Category: Quick Tips

Every Friday I post a new Quick Tip covering a wide range of topics, including ways to save money, travel tips, personal products/services I find interesting, and more.

Schwab is Now Offering $101 in Free Stocks to New Customers
Over the past few years, I've seen plenty of bank bonuses and other offers — some of which are great and others of which are, well, not. Given my line of work, more often, I come across really attractive offers from FinTech startups, which are so good that they usually don't seem sustainable. Meanwhile, although...
hotel view
A Potential Point Redemption Trap to Avoid
Next weekend, my wife and I will be headed to Florida, mainly to embark on our Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser adventure. But, before we board the Halcyon on Tuesday, we're spending a few nights in the general Walt Disney World area. So, after some consideration about where the best place to stay would be, I...
using the Delta iMessage app during a flight
How Delta's iMessage Feature Saved the Day On My Trip Home
All things considered, I've had pretty good luck on the majority of my travels. Of course, every once in a while, something does go a bit wrong. That was the case on Tuesday morning when I woke up in my French hotel room to see that my flight home from Atlanta to Springfield (following our...
Point Neon debit card and app
Point Neon Card Debuts New Direct Deposit Cashback Offer
Previously, I've written about my personal saga with the Point debit card — now known as the Point Neon card. To briefly recap, while the offering's annual fee originally led me to raise an eyebrow, after opening an account, I found that I was actually able to capture a fair amount of value from it,...
Instacart groceries
Instacart Emerges as Another Way to Earn Delta SkyMiles
At the start of the pandemic, I tried the grocery delivery service Instacart for the very first time — and, despite the fees, I was pretty impressed. Of course, in a bid to save some money, I've since transitioned to using their Aldi pick-up option instead, but still make fairly frequent use of the app...
Allbirds ReRun
Allbirds is Now Selling Pre-Owned Sneakers with Its ReRun Marketplace
I've never been much of a sneakerhead or given much thought to my shoes at all for most of my life. Yet, a few years ago, I started taking a bit more of an interest in my footwear when I started running and, later, found myself taking a shine to what Allbirds offered in terms...
bowl of snow ice cream
We Made Snow Ice Cream (Yes, Really)
Last week, we experienced one of the larger snow storms we've had since moving to Springfield seven years ago. While it was still fairly modest in our area (coming in at around eight to nine inches total over a few days), we took the opportunity to stay home and observe the snow from the comfort...
Sam's Club entrance
3 of My Favorite Sam's Club Items to Buy
Recently, I celebrated two years as a Sam's Club member. While I initially joined thanks to an Amex Offer, it turns out my timing was about perfect as the warehouse store proved to be immensely useful in the early days of the pandemic (both in terms of stocking up and using their Scan & Go...
putting money in a piggy bank
T-Mobile Money Has Introduced a New Savings Account — But Why?
As I've now written about several times on this site, T-Mobile not only offers its own banking account but it's also pretty darn good! While the features are fairly basic, the main selling point is that T-Mobile and Sprint customers can earn up to 4% APY on as much as $3,000 of their balance. Sadly,...
convertible at the beach with the Delta and Turo logos
You Can Now Earn Delta SkyMiles When Booking Turo Car Rentals
Isn't it funny how "loyalty" programs have evolved in recent years? Although the term "loyalty" program might have you believe that you're only rewarded for supporting a singular brand, these days, it's common to find several partnerships in place that allow you to earn loyalty currencies across different brands. The latest example of this comes...
Casino Quest sign
Casino Quest: Learning to Play Without Actually Gambling
I have a weird relationship with Las Vegas. As you could see by searching the city's name on this site, I write about it often as I'm typically there at least a few times a year. Yet, I don't go there to party nor do I expect to leave town with sacks of money I...
MGM Rewards Cards
MGM is Making Some Loyalty Program Changes — Both Good and Bad
Welp — I'm back again. Back in Las Vegas, that is. After a few short months away, I'm in Sin City this week to cover CES. As luck would have it, while I'm here, some major news involving MGM's loyalty program arrived, containing a bevy of both good and bad news for customers.
Featured Articles
How Utilization Impacts Your Credit Scores: My Real-Life Example
You may already know that Credit Utilization is the second-largest factor FICO considers when determining your credit score. Specifically, it makes up 30% of your score, topped only by Payment History at 35%. But what does that look like in practice? Well, I recently got the "opportunity" to see firsthand. In April, I elected to...
Travel Tuesday: Allbirds Weatherproof Hightops - How They Compare to Mizzles
As I've mentioned more than a few times before, after purchasing a pair of water-resistant Allbirds Runner-Up Mizzles a few years back, they quickly became my go-to travel shoe. That's because they're not only comfortable but also help protect my feet from wet weather while on the road (there are few things I hate more...
This New Hardshell Carry-On Luggage Option Has My Attention
Welcome back to another Quick Tip — and the latest edition of our occasional, unofficial series Things Kyle Wants to Buy. When I returned from my most recent trip, for some reason, I had hardshell luggage on my mind. That's strange because my current soft-sided luggage has served me well and, moreover, I've traditionally not...
Would it Be Wrong to Try This Potential Free Checked Bag Trick?
I don't remember the last time I paid for a checked bag on a plane. Granted. I've paid for carry-ons while flying Allegiant — but, in the cases where I have elected to check a bag in recent years, it's been a free gate check since I occasionally volunteer to part with my bag early...