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.

collage of Discover card 5% categories for Q3 2025
Discover is Debuting a Super Practical Quarterly Bonus Category
As I've shared before, the Discover It card was the first card I applied for when I got over my fear of credit and began to embrace the rewards hobby. Because of this, it still holds a special place in my heart and wallet, even if it's not my most-used card anymore. In particular, though,...
Cost Per Point Calculator
Know You're Getting a Good Award Redemption Deal with This Tool
When I first became interested in credit card rewards, I liked the idea of earning cashback but wasn't too interested in learning about point transfers and all the rest. Nevertheless, sometime later, I did decided to take the plunge and get my first travel card. Yet, even though that was five years ago now, I'm...
CLEAR kisok
CLEAR Plus Prices Are Rising For the Third Time in Three Years
For as fun and exciting as travel can be, it can also be quite stressful. That anxiety often starts before you even get to the airport as passengers have long been told that they need to arrive plenty early lest the TSA security line be long. In response to that, services such as TSA Precheck...
Aven app and Starbucks coffee
I've Racked Up $75 in Free Starbucks from This App
A few months ago, I came across an ad on Instagram that said I could get free Starbucks each week just for 1) being a homeowner and 2) having good credit. Naturally, I was skeptical. In fact, although I started to fill out the information needed to get this deal, I put it aside for...
illustration of Uber car and deliveries
Apple Card is Adding an Uber Perk (While Losing Another Benefit)
For months, Apple Card customers and observers have been waiting for updates on the card's future. After all, reports that the tech company and Goldman Sachs have been looking to end their partnership have been swirling for some time. Plus, if/when the product does change hands, it's expected that some major adjustments to its offerings...
vacationers with a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
The Legendary 100K Point Chase Sapphire Preferred Offer is "Ending Soon"
When I was a kid, decades before Disney+ was a thing, I remember seeing ads stating that it was the last chance to own a given Disney classic on home video before it returned to the Disney Vault. Well, that's basically what's happening with one of the most talked-about credit card intro bonuses. Only a...
Bilt app and Southwest plane
Bilt is Having a Big Week - Southwest, Student Loans, and More
I've been writing about Bilt for years now and they've always kept me happily busy with content. But this week, things have been on overdrive. In the past few days, they've unveiled a unique new point redemption option, added a major travel transfer partner, and announced a Rent Day bonus for said transfer partner —...
house outline and keys with buy tag
You Can Now Get My First-Time Homebuyers Guide For FREE!
A year and a half ago, my wife and I closed on our very first house. As I shared before, this came about rather quickly — as we went from thinking maybe we'd missed our chance to deciding to hit up an open house... to buying only a few weeks later. Ever since it became...
Walmart+ bag with goods, Paramount+ tablet, and Burger King bag and Whopper
Why I'm Excited for Walmart+ Week Happening Later This Month
To very loosely paraphrase a famed Dos Equis ad campaign, I don't always use Walmart+, but when I do, I enjoy it. For context, my Walmart+ membership is thanks to my Amex Platinum Card, which covers the monthly cost. While I enjoy the Scan & Go feature it offers and appreciate the complimentary Paramount+ subscription,...
vacationers with a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
The Famed Chase Sapphire Preferred 100k Offer Has Returned
For credit card enthusiasts, while ongoing perks and rewards are great, it's the welcome bonuses that are really exciting. In particular, when a low or no annual fee card features an offer that crosses into six figures, people talk. On that note, one of the most often discussed deals in recent years was a 100,000-point...
IHG One Rewards Premier Business Card
Should I Have a Business Credit Card? This Offer is Tempting Me
For as much as my credit card collection has grown over the years, one arena that I have yet to expand into is business credit cards. Of course, that makes sense seeing as their products are built for small business owners and aren't available to regular consumers. However, as a freelance writer, I technically am...
Nectarous logo and three bags of coffee
Nectarous is (Another) Simple Way to Discover Specialty Coffees
Over the past few years, I've really gotten into specialty coffee. Don't get me wrong, I'll still drink a super dark roast K-cup — but it's fascinating to explore all types of other roasts and discover all that coffee can be. That's why I've also been a fan of specialty coffee services that bring new...
Featured Articles
Travel Tuesday: The Club ATL Grab & Go Pantry Lounge Review
Last week, I set off for San Francisco from my home in Springfield, Missouri. But, since I was flying Delta, I of course needed to make a stop in Atlanta before my flight back in the correct direction. Over the years, I've spent plenty of time at ATL, so when something new pops up, I...
4 Daily Games I Play That Somehow Make Me Feel Smart
Remember a few years ago when Wordle took the world by storm? Well, after that, it seemed that several other daily games popped up as well. Over time, the lineup of games I actually bother to play daily has evolved — but there are a few that I keep returning to. That's probably because, even...
Hotel Vandivort Review: Springfield, Missouri's Four Diamond Boutique Hotel
When it comes to my Travel Tuesday hotel review series, I often wonder what travels might be featured in my latest installment. That's when it hit me that: instead of looking to other cities for adventure, I could feature a property found right here in Springfield, Missouri.  Hotel Vandivort is a unique boutique hotel we’d...
I'm 40 and Finally Figured Out How to Properly Shave My Face
For a good portion of my mid to late 20s, I made my living pretending to be in high school for television. As it turns out, part of the reason why I could pass for younger is that I can't grow a beard to save my life. Unfortunately, this lack of growth also means that,...