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Barclaycard gutting Arrival+ travel benefits November 1
I’m not sure how old this news is since I rarely log into my credit card accounts on my desktop, but when I logged into my Barclaycard account the other
British Airways Avios: Award Efficiency Rating
Drew, what in the world is an award efficiency rating, and how does British Airways Avios have one? Did you just make this up?”
Yes, I did. But get used to
The backdoor VAT is an ideological project that must be defeated
It’s a banality among progressives in the United States to observe that we collect too little in taxes, spend too little on government programs, and consequently enjoy the least-..
Introducing: Silvercar Premium Rewards Program!
Audi’s announced the introduction of the Silvercar Premium Rewards Program. This is great news, as Audi has continued to build out Silvercar since they bought it a couple of years
Anatomy of a not-really-award trip; what should I do in the Balkans?
While most of my travel is domestic, I try to plan at least one big international trip every year. When my partner and I were both on academic calendars, that
California’s AB 5 is about benefits, not wages or unions
Become a Patron!I’ve been following with interest the development and passage of AB 5, California’s attempt to end the misclassification of employees, especially at app-based and..
Bank of America's disappearing ShopSafe benefit
So-called “virtual credit card numbers” were widely adopted in the early days of online shopping to give consumers confidence when placing orders online. The logic was simple: by..
Rules For Japan Airlines (JAL) Miles Award Charts
Right now I’m digging into JAL Miles and before I do a post on the best uses, I wanted to give an overview of their four award charts.
I have made
An Important Note About Patreon Podcast Subscriptions
Note: Robert and I covered the following on an episode of the Patron-Only podcast last month. We’re reporting it here for anyone who might have missed it there, and for general
How to view Pending Transactions on CNB Crystal card
The City National Bank Crystal Visa Infinite card is one of only two cards with annual fee that I keep (the other being Amex Hilton Aspire), the authorized users airline credit b..
The travel hacking resources I rely on today
Sorry to regular readers for the shortage of posts lately, I’ve been suffering from a combination of computer trouble (nothing new there) and website trouble (my Google ads start..
Job protection, wage insurance, and universal benefits
Become a Patron!As readers may have observed, I’ve been doing a lot of research lately on paid family and medical leave policies around the country, and I’ve found myself frustra..
How the Republican tax heist surgically targeted businesses in progressive states
This post gets pretty deep in the weeds, but it’s an issue that was brought to my attention by someone who works on family and medical leave policy and I
Are there 529 plans so bad they aren’t worth their state’s income tax benefits?
Become a Patron!A lot of financial planning and advice can start to seem pretty routine over time: maximize contributions to tax-advantaged savings vehicles, invest in a basket o..
Conrad Bora Bora – good availability for Sep 2019 and Jul 2020
Conrad Bora Bora is one of the most aspirational points properties in any program. The perfectly blue lagoon of Bora Bora on a sunny day is magical. Coupled with mountain view ..
The New Hilton Website SUCKS
Websites across the board have been getting worse. Chase, Amex, BA – you name it. Specifically, they’re being dumbed down for mobile, which is great for that environment but at..
Two current and upcoming bonused manufactured spend opportunities
Today I want to flag a couple manufactured spend opportunities to make sure readers are aware of them.$15 off $300 in Office Depot/OfficeMax MasterCard gift cardsThrough August 2..
This is how hard the credit card churning game has gotten
I only opened ONE new credit card in 2019 so far (it’s August now), with one more hard pull for a denial. I applied for 3 cards yesterday, all 3 are pending or denied, and judgi..
Why workers should fight for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship, too
Become a Patron!Even though this blog is committed to promoting entrepreneurship, I often say I don’t think everyone should become an entrepreneur, for the fundamental reason tha..
Long Haul Traveling with a Toddler – Thoughts and Tips
I’ve gone a few rounds with The Deal Mommy on the worst age to fly and at this point unless she declares an age above of seven to be the
The wealthy Illinois degenerates were good and right for getting their kids a free education
Become a Patron!Last week, the nonprofit journalism enterprise ProPublica wrote a breathless expose about a number of wealthy Illinois families, and their law firm collaborator, ..
Episode 31: The Hotel Status Loyalty Trap
0:42 Bank of America $300 Personal Checking Bonus (HT DoC) Requires $4,000 Direct Deposit in 3 months You need to have a checking account with BofA to quality for their
The Fidelity “dead accounts” study is fake, not wrong
Become a Patron!I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon, which I call “common knowledge about common knowledge” (doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, I know). It’s when some piece..