iPhone 6/7/SE Performance Slowdown Class Action Settlement

Update January 2024: It took over 3 years, but if you received a $92.17 deposit in your bank account with the description "IN RE APPLE INC Payouts", it is your payment for this settlement. It's always best to assume it will take a few years for … [Read the rest]

MMB Portfolio Asset Allocation & Performance Update – Year-End 2023

Here's my year-end 2023 update for my investment holdings (published January 2024), including all of our combined 401k/403b/IRAs and taxable brokerage accounts but excluding our primary residence and side portfolio of self-directed investments. … [Read the rest]

Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card Review

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® Credit Card is a no-annual-fee rewards card which earns a flat 1.5% cash back on all non-bonus purchases (or a possibly more valuable 1.5 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent). This is a different card from the new … [Read the rest]

Fierce Finance App Review: 5.25% APY + New Deposit/Referral/Trade Bonuses

Update January 2024: If you opened an account with Fierce previously, keep a lookout for e-mails with new promotions. In addition to the new account bonuses detailed below, I have received the following promos: a $25 bonus for setting up recurring … [Read the rest]

Fidelity Bloom App: Fintech App from Traditional Broker

Update July 2024: Looks like Fidelity is ending this little experiment. They are no longer accepting new applications. It was fun to try out and collect the various incentives. Update January 2024: If you have the Fidelity Bloom app, this is a … [Read the rest]

2024 Retirement and Benefit Plan Limit Increases: 401k, 403b, IRA, HSA, DCFSA

The beginning of the year is also a good time to check on the new annual contribution limits for retirement and benefit accounts, many of which are indexed to inflation. Our respective incomes have been quite variable these last few years, so I … [Read the rest]

2023 Year-End Review: Annual Broad Asset Class & Target Fund Returns

Happy New Year! 🎉 🥳 It's time to take a look back and see how the year went for the broad asset classes that I track. Per Morningstar, here are the total annual returns (includes price appreciation and dividends/interest) for … [Read the rest]

Worried about Overfunded 529 Balances? The Half-Time Community College Method

If you are considering a year-end contribution to a 529 college savings plan, you may be concerned about the possibility of not using the full balance. To be honest, this is not something that I worry about at all (spread across three kids, I … [Read the rest]

NASA FCU Premier eChecking Account: $300 Bonus

NASA Federal Credit Union (NASA FCU) has a new checking account promotion that is a bit of extra work, but may be worth it when you consider they often have pretty good certificate rates (see current special rates including 9-month CD at 5.70% APY). … [Read the rest]

Lowe’s: Buy $50 Gift Card, Get $10 eGift Card Free

We are in the home stretch of 2023. I hope that you all will be able to spend time with friends and family this holiday season. Posting will be extra brief and sporadic for the rest of the year. Buy $50 in Lowe's Gift Cards, get a $10 bonus … [Read the rest]

M1 Brokerage: $75 Referral Bonus w/ $10,000 Deposit

Updated January 2025. M1 is offering a $75 bonus if you open a new account with $10,000 and maintain it for 30 days. Here are the referral bonus details. Here is my M1 referral link (thanks if you use it!) from which you must start opening your new … [Read the rest]

Targeted Fidelity Customers: Free TurboTax Premium Online ($5 for Download)

Fidelity Investments is offering selected customers free access to TurboTax Online Premium (Federal and State), or $5 for the TurboTax Premier Desktop edition. To find out if you are eligible, it is suggested that you look for the offer under … [Read the rest]