Personal Money Management Tips and Advice

Category: Money Management

Rakuten: Where it pays to shop.

A Look at How Rakuten (Ebates) Works in 2023

Since taking an interest in personal finance one site I’ve come across again and again is Rakuten, formerly Ebates. As Mint is to budgeting apps, Rakuten / Ebates is to cashback sites, as it seems to be the largest of its kind by far, boasting deals from over 2,500 retailers. Its popularity has endured even with the odd Rakuten re-branding and the platform remains one of my most-used money-saving tools....
Buy Now Pay Later

Buy Now, Pay Later: A Look at Some Popular BNPL Platforms

If you've watched television, visited a retail store, or shopped online in the past few years, you've almost undoubtedly heard about "buy now, pay later" or at least encountered one of the companies offering such options. Not only has the number of BNPL services grown in recent years but the number of consumers turning to these services has continued to climb as well. Yet, while the popularity of these platforms...
Black Friday gift box

Money at 30: The 2022 Black Friday/Small Business Saturday Deals I Partook In

In the past, I've often talked about my disdain for Black Friday. Despite this, it turns out that I did a decent amount of shopping on this day... albeit from the comfort of my home. Moreover, as we headed out into the world on Small Business Saturday, there were more deals to find. Thus, I figured it was worth recapping some of the items I bought over the weekend and...
gift box

Money at 30: It's Gift Card Shopping Season

In the unlikely event that you were somehow unaware, this upcoming Friday is what's long been known in the retail industry and popular culture as Black Friday. Traditionally, this has been the official start of the holiday shopping season. While that remains largely true, over the years, several retailers have started to play with the timeline and basically just used the term "Black Friday" to describe any supposedly better-than-normal sale...
illustration of buying Bitcoin

Money at 30: Keeping Crypto at Arm's Length

What was already being called the "Crypto Winter" has certainly grown colder in just the past couple of weeks. With the implosion of FTX, things are changing quickly. And, while I didn't have an FTX account, the news has actually impacted me as BlockFi has also paused withdrawals due to their ties to the platform. Meanwhile, as you can imagine, prices for several cryptocurrency assets have been sagging even lower...
cliplboard with money

Money at 30: How I Keep Track of All My Banking Accounts

As I've lamented before, being a reviewer of FinTech apps and other offerings, I have far too many banking accounts. Granted, with yet another tool I've reviewed recently announcing its shutdown, occasionally my list starts to dwindle. And, yet, there's always another new account I find to take its place. Knowing about my dilemma, friends of mine have often asked how I keep track of all of these accounts. After...
Everyplate meal kit ingrediants

Money at 30: Why We Continue to Subscribe to a Meal Kit Service

It's officially been over a year since my wife and I decided to sign up for a meal kit delivery service. At the time, I figured I'd take advantage of the free meals being offered as part of their intro deal, add a few recipes to our collection for future use, and (of course) get a review out of the whole thing. Yet, here we are months later and we're...
Motel 6 entrance

Money at 30: Why Budget Hotels May Save You More Than You Think

When it comes to travel accommodations, I'm typically of two dueling mindsets. On the one hand, I don't feel a need to stay at the most luxurious properties in many cases — especially if I don't plan on staying in the room for all that long. Yet, I've often turned up my nose at traditional budget-friendly hotel and motel brands while on the road for one reason or another. However,...
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A Guide to Building Credit and Increasing Your Credit Scores

When it comes to credit, there’s some good news. The average credit score in the United States has been steadily rising in recent years, coming in at 715 in 2023. That may be because, today, consumers not only have more ways to access their credit reports and scores than ever before but also because there are an increasing number of options that Americans have for building credit in the first...

2024 SoFi Checking and Savings Review

Ever since I started taking an interest in the FinTech sector, one company whose name I’ve seen pop up over and over again is SoFi. Lately it seems as though that theme has been sent into overdrive as the company has not only become a household name thanks to its stadium naming rights deal but also because of the company’s continued product expansions. The most interesting development in my mind...
Brim logo

Brim Financial Raises $85 Million as It Eyes Global Expansion

Toronto-based FinTech infrastructure startup Brim Financial has announced a new funding round. About the round: Brim has revealed an $85 million round. The Series C was led by EDC Investments while new investor Vistara Growth and returning investors White Owl Group, Epic Ventures, and Zions Bank also participated. To date, the company has now raised $110 million including a Series B in 2021. According to Brim, the latest funding will...
Chase Freedom Flex card

Chase Reveals Q2 2024 Freedom 5%(+) Bonus Categories

Chase has announced its bonus category picks for the second quarter of 2024 — including some interesting twists. About the categories: As April approaches, Chase has revealed what categories Freedom and Freedom Flex cardholders can earn bonuses on. From April 1st through June 30th, customers can earn 5% (or more) in three categories: Amazon.com, Hotels, and Restaurants. Similar to how Chase embraced a "New Year, New Me" theme last quarter,...

FedEx Announces Winners of 11th Annual 2023 Small Business Grant Contest

Nearly three months after the entry period ended, FedEx has announced the winners of its 11th annual Small Business Grant Content. This year's event saw more than $300,000 in funds going to a variety of small businesses across the nation. Last month, the company revealed 100 finalists, with that list now being narrowed down to just 10 winners. This year's grand prize winners included KindVR, The Cupcake Collection, Up In...