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.

money pinwheel
Now Seems Like a Pretty Good Time to Try UBI, Doesn’t It?
In recent months, I’ve found myself growing increasingly interested in the concept of universal basic income (UBI). Even before Andrew Yang’s presidential run helped bring the idea further into the mainstream, I had come across articles and books devoted to the topic. More recently, I just read and reviewed Rutger Bregman’s 2017 book Utopia for...
HMBradley Credit Card
HMBradley's New Rewards Credit Card Seems Cool, But There Are Some Major Catches
Every now and then, I'll come across a press release for a FinTech product that sounds pretty intriguing to me. When this happens, I'm usually pretty quick to do some research and see whether it's worth reviewing for my weekly column on Dyer News or for my YouTube channel. However, in some cases, this extra...
Uber Eats app
Capital One Adds Limited-Time Uber Eats Benefit to Venture, Savor Cardholders
Even as the credit card industry seemingly grows a little more cautious amid the coronavirus pandemic, many issuers are finding clever ways to add value for their customers. This is something we've recently seen with Amex as they've not only unveiled temporary credits for certain cards but also rolled out a special Shop Small offer....
calendar 15
There's Still (Some) Time to Contribute to Your IRA for 2019
Tax time in July? Thanks to the insanity that is 2020, that's exactly what's happening. As a reminder, if you haven't yet filed your 2019 tax return, you have until Wednesday, July 15th to do so. Incidentally, this also means that you have a few more days to contribute to your IRA for last year.
AMEX Shop Small promotion
American Express is Currently Rewarding Cardholders Who Shop Small
Every November the past few years retailers and restaurants across the country have celebrated Small Business Saturday. Starting in the vein of Black Friday and other post-Thanksgiving Day shopping holidays, Small Business Saturday has grown into its own event and helped local entrepreneurs get some extra attention. Funny enough, while not everyone might realize as...
Apple iMac and iPad
Apple Card Extends Interest-Free Financing to Other Apple Devices
Late last year, Apple introduced a new feature for its Apple Card: the ability to finance new iPhones interest-free for 24 months. While the company had previously offered a similar program, this arrangement allowed those with Apple Cards to skip a step by not needing to apply for financing approval. Now, in a widely-expected move,...
Disney and Hamilton logos
Disney+ Kills Off Its Free Trial — Is it a Sign of Things to Come?
Remember when Netflix introduced something called "Netflix Instant" where users could stream films right to their computer instead of waiting to get their DVDs in the mail? What a quaint time it was, as now every media brand on the face of the earth has decided to stop letting Netflix eat their lunch and, instead,...
SoFi Money ATM
SoFi Money Makes Major Changes for New Customers
Several months ago, I came across the SoFi Money cash management account and quickly fell in love. With an impressive APY (at the time), other useful perks, and no fees, it ended up becoming my top account outside of my ancient Wells Fargo checking I still rely on for some reason. Sadly, it seems that...
Apple Card and Walgreens logos
Apple Card Adds Limited Time Bonus Worth $50 — But There's a Catch
Despite the Apple Card apparently being quite successful for the Cupertino company and their partner Goldman Sachs, the product has still been a bit divisive. Not only does the offering scorn those living outside of the iOS ecosystem but has also become somewhat of a running joke among credit card enthusists. That reputation is partially...
Mezu Adds Global MoneyBox Option to Its P2P Payments App
One of my favorite things about reviewing mobile apps is seeing them evolve for the better. This is especially true when the enhancements introduced are ones that I called for in my reviews. To be clear, I'm not at all suggesting that I actually had a hand in manifesting these updates, but it's nice to...
Instacart delivery person
This Instacart Express Free Trial is Either the Best or the Worst Thing I've Ever Done
A few weeks ago, I wrote about my first-ever experience ordering from the grocery delivery service Instacart. Cut to today and things, as they say, have escalated. Since that initial order, I've used the service three more times. That's mostly thanks to my decision to try out the platform's paid membership plan called Instacart Express,...
Long Game Savings app screenshot
Long Game is Now Charging to Use the App (Unless You Use Their Debit Card a Lot)
Ah, that familiar feeling of betrayal. First, the promising-sounding Aspiration underwent a series of head-scratching changes. Then, the Uber Visa Card that I exalted so highly was revamped to the point of near uselessness. Now one of my favorite free apps — and one that made my list of the top money apps to try...
Featured Articles
How Chase Just Got Me to Keep My Sapphire Preferred Card
A couple of weeks ago, my wife received replacement cards for our Chase Sapphire Preferred in the mail. This served as our reminder that, if we did want to downgrade the card as we'd been talking about for years, now would be the time. See, I'd convinced her to get the card while it was...
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...