Jonathan Dyer

I'm a small town guy living in Los Angeles looking to make solid financial decisions. I write for a number of finance websites, including HuffingtonPost and Business2Community. I founded DyerNews.com in 2015 to focus on personal finance and the emerging FinTech markets.
Personal Finance

Credit Bureaus Once Again Extend Free Weekly Credit Reports

by Jonathan Dyer
An offer that was introduced at the beginning of the pandemic has once again been extended. This week, the three major credit bureaus in the United States — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — announced that they'd be continuing their free weekly credit report program for consumers. Now, the feature will be valid until the end of 2023. Prior to the pandemic, consumers were entitled to download a copy of their...
Credit Cards

Marriott Bonvoy Unveils New Cobranded Cards From Amex, Chase

by Jonathan Dyer
In a much-expected move, Marriott Bonvoy has announced the launch of two new cards that will join their cobranded line up. These cards are the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Card from Chase. Both the Bevy and Bountiful cards earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties, 4x points on purchases at restaurants worldwide as well as at U.S. supermarkets (up...
Small Business News

Small Business Banking App Lili Introduces Lili Academy

by Jonathan Dyer
Oftentimes, when people think of the "entrepreneur spirit," they assume it means striking out completely on your own. While setting your own course and working for yourself can be key reasons why individuals elect to start a small business, the truth is that there's no shame in seeking some help. Luckily, there are now a number of free resources entrepreneurs can utilize to help teach them important business topics and...
FinTech News

Vet Care Financing FinTech Scratch Raises $35 Million

by Jonathan Dyer
With pet care being a necessity for millions of Americans, a startup that enables pet owners to get their furry friends the services they need by helping them finance the cost has closed a new round of funding. This week, Scratch Financial announced that it had raised $35 million. The Series C was led by Norwest Venture Partners, with Alumni Ventures, Companion Fund, Struck Capital, SWS Venture Capital, TTV Capital,...
FinTech News

Ecommerce "CashBack" Platform Fondue Raises $10.5 Million

by Jonathan Dyer
A FinTech that's focused on replacing ecommerce coupon codes with a more beneficial solution has just secured a significant investment. This week, Fondue announced that it had raised $10.5 million. The seed round was led by Quiet Capital and Hanaco Ventures, while other participants included Infinity Ventures, Ground Up Ventures, Sugar Capital, Starting Line, R-Squared Ventures, Gaingels, Verissimo Ventures, Samsung Next, and JAM Fund along with individuals. With the acquired...
Personal Finance

Wyndham Enables Digital Tipping Powered by Béné

by Jonathan Dyer
For those hotel guests who may have wished to directly tip staff members at a certain property but didn't have any cash on hand, Wyndham — which not only operates a number of hotels under its own brand name but also counts Days Inn, La Quinta, Super 8, and other chains under its umbrella — has announced the launch of a digital payment solution powered by Béné. A new mobile...
Credit Cards

Priceline VIP Rewards Credit Card Introduces PricePoints Feature

by Jonathan Dyer
Late last year, the travel booking site Priceline in partnership with Barclays introduced the Priceline VIP Rewards Visa. Now, the card is adding a new feature with a somewhat unique benefit for cardholders. This week, the two companies announced the debut of PricePoint. With this feature, customers will be able to earn points on Priceline bookings even when redeeming points for those bookings. For example, a customer redeeming $100 in...
FinTech News

Power Emerges from Stealth Mode with $16.1 Million Round

by Jonathan Dyer
When a FinTech startup begins its life, it's fairly common for it to go under the radar. In fact, some companies seem to prefer this, opting to stay in "stealth mode" until the time is right — such as announcing a product launch or fundraising. That's the case with a FinTech startup called Power, which is now letting the world know about its service. This week, Power announced its exit...