Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Credit Card Review: 80,000 Bonus Miles (Limited-Time Offer)

Posted on July 10, 2025 // 7 Comments

Limited-time offer. The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard is the co-branded American Airlines card from Citi. Here are the updated card highlights:

  • 80,000 American Airlines miles after $3,500 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
  • First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 4 travel companions on the same reservation – savings of up to $400 per round trip.
  • 2X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations
  • 2X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at restaurants
  • 2X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases*
  • 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage(R) mile earned from purchases.
  • $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your cardmembership year and renew your card.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees*
  • Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
  • 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases when you use your card on American Airlines flights
  • $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99.

Bonus details. Note the following language for the personal card, which has been changed from 24 to 48 months. Having the business version is okay.

AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® account in the past 48 months.

To clarify, you can have one of both the consumer version of this card and the CitiBusiness® version designed for businesses under your name. The bonuses are also separate.

Baggage fee value. American Airlines recently announced they are going to charge a whopping $40 one-way for the first checked bag if you don’t prepay online ($35 if you prepay online). That’s $80 roundtrip for a single checked bag, per person. With this card, your first checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation. $80 roundtrip x 5 people = $400 potential benefit.

Bottom line.  The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum® Select® World® Elite® Mastercard® has® a® nice® bonus® offer®. As with most of these co-branded cards, a lot of the ongoing value comes when you fly on American and utilize the free first checked bag benefit for you and up to 4 companions (value of up to $80 per person, round-trip).

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Buy $100 Apple Gift Card, Get $10 Best Buy e-Gift Card Free

Posted on July 10, 2025 // Leave a Comment

Get a $10 Best Buy eGift Card with $100+ in Apple Gift Card purchases. A simple gift or a good deal if you plan to buy any Apple products/services in the future (and shop at Best Buy). Looks to be online only.

Apple gift cards are now good for everything from Macbooks to iPhones to music to iCloud storage subscriptions. The code just adds to the balance in your Apple account. I pick these up often when they come around, and feel that getting 10% off a new iPhone or Apple Watch even when you buy on release day is pretty good. (Apple products and their iTunes/iCloud services used to have separate gift cards.)

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Best Interest Rates Survey: Savings Accounts, Treasury Bills, Money Markets, ETFs – July 2025

Posted on July 9, 2025 // 1 Comment

Here’s my monthly survey of the best interest rates on cash as of July 2025, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Banks and brokerages love taking advantage of our idle cash, and you can often earning more money while keeping the same level of safety by moving to another FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union. Check out my Ultimate Rate-Chaser Calculator to see how much extra interest you could earn from switching. Rates listed are available to everyone nationwide. Rates checked as of 7/9/2025.

TL;DR: Savings account interest rates are mostly stable (maybe a tiny bit lower on average), top rates are still those above 4.00% APY. Short-term T-Bill rates at around 4.3%. Top 5-year CD rates are ~4.25% APY, while 5-year Treasury rate is ~4%.

High-yield savings accounts*
Since the huge megabanks still pay essentially no interest, everyone should at least have a separate, no-fee online savings account to piggy-back onto your existing checking account. The interest rates on savings accounts can drop at any time, so I list the top rates as well as competitive rates from banks with a history of competitive rates and solid user experience. Some banks will bait you with a temporary top rate and then lower the rates in the hopes that you are too lazy to leave.

  • The top saving rate at the moment: HUSTL Financial at 5.00% APY (no min), a division of Vantage West Credit Union, member NCUA (and thus not a fintech). No direct experience with this one; wonder how long it will last? The “good/excellent” savings rate zone appears to be roughly 4% and above. CIT Platinum Savings is now at 4.00% APY with $5,000+ balance. There are many banks in between.
  • SoFi Bank is at 3.80% APY + up to $325 new account bonus with direct deposit. You must maintain a direct deposit of any amount (even $1) each month for the higher APY. SoFi has historically competitive rates and full banking features. See details at $25 + $300 SoFi Money new account and deposit bonus.
  • Here is a limited survey of high-yield savings accounts. They aren’t the top rates, but a group that have historically kept it relatively competitive such that I like to track their history. I’d call this the “okay/good” zone of 3.50%+.

Short-term guaranteed rates (1 year and under)
A common question is what to do with a big pile of cash that you’re waiting to deploy shortly (plan to buy a house soon, just sold your house, just sold your business, legal settlement, inheritance). My usual advice is to keep things simple and take your time. If not a savings account, then put it in a flexible short-term CD under the FDIC limits until you have a plan.

  • No Penalty CDs offer a fixed interest rate that can never go down, but you can still take out your money (once) without any fees if you want to use it elsewhere. Marcus has a 7-month No Penalty CD at 4.15% APY ($500 minimum deposit) and 13-month at 4.00% APY. Farmer’s Insurance FCU has a 9-month No Penalty CD at 4.25% APY ($1,000 minimum deposit). USA USALLIANCE Financial CU has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 4.20% APY ($500 minimum deposit).
  • Eagle Bank has a 12-month certificate at 4.45% APY ($1,000 min). Early withdrawal penalty is 90 days of interest.

Money market mutual funds
Many brokerage firms that pay out very little interest on their default cash sweep funds (and keep the difference for themselves). Note: Money market mutual funds are highly-regulated, but ultimately not FDIC-insured, so I would still stick with highly reputable firms.

  • Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX) is the default sweep option for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has an SEC yield of 4.23% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 4.31%, which is better for comparing against APY). Odds are this is much higher than your own broker’s default cash sweep interest rate.
  • Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund (VUSXX) is an alternative money market fund which you must manually purchase, but the interest will be mostly (100% for 2024 tax year) exempt from state and local income taxes because it comes from qualifying US government obligations. Current SEC yield of 4.18% (compound yield of 4.26%).

Treasury Bills and Ultra-short Treasury ETFs
Another option is to buy individual Treasury bills which come in a variety of maturities from 4-weeks to 52-weeks and are fully backed by the US government. You can also invest in ETFs that hold a rotating basket of short-term Treasury Bills for you, while charging a small management fee for doing so. T-bill interest is exempt from state and local income taxes, which can make a significant difference in your effective yield.

  • You can build your own T-Bill ladder at TreasuryDirect.gov or via a brokerage account with a bond desk like Vanguard and Fidelity. Here are the current Treasury Bill rates. As of 7/8/25, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.30% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.11% annualized interest.
  • The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 4.18% SEC yield (0.09% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years. SPDR Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) has a 4.15% SEC yield (0.136% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.15 years. The new Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) has a 4.19% SEC yield (0.07% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years.

US Savings Bonds
Series I Savings Bonds offer rates that are linked to inflation and backed by the US government. You must hold them for at least a year. If you redeem them within 5 years there is a penalty of the last 3 months of interest. The annual purchase limit for electronic I bonds is $10,000 per Social Security Number, available online at TreasuryDirect.gov.

  • “I Bonds” bought between May 2025 and October 2025 will earn a 3.98% rate for the first six months. The rate of the subsequent 6-month period will be based on inflation again. More on Savings Bonds here.
  • In mid-October 2025, the CPI will be announced and you will have a short period where you will have a very close estimate of the rate for the next 12 months. I will post another update at that time.

Rewards checking accounts
These unique checking accounts pay above-average interest rates, but with unique risks. You have to jump through certain hoops which usually involve 10+ debit card purchases each cycle, a certain number of ACH/direct deposits, and/or a certain number of logins per month. If you make a mistake (or they judge that you did) you risk earning zero interest for that month. Some folks don’t mind the extra work and attention required, while others would rather not bother. Rates can also drop suddenly, leaving a “bait-and-switch” feeling.

  • OnPath Federal Credit Union (my review) pays 7.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and login to online or mobile banking once per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization. You can also get a $100 Visa Reward card when you open a new account and make qualifying transactions.
  • Genisys Credit Union pays 6.75% APY on up to $7,500 if you make 10 debit card purchases of $5+ each per statement cycle, and opt into online statements. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • La Capitol Federal Credit Union pays 5.75% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases of at least $5 each per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization, Louisiana Association for Personal Financial Achievement ($20).
  • First Southern Bank pays 5.50% APY on up to $25,000 if you make at least 15 debit card purchases, 1 ACH credit or payment transaction, and enroll in online statements.
  • Credit Union of New Jersey pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make 12 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit, online bill payment, or automatic payment (ACH) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • Andrews Federal Credit Union pays 5.50% APY (down from 6%) on up to $25,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization.
  • Find a locally-restricted rewards checking account at DepositAccounts.

Certificates of deposit (greater than 1 year)
CDs offer higher rates, but come with an early withdrawal penalty. By finding a bank CD with a reasonable early withdrawal penalty, you can enjoy higher rates but maintain access in a true emergency. Alternatively, consider building a CD ladder of different maturity lengths (ex. 1/2/3/4/5-years) such that you have access to part of the ladder each year, but your blended interest rate is higher than a savings account. When one CD matures, use that money to buy another 5-year CD to keep the ladder going. Some CDs also offer “add-ons” where you can deposit more funds if rates drop.

  • Mountain America Credit Union (MACU) has a 5-year certificate at 4.25% APY ($500 minimum), 4-year at 4.20% APY, 3-year at 4.15% APY, 2-year at 4.00% APY, and 1-year at 4.20% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 4-year and 5-year is 365 days of interest. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization American Consumer Council for a one-time $5 fee (or try promo code “consumer”).
  • Lafayette Federal Credit Union (LFCU) has a 5/4/3/2/1-year certificates at 4.28% APY ($500 min). Slightly higher rates with jumbo $100,000+ balances. Note that the early withdrawal penalty for the 5-year is a relatively large 600 days of interest. Anyone nationwide can join LFCU by joining the Home Ownership Financial Literacy Council (HOFLC) for a one-time $10 fee.
  • You can buy certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. You may need an account to see the rates. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance and easy laddering, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. Right now, I see a 5-year non-callable brokered CD at 4.05% APY (callable: no, call protection: yes). Be warned that both Vanguard and Fidelity will list higher rates from callable CDs, which importantly means they can (and will!) call back your CD if rates drop significantly later.

Longer-term Instruments
I’d use these with caution due to increased interest rate risk (tbh, I don’t use them at all), but I still track them to see the rest of the current yield curve.

  • Willing to lock up your money for 10 years? You can buy long-term certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. You might find something that pays more than your other brokerage cash and Treasury options. Right now, I see a 10-year CDs at 4.00% (non-callable) vs. 4.33% for a 10-year Treasury. Watch out for higher rates from callable CDs where they can call your CD back if interest rates drop.

All rates were checked as of 7/9/25.

* I no longer recommend fintech companies due to the possibility of loss due to poor recordkeeping and lack of government regulation. (Ex. Evergreen Wealth at 5% APY is a fintech.)

Photo by insung yoon on Unsplash

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers, Investing // Tagged:

Target Circle Week 2025: 10% off Target Gift Cards, Check Your Circle Bonuses

Posted on July 8, 2025 // 4 Comments

Target Circle Week 2025 runs from July 6th-12th with various discounts and deals. Here are the highlights:

  • Saturday 7/12 Only: 10% off Target Gift Cards, up to $500 in face value. Easy savings, also useful for gift-giving. Purchase with your best non-Target cashback card, as it is not eligible for the 5% back from Target credit cards.
  • Deals of the Day will change over the week.
  • Check for new targeted Target Circle Bonuses added to your account. I see a $50 off $50 coupon on same-day delivery if I enroll in Circle 360, as well as a $10 bonus offer after two $40 purchases. Yours may be different. Must activate offer first.
  • Target Circle Card $50 new cardholder bonus. Save $50 on a future qualifying purchase of $50 or more when approved for a Target Circle™ Credit or Debit Card. 5% back at Target.
  • 50% off Target Circle 360 one-year membership for teachers and students. Plus, verified students can enjoy a one-time 20% off storewide discount with Target Circle that is stackable with Target Circle Week deals. Target Circle 360 paid membership gets you free same-day delivery of Target items (including grocery) using Shipt on $35+ orders. The items will be same price as in-store (no markup). You can also order from other Shipt Marketplace retailers. No Shipt fees, but tipping is still expected. You also get the free 2-day shipping and extended return policy that comes with the Target Circle credit card, but not the 5% back.

Disclosure: I am member of the Target affiliate program. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Amazon Prime Day 2025: Live Deals (Apple, Dyson, Gift Cards), Free Trials, Reset Credit Card Bonuses

Posted on July 8, 2025 // 5 Comments

Amazon Prime Days 2025 is now live and runs July 8-11th, 2025. Besides the sales, this is also the time where a lot of easy credits and extended free trials are reset, so now is a good time to see if you can use them yet again. As usual, I recommend checking for discounts on the things you already buy. Check your wishlist. Check your “Buy Again” past purchases. I’ve listed a few of my favorite things below as well.

(Note: If you are reading this in an email/RSS reader, unfortunately I am not allowed to include any Amazon affiliate links in e-mails, so they have been removed. Please click here to view the links.)

As the name suggests, most deals require a Prime membership. New members can sign up for a 30-day free trial. Amazon Prime for Students (age 18-24) has a 6-month free trial + 10% off on Prime Day and $7.49/month after that (50% off regular). If you’ve already done the trial, you can simply buy a single month of Prime for $14.99 ($6.99 with SNAP, EBT or Medicaid card).

Deals and Offers

Amazon Free Trials

“Shop with Points” Promos (Check again if reset/targeted)

Stuff I Own (and Would Buy Again)

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Top 10 Best Small Business Credit Card Bonus Offers – September 2025

Posted on June 27, 2025 // 23 Comments

Updated September 2025. Do you have small business income or work as an independent contractor? Freelance, Uber/Lyft, DoorDash, 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 Amex Platinum 200k, Delta 90k, Marriott 125k, CSR 200k, Venture X 350k, Citi AA 75k, Spark $2,000, Amex Gold 100k.
  • Removed Hilton 175k, Alaska 70k, Marriott 125k, Hyatt 60k+FreeNightAward, JetBlue 60k, Ink Unlimited $900.

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.

The Business Platinum® Card from American Express

  • 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after $20,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • American Express Global Lounge Collection® provides complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, including their exclusive Centurion® Lounge.
  • Unlock over $2,500 in statement credits with business and travel benefits annually* on the Business Platinum Card. Terms apply. Learn more. *After meeting qualifying spend thresholds.
  • $895 annual fee.
  • See Rates and Fees

Chase Sapphire Reserve® for Business Card

  • 200,000 Ultimate Rewards points after $30,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. See link for details.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit, plus a long list of other credits – Curated Gift Card, Google Workspace, ZipRecruiter Credit, DoorDash, Lyft.
  • Up to $120 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck fee credit.
  • $795 annual fee.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

  • Limited-time offer: 90,000 Bonus Miles after $6,000 in eligible purchases in first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 10/29/2025. See link for details.
  • 90,000 Skymiles are worth at least $900 in Delta airfare with “Pay with Miles” option.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights ($70 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • $200 Delta flight credit. Get a $200 credit to use toward future Delta travel after $10,000 in purchases within a calendar year.
  • $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
  • See Rates and Fees

Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card

  • $2,000 cash bonus after $30,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year. See link for details.
  • Unlimited 2% cash back spent on all purchases with no limit.
  • $150 annual fee; Spend $150,000 annually and Capital One will refund this fee every year.

American Express® Business Gold Card

  • 100,000 Membership Rewards points after $15,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • Up to $240 Annual Flexible Business Credit. Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. Enrollment is required.
  • Up to $155 Annual Walmart+ Credit. Get up to $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. Enrollment is required.
  • Annual fee is $375.
  • See Rates and Fees

Capital One Venture X Business Card

  • 150,000 Bonus Miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months. 150,000 Miles can be redeemed for $1,500 towards travel (including airfare and hotel stays). See link for details.
  • $300 annual travel credit. Get up to $300 in statement credits when booking through Capital One’s travel booking site.
  • Additional 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.
  • Lounge access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass(TM) lounges, after enrollment.
  • Up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R).
  • $395 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 (Up to $80 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $99.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

  • 90,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $900 straight cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel) 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.*

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

  • 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after $8,000 in purchases in your first 6 months. Plus an additional 25,000 Hilton Honors Bonus points after an additional $2,000 in purchases within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 8/13/2025.
  • Up to $240 in Annual Hilton Credits. Get up to $240 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases made on your Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, with up to $60 in statement credits per quarter.
  • $195 annual fee.
  • See Rates and Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

  • 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after $8,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms apply. Limited-time offer ends 10/22/2025. 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.Free Night Awards are valid at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • New award night top-off option: Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 15,000 points of your own. For example, the 50k Award can be used to book a hotel at 65,000 points level if you spend 15,000 points of your own. This opens up the number of potential hotels available in expensive areas.
  • Annual fee is $125.
  • See Rates and Fees

Hawaiian Airlines Business MasterCard

  • 50,000 Hawaiian miles after $4,000 in purchases in first 90 days. 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.

BofA Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards card

  • $500 statement credit after $5,000 in purchases in the first 90 days. See link for details.
  • 1.5% cash back on all purchases, which can be increased to 2.62% cash back when combined with the Preferred Rewards program.
  • 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 120 days. 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.

JetBlue Business Card

  • 50,000 TrueBlue points after $2,000 in purchases in first 90 days and paying the annual fee. 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.

Alaska Airlines Visa Business Card (Bank of America)

  • 60,000 Alaska miles + Companion Fare Voucher after $4,000 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 $70 roundtrip per person).
  • $70 annual fee for company, plus $25 per card.

Capital One Spark Cash Select Card

  • $500 cash bonus after $4,500 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • Unlimited 1.5% cash back spent on all purchases with no limit.
  • No annual fee.

* 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.

American Express(R) Business Gold Card: See Rates and Fees. The Business Platinum(R) Card from American Express: See Rates and Fees. The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: See Rates and Fees. Marriott Bonvoy Business(TM) Card from American Express(R): See Rates and Fees. Delta SkyMiles(R) Gold Business American Express Card: See Rates and Fees

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

American Express® Gold Card: As High As 100,000 Points Welcome Offer, $84 Dunkin’ Credit, $100 Resy Credit, $120 Uber Cash, $120 Dining Credit

Posted on June 27, 2025 // 6 Comments

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The card_name has been refreshed in order to get back to its former glory as a status card with several new perks and credits mostly related to travel and dining. Here are the highlights:

  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards(R) Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • 4X Membership Rewards(R) points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 of purchases per calendar year, then 1X for the rest of the year).
  • 4X Membership Rewards(R) points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 of purchases per calendar year, then 1X for the rest of the year).
  • 3X Membership Rewards(R) points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
  • 2X Membership Rewards(R) points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • 1X Membership Rewards(R) point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 in Uber Cash. Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards(R) points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin’ Credit (NEW): Get up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit (NEW). Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. This is broken down into up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment is required.
  • $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment is required.
  • The Hotel Collection benefit. Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • Apply with confidence. Know if you’re approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you’re approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $325 annual fee (increased). Additional cards (authorized users) are free.
  • See Rates and Fees

Note the following:

Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this Card or the Premier Rewards Gold Card. We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility.

The application will tell you if they detect that you are not eligible for the bonus based on their records.

Membership Rewards points can be converted to the following airline and hotel programs (there are more, this is just a selection):

  • Delta SkyMiles
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • JetBlue
  • ANA Mileage Club (partner of United Airlines)
  • Air Canada (partner of United Airlines)
  • British Airways (partner of American Airlines)
  • FlyingBlue (Air France/KLM)
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • Choice Privileges
  • Hilton Honors
  • Marriott Rewards (Starwood)

You can also transfer to gift cards many retailers at varying rates, but many available at the rate of 10,000 MR points = $100 gift card. My most common redemption is a $100 Home Depot card for 10,000 points, sometimes less when they run special discount. However, don’t expect the cash-equivalent prepaid credit cards at that rate, it’s usually closer to a 0.6 cent/point ratio.

The value this card really depends on if you can use up their long list of annual credits, worth over $400 in value annually. Their target customer is a “food lover” that travels regularly. If you can take advantage of the credits, your potential first year value is higher than $800 with the current limited-offer.

Bottom line. The new card_name has a bunch of new features more targeted at the young, urban traveler including hundreds of dollars of potential credits related to dining out and travel.

(See Rates and Fees)

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General //

New Chase Sapphire Reserve Personal & Business Cards: Huge Bonus, Huge Annual Fee, Huge List of Perks

Posted on June 23, 2025 // 6 Comments

Chase managed to make a media event out of its revamp of the Chase Sapphire Reserve and new Chase Sapphire Reserve Business cards. The personal and business credit cards both have a huge $795 annual fee, huge new cardholder bonus, and long list of perks. Very much like the American Express Platinum, these “coupon book” perks revolve around an upscale “lifestyle” that includes staying at luxury hotels, flying Premium Economy and Business Class, eating at nice restaurants, and so on.

I’m not sure I fit this mold, and it’s definitely going to take a bit of reading to figure out all the angles. At a very high level, the $300 annual travel credits are relatively easy to redeem and after that the net annual fee becomes ~$500. Can I get $500 in value from the rest of the card? 🤷 You may find it fits you better; the application links are now available. Here are the highlights:

New Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card (Personal)

  • 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points + $500 Chase Travel promo credit (must be used all at once, and bought through Chase Travel portal) after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
  • New application restrictions that are more vague, instead of “5/24”. However, if you don’t qualify for the bonus, they will tell you ahead of time and you won’t get a hard credit pull.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit, which is pretty flexible.
  • 8X points on Chase Travel portal purchases.
  • 4X Points on flights and hotels purchased directly.
  • 3X points on dining worldwide.
  • $500 Annual The Edit Hotels Credit. The Edit is a “collection of over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts around the world”. The ones I’ve seen are all expensive, luxury hotels.
  • $300 Annual Dining Credit. Up to $150 in statement credits from January through June and again from July through December for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of the “Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.” Again, expensive restaurants.
  • Points Boost – Redeem points at up to 2x value on select flights and hotels. You’ll have to book via Chase Travel portal, and the best boost are for Premium Economy class and above.
  • $1,000+ in additional credits – Apple TV+, Apple Music, Lyft, DoorDash, StubHub, Peloton
  • Lounge Access – Priority Pass Select membership, Chase Sapphire Lounges, and some Air Canada Lounges.
  • $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Fee Credit.
  • $795 annual fee. $195 for each authorized user.

New Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business Credit Card

  • 200,000 Ultimate Rewards points after $30,000(!) in purchases in the first 6 months.
  • New application restrictions that are more vague, instead of “5/24”. However, if you don’t qualify for the bonus, they will tell you ahead of time and you won’t get a hard credit pull.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit
  • 8X points on Chase Travel portal purchases.
  • 4X Points on flights and hotels purchased directly.
  • 3X points on social media & search engine advertising.
  • $500 Annual The Edit Hotels Credit. The Edit is a “collection of over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts around the world”. The ones I’ve seen are all expensive, luxury hotels.
  • $1,000+ in additional credits – Curated Gift Card, Google Workspace, ZipRecruiter Credit, DoorDash, Lyft.
  • $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Fee Credit.
  • Lounge Access – Priority Pass Select membership, Chase Sapphire Lounges, and some Air Canada Lounges. Two guests may accompany the Primary Cardmember to the lounges free of charge.
  • $795 annual fee.

I will be including these both in my lists of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers and Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred Mastercard: 40,000 Point Offer (Worth $1,000 in Amtrak Fare)

Posted on June 19, 2025 // 8 Comments

Limited-time is back, expires 7/30. The Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred Mastercard, issued by First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO), offers a variety of perks for Amtrak riders. It also currently has a 40,000 points limited-time offer that is worth up to roughly $1,000 value in Amtrak train fare or $400 in Amazon gift cards. This boosted offer came around the same time last year. Here are the highlights:

  • 40,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 billing cycles of account opening.
  • Roundtrip companion coupon upon account opening and card anniversary.
  • One-class upgrade upon account opening and card anniversary.
  • Station Lounge pass upon account opening and card anniversary.
  • 3X points per $1 spent on Amtrak travel, including onboard purchases.
  • 2X points per $1 spent on dining, travel, transit and rideshare.
  • 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • 5% Amtrak Guest Rewards point rebate when you book your Amtrak redemption travel.
  • 20% rebate on food and beverage purchases on board, via statement credit on this card.
  • 1,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) every time you make at least $5,000 in purchases in a calendar year, up to 4,000 TQPs
  • Amtrak points will not expire as long as your card account is open.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $99 annual fee.

This offer is not going to be attractive for everyone, but it can be very valuable if you either enjoy recreational train travel or if you can use it for your commuting needs.

Amtrak points are currently worth roughly 2.5 cents per points towards Amtrak train fare. That means 40,000 points is worth approximately $1,000 in Amtrak train fare. Amtrak redemptions are variable and directly-linked to the cash cost, so you can use points on basically any ticket. There is also the potential value of the companion coupon, lounge pass, and one-class upgrade.

The best value is for train fare, but Amtrak points do transfer to certain other hotel programs, although some require elite status in those programs.

Gift cards. You can also redeem for various gift cards at a rate of 5,000 points = $50 gift card. So 40,000 points would get you $400 in gift cards to Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, etc.

You could take the train across the entire country! There is an 18-hour Capitol Limited overnight train from Washington D.C. to Chicago in a “Superliner Bedroom” with a private bathroom.

You could then take the 3-day, 2-night trip on the California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco. Enjoy the views as you cut through both the Rockies and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges.

Bottom line. The Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred Mastercard currently has a limited-time offer that can get you roughly $1,000 value in Amtrak train fare, with an $99 annual fee. The potential value is high, but I don’t know if it is too niche to include in my list of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers. For you folks that prefer cash or near-cash, you could also get $400 in Amazon or Walmart gift cards with 40,000 points, minus the $99 annual fee.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Costco Membership Changes (Extended Hours, Self-Checkout Improvements, New Credits)

Posted on June 13, 2025 // 6 Comments

Costco has been making several changes recently, and it’s not just the new hours. As someone who has recently joined Sam’s Club, it is interesting to see how the competition between them has actually made them both better.

All Members

  • Using hand scanner to quickly zap at Self-Checkout. Although Costco does not (yet?) use the nifty Scan&Go system using your mobile phone, they have started allowing you to use the wireless hand scanner at Self-Checkout. No longer do you have to pick up every single item and put it on the scale. Now you can use the hand scanner and try to match the speed-zapping skills of the veteran cashiers. They are also testing out the equivalent of Scan&Go, but this is already pretty close.
  • Costco Digital Membership card. I don’t really mind the new door scanners, as at least now I don’t have to carry my physical membership card anymore. The Costco app works at the door, at checkout, and at the food court.
  • Coke products at Food Court. I’m old enough to remember Coke in the food court, but it has been Pepsi for the last 12 years. By the end of June, all of the fountain drinks should be Coke products again. Not a big deal, but I am Team Coke, so that makes me happy. Sam’s is still Pepsi. Long live the $1.50 hot dog!
  • Extra hour on Saturdays. This is for all members, and they will close at 7pm instead of 6pm traditionally. Should start 6/30.
  • Extended gas station hours. Earlier in 2025, Costco extended its gas station hours to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sundays.
  • New types of specialty stores. There are now smaller, separate Costco locations popping up that only focus on furniture and appliances. I guess this how Costco plans to keep growing its sales volume, because they will eventually get saturated with their normal stores.

Executive Members *Only* (starts 6/30)

  • New Early Shopping Hours
    • Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
    • Saturday: 9 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
    • Sunday: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

    Sam’s Club has kept their extra hours for Plus members this entire time, I know that it is usually 8am to 10am on weekdays at my nearest Sam’s.

  • Monthly $10 credit towards “Same-Day” or Instacart orders of $150+ for US and Canadian members.
  • At $130 a year for Executive instead of $65 for Gold, the breakeven spending amount given the 2% Executive cash back is now $3,250 a year, or an average of ~$271 per month. Correction: Costco gas purchases don’t earn the 2% Executive cash back.

Still missing the best feature from Sam’s Club? The best thing about Sam’s Club (now that I will eventually run out of my 20% off gift cards from Pepper) is their Pick Up service. Their app has solid inventory accuracy, and this way I can just shop on the app, have them bring everything directly to my car, and save a lot of time with no price markup. Sam’s Club has copied the Kirkland private label and I see Member’s Mark everything now. I wonder if/when Costco will copy the Sam’s Club Pick Up service.

Have you noticed any other changes at Costco?

Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Frugal Living //

Capital One Spark Cash Review: Simple Business Card with 2% Cash Back on Every Purchase

Posted on June 12, 2025 // 2 Comments

card_name

The card_name is a straightforward business credit card offering a big early spend bonus offer in addition to ongoing unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases (or better). Here are the highlights:

  • Earn a $1,000 cash bonus when you spend $10,000 within 3 months of account opening.
  • Unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, everywhere with no limits or category restrictions.
  • 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One’s travel booking site.
  • Free employee cards, which also earn unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases.
  • Rewards won’t expire for the life of the account, and you can redeem your cash back for any amount.
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $0 annual fee for the first year; $95 after that.

The required spending hurdle may seem like a lot, but many businesses make a lot of purchases for raw materials and/or inventory. If you pay estimated taxes each quarter, you can also pay the IRS via credit card with a 1.75% fee and still come out ahead.

This card does not have all of the bells and whistles like top-level rewards, transferrable airline miles, or airport lounge access. For that, look into the Capital One Venture X Business Card and its higher annual fee.

If you also hold the Spark Miles, Capital One Venture, or the Capital One Venture X rewards cards, you can convert your cash back rewards into their “miles”, which are then transferrable to various airline miles programs including British Airways Avios. With the right companion card, $2,000 in cash rewards could be converted to 200,000 miles.

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.

Bottom line. The card_name is the flavor of Capital One business cards that has the combination of straightforward and solid 2% cash back rewards, modest annual fee ($0 for the first year; $95 after that), and works like a traditional credit card.

Due to the high current first-year value, I will be adding this to my Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General //

CIT Bank eChecking Promo: $100 Bonus (New and Existing Customers)

Posted on June 10, 2025 // 2 Comments

CIT Bank has a new promo for their eChecking account. Their eChecking has a minimum opening deposit of $100, no minimum balance, and no monthly service fee. The interest rate is low (0.10% on balances under $25,000), but a checking account can be a handy addition to savings accounts as they offer unlimited withdrawals and/or debit card access.

Promo details. Must open a new eChecking account with the promo code EC2025, or existing customers with an eChecking account must enroll their accounts through the offer link.

If you deposit at least $2,500 in new funds within 30 days after opening, you get a $100 bonus. Or if you deposit at least $1,000, you get a $50 bonus. Only new funds deposited or transferred from outside of CIT Bank count toward bonus eligibility.

Bonus is calculated 30 days after you open your eChecking account or enroll your existing account using the promo code EC2025. If you meet the promotion requirements, your bonus will be added to your account within 60 days of qualifying (up to 90 days after account opening).

Seems like a pretty straightforward bonus. No direct deposit requirement, just needs to be new money. Even works for existing customers.

Disclosures:

This limited time offer to qualify for a $50 cash bonus with a minimum deposit of $1,000 or a $100 bonus with a minimum deposit of $2,500 is available to New and Existing Customers who meet the eChecking promotion criteria. The Promotion begins on May 28, 2025 and can end at any time without notice.

Found via DoC.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //
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