Category: Credit Help and Tips

Credit cards are filled with all sorts of benefits, including things like car insurance and travel credits, along with extended warranty and price protection, but the average cardholder probably never bothers to use them. Most are likely drawn to a particular card for its large sign-up bonus, or perhaps the cash back earning capabilities, or … Continue reading “Credit Card Price Protection Actually Works, Seriously”

When I first started this blog a decade ago, credit card bloggers weren’t very common. In fact, there were only a handful of websites dedicated to credit cards. And most were large corporate sites that simply peddled credit cards. Today, the landscape is a lot different, almost unrecognizable compared to 2007. Nowadays, it seems anyone … Continue reading “Can We Stop Making Unboxing a Credit Card a Thing?”

File this one under annoying, bizarre, and perhaps a little backwards. And that’s being friendly. I am a member of Credit Sesame, a helpful service that provides you with a free credit score and some level of credit monitoring. It’s pretty similar to Credit Karma, though the latter is more robust when it comes to … Continue reading “You Can’t Unsubscribe from All Credit Sesame Emails”

Ever heard of a “credit card triple dip?” While it might take on several meanings, the one I’m referring to takes advantage of calendar-year benefits. What Is a Credit Card Triple Dip? In a nutshell, you can get up to three calendar year benefits while paying only a single annual fee. For example, the Chase … Continue reading “Just a Few More Days to Snag a Credit Card Triple Dip”

There’s yet another trick to get past that pesky 5/24 rule at Chase, this according to a Reddit post. The way it works is actually pretty simple, though it does require a visit (or two) to a Chase banking branch in order to get the job done. You also have to be an existing Chase … Continue reading “Another Trick to Get Approved for Chase Credit Cards Beyond 5/24”

Credit card Q&A: “Should I add an authorized user to my credit card account?” These days, credit card companies are constantly urging us to add an authorized user. In fact, they’re even incentivizing us to do, offering 5,000 bonus points in many cases. For example, Chase Sapphire Preferred card holders can get an additional 5,000 … Continue reading “Should I Add an Authorized User to My Credit Card Account?”

Ever wonder why credit card issuers are so generous? You know, offering you 100,000 points simply for spending $4,000? If we do the math, they’re giving you over $1,000 in exchange for a much smaller annual fee, say $450. That’s less than half the cost. A smart consumer could go out and spend $4,000, pay … Continue reading “This Is Why Credit Card Issuers Give You 100k Bonus Points”

I’ve noticed something lately. Credit card issuers really want you (and me) to use your valuable credit card points for things that are not so invaluable. For instance, I receive e-mails all the time urging me to redeem my lucrative credit card rewards for gift cards. Gift cards? Seriously? Why would I want a gift … Continue reading “Credit Card Issuers Really Want Us to Redeem Our Points for Gift Cards”

There are swirlings in the blogosphere that the notorious Chase 5/24 rule can be circumvented thanks to the rollout of the bank’s new website. If you notice your Chase website design has changed, chances are you can take advantage of the new credit card approval process that is both quick and easy and also a … Continue reading “Apparently New Chase Website Lets You Circumvent 5/24 Rule”

These days, it’s all about the opening bonuses when it comes to credit card rewards, not the paltry one or two percent cash back (or points) you can earn for regular spending. After all, credit card issuers are offering up to 100,000 points for simply spending $4,000 on cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve. It … Continue reading “Don’t Mess Up Your Minimum Spend with Bad Math”