Earn 3% cash back. Get 20,000 bonus points. Gain more sky miles with each swipe! Credit card points are the main way credit card companies reel you in. After all, who doesn’t love free stuff? But all those “free” rewards actually come at a cost—and either you’re the one paying…
Emergencies hit you out of nowhere. And if you don’t have a buffer of cash between you and all the twists and turns of life, things can get tricky fast. That’s where an emergency fund comes to the rescue—it’s your financial safety net when things go south. An emergency fund…
Being a freelancer means being your own boss, which can feel pretty stinkin’ awesome. And you’re not alone. In fact, a recent study found that in 2023 about 64 million Americans did some form of freelance work—making up 38% of the labor force and contributing $1.2 trillion to the U.S.…
Ever wonder if our society is going completely cashless? Maybe you’ve noticed more and more businesses are only accepting digital payments. Get expert money advice to reach your money goals faster! So, what’s the deal with all this cashless society hype? Are cash and coins going away for good? And does…
Personal Finance
Last year, on the day before Tax Day, my mom was scheduled to fly into Philadelphia International Airport to stay…
The nation’s 75 million Social Security recipients will receive a 2.8% cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase in their benefits…
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There she is! Walking toward me! What do I say? Get expert money advice to reach your money goals faster! We’ve all been there—not knowing what to say during a social situation. And in this mindlessly digital age, live, in-person exchanges seem rarer (and harder)…
Dept Managmnt
If you need some inspiration, common goals among Canadians include retirement planning, saving for a vacation, paying down debt, and setting aside money…
Banking
For fintech startups, the first five years of the decade have been a roller-coaster ride. At the outset, companies were awash in easy…
Credit Cards
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For a long time, credit cards have generally fallen into three tiers: no-annual-fee cards, mid-tier cards with annual fees around $95 and premium cards with annual fees measured in the hundreds (these used to cluster around $400 or $500 per year, now it’s more like $800 or $900 in many…
Olelole/iStock/Getty Images Key takeaways The Chase Freedom Flex®* offers quarterly rotating bonus categories through which cardholders can earn 5 percent cash back (on up to $1,500 in the categories after activation, then 1 percent back). Categories change every three months, and cardholders have the ability to activate up until the…
Most of us know how to use our credit card to make purchases, but not everybody knows how to get cash from a credit card at an ATM. When you use your credit card to request a cash advance, you can withdraw money from your credit card and use it…
Image by GettyImages; Illustration by Bankrate Home equity line of credit (HELOC) rates have dipped to levels not seen since March 2023. The $30,000 home equity line of credit fell eight basis points to 7.82%, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. Meanwhile, the benchmark 5-year $30,000 home equity loan…
Image by PM Images/Getty Images; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Mortgage rates reversed course to edge higher this week, with the 30-year fixed rate averaging 6.31 percent, up from 6.25 percent the previous week, according to Bankrate’s latest lender survey. Current mortgage rates Loan type Current 4 weeks ago One year…
Congratulations, you left that old job behind! Everything is in front of you now. Well, except for that old 401(k). Don’t forget about that because that is your future, and you need to keep a close eye on it. Unfortunately, bringing your 401(k) along isn’t as easy as cleaning out…
If you’re wondering how to invest in the financial sector, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be a simple way to get started. ETFs that focus on the financial sector invest in companies that are involved in different areas of finance such as banking, insurance, real estate and investment management. You…
28% of working women are leaving free money on the table that could set back their retirement
A larger share of women than men aren’t saving for the future and could miss out on hundreds of thousands of dollars over their lifetime as a result, a Bankrate national opinion poll found. Bankrate’s retirement savings survey found that more than a quarter of women (28%) working full-time, part-time…
For public companies, one of the simplest ways to communicate financial stability to shareholders is through cash dividend payments. The most established companies often share a portion of their profits with investors, rewarding them with cash dividends. For investors, dividends provide a steady stream of passive income. Here are some…
Cassandra Gucwa was crying in frustration in her office closet shortly after her employer was acquired by a larger conglomerate in 2012. Hundreds of employees were now mixing into her workspace, and the vibe in the office shifted from collaborative to competitive. “It was just so difficult to work your…



































