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This week’s money news

October 29, 2024 By Liz Weston

This week’s top story: Student loan ‘financial hardship’ forgiveness. In other news: What $20 gets you at gas stations in each state, holiday airfare is down, and when it pays to know your credit card’s interest rate.

Student Loan ‘Financial Hardship’ Forgiveness: New Details Revealed
If you face persistent medical bills, family caregiving costs or other financial hardship, the Education Department wants to cancel your student loan debt. But don’t count on it yet.

What $20 Gets You at Gas Stations in Each State
Gas prices are falling toward four-year lows — but vary widely across the country.

Holiday Airfare Is Down. Why Isn’t Travel Spending?
Higher hotel prices and a desire for comfort have travelers spending more than ever this holiday season.

When It Pays to Know Your Credit Card’s Interest Rate
If you’re aware of what your current APR is, you can more easily identify ways to lower it and save money.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: airfare, Credit Cards, gas prices, holiday, Student Loan

This week’s money news

October 8, 2024 By Liz Weston

This week’s top story: Holiday deals and don’t let debt follow. In other news: What to buy during Amazon’s Prime big deal days 2024, replacing HVAC with BTC, and 4 mom-approved cheap Halloween costume ideas.

Holiday Deals Are Here. Don’t Let Debt Follow
Make a budget, research retailer policies and compare prices to keep holiday debt at bay.

What to Buy (and Skip) During Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days 2024
We tracked the prices and these October 2024 deals are worth a look. Check your order history to find bargains on things you already use and need.

Replace Your HVAC with BTC? These Innovators Are Doing it
Heating your house by mining Bitcoin may sound far-fetched, but some creative people are working hard to make it more common.

4 Mom-Approved Cheap Halloween Costume Ideas
Moms share tips for how to DIY and repurpose Halloween costumes.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: BItcoin, halloween, holiday, Prime Day

This week’s money news

November 14, 2022 By Liz Weston

This week’s top story: Smart Money podcast on  In other news: 5 ways to save money on holiday shopping this season, 6 ways to boost your credit card rewards this holiday season, and why booking travel on your phone is a bad idea.

5 Ways to Save Money on Holiday Shopping This Season
Consumers face a lot of pressure this year, but there are strategic ways to cut costs.

6 Ways to Boost Your Credit Card Rewards This Holiday Season
The holidays are synonymous with spending. With a little planning, savvy consumers can earn bonus miles, points or cash back this holiday season.

Why Booking Travel on Your Phone Is a Bad Idea
Comparing booking options is key when it comes to finding the best travel deals. That’s harder to do on your phone.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: credit card rewards, holiday, save money on holiday shopping, travel deals

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

November 18, 2021 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story:  How to talk money with your parents this holiday. Also in the news: How to bounce back after a business fails, and some fallout U.S. cardholders could face later from the recent Amazon-Visa spat.

How to Talk Money With Your Parents This Holiday
It’s fine to observe the holiday and talk about money later.

How to Bounce Back After a Business Fails
What can set you apart is how you respond to failure in the moment – and what you learn from it when you look back.

No, Amazon Hasn’t Banned Your Visa Card
The recent Amazon-Visa spat won’t hinder cardholders in the U.S. as they go about their holiday shopping – but there still could be some fallout later.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: Amazon, Business shut down, holiday, talk money with parents, Visa card

Let’s be careful out there

December 16, 2016 By Liz Weston

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailIt’s going to be a zoo at the stores the next couple of days, the last full weekend before Christmas (next Sunday) and Hanukkah (which starts the night before). Plus, today is the last day for ground delivery from UPS and FedEx deliveries if you want your packages to arrive by Christmas.

If you feel like the shopping season is shorter this year, you’re not alone. The Wall Street Journal says the election kept people distracted and more retailers put off promotions until closer to Thanksgiving.

The crush of stressed, rushing people can lead to all kinds of financial fallout, from overspending inside the stores to fender-benders outside them. Some things to keep in mind if you’re venturing out:

Make that list before you go. So basic and so easy to forget. Specify who you’re buying for, and the budget. Put it on your phone, tattoo it on your forehead, whatever it takes.

Use a credit card (or two). Many credit cards offer protection if your purchases are stolen or damaged. Some double manufacturers’ warranties, and all can serve as a middleman if you have a dispute with a merchant. Just don’t use cards as an excuse to go wild–credit card balances should be paid in full. (One reader treats his credit cards as prepaid cards by sending an extra payment in advance to cover his holiday shopping.)

Maximize your rewards. Using the right card at the right venue can boost your rewards. If you have a card with changing bonus categories, know what those are before you leave home. Chase Freedom, for example, is offering 5 percent cash back on wholesale clubs (including Costco and Sam’s), department stores and drugstores. Discover It has a 5 percent cash bonus on department stores and Amazon. Many cards have ongoing bonuses for certain purchases, such as gas or dining out. NerdWallet has other tips on maximizing your rewards.

Go early. Getting there when the doors open may give you a few moments of less-crowded shopping.

Keep your phone handy. Check prices on the fly. Resist the urge to snap up extra “bargains” that might not be. But:

Watch out for fake shopping apps. Yup, they’re a thing, even in the supposedly-safer Apple App store. These apps can steal your credit card and personal information. Go to the retailer’s site and use the links there to download its mobile app.

Hide it, lock it, keep it. Don’t leave your purchases in plain sight in your car and try to avoid parking in dimly-lit or poorly trafficked areas.

Beware in-store pickup. It sounds great: shop online, pick it up in the store. Except when it doesn’t work, which can be often, since many stores’ inventory tracking isn’t all it could be and they may not have enough staff to get your stuff off the shelf. (Target stores in my area can’t seem to consistently fulfill in-store pickup orders even with normal traffic.) Have a plan B in case your order gets canceled or never fulfilled.

And speaking of Plan Bs:

There’s always Amazon. The online chain is offering one- and two-hour delivery all the way through midnight on Christmas Eve with its Prime Now service.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: Christmas, holiday, saving money, shopping

Grab your Small Business Saturday credits now

November 17, 2014 By Liz Weston

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailAmerican Express’ “Small Business Saturday” credits are back, and they’re more lucrative this year: a $10 statement credit for purchases of $10 or more at qualifying small businesses on Nov. 29. You can get up to $30 in credits on each registered card.

I signed up three of our Amex cards yesterday when registration opened, which means we’re now eligible for $90 in statement credits. I then checked the list of small businesses in our neighborhood where we can use the credits, and sketched out what I plan to buy where. I’ll get a chunk of my Christmas shopping done, while also picking up supplies I was planning to buy anyway.

Free money is always good, and free money to support the businesses that support our community is even better.

Amex says registration for the cards is limited, so hop to it. You can use the “Amex offers for you” tab in your online Amex account or the ShopSmall.com site. Using “offers for you” tab seems to preclude you from registering more than one card, but it appears you can register additional cards at the ShopSmall site. Make sure to read the offer terms so you understand how the credits work and what type of transactions don’t qualify (such as transactions made with an electronic wallet, through a third party or if the merchant uses a mobile or wireless card reader to process the transaction).

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: American Express, Christmas, Credit Cards, holiday, shop local, Shop Small

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