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollars (new) each Medallion Qualification Year. Also earn $1 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases in a calendar year.
  • Delta Sky Club access (changed). Enter Delta Sky Club(R) at no cost and bring up to two guests or immediate family at a rate of $50 per person per visit. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
  • Centurion Lounge access. Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion(R) Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
  • $250 Delta Stays Credit (new). Get up to $250 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • $240 Resy Credit (new). Up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy dining purchases using your enrolled Card.
  • $120 Rideshare Credit (new). Up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel on Delta flights booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Up to $120 Global Entry Fee Credit. You can get either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck(R) (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • First Class Main Cabin domestic round-trip companion certificate. Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+(R), or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. You must still pay for government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments).
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $280 per round trip for a family of four ($35 each way, per person).
  • Enjoy 3X miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
  • Zone 5 Priority Boarding.
  • Not a Medallion Member? Cardmembers with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
  • $650 annual fee (increased). (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms and limitations apply.

Again, Delta offers a minimum value out of your Skymiles via the “Pay with Miles” option. That means 100,000 Skymiles can reduce the price of your Delta ticket by $1,000 at the very least. (5,000 mile = $50 minimum redemption.) You can still book the traditional award tickets and possibly get better value.

In my opinion, the Delta Gold is still the best for most casual Delta customers because of the high potential upfront value in the first year (bonus miles + $200 flight credit). Even after the first year, the $100 increase in flight credit ($100 to $200) more than offsets the $51 increase in annual fee ($99 to $150) as long as you spend $10,000 in purchases during the year. That’s on top of the other perks like free checked bags.

During a limited-time offer, I will add these to my list of the Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: See Rates and Fees

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: See Rates and Fees

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: See Rates and Fees

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: See Rates and Fees

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: See Rates and Fees

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: See Rates and Fees

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card Review: 3 Free Night Awards Welcome Offer (Up to 150k Total Points Value)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is the re-branded business credit card of the Marriott Bonvoy program. This card offers unique perks for Marriott customers, along with a generous new customer incentive. Here are the highlights:

  • Welcome Offer: 3 Free Night Awards after $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Each Free Night Award has a redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) points, for a total potential value of up to 150,000 points, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R). Resort fees & terms apply.
  • New award night top-off option: Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 15,000 points of your own. For example, the 50k Award can be used to book a hotel at 65,000 points level if you spend 15,000 points of your own. This opens up the number of potential hotels available in expensive areas.
  • Room rate discount: 7% discount on eligible Marriott Bonvoy hotel bookings as a benefit of being both a Marriott Bonvoy(R) member & a Marriott Bonvoy Business(R) American Express(R) Card Member when you book directly with Marriott through an eligible channel for a participating property under the Amex Business Card Rate.
  • 6X Marriott Bonvoy points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy(R) program.
  • 4X Marriott Bonvoy points at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
  • 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Receive a Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60k in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R). Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with this card.
  • Elite Night Credits: Receive credit for 15 nights towards the next level of Marriott Bonvoy Elite status, each calendar year.
  • Annual fee is $125. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

Keep in mind the following terms and conditions:

Welcome offer not available to applicants who (i) have or have had the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Rewards® Business Credit Card from Chase in the last 30 days, (ii) have acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Credit Card from Chase or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase in the last 90 days, or (iii) received a new Card Member bonus offer in the last 24 months on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase.

This is more specific than before, note the different 30-day, 90-day, and 24-month waiting periods that may now include consumer cards. American Express usually gives you a pop-up warning during the application process if you are ineligible based on their records. This is why you should be looking to get the best possible bonus (like a limited-time offer) when you do apply.

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that they can apply for business credit cards, even if they are not a corporation or LLC. The business type is called a sole proprietorship, and these days many people are full-time or part-time consultants, freelancers, eBay/Amazon/Etsy sellers, Uber/Lyft drivers, or other one-person business owners. This is the simplest business entity, but it is fully legit and recognized by the IRS. On a business credit card application, you should use your own legal name as the business name, and your Social Security Number as the Tax ID.

NEW: Certificates can be combined with up to 15,000 points for nicer hotels. Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 15,000 points of your own. In other words, if your certificate is worth 35,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 50,000 points after adding 15,000 points of your own. if your certificate is worth 50,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 65,000 points after adding 15,000 points of your own.

You can use the Marriott free night search tool to price out some sample hotels for yourself. Also, here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

What is a reasonable estimate for the value of a Marriott Bonvoy point? Based on multiple real-world searches of redeemable properties, I choose to use a conservative estimate of 0.70 cents per Bonvoy point. That means 50,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $350 redeemable value, and 100,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $700 redeemable hotel night value. However, I almost always get closer to 1 cent per point value when I actually choose to redeem. Remember to compare the full price of the hotel price with all taxes, as that is what you would have to pay instead of just points.

50k Free Night Award (Welcome Offer). Based on a few quick searches (log in and try to book with points), the following premium hotels can potentially be booked for 65,000 points or less. (* Marriott no longer publishes a fixed point award chart):

  • The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, Big Island, Hawaii
  • The Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Bali
  • Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa
  • JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa
  • Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld®
  • Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
  • The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

35k Free Night Award (Anniversary). At your card anniversary, you will receive a Free Night Award that is good for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. This excludes the very top properties, but for regular travelers it will be very easy to get your $95 or even $125 value. Many W Hotels, Westin, and even some Ritz-Carltons worldwide are included. Here are some sample hotels that may qualify under the 35,000 point limit (* Marriott no longer publishes a fixed point award chart):

  • Sheraton Kona Resort (Big Island, Hawaii)
  • Courtyard Waikiki Beach (Honolulu, Oahu)
  • Sheraton Kauai Resort (Kauai, Hawaii)
  • W Atlanta
  • New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge
  • Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
  • W Chicago
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, China
  • The S. Regis Bangkok, Thailand

You can expand this even further if you use the top-off option and look for hotels at up to 50,000 Bonvoy points.

Bottom line. The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is the co-branded business card between Marriott hotels and American Express. You also get a Free Night Award at card anniversary, which can be worth much more than the annual fee. Check out the current welcome offer, which can be redeemed for multiple free nights at hotels around the world.

Also see: Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.

(See Rates and Fees)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


British Airways Visa Signature® Card Review: 75,000 Bonus Avios Offer

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

The British Airways Visa Signature® Card is a Chase-issued card that offers unique perks with British Airways. The Avios program offers a distance-based award system in the US (including Hawaii), allowing you to fly domestically for less points than you might think on partner airlines like American Airlines. You may also use Avios to fly business class to Europe. Avios are very flexible; I recently used to in Japan Airlines. Here are the highlights:

  • 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
  • Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
  • 10% off British Airways flights starting in the US when you book through the website provided in your welcome materials.
  • Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL.
  • Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $95 annual fee.

The Avios reward chart is now based on how far you want to travel in terms of miles. So what can you do with all those points?

Redeem awards domestically on partner American Airlines. Within the US, it’s usually easiest to find flights on partner American Airlines. There are no fuel surcharges when booking with American. Seating availability will be limited, but if you are flexible there is decent inventory.

  • Los Angeles to Honolulu, Hawaii using only 13,000 Avios one-way and 26,000 Avios points roundtrip. I ran a quote and it cost $659 broken down to $621 fare and only $38 in taxes. So in this case you could save $621 in exchange for 26,000 points, which is 2.4 cents per point. This also works from Hawaii to Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle. You can also do JFK to LAX for 25k points roundtrip.
  • Shorter-distance flights can be a good deal as well. Roundtrip from Chicago to New York City is only 18,000 Avios points + about $30 in taxes. Charlotte, NC to New York City is only 12,000 Avios roundtrip. Los Angeles to Las Vegas is also 12,000 Avios roundtrip. Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon is 18,000 Avios roundtrip.

The Avios program has a lot of good airline partners and you can combine Avios within a household. I’ve also used the ability to household Avios to combine all the small Avios balances from my kids’ account and use them for an award seat on partner Japan Airlines.

Finding partner awards on BA.com is better than is was in the past, so try it first. Type in your to/from cities within the US, choose to book flights with Avios points (“Book” then “Book a flight with Avios”). As usual, it helps to book far ahead (or last-minute) and to be flexible with dates. Here’s a quick screenshot of a one-way flight booking from LAX to HNL for 13,000 points and $5.60 in taxes. Families can take note that there were 7 seats available at this price on the flight when I looked.

Use the American Airlines AA.com website and look the cheapest level awards. Record the exact flight dates and numbers, and then call at British Airways at 1-800-452-1201 to book them. If you can’t find the same flight on BA.com, they should waive the phone book fee (they did for me). Don’t be discouraged if you have to use this method, especially if you aren’t flying nonstop. Also, call back and talk with a different agent if they aren’t helpful initially.

Beware of fuel surcharges on British Airways flights. Don’t use Avios for a economy British Airways flight from USA to Europe, because you’ll still be subject to taxes and fees on award redemptions, which are often half the entire cost of the ticket. I ran a quick search for a random New York City (JFK) to London (LHR) flight that cost $1,050, the taxes and fees alone were $650. You can get the $400 “fare” for 40,000 Avios points, but that’s only 1 cent a point value.

Bottom line. The British Airways Visa Signature® Card earns you Avios, which are very flexible points good for not just between US and Europe, but also within the USA domestically and internationally via their many partner airlines. It’s a keeper card if you can take advantage of their companion ticket.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


DirecTV and Disney Dispute: Request $30 Service Credit

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

If you have DirecTV and are affected by their failed contract negotiations and subsequent loss of ESPN and other Disney-owned channels, they are quietly offering a $30 bill credit, supposedly enough such you can sign up for Sling TV via this special $10 off discount page and watch those ESPN channels on there during the dispute.

You’ll have to visit https://www.directv.com/tvpromise/ and navigate through their complicated site to manually request the $30 credit. Alternatively, you could call up DirecTV directly and try to cancel and see what retention offers they have available.

FuboTV is also offering a 7-day free trial and $30 off the first month. Disney-owned Hulu is also offering $30 off its Hulu Live TV service. Pettiness!

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

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Easy, Free Delta SkyMiles for Washington State Residents

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seahawksBack again for new NFL season; Everyone must re-enroll. If you are a resident of Washington state and age 18+ (as indicated by your Skymiles account), you can register at www.12status.com and receive the following perks from Delta Airlines:

  • One mile for every yard the Seahawks throw on the field at regular and post season home and away games during the 2024-2025 NFL Season will be awarded in your Delta SkyMiles® account.
  • Priority boarding: 12Status Members will have the ability to board their departure flights at SeaTac during Group 5 from September 8, 2024 until the end of the Seahawks 2024-25 Season.
  • 12Status Members will receive an exclusive 12% discount at Seahawks Pro Shop retail stores on the 12th of each Seahawks in-season month*.

There is nothing else you need to do to be eligible. This usually adds up to about 3,000 to 4,000 free Delta miles every year, so worth a quick reminder for WA residents. If you signed up for this last year, you still need to re-register again for this year.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: 75,000 Bonus Miles Offer

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The card_name is a premium travel rewards card with a flat 2 Miles per dollar on all purchases. 75,000 miles can be redeemed as a $750 credit towards any travel purchase made with the card (any airline website, any hotel website, AirBNB stays, Uber rides, no blackout dates). Here are the highlights:

  • 75,000 Bonus Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening – that’s equal to $750 in travel.
  • 2X Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
  • 5X Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. They offer a Price Match Guarantee.
  • Up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.
  • Enjoy two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges through the Partner Lounge Network. This perk is valid through December 31, 2024.
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase-or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
  • Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn.
  • $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $95 annual fee.

Note the following about existing or previous cardholders:

Existing or previous cardmembers are not eligible for this product if they have received a new cardmember bonus for this product in the past 48 months.

(Capital One’s “ultra-premium” card is the Venture X card, which has more perks including Priority Pass airport lounge access and a $300 annual travel credit through Capital One Travel, but also a higher $395 annual fee. This Venture card is more directly competitive with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, while the Venture X competes more directly with the Chase Sapphire Reserve.)

Redemption details. Capital One “miles” can be redeemed directly for a cash statement credit on a 1 mile = $0.01 basis when offsetting any travel purchase made on the card within the past 90 days. In other words, 50,000 miles = $500 toward travel. That means you can fly on any airline or stay at any hotel, pay with this card, and then “erase” that purchase using your miles balance later. This even includes AirBnB vacation rentals, car rentals, and Uber rides.

This means that earning 2 miles on on every $1 in purchases essentially makes this a 2% back card when applied towards travel. You also have the option of booking travel through their travel portal, similar to Chase Ultimate Rewards, but you are not required to do so. You have the flexibility of booking through them or making the purchase directly through the airline, hotel, car rental counter, etc. This makes it easy to combine and spend all your Capital One miles.

Miles transfer options. Capital One now allows you to transfer your “miles” into select airline miles programs as well. Here are the airline transfer partners:

  • Aeromexico
  • Air France/KLM
  • Air Canada Aeroplan
  • Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
  • Avianca Lifemiles
  • British Airways Avios
  • Emirates Skywards
  • Etihad
  • EVA
  • Finnair
  • Qantas
  • Singapore Airlines Krisflyer
  • TAP Air Portugal
  • Turkish Airlines
  • Virgin Red

Hotel partners

  • Accor Live Limitless
  • Choice Hotels

If you know how to leverage one of these international airline miles programs (my favorites are Aeroplan and Avios since you can combine family points), this can be a very valuable option. Otherwise, it’s nice to know you can always get a certain level of value by redeeming against any travel purchase.

Bottom line. The card_name earns 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, which you can either redeem against any travel purchase or transfer to one of their airline/hotel partners.

Due to the $500+ potential first-year value, I will be adding this card to my list of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.