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.
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Need a Passport? One Reason to Get it This Month
Even if you don’t have a particular trip abroad planned just yet, there’s little harm in applying for a U.S. passport now. First of all, for those over the age of 16, passports are valid for 10 years from when they are issued, giving you plenty of time to take advantage of them.
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When Changing Passwords Becomes a Personal Finance Problem
The moral of the story isn’t just that you should probably strengthen your Starbucks account password (although I’d recommend it), but that you may want to take a closer look at your password patterns and make some updates.
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PayPal Launches “Moola Mania” Sweepstakes and Game
As a one-time eBay obsessor, I’ve been using PayPal for quite a long time. However, that usage has seemingly increased as of late — even in the face of competition from Apple, Venmo, Square Cash, and others. While I can’t quite explain what’s been leading me to click that PayPal button more often these days, I…
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Don’t Wait — Get Your Tax Return Done ASAP
While you’ll still technically have a couple of months before you must file your 2017 tax returns, there are some good reasons not to wait. With that deadline drawing near, now is the time to get organized and get your taxes done. Hey — after you do, you’ll have a whole year to slack off…
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Starbucks Launches a Reward Visa with Some Interesting Perks
My affinity for Starbucks has been fairly well-documented. So, when Starbucks recently announced it was introducing a new rewards Visa card, you might have expected me to jump all over that. However, while the card does have some interesting perks, it’s getting a hard pass from me — and here’s why.
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When Should You Book Your Flight?
While setting off on a vacation is typically a relaxing experience, booking travel can actually be quite stressful. Among the many reasons for this revolves around the ever-changing prices of airline tickets. Unlike most retail situations where items go on sale, return to normal price, and eventually come back down (or sell out), if you…
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Video Creators: Don’t Let YouTube’s Monetization Changes Get You Down
Earlier this week, YouTube dropped a bombshell on small channels and would-be creators. Starting next month, the terms of the YouTube Partner Program will change to only include channels with more than 1,000 subscribers and over 4,000 hours of watch time in the past year.
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What Happens When You Need a Refund on Uber?
Last weekend, I got the surprise pleasure of heading out to Orlando and getting to spend a bit of time at Walt Disney World. Naturally, since I flew out and have still not rented a car in my life, my brief visit consisted of quite a few Uber rides (gotta get that 2% cash back!). As…
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Great Gift Ideas for the International Traveler in Your Life
For those who love to travel, any gift that either makes their trip easier or allows them to do more on their adventures is a win. Although the main gift-giving holidays may be over for this year, these ideas are evergreen and something to keep in mind for future birthdays, anniversaries, or just because.
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Curious About Crypto? Invest Your (Digital) Spare Change
Another day, another flood of Bitcoin headlines. Yes, it seems like 2017 has been the year of cryptocurrencies, despite that fact that most of us are likely still in need of a 101 class on the basics of blockchain and Bitcoin. While the space has certainly had its ups and downs throughout the year (or,…
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Practical Holiday Gifts to Add to Your Wish List
When I was a bit younger, the item at the top of my Christmas list each was cash. For many years, it was the only thing on my list (although few actually fulfilled my request). Alas, as I grew up, I decided to try going a different route with my wish list: offer no ideas…
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What You Need to Know About Apple Pay Cash
More than two months after Apple debuted iOS 11, one the features teased for the update has finally rolled out: Apple Pay Cash. This peer to peer payment service — akin to Square Cash or Venmo — allows users to send money via iMessage (or even ask Siri to do it) and store money in…
