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For those who are responsible with their money, credit cards can be great financial tools. This is especially true of travel rewards cards. If you enjoy travel, the right rewards card can be just the thing to help you get the most bang for your buck – as long as you are smart about how it’s used.
Racking Up the Rewards
One of the great things about many travel rewards credit cards is that you can rack up the rewards fairly quickly. Depending on how you use your travel rewards, it’s possible to get double airline miles when you book a flight, or get extra rewards points when you stay at certain hotels.
If you belong to a travel loyalty program, it’s usually possible to get a credit card associated with that brand, helping you earn rewards faster. Pay attention to ways that you can double, or even triple, your points or miles so that you can accumulate rewards that much faster.
You can also use your travel rewards credit card for every day purchases as well. With the right approach, every grocery purchases, utility payment, and fill up at the gas station can translate into travel rewards that you can use on your next vacation. And, while you are vacationing, be sure to use your credit card to earn even more rewards. [ continue reading… ]
After we got married, car insurance was one of the first things my wife and I added to our monthly expenses. We each had our own cars and were on our own for the first time. Choosing the right company and the right insurance package was important. And though using car insurance is never fun, it’s sometimes necessary. Here’s my advice for choosing and using car insurance.
How to Choose the Right Package
When my wife and I had to change our car insurance from our parents’ plans to our own combined plan, the first thing we did was start comparison shopping. Every company offers different benefits and drawbacks. Some offer extremely low rates, while others offer unparalleled customer service. When choosing a plan, you need to determine what’s most important to you. Some companies also offer customizable plans that can include things like roadside service and rental cars. [ continue reading… ]
There’s a lot of debate going on right now about whether or not college is worth the cost. The fact that student loan debt has surpassed $1 trillion, and that there is now more outstanding student loan debt than outstanding credit card debt, has many people wondering about the viability of going to college.
Investing for your retirement can be a big headache these days. With an unstable economy, stock market investments and traditional retirement options can be risky.
For those 60 and under, stock market investments may still be an option, but for those over 60, a more secure investment (at least for a portion of your portfolio) is preferable. The answer for many is investing in precious metals.
Why Precious Metals?
While a diverse retirement portfolio is preferable, many workers are investing large portions of their retirement funds in precious metals like gold and silver. When the economy took a nose dive during the financial crisis, “We buy gold!” signs popped up everywhere. There were ads on TV, billboards along the highway, and jewelry stores at the local mall all wanting a piece of the stable gold trade market.
Historically, precious metals have shown a slow but steady increase in value – something that offers a “rock” of stability in uncertain financial times. But investing in precious metals can be disastrous if you’re not careful. [ continue reading… ]
The baseball season is a grueling six months. It starts with Spring Training in March, and it ends in the beginning of September. There are many games — and only a few days off. When I had two days off for the All Star Break last week, my wife and I took advantage of it.
Being that we’re on the east coast, and I played a summer in Cape Cod, we got in contact with my old host family to see what they were doing. We were able to spend some time with them, catch up, and even get a free place to stay. We managed to have an excellent vacation on a budget. Here’s how. [ continue reading… ]
The basic cost of living in some cities, like New York City, is almost double the $7.25 minimum wage. Double. How can anyone survive like that?
Well, thanks to technology, you don’t have to. More and more people are adopting the concept of “location independence,” or working remotely from anywhere.
You don’t have to suffer the high costs of living in places like Manhattan or Orange County if you have, or can establish, a remote career. This ability to move around can keep you free from debt — if you choose to live in places where the cost of living is less.
If you’re living and working on that same salary, but in a cheaper locale, you’ll whittle away debt faster and possibly get out from under Debt Mountain altogether. [ continue reading… ]
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