There are several key considerations when it comes to choosing whether to use a debit or credit card to pay. Credit cards provide many perks and benefits that debit cards do not. These benefits may be especially useful when shopping or traveling. For the most part, as long as you are a responsible spender, using a credit card is usually a better option than using your debit card.
Having credit card debt is stressful enough. Debt across multiple credit cards from different issuers compounds this stress and makes tracking your progress towards a debt free life even more difficult.
Plus, credit card debt is expensive. Chances are, you’re paying an interest rate near 25%, a level high enough to easily keep you in debt for years.
Thankfully, there are tactics you can take to consolidate your debt. But some consolidation methods are better than others.
Missing a credit card payment is not something to take lightly. Whether you truly can’t afford to make the payment or you simply forgot about it, the financial consequences can be pretty hefty.
Airfare sales happen every day but not necessarily from your home airport. In order to take advantage of some of the best deals out there, you might have to get a bit creative. There are plenty of options available to help reduce the cost of airfare. You may save money by positioning yourself to nearby airports or by using your frequent flyer miles like cash to reduce the cost of a ticket. If you’re earning points on a credit card you will want to access their travel portals to see if your points have greater value there. Additionally, using a combination of award tickets and purchased tickets for securing your airfare may result in paying less. Try these combinations to find the best deal.
You may know a lot about the rewards and benefits that are included with your credit card, but you may not have considered those all-important four digits on the front of your card: the expiration date. It’s almost impossible to complete an online purchase without that data point, but what is the expiration date really used for? Banks have several reasons for including it. Read on to find out more.
As a general rule that award tickets do not earn frequent flyer miles since they are paid for with miles, the same way you do not earn hotel points when you redeem points on an award stay. Frequent flyer programs will usually exclude award booking classes from mileage accrual. This applies to partners as well.
With that being said, there are a few exceptions or situations when award tickets might earn you miles after.
It happens to everyone who has a credit card at one point or another. You overspend. And you often don’t realize it until your statement rolls in. Then you see it. The minimum payment option. Surely you’ll have more money next month to pay off the balance. It’s tempting to just take the easy out and carry the balance for another month or two or three. But this is why you shouldn’t do that. Ever.
When an entrepreneur first starts a business, cash flow is crucial. Many will get loans to fund the initial effort. Some will seek out help from family and friends. Others will turn to credit cards as a way to pay for the expenses that come with a new business. There are some common myths about using business credit cards.. Let’s go through them so you don’t risk your business and credit score.
While we all love award flights, we certainly pay for a ticket occasionally–or even frequently for some. After all, even though flying may not always be the best way to accrue miles anymore, it is still a good way. But should you focus your earning by choosing a preferred carrier and frequent flyer program or do you need more than one?
Mismanaging your credit cards can result in lasting financial difficulties – especially if you have big goals with your money – like buying a home or car.
Let’s explore three of the most serious credit card blunders.
With so many frequent flyer programs out there, it’s tough to choose which program or programs to focus on. Depending on what your travel goals are, some programs might be better choices than others, so we’ll helped you narrow it down. Here are the top 5 frequent flyer programs for aspirational redemptions.
Picking the right frequent flyer programs for your international travel depends on the region, the distance (short-haul/long-haul) and your own objectives. Are you looking to get status? Or do you favor cheap redemptions?
Start by assessing your travel patterns and booking habits (deep-discounted economy vs. full-fare economy or business/first) and reviewing both the redemption side as well as earning ability of potential programs. Some programs however generally stand out by their number of partners, ease of achieving elite status and overall value. Here’s a rundown.
Standardized (and shrinking) airline seats have made it difficult for people of all shapes and sizes to fit into an occupied space with set dimensions, because not everybody can fit comfortably. However, not all airline seats are created equal.
You’re ready to travel but none of your friends have the time, money, points or miles to travel with you. Or perhaps you would just like to try a solo adventure and experience the freedom of traveling alone. How far will your miles take you? You might be surprised. Here’s a trio of affordable destinations that can easily be reached using frequent flier miles.
There have been rumors going around the travel blogosphere for some time that Delta would be making negative changes to the Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver offered by Amex cobranded credit cards. Many feared that Delta would completely eliminate the MQD waiver for top tier Diamond status. If that occurred then travelers would have been required to spending $15,000 directly on Delta flights in order to qualify for Diamond status.
There are so many frequent flyer programs out there, and determining which programs to earn miles in can be a challenge. Each program has it’s own strengths and weaknesses, both when it comes to earning miles, redeeming them and more. Fortunately, you don’t need to do all of the research to determine which miles are best for you. Below we will go into detail about the top five frequent flyer programs for flights within the US and what makes these programs the best so you can decide which program is right for you.
Those who hold a Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning credit card know the value of these precious rewards points. The flexibility to transfer the points to partner hotel and airline loyalty programs allows you to book free hotel nights and airline award tickets. However, you can also redeem points to book travel directly on the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. There are several travel redemption options available including booking hotels, cruises, rental cars, and activities, however, one redemption you should consider for your Chase Ultimate Rewards points (UR points) is to book your flights on the Chase travel portal. Here’s why.
Southeast Asia has some of the world’s best travel destinations and most beautiful beaches. There are also many countries where the cost of living is much lower than in the US, so you can get a lot more bang for your travel buck. Unfortunately, getting to Asia in comfort for a reasonable price can be a challenge.
Flights from the US to Southeast Asia involve around 20 hours of flight time, depending on your precise departure and destination points. Flying that long in economy can be excruciatingly painful, especially for taller people. Making matters worse, the Southeast Asia zone in most airline award charts is typically one of the top two most expensive (along with Australia/New Zealand) when departing from the US.
If a country requires an expensive visa, you may hesitate to add it to your travel list. Places like Russia, China, and even portions of Eastern Europe for instance, would likely never be considered for a short trip if you must incur the cost and invest the time needed to secure a visa in advance. There are, however, several countries that allow visa-free visits, many of which you might not be aware. Here are five countries you can visit visa free that you might not have been able to in the not-so-distant past.
People like to grumble about the bygone era of generous seats, lots of legroom, amazing catering, and people dressing up for the occasion as if they were going to the opera. These are understandable sentiments, but the truth is, the bygone era didn’t have lie-flat seats. And it wasn’t even possible back then to redeem a ticket for miles, considering that modern frequent-flyer programs only date back to the 80s.
