Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests via US Postal Service

September 26, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 10 Comments
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

You can now order another round of at-home COVID tests, this time 4 tests per household. Order via this US Postal Service website. Shipping is free. Details from site:

As of September 25, 2023, residential households in the U.S. can order one set of #4 free at-home tests from USPS.com again. Here’s what you need to know about your order:

– Limit of one order per residential address
– One order includes #4 individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests (COVIDTests.gov has more details about at-home tests, including extended shelf life and updated expiration dates)
– Orders will ship free starting the week of October 2, 2023

Filed Under: Deals & Offers
Last updated: September 26, 2023
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned. MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.

5% Cash Back Cards: PayPal, Wholesale Clubs, Amazon, Target – October through December 2023

September 21, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 44 Comments
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

5percentbackActivation reminder for 2023 4th Quarter. The credit cards below offer 5% cash back and up on specific categories that rotate each quarter. It takes a little extra attention, but it can add up to hundreds of dollars in additional rewards per year without changing your spending habits. You can also buy gift cards at places with 5% back now but spend the gift cards later. (* You can buy gift cards from lots of different places at grocery and drug stores…) New cardmembers may also get an upfront sign-up bonus.

Chase Freedom Flex Card

From October 1st through December 31st, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back (or 5X Ultimate Rewards points) on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:

  • PayPal
  • Wholesale Clubs (Sam’s Club and BJ’s, Costco.com only unless you have a Visa)
  • Select Charities (full eligibility list)

(The categories are also the same for the old Chase Freedom card, which is no longer available to new applicants.)

Enroll each quarter online in your Chase account or at ChaseBonus.com. As long as you activate by the 14th of the first month in each quarter, the rewards are retroactive. Technically, you earn Ultimate Rewards points which may be worth even more when converted to airline miles or hotel points instead of cash if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve card. You could also use the Pay Yourself Back tool to additional value. Currently, the Chase Freedom Flex card is offering new applicants a $200 bonus if you sign up and make $500 in purchases in your first three months. No annual fee.

Discover it 14 ImageDiscover it Card

From October 1st through December 31st, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:

  • Amazon.com
  • Target (both in-store and online)

Enroll after logging into your online account. 5% rewards won’t apply until after you activate your rewards, so it is best to activate now before you forget. No annual fee.

Discover it $100 bonus + Double Cashback Match details. If you are a new applicant and sign up via Discover Card referral link, you will get a $50 improved $100 Cashback Bonus after your first purchase within 3 months of being account opening. You will also get Cashback Match for an entire year – a dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year, automatically. During those 12 months, your 5% cash back rewards becomes 10% cash back, and your 1% cash back rewards become 2% cash back. You can verify this on the application by looking under “Terms and Conditions” or searching for “cashback match” and “statement credit offer”:

Cashback Match:
We’ll match all the cash back rewards you’ve earned on your credit card from the day your new account is approved through your first 12 consecutive billing periods or 365 days, whichever is longer, and add it to your rewards account within two billing periods.

* You will receive a $100 Statement Credit after making a purchase within three months of account opening. You must apply through your friend’s referral link and be approved by December 31, 2023 in order to be eligible for the $100 Statement Credit offer. Offer may not be combined with any other introductory offer. Promotional award will be applied within 8 weeks.

Citi Custom Cash Card. This new card offers 5% cash back on your *single* top eligible spending category up to $500 each month (which effectively adds up to $1,500 a quarter). Eligible categories include broad ones like restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, or select travel, but you only get 5% for the top category that month and 1% on everything else. To simplify things you could, for example, elect to onlyl use this card for 5% cash back on gas all year long (up to $500 per month).

Similar to the Chase Ultimate Rewards system above, this card and the Citi Double Cash card (earns 2% cash back) both technically earn Thank You points. You can’t convert your points to airline miles with this card alone, but you can transfer them to the Citi Premier Card, which does allow you to convert miles in various programs on a 1:1 basis including JetBlue, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Etihad, Flying Blue by Air France and KLM, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways.

Currently, the Citi Custom Cash card is offering new applicants a $200 bonus after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. You’ll actually get 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. No annual fee.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card

  • 6% cash back at US supermarkets all year long (on up to $6,000 per year)
  • 6% cash back at select US streaming subscriptions (includes Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube TV, and more).
  • Disney Bundle credit worth up to $84 annually. The Disney Bundle includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Get $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $12.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription with your Blue Cash Preferred Card. Enrollment required.
  • 3% cash back at US gas stations and transit (taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).

I use this card all year long for 6% cash back on groceries up to the limit and put all my streaming services on it (including Disney+ bundle), and then in December use up the $6k annual limit on gift cards bought in the supermarket aisle. New cardholders are also eligible for a $250 welcome offer. See details in link.

U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card. You must choose the two 5% cash back categories every quarter, out of a preset selection of specific categories:

  • Fast Food
  • Cell Phone Providers
  • Home Utilities
  • Ground Transportation
  • Select Clothing Stores
  • Electronics Stores
  • Car Rentals
  • Gyms/Fitness Centers
  • Sporting Goods Stores
  • Department Stores
  • Furniture Stores
  • Movie Theaters
  • TV, Internet, and Streaming Services

Unfortunately, you can’t pick a broad category like gas stations, restaurants, or grocery stores. Make sure to choose your categories each and every quarter, even if you want them to stay the same. If you do not choose your categories, all purchases revert to only earning 1% cash back for that quarter. No annual fee. Currently, new applicants are offered a $200 bonus after you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.

Amazon Prime Rewards Card. Earn 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods all year long. Prime membership required. New cardholder bonus varies by person. No annual fee.

Citi Dividend Card. This card has not been available to new applicants for years now, but if you still have the grandfathered card you can view and activate your quarterly 5% category here. Limit of $300 cash back for the calendar year.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers
Last updated: September 21, 2023
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned. MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.

Chase Ink Business Unlimited Card Review: $900 Cash Bonus (Highest Ever), 1.5% Flat Cash Back, No Annual Fee

September 21, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 5 Comments
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

Limited-time offer returns (highest ever). The Ink Business Unlimited Card is a small business credit card offering a $900 cash bonus (90,000 Ultimate Rewards points) for new cardholders and the simplicity of a flat, unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Here are the details:

  • Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Unlimited, flat 1.5% cash back (or flat 1.5X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent) on all purchases with no limit.
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases.
  • Free additional cards for employees.
  • Member FDIC
  • No annual fee.

Ultimate Rewards points. The cash sign-up bonus actually comes in the form of Ultimate Rewards points at 1 point = 1 cent in cash. 50,000 points = $500 cash. If you have one of the other annual fee cards that offer a boost in value like the Ink Business Preferred, Sapphire Preferred, or Sapphire Reserve, you can transfer your points between Ultimate Rewards accounts and redeem using that other card’s 25% travel bonus. This can increase the value of your points.

You could think of this card as the small business version of the Chase Freedom Unlimited card.

Prefer airline and/or hotel points? You can’t transfer points to miles directly with this card, but if you transfer over your Ultimate Rewards points to the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (or Ink Business Preferred card), then you can use that card to transfer into hotel and/or airline miles. If you value those miles/points at more than 1 cent per point, then your 1.5X rewards from this card can be significantly higher. Examples:

– You could earn 1.5 United miles per dollar spent.
– You could earn 1.5 Hyatt points per dollar spent.
– You could earn 1.5 British Airways Avios per dollar spent.
– You could earn 1.5 Southwest Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent.

For example, if you placed a perceived value of 1.5 cents on each United mile or Southwest Rapid Rewards point, then you’d receive 2.25 cents of perceived value per dollar spent with this card. Your actual numbers will depend on your own specific redemption choices.

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that they can apply for business credit cards, even if they are not a corporation or LLC. The business type is called a sole proprietorship, and these days many people are full-time or part-time consultants, freelancers, eBay/Amazon/Etsy sellers, or other one-person business owners. This is the simplest business entity, but it is fully legit and recognized by the IRS. On a business credit card application, you should use your own legal name as the business name, and your Social Security Number as the Tax ID.

Note that Chase has an unofficial rule that they will automatically deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards from any issuer on your credit report within the past 2 years (aka the 5/24 rule). This rule is designed to discourage folks that apply for high numbers of sign-up bonuses. This rule applies on a per-person basis, so in our household one applies to Chase while the other applies at other card issuers.

Bottom line. The Ink Business Unlimited Card has a large sign-up bonus and flat 1.5% cash back with no annual fee. This card is best for people who want simple and straightforward rewards. If you have certain other Chase credit cards, you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points over to those cards and increase your value. Be sure to compare with other Chase small business cards – Ink Business Preferred and Ink Business Cash.

Also see: Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General, Reviews
Last updated: September 21, 2023
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned. MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.

Chase Ink Business Cash(R) Card Review: $900 Bonus (Highest Ever), 5% Back Categories, No Annual Fee, 0% Intro APR Welcome Offer

September 21, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 15 Comments
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

Limited-time offer return (best ever). Got a small business? The Ink Business Cash(R) Card has a sign-up promotion offering a $900 cash bonus (90,000 Ultimate Rewards points) for new cardholders, along with 5% cash back and 2% cash back on select small business categories, all with no annual fee. Here are the details:

  • Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months.
  • 5% cash back (or 5X Ultimate Rewards per dollar) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year.
  • 2% cash back (or 2X Ultimate Rewards per dollar) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.
  • 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.
  • Free additional cards for employees.
  • No annual fee.
  • Member FDIC

Ultimate Rewards points. The cash sign-up bonus actually comes in the form of Ultimate Rewards points at 1 point = 1 cent in cash. 75,000 points = $750 cash. This is similar to the situation with the Chase Freedom Unlimited.

If you have also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred Card, then you can pool all of your Ultimate Rewards points together (even with your spouse/partner as an authorized user) and either use the airline/hotel transfer partners or redeem using the new “Pay Yourself Back” tool for a 25% to 50% boost in value.

Leveraging the 5% back bonus categories. Putting all of your small business cell phone, landline, and internet bills on the card and getting 5% back is pretty handy. For example, even just $200 a month x 12 months x 5% back is $120 back a year without changing your spending habits. Now let’s take the office supply store category and the fact that you can buy gifts cards to Amazon.com and other retailers at such office supply stores like Staples and OfficeMax… now you can effectively discount many of your other purchasing needs by 5% as well. Putting those purchases on such gift cards upfront can also help you meet the spending requirement for the bonus.

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that they can apply for business credit cards, even if they are not a corporation or LLC. The business type is called a sole proprietorship, and these days many people are full-time or part-time consultants, freelancers, eBay/Amazon/Etsy sellers, or other one-person business owners. This is the simplest business entity, but it is fully legit and recognized by the IRS. On a business credit card application, you should use your own legal name as the business name, and your Social Security Number as the Tax ID.

Note that Chase has an unofficial rule that they will automatically deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards from any issuer on your credit report within the past 2 years (aka the 5/24 rule). This rule is designed to discourage folks that apply for high numbers of sign-up bonuses. This rule applies on a per-person basis, so in our household one applies to Chase while the other applies at other card issuers.

Bottom line. The Ink Business Cash Card has a large sign-up bonus and ongoing features of 5X/2X categories with no annual fee. This card is best if you have significant expenses in the special 5% and 2% categories above. If you have certain other Chase credit cards, you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points over to those cards and increase your value.

Also see: Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General, Reviews
Last updated: September 21, 2023
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned. MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.

Project Gutenberg + AI = Free High-Quality Audiobook Classics

September 20, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 1 Comment
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

Project Gutenberg is well-known as a volunteer-driven, non-profit project that digitizes free public-domain books, mostly those whose copyright has expired. However, their eBooks were often uncomfortable to read as plain text. Standard eBooks took the most popular ones and improved the typography and device-specific formatting, such that they look as modern as other retail eBooks.

The Project Gutenberg Open Audiobook Collection is a new collaboration between Project Gutenberg, Microsoft AI, and MIT to create audiobooks with natural-sounding speech using neural text-to-speech technology. I wouldn’t say it perfectly matches that of a trained voice actor, but it is certainly a huge improvement over the old robotic voice. I recently read Call of the Wild by Jack London as it was on my kid’s summer reading list, and you can compare the different versions yourself.

Here is the current full list of available audiobooks. You can also find them on Google Podcats, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. This makes it much easier to listen to classic books during your commute and also for the visually-impaired.

For some title ideas, check out this list of the most downloaded Project Gutenburg eBooks. Here are the top 10 right now:

  • Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
  • Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
  • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  • The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • Dracula by Bram Stoker
  • Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  • The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
  • A Doll’s House : a play by Henrik Ibsen
  • Moby Dick; Or, The Whale by Herman Melville
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Frugal Living
Last updated: September 20, 2023
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned. MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.

US Bank Business Checking: Up to $800 Bonus

September 18, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 5 Comments
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

US Bank has up to a $800 bonus when you open a new Business Checking account using the promo code Q3BUS23 and complete the following activities. Offer valid through October 31, 2023.

  • Open a U.S. Bank Business Checking account (Silver, Gold, Platinum). The lowest Silver tier has no monthly maintenance fee and includes 125 free transactions per month.
  • Deposit $5,000 or $25,000 in new money within 30 days of account opening and then maintain your balance until the 60th day after account opening. .

Your bonus is determined by the total amount of your deposits:

  • Earn $350 when you deposit $5,000.
  • Earn $800 when you deposit $25,000.

This offer may be restricted to those states where US Bank has a physical branch presence. In addition, sometimes people outside this footprint may be allowed to open an account if they have other US Bank products. They’ll tell you when you apply, early on in the process, if your address is not allowed.

The business checking bonus will be deposited into your new U.S. Bank Silver, Gold, or Platinum Business Checking account within 30 days following the last calendar day of the month you complete all the offer requirements, as long as the account is open and has a positive available balance.

Here is their definition of “new” account:

Offer is not valid if you or any signer on the new business checking account have an existing U.S. Bank Business Checking account or had a U.S. Bank Business Checking account in the last 24 months.

Thanks to Dividend Growth Investor for the tip.

This is for business checking accounts (their personal checking offer is different each month) but this offer is worth a mention due to the relatively big bonus combined with a reasonable minimum holding period. Earning $350 for holding $5,000 for 60 days is roughly a 42% annualized return. Earning $800 for holding $25,000 for 60 days is roughly a 19% annualized return. Self-employed business owners can open a business checking account for themselves as a sole proprietorship or LLC.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers
Last updated: September 18, 2023
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned. MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.

American Express Rewards Checking Review: $250 Bonus For Existing Credit Cardholders

September 18, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 2 Comments
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

American Express is continuing their expansion into banking by promoting their Rewards Checking with a new $250 direct deposit bonus. The bonus requirements are pretty straightforward:

  • Open a new American Express Rewards Checking Account by Octobe?r 3?1, 2?023.
  • Have a single direct deposit of $500+ posted to your American Express Rewards Checking Account by Decembe?r 1?0, 2?023.
  • After you have completed the above, American Express will deposit your Welcome Bonus into your Rewards Checking Account within 8-12 weeks.

This bonus is targeted for existing consumer credit cardholders (you have have received a direct e-mail), although for some reason business checking accountholders are also excluded:

We are currently accepting applications from Card Members with a U.S. Basic Consumer Card issued by American Express National Bank with 3+ months tenure. Current and prior American Express Business Checking customers are not eligible to apply at this time.

If you log into your personal credit card account, the application is mostly auto-filled and just takes a few clicks. There is no hard credit check.

Here are some quick highlights about the Rewards Checking account:

  • No monthly fees, and no minimum balance requirements.
  • 1.00% APY (as of 9/17/23)
  • Earn 1 Membership Rewards® point for every $2 of eligible Debit Card purchases. You can combine these points for redemption using your other AmEx cards.
  • Unlimited fee-free ATM withdrawals at over 37,000 MoneyPass® ATM locations nationwide.
  • Mobile check deposit is available.
  • Free paper checks are not included, but you can purchase them at additional cost.

From the full terms and conditions:

A Qualifying Direct Deposit is a single ACH transfer of $500 or more from an employer or the government for a paycheck, pension, government benefit (such as Social Security), or tax refund. The following are not Qualifying Direct Deposits: person to person transfers (P2P), demand deposit account to demand deposit account transfers (for example, from a checking account to another checking account), and deposits or ACH transfers not from an employer or the government (for example, online transfers or bank transfers).

You are not eligible for the Welcome Bonus if you have an existing Rewards Checking Account. Each individual customer may only have one Rewards Checking Account. You must keep your account open and in good standing until we award you your Welcome Bonus. If your account is closed for any reason prior to such time, including being closed by us, you will not be eligible for the Welcome Bonus. If we determine, in our sole discretion, that you have violated the Rewards Checking Account Terms or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your account, we may determine that you are not eligible for the Welcome Bonus. In such circumstance, we may rescind or decline to award you the Welcome Bonus.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers
Last updated: September 18, 2023
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned. MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.

Top 10 Best Small Business Credit Card Bonus Offers – September 2023

September 16, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 22 Comments
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

Updated September 2023. Do you have small business income or work as an independent contractor? Freelance, Uber/Lyft, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Airbnb? A small business credit card separates your personal and business expenses and can build up your business credit profile. If you are not a corporation or LLC, you can apply as a sole proprietorship, with your name as the business name and your Social Security number as the Tax ID number. These are the top 10 credit card offers that I would personally apply for right now (or have already). Recent changes:

  • Added Delta 110k, Venture X 150k, Marriott 125k, Hyatt 75k, Ink Preferred 100k/$1250, Hyatt 60k+credits.
  • Removed Southwest Premier 120k, Hilton 165k+FreeNightReward, Marriott 125k, Hilton 165k, Ink Cash 90k w/ No AF, Ink Unlimited 90k w/ No AF, Hawaiian 90k

This is a companion post to my Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers for personal cards. Notice that small business bonuses are on average even higher than those on consumer cards.

Capital One Venture X Business Card

  • 150,000 miles (worth $1,500 towards travel, or transferrable to miles) after $30,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • $300 annual travel credit. Get up to $300 in statement credits when booking through Capital One Travel.
  • Additional 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.
  • Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass(TM) and Plaza Premium Group lounges access.
  • Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
  • $395 annual fee.

Chase Ink Business Preferred Card

  • 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $1,000 straight cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®) after $8,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • 3X points on the first $150,000 spent on travel, shipping purchases, internet/cable/phone services, and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines.
  • Primary rental car coverage when renting for business purposes.
  • $95 annual fee.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.*

World of Hyatt Business Card

  • Up to 75,000 Total Bonus Points. 60,000 points after $5,000 in purchases in first 3 months. Additionally, earn 15,000 points after you spend $12,000 in first 6 months.
  • Up to $100 in Hyatt statement credits – spend $50 or more at any Hyatt property and earn $50 statement credits up to two times each anniversary year.
  • $199 annual fee.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.

Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express

Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after spending $12,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 Bonus Miles after you make an eligible Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 6 months. Offer Ends 10/25/2023.

  • Up to 110,000 total Delta Skymiles. 100,000 bonus miles after $12,000 in purchases in your first 6 months. Plus additional 10,000 bonus miles after you make an eligible Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 6 months. Offer Ends 10/25/2023. See link for details.
  • 110,000 Skymiles are worth at least $1,100 in Delta airfare with “Pay with Miles” option.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • Airport lounge access perks.
  • $550 annual fee.
  • Also: See offers on other card versions.

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

  • 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points after $8,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. Limited-time offer ends 11/1/23. See link for details.
  • Additional Free Night Award upon card anniversary (worth up to 35,000 Bonvoy points). Earn another additional Free Night Award after spending $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
  • Annual fee is $125.

Business Platinum® Card from American Express

  • 120,000 Membership Rewards points after $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
  • HUGE list of additional perks including $400 Dell, $360 Indeed, $150 Adobe, $120 wireless phone annual credits, $200 annual airline fee credit, $189 CLEAR credit, $100 TSA/Global Entry credit, Centurion airport lounge access, and more. See link for details.
  • $695 annual fee.

United(SM) Business Card

  • 50,000 bonus United miles after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • Free first checked bag for both you and a companion (a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip).
  • Expanded award availability. Having this card makes it easier to redeem for that saver award economy ticket.
  • 5,000-mile “better together” bonus each anniversary when you have both the United(SM) Business Card and personal Chase United credit card.
  • Primary rental car coverage when renting for business purposes.
  • $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Chase Ink Business Unlimited Card

  • $750 bonus cash back (75,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • Flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases with no limit.
  • No annual fee.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Chase Ink Business Cash Card

  • $750 bonus cash back (75,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services each account anniversary year.
  • No annual fee.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Hawaiian Airlines Business MasterCard

  • 70,000 Hawaiian miles. 60,000 miles after $2,000 in purchases in first 90 days. 10,000 miles after a qualifying purchase is made on an employee card. See link for details.
  • Receive a one-time 50% off companion discount for roundtrip coach travel between Hawaii and The Mainland on Hawaiian Airlines.
  • $99 annual fee.

CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard

  • 65,000 American Airlines miles after $4,000 in purchases in first the 4 months. See link for details.
  • First checked bag free on domestic AA flights for you and up to 4 companions ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $99.

Bank of America Business Advantage Cash Rewards Card

  • $500 statement credit after $5,000 in purchases in the first 90 days. See link for details.
  • 3% cash back on your choice of six categories. 2% cash back on dining and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. The 3% and 2% cash back applies to the first $50,000 in combined category/dining purchases each calendar year, 1% thereafter.
  • No annual fee.

US Bank Business Leverage Card

  • 75,000 bonus points after $7,500 in purchases (on the Account Owner’s Card only) in first the 4 months. 75,000 bonus points can be redeemed for $750 in cash back. See link for details.
  • Availability may be restricted to certain states.
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $95.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

  • 130,000 Hilton Honors points after $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Earn another Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year.
  • $95 annual fee.

Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business Card

  • 50,000 miles (worth a $500 statement credit) after $4,500 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • Flat 2X points per dollar spent on all purchases with no limit.
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $95.

JetBlue Business Card

  • Up to 75,000 TrueBlue points. 60,000 bonus points after $5,000 on purchases in first 90 days. 15,000 bonus points after total of $15,000 on purchases in first year. See link for details.
  • First checked bag free for the primary cardmember and up to 3 companions when tickets are purchased with your JetBlue Plus Card.
  • $99 annual fee.

Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Business Card

  • Up to 60,000 American Airlines miles. 50k miles after $4,000 on purchases in first 90 days, and 10k miles after a purchase is made on an employee card. See link for details.
  • First checked bag free on domestic AA flights for you and up to 4 companions ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • $95 annual fee.

Alaska Airlines Visa Business Card (Bank of America)

  • 50,000 Alaska miles + $100 Statement Credit + Companion Fare Voucher after $3,000 in purchase within 90 days. See link for details.
  • Companion fare voucher is “Buy one ticket, get one for $122” ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from just $23).
  • Free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six other passengers on the same reservation (worth $60 roundtrip per person).
  • $70 annual fee for company, plus $25 per card.

* Note: Certain Chase cards have a “5/24 rule” which is an unofficial rule that they will automatically deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards on your credit report within the past 2 years. This rule applies on a per-person basis, so if you are new, you might want to start with those Chase cards.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers
Last updated: September 17, 2023
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned. MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.

TradeStation Brokerage: $150 Bonus with $500 Deposit

September 14, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 3 Comments
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

TradeStation is a brokerage targeted at active traders of stocks, ETFs, stock options, futures, and futures options. Right now they have a $150 bonus promotion when you deposit $500 or more into a new TradeStation Securities account with promo code BRAVAGDC:

Get an extra $150 in your account when you deposit $500 or more into a new TradeStation Securities account. Open a TradeStation account using offer code BRAVAGDC and maintain a minimum balance of $500 and look out for your reward. Additional terms apply.*

You may need to take a picture of your driver’s license during the application process, using your smartphone. I was able to get approved instantly and fund via a Plaid ACH link and transfer.

You don’t need to place any trades to qualify for this bonus, but you do need to keep your deposit there for 2 months after the funding date (first $75 bonus payment) and then until 3 months after funding date (second $75 payment). Therefore you may wish to buy something at least with your funds, like SGOV which holds short-term Treasury Bills at $100.xx per share.

Here is their fee schedule. Note that there is a $10 monthly activity fee unless one of the following criteria are met (I believe that this does not apply during first 90 days, but will once there is 90 days of inactivity): $5,000 average end-of-month equity balance OR at least ten (10) trades placed during the previous 90-day period.

The bid-ask spread for SGOV is only $0.01 on most days. Each share is only a little over $100. I plan on transferring about $505 and simply buying 1 share at a time, and then selling one share at a time, just enough to satisfy the activity requirements. I also plan to hold overnight to avoid daytrading restrictions.

Offer found via DoC. Full terms and conditions:

Only New Entity (non-Institutional) Individual or Joint equities and futures accounts with the correct promotional code entered and initially funded with New Assets (as defined below) of $500.00 or greater are eligible for this cash offer. To qualify, you must enroll by entering the promotional code on new account application or request to enroll a new account, via telephone or email, with a TradeStation Representative. You must initially fund the Account with New Assets within 45 calendar days of Account enrollment. New Assets is defined as cash or securities held at a financial institution other than TradeStation (assets transferred from an existing TradeStation account do not qualify). Your Account will not qualify for the cash offer if you withdraw or transfer assets from your Account, then redeposit them into the Account. Asset fluctuations (up or down) do not affect the calculation of Qualifying Assets. Minimum funding of $500 must be maintained through month following account fund date for first payment and through the next month for subsequent payment. The cash offer will be determined based on Qualifying Assets in the Account as follows:

Less than $500.00 – cash reward of $0;
$500 or more – 2 cash rewards of $75 (total of $150).

Cash reward will be paid out in monthly increments of $75. First deposit of $75 into the Account will be two months following the account fund date. Each subsequent credit will post in following month of qualification. This offer is not affiliated with TradingView and a subscription to TradingView is not required for qualification. This offer cannot be combined with any other offers. Only one offer per client on one qualifying account. Existing clients are not eligible for this offer. Customers who receive promotional offers from any TradeStation affiliate may be subject to IRS Form 1099-MISC reporting requirements should the total value of those items exceed $599 in a calendar year. Please consult a tax professional.

Another drop in my 2023 IRA $6,500 challenge bucket.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Investing
Last updated: September 14, 2023
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned. MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.

Delta SkyMiles® American Express Cards – Up to 110,000 Bonus Miles

September 14, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 7 Comments
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

Updated with business card limited-time offers, changes to lounge access and status boosts. Delta Airlines American Express cards offer various special perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and the ability to earn Delta Skymiles with card purchases. As you can only get the welcome offers once on each of these cards per person per lifetime (each card is considered different), I recommend waiting until a limited-time offer to maximize your benefit. Here are the current offers:

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

  • Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • $100 Delta flight credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, receive a Credit to use toward future travel.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
  • 2X miles at Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
  • Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $99. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

40,000 Skymiles is worth at least $400 in Delta airfare. Delta offers a minimum value out of your Skymiles via the “Pay with Miles” option. That means 50,000 Skymiles can reduce the price of your Delta ticket by $500 at the very least. (5,000 mile = $50 minimum redemption.) You can still book the traditional award tickets and possibly get better value.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

  • Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • Status Boost(R) details. Earn 10,000 Medallion(R) Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Delta Platinum Card, up to two times through 12/31/23. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more at delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges.
  • Up to $100 Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R) after you apply through any Official Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate: Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Delta Sky Club(R) access. Get access to Delta Sky Club(R) at a rate of $50 per person per visit for you and up to two guests or immediate family when traveling on a Delta flight from now until 12/31/23. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available.
  • Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
  • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $250 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

The Platinum version can be a worthy upgrade from the Gold version if you can take advantage of the annual Companion Certificate (i.e. book two tickets together on Delta at least once a year). I’ve used it several times in the past and it is easy to use while booking tickets online at Delta.com. My savings from using the companion certificate has ranged from $200 to $500.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

  • Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • Status Boost(R) details. With Status Boost(R), earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card through 12/31/23, up to four times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn towards flights. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more at delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges.
  • Delta Sky Club(R) access. Enjoy Delta Sky Club(R) access at no cost and bring up to two guests or immediate family at a rate of $50 per person per visit. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 10 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
  • Centurion Lounge access. Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion(R) Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
  • Save 15% On Award Travel. Eligible Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Up to $100 Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R) after you apply through any Official Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • First Class Main Cabin domestic round-trip companion certificate. Receive a domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+(R) or domestic Main Cabin round trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases.
  • Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
  • $550 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

The Reserve version can be a worthy upgrade for frequent Delta fliers. Enjoy Delta Sky Club and/or Centurion Lounge access on your Delta flights, that First Class companion certificate can be worth thousands, earn additional MQMs on your purchases, etc.

BUSINESS Card Versions

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 75,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn an additional 5,000 Bonus Miles after you make an eligible Delta purchase with your new card within your first 6 months. Offer Ends 10/25/23.
  • Save 15% On Award Travel. Card Members save 15% when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • $100 Delta flight credit. Additionally, receive a $100 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
  • Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases at U.S. shipping providers and eligible U.S. advertising purchases in select media. Effective 1/1/2024, this benefit will have a cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases per category, per year. Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants. Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $99. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $8,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 Bonus Miles after you make an eligible Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 6 months. Offer Ends 10/25/23.
  • Save 15% On Award Travel. Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum Business American Express Card Members save 15% when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Status Boost(R) details. With Status Boost(R), earn 10,000 Medallion(R) Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to 2x per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn towards flights. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more at delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Worth up to $100 towards Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck).
  • Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate. You can receive a domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
  • Earn 3 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent on purchases made directly with hotels.
  • Earn more miles on big purchases with 1.5 miles per dollar on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (that’s an extra half mile per dollar), up to 50,000 additional miles per Calendar year. If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply (ex. you would earn 3X miles on purchases made directly with Delta and hotels instead of 1.5X).
  • Delta Sky Club(R) Access. Get access to Delta Sky Club(R) at a rate of $50 per person per visit for you and up to two guests or immediate family while flying together on Delta. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available.
  • $250 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms and limitations apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after spending $12,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 Bonus Miles after you make an eligible Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 6 months. Offer Ends 10/25/2023.
  • Save 15% On Award Travel. Card Members now enjoy savings on Delta flights. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Status Boost(R) details. With Status Boost(R), earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card through 12/31/23, up to four times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status.* MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn towards flights.*Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more.
  • Delta Sky Club(R) Access. With complimentary access into Delta Sky Club(R), you can relax before your Delta flight, or find downtime between connections.* You’ll also receive two Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes each year so you can share the experience with others when you’re traveling together. *Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 10 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
  • Centurion Lounge access. Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion(R) Lounge or Escape lounges -The Centurion(R) Studio Partner when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Worth up to $100 towards Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck).
  • First Class Main Cabin domestic round-trip companion certificate. Receive a domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+(R) or domestic Main Cabin round trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card.*Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • Enjoy 3X miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
  • After you spend $150,000 on your Card in a calendar year, you earn 1.5 miles per dollar (that’s an extra half mile per dollar) on eligible purchases the rest of the year. If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply (ex. you would earn 3X miles on purchases made directly with Delta instead of 1.5X).
  • $550 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms and limitations apply.

Again, Delta offers a minimum value out of your Skymiles via the “Pay with Miles” option. That means 100,000 Skymiles can reduce the price of your Delta ticket by $1,000 at the very least. (5,000 mile = $50 minimum redemption.) You can still book the traditional award tickets and possibly get better value.

In my opinion, the Delta Gold is still the best for most casual Delta customers because of the free checked bag, new $100 flight credit, and relatively big sign-up bonus. The main draw of the Platinum is the MQMs for those that want to achieve status (and thus free upgrades), along with the Main Cabin companion certificate. The main draw of the Reserve cards is MQMs, the airport lounge access and the First Class companion certificate. I have used the companion certificate several times in the past and have gotten good value out of it.

During a limited-time offer, I will add these to my list of the Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General
Last updated: September 14, 2023
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned. MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.

Capital One Venture X Business Card Review: 150,000 Miles Intro Bonus

September 12, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 5 Comments
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

The Capital One Venture X Business Card is the newest entry into the ultra-premium business card category, with features similar to the Capital One Venture X Rewards credit card for consumers (you can have both at the same time). It has a large new-cardholder bonus, loads of perks, and a hefty annual fee. The net result is a first-year value of over $1,500! Let’s take a look at what it offers:

  • 150,000 bonus miles (equal to $1,500 towards travel) when you spend $30,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit. Get up to $300 in annual statement credits when booking through Capital One Travel. Book your choice of flights, hotel nights, or car rentals. You can redeem these in partial amounts over the course of the year.
  • 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.
  • Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Valid once every 4 years.
  • Airport lounge access. Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,200+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass(TM) and Plaza Premium Group lounges.
  • Elevate your stay at luxury hotels and resorts from the Premier Collection with a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits on every booking.
  • This card has no preset spending limit, so you get purchasing power that adapts to your spending needs.
  • Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease.
  • This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month.
  • Annual fee is $395. Free employee cards.

If you use your credit card to pay your income taxes, right now the lowest processing fee is only 1.85%. That means that as long as you have enough travel purchases to offset, the 2X miles per dollar spent in rewards from this card (effectively 2% back towards travel) will more than offset the payment processor fee, while also counting towards the bonus requirements.

Here is the rewards structure on purchases:

  • 10X Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
  • 5X Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
  • 2X Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
  • Redeem miles for any airline, any hotel, rental cars, and more.
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs.

Redemption details. Capital One “miles” can be redeemed directly for a cash statement credit on a 1 mile = $0.01 basis when offsetting any travel purchase made on the card within the past 90 days. In other words, 100,000 miles = $1,000 toward travel. That means you can fly on any airline or stay at any hotel, pay with this card, and then “erase” that purchase using your miles balance later. This even includes AirBNB vacation rentals, car rentals, and Uber rides.

This means that earning 2 miles on on every $1 in purchases essentially makes this a 2% back card when applied towards travel. Earn even higher rewards of 5 miles per $1 spent on on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 10 miles per $1 spent on on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

The Capital One Travel portal offers price matching: if you find a better price on another website within 24 hours of booking, they will refund you the difference.

Miles transfer options. Capital One now allows you to transfer your “miles” into select airline miles programs as well. Here are the airline transfer partners:

  • Aeromexico
  • Air France/KLM
  • Air Canada Aeroplan
  • Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
  • Avianca Lifemiles
  • British Airways Avios
  • Emirates Skywards
  • Etihad
  • EVA
  • Finnair
  • Qantas
  • Singapore Airlines Krisflyer
  • TAP Air Portugal
  • Turkish Airlines
  • Virgin Red

Hotel partners

  • Accor Live Limitless
  • Choice Hotels

If you know how to leverage one of these international airline miles programs, this can be a very valuable option. Otherwise, it’s nice to know you can always get a certain level of value by redeeming against any travel purchase.

Airport lounge access details. Capital One is creating their own lounges within select airports (currently in Washington DC’s Dulles Airport and Dallas/Forth Worth). Venture X Business cardholders get unlimited access and can bring 2 free guests per visit. Employee cards do not get lounge access benefits.

You also get Priority Pass membership, which includes access to 1,200+ participating VIP lounges and even included credits to spend at some restaurants, in more than 600 cities and more than 148 countries. You can bring yourself and up to 2 free guests.

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that they can apply for business credit cards, even if they are not a corporation or LLC. The business type is called a sole proprietorship, and these days many people are full-time or part-time consultants, freelancers, eBay/Amazon/Etsy sellers, Uber/Lyft drivers, or other one-person business owners. This is the simplest business entity, but it is fully legit and recognized by the IRS. On a business credit card application, you should use your own legal name as the business name, and your Social Security Number as the Tax ID.

Business cards from Capital One don’t show up on personal credit reports, so your outstanding balance, credit limit, and closure states won’t affect your credit score. You’ll still see a credit check on your personal credit report from the initial application.

Bottom line. The card_name is an ultra-premium business rewards card that earns a minimum of 2 Miles per dollar on all purchases, which you can either redeem against any travel purchase or transfer to one of their airline/hotel partners. There is a generous new-customer offer of 150,000 bonus miles (worth $1,500 towards travel). If you can take advantage of the $300 annual travel credit, $100 Global Entry fee credit, and add the 10,000 miles on every anniversary, then you’ve effectively offset the $395 annual fee in all future years. To top it all off, the airport lounge access is very nice.

Due to the $1,500+ first-year value, I will be adding this to my Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers
Last updated: September 13, 2023
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned. MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.

Fierce Finance Review: 5.25% APY + Up to $500 Deposit Bonus (App Only)

September 12, 2023 By Jonathan Ping 1 Comment
My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

Update: Now, I’m not sure if you can do both, but my Fierce app is showing a $25 referral bonus if you open a new account and deposit $250. I would just consider this as an alternative if you don’t want to deposit $1,000+ for the bonus below. Swagbucks also has their own bonus (currently I see 3,000 SB for a $25 deposit).

Original post:

Fierce Finance is another small fintech with big ambitions. Currently available as an iPhone app (Android “coming soon”), it combines a checking account, stock trading, and crypto. Notably, the checking account pays 5.25% APY and has new customer bonus of up to $500 depending on deposit size. Additional details below.

Banking

  • 5.25% APY (as of 9/12/23) on the Fierce Checking Account.
  • No monthly fees, no minimum balance requirement.
  • Banking services provided by Cross River Bank, Member FDIC.
  • Uses the Allpoint ATM network of 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs worldwide.
  • “Live Support via phone, email, or live chat.”

Investing

  • It says “zero management fees”, I can only guess they also have zero stock commissions like nearly everyone else.
  • Brokerage services provided by FIN2, member FINRA and SIPC.
  • “Earn yield on your stocks” – I’m guessing this is also just fully paid securities lending.
  • Regulated Crypto Trading in all 50 states.

Deposit Bonus details. If you open a new Fierce account and reach one of the deposit tiers below within 30 days of account opening, keep it there for 180 days, and keep your account open for 210 days, you can receive the following bonus amount:

  • $25 for deposits of $1,000+
  • $100 for deposits of $10,000+
  • $200 for deposits of $30,000+
  • $500 for deposits of $100,000+

If everything goes perfectly, the $100 for $10,000 deposit tier would add about 2% to your APY over that period (in reality probably a little less). As long as they maintain their currently competitive interest rate, it’s not a bad combined total return for 6-7 months.

Full terms and conditions from the App Store page:

The Deposit Bonus offer is only available to new customers that meet all current account opening requirements.

To qualify for the Deposit Bonus, you are required to open a new Fierce account and initiate cumulative new money deposits, according to the table below, within 30 days of account opening. The cumulative value or greater must remain in your Fierce account for a minimum of 180 days. The Deposit Bonus will be credited to your Fierce Cash account at the end of the following month. Accounts must be kept open for 210 days from the time of qualifying. Normal account service charges and miscellaneous charges may apply to the Fierce account, which may reduce earnings.

Deposit Bonus:
$25 for deposits of $1k+
$100 for deposits of $10k+
$200 for deposits of $30k+
$500 for deposits of $100k+

The Deposit Bonus offer cannot be used in combination with any other Fierce promotional offer. For tax purposes, the value of the bonus will be reported to the IRS on Form 1099-INT. Fierce reserves the right to limit an individual to one account-related gift incentive per rolling 12-month period. Accounts closed at the time of bonus payment are not eligible. Offer is subject to cancellation without notice and cannot be combined with any other bonus offer. Fierce is not responsible for, and will not honor, promotional offers that appear on third-party websites that are not authorized by Fierce.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers
Last updated: September 15, 2023
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