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.

Google Pay Spring Challenge
Google Pay Has Extended Its Spring Challenge That Could Score You $30
For the past couple of weeks, Google Pay has hosted its Spring Challenge, inviting users to complete tasks, earn stamps, and hopefully even score $30 cashback. Originally, this promotion was set to run from April 12th through April 22 (Earth Day) — however, at nearly the last minute, the Spring Challenge was extended. Now, Google...
Don't Kick Yourself Over Money You "Coulda Had"
Back in 2018, the popular (yet somehow always in trouble) app Robinhood began offering crypto trading. In the months that followed, it also added support for additional tokens — including something called Dogecoin. Being curious about crypto, I threw a literal few dollars at each option. As a result, I ended up buying 756 Dogecoins...
American Experes Centurion Airort Lounge
Amex is Cutting Complimentary Centurion Lounge Access for Guests — But Don't Panic Yet
Back when I was considering and comparing the American Express Platinum card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve, one of the perks that put the former over the top for me was access to Amex's own Centurion Lounges. While the similar benefits of being able to enjoy Delta SkyClubs when flying Delta was another reason why...
DoorDash food order
Take Advantage of DoorDash Perks with Mastercard World & World Elite Cards
If you're anything like me, there's a strong chance that you've been using apps such as Uber Eats, Grubhub, and others more during the pandemic. In my case, while I was leaning heavily on delivery during the early days, I ended up shifting to pickup options later on while also using these services as a...
UHaul Cargo-Vans-for-moving
Renting a U-Haul Cargo Van Was Among the Best $50 I've Ever Spent
Last week, I shared an update on how my recent move from one apartment to another was going while highlighting what I did right and what I, well, screwed up. At the time, we still had a fair amount of our stuff waiting for us at the old apartment after having the professional movers we...
Skyroam Solix X
Skyroam Currently Offering $30 Off Solis X WiFi Hotspot
Just moments ago, I learned that the state of Missouri (where I live) will enter Phase 3 of its vaccine distribution plan on April 9th. This means that, in just a couple of weeks, I will be eligible to get my first inoculation and, hopefully, start getting back to normal life — including traveling. It...
McDonalds app
Why the McDonald's App is Actually Awesome
The other night, my wife excitedly turned to me and declared that the Shamrock Shake had returned to McDonald's. Truth be told, I'd never actually had one of these famous March treats but it sounded fairly enticing. As we arranged plans to make our shake dreams reality, I decided to consult the McDonald's app I...
Bumped App Loyalty Rewards
Bumped Brings Back Its Loyalty Rewards Structure, But With a Twist
Last week, I bemoaned the death of another FinTech app I enjoyed while noting that it was far from the first time I'd had to do so. Yet, in the past couple of weeks, I've now experienced quite the opposite: the unexpected returns of previously-great tools. This delightful trend began with the rebirth of Long...
Clarity Money logo
Reminder: Clarity Money is Closing Next Week
Friends, it's time once again to mourn the passing of a beloved FinTech tool. Following in the footsteps of other apps I loved such as Mezu and Tally Save, last month, Clarity Money announced that it would be shutting down as of March 5th. Now, with that date nearly upon us, indulge me as I...
T-Mobile Money app and debit card
T-Mobile Money is Changing How Customers Earn Their 4% APY
The downside of trying and keeping up with a lot of personal finance products is that I often find myself being disappointed when tools I love either die or make major changes. This has happened more than a few times now, with victims ranging from credit cards to apps to banking accounts. In fact, the...
Joe Coffee App sign
The Joe App Can Help You Discover and Earn Rewards From Local Coffee Shops
Can I just say that this past week has been miserable in terms of Springfield weather? First, freezing drizzle put sheets of ice on our roads multiple days in a row, and now we're in for potentially inches of snow and below zero temperatures. All this makes me want a nice, hot cup of coffee....
American Express Rose Gold Card
Amex's Rose Gold Card is Back — How You Can Swap Your Current Card
A few years ago, when American Express introduced its revamped Gold card, it also debuted a new color option for the card: Rose Gold. Since then, the alternate hue has been pined after by those who missed out on the offering (and the subsequent referral-only promotion). Well, at last, the day has come and the...
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...