Personal Finance
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Sarah Hostetler is a freelance writer and has been featured on Million Mile Secrets and The Points Guy. She covers topics on points and miles, credit cards, airlines, hotels, and general travel.
Articles by Sarah Hostetler
Best Cash Back Debit Cards of 2024
If you’re not earning cash back rewards on your debit-card purchases, you're missing out. Learn more about the best cash back debit cards.
The Best Gas Saving Apps of 2024
Gas apps provide a variety of ways to save you money. Here are the best gas apps to maximize your savings.
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card Review 2024
Even if you only fly Delta once or twice per year, you’re sure to find the Delta SkyMiles Gold Card’s $99 annual fee well worth it.
Best Citi Credit Cards for September 2024
Citi offers multiple credit cards to fit just about any lifestyle, which can make choosing the best Citi credit card quite difficult.
Citi Strata Premier® Card Review 2024: Earn on Everyday Spending and Travel
Few cards offer such perfect award categories for everyday spending while giving you the ability to transfer rewards to airlines and hotels for free travel.
Upgrade Credit Card Review 2024
The Upgrade Credit Card has almost a parental relationship with its cardholders. Whether you consider that a pro or a con depends on your perspective.
Citi Diamond Preferred Review 2024
If you’re having trouble paying off high credit card balances, opening the Citi Diamond Preferred card could be one of the best financial decisions you can make.
Citi Custom Cash Card Review 2024
The Citi Custom Cash Card pays 5% cash back on the spending category you use the most. Learn more in this Citi Custom Cash Card review.
Best Store Credit Cards for September 2024
You’ve almost certainly been standing at checkout and staring down the barrel of a painfully rehearsed store credit card pitch. Did you take the bait?
Best Rewards Credit Cards for September 2024
Opening the best rewards credit cards can mean hundreds of dollars in cash back each year, free travel, discounts at your favorite restaurants, and more.
Best Cash Back Credit Cards for September 2024
Whether the lion’s share of your spending is on dining, groceries, gas, or online shopping, we’ve identified the best cash back credit cards for your style.
10 Best Debt Consolidation Loans of September 2024
Depending on the size of your debt, you could save thousands of dollars by eliminating high-interest credit card balances with a debt consolidation loan.
Where to Order Checks? Online and Retailers
Paper checks are still a useful financial tool in this digital age. However, they’re not cheap. Cut down on your check costs with these simple tricks.
Best Private Student Loans in September 2024
Whether you have excellent credit and are looking for a low APR or you exhausted your federal student loan options, a private student loan could be a fit.
What Is The Best Company to Refinance Your Auto Loan? September 2024
It can be time-consuming and daunting to sift through the (seemingly endless) possibilities to find the best auto refinance lender for you. We’ve narrowed down the options to help you make the best choice.
How to Report (and Prevent) Credit Card Fraud
The best action step to avoid credit card fraud is simply to be skeptical of everything. Refuse to let yourself become complacent when it comes to credit cards.
Credit Card Scams to Know in 2024 (and How to Avoid Them)
Diligence goes a long way in preventing credit card fraud. The best thing you can do is empower yourself with information on current common grifts.
Milestone® Mastercard® Review 2024
Built into the Milestone Mastercard® are traps that those new to credit (or with poor credit habits) may easily spring. Sky-high fees and interest rates make it dangerous.
How Do I Check My Credit Score
Knowing your credit score can help you to understand realistic options when it comes to applying for credit cards—and even spot things like fraudulent activity.
What’s Considered a Good APR for Credit Cards?
The lower the APR the better, but if you’re responsible with your credit card, you’ll rarely or never encounter an interest payment.
Public App Review 2024: Pros, Cons, What Could Be Improved
The Public app has a lot going for it, but experienced investors will be underwhelmed. And that’s OK—Public doesn’t claim to be the most well-rounded choice.
The Difference Between a Charge Card and a Credit Card
There are really only a couple of dissimilarities—but they’re doozies. Before you go applying for one or the other, you should know what they are.
Best Rewards Checking Accounts for September 2024
If you’re one of the many who aren’t funneling money through a rewards checking account, you’re effectively lighting dollar bills on fire.
Best Credit Building Debit Cards in September 2024
Some debit cards allow you to build credit without applying for a loan. That’s a big deal for those with poor (or no) credit history.
The Blue Business® Plus Card Review: A Great Option for Rewards with No Annual Fee
Earning two Amex points per dollar on all purchases is quite the perk. If you know how to use them, you could receive an effective 4% back on all purchases.
Delta SkyMiles Personal Credit Cards Now Offering Bonuses Up To 70,000 Miles
The current bonuses for Delta SkyMiles American Express personal credit cards are enough to interest just about anyone, regardless of travel style. You only have until July 17, 2024. What to consider.
Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum, Reserve Business: Earn Up to 110,000 Miles (Offer Expired)
Delta Skymiles’ three American Express business credit cards are all offering generous bonus offers through July 17. If you’ve been eyeing these cards, now is the time to apply.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card Has a Generous New Bonus Offer: Up to 130,000 Hilton Points!
Good for as much as 280,000 Hilton points, virtually no Hilton property is out of reach with this offer—whether you want a villa in the Maldives or a simple hotel near your grandma for the holidays. It expires July 31.
Earn 85,000 Points with Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Bonus Offer (Offer Ended)
The Southwest Plus credit card just increased its welcome bonus by 70%, making it an easy and cheap way to earn the Southwest Companion Pass.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex Card Has Valuable New Welcome Bonus: A Potential $1,500+ In Travel (Offer Expired)
The Marriott Bonvoy Business card bonus is enough for an extended stay at thousands of hotels worldwide, including many five-star resorts.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® vs. The Platinum Card® by American Express: Which Is Better for Earning Awards?
These are two of the hottest travel cards on the market, thanks in large part to their enormous welcome bonuses. But there’s a lot more to them than that.
10 of the Easiest Personal Loans to Get
Whether you’ve got unexpected medical bills, you want to go back to school, or you want to consolidate your debt, a personal loan can revolutionize your life.
2 Chase IHG Credit Cards Just Got a Massive Welcome Bonus Boost: Earn Up to 300,000 Points
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card have boosted welcome bonuses through Sept. 4, 2024. The bonuses are now worth between $500 and $1,500 in hotel stays, on average.
Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card Review 2024
The Chase Ink Business Preferred offers a generous welcome bonus and rewards program, and excellent insurance coverage. Learn more.
Capital One Venture and Venture X Bonuses Now Worth a Guaranteed $1,000 in Cash
The current bonuses offered by the Capital One Venture and Capital One Venture X are better than anything we’ve seen from these cards in recent memory.
How to Send Money With a Credit Card
If you need to send money from your credit card to a friend or family member, there are many ways to do it. But are the fees too high? Learn more.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Bonus Offer: Earn 70% More!
The Southwest Priority card’s current bonus is impressive—worth nearly $1,200 in flights—and that’s not the only reason to get it.
How to Travel on a Budget: 12 Tips from our Expert
You don’t have to spend a fortune to take a fulfilling trip. Abide by a few practical tricks, and you can travel incredibly cheaply.
Best Luxury Credit Cards in September 2024
Luxury credit cards aren’t exclusively for the rich. In most cases, if you’ve got a “good” credit score, you can qualify for a shiny metal credit card.
Debt Management Guide: Good Debt vs. Bad Debt
Being in debt is not always a bad thing. Some debt can have a place in your credit profile.
Disney® Visa® Card Review 2024: Credit Score Requirements, Pros & Cons
Disney lovers can get real value from the Disney Visa Card. The card’s undoing comes from the fact that Chase issues another, far more valuable Disney card.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card Review 2024
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card is not just a hotel credit card, it’s a travel credit card with Marriott perks. Learn more.
Chase DoorDash Rewards Mastercard Review 2024
If you’ve ever used a food delivery platform, you know the fees can be frustrating. The Chase DoorDash Rewards Card helps in a few ways.
Best Soft Pull Credit Cards in September 2024
Hard inquiries on credit card applications temporarily lower your credit score. This is why soft pull credit cards are so useful.
Total Visa Card Review 2024
The Total Visa credit card may be a necessary evil to overcome the messy credit history you’ve accumulated. Close it as soon as it’s served its purpose.
The Hilton Honors Business Card’s Bonus Offer: Worth 130,000 Hilton Points
If you know the best ways to use Hilton points, you can squeeze more than $1,000 in value from the Amex Hilton Business card’s welcome bonus.
14 Cheap Vacation Destinations in 2024
It’s possible to book a cheap vacation with just a little strategy. Here are 14 of the most affordable international and domestic vacation destinations to consider.
Does a Debt Management Plan Affect Credit?
A debt management plan is one of the least painful ways to climb out from under the thumb of crippling credit card balances.
Hilton Honors American Express Card Review 2024
The Amex Hilton Card offers a bonus worth far more than its competitors—and it unlocks a perk that can save you tens of thousands of points on a single stay.
Chase Instacart Mastercard Review 2024
Do you like delegating your supermarket shopping trip to someone else but hate the fees? The Instacart Mastercard can help to reduce them.
7 Ways to Build Credit Without A Credit Card
There are loads of ways to improve your credit profile that don’t involve credit cards. Some don’t even require an application of any sort.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card Review
The Amex Delta Reserve’s $550 annual fee is one of the easiest to justify for Delta flyers. You’ll save more than $1,000 each year with a bit of strategy.
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card Review: A Good Alternative If You Want to Build Credit
The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a beginner credit card that offers a respectable return on spending and benefits like free Uber One membership (for a limited time).
Capital One Spark Cash Plus vs. Ink Business Cash 2024
These cards both come with astonishing welcome bonuses. And with some strategy, you can even transfer them to airline and hotel programs for free travel.
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Whether you’re interested in cash back or travel rewards, either card can be a powerful tool in your financial utility belt — but one is the clear winner.
Citi Simplicity® Card Review 2024
The Citi Simplicity® Card could save you thousands of dollars if you’re struggling with a high credit card APR. Learn more in our Citi Simplicity Card review.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card Review
Capital One VentureOne is one of the only no-annual-fee credit cards that gives you the power to transfer rewards directly to airlines and hotels.
What Is the Difference Between the 3 Types of Visa Credit Cards: Traditional, Signature, and Infinite?
The type of Visa credit card you have is meaningful. The higher the tier, the more valuable your benefits might be, such as travel insurance, discounts, and purchase protection.
Avant Credit Card Review 2024
The purpose of the Avant Credit Card is to give those with “fair”credit a chance to eventually qualify for better credit cards.
Credit Utilization Ratio: All You Need to Know
Endeavor to keep your credit utilization below 30%. That’s the key to harnessing the “amounts owed” component of your credit score and keeping your credit healthy.
What Is A Fair Credit Score
A fair credit score isn’t sufficient to thrive in the world of credit. Let’s look at what you can expect with such a score as well as some ways to increase it.
Best Spring Break Destinations for 2024
Don’t feel like you must plan the same Caribbean spring break trip as everyone else. Plenty of destinations have just as much beauty and adventure, but without overtourism.
When’s a Good Time to Request a Credit Limit Increase?
If you’ve got a good relationship with your bank due to on-time payments and routinely low credit card balances, you’re justified in asking for a credit line increase.
Does Applying for a Credit Card Hurt Your Credit?
If you use your credit responsibly, you’ll be able to increase your credit score far beyond what it was before you submitted your application.
Defaulting on Credit Cards: Why It Happens and What to Do
Defaulting on a credit card is one of the worst things you can do for your credit. Here’s how to avoid it—and what to do if you’re already experiencing default.
Credit Card Grace Period: What It Is And How It Works
Did you know that you can receive what essentially amounts to a short-term loan from the bank without paying a lick of interest?
Credit Card Skimmers: How to Spot And Avoid Them
Credit card skimmers come in all shapes. Sometimes they’re false keypads or card slot attachments. With a bit of diligence, you can avoid them nearly every time.
Credit Card Closing Date: Meaning And Implications
Your credit card closing date can affect the interest you accrue, the health of your credit score, and the cash back or other awards you earn.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card Review 2024
The Southwest Plus Card is good for those that fly Southwest once or twice per year—and it can fast-track you to one of the undisputed best deals in travel.
Should I Sign My Credit Card
Signing the back of your credit card was once helpful to prevent fraud, but that’s not the case not anymore. However, merchants can decline your card if it’s not signed.
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