PSECU $300 New Checking Account Bonus (Updated 2025)

Posted on January 8, 2025 // 11 Comments

Updated with 2025 promo details. Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union (PSECU) has a $300 new checking account bonus. That is also my referral link as I successfully did a similar $300 deal previously. PSECU is a digital-first credit union with a very open membership. If you don’t satisfy the available free options, anyone can join with $10:

Don’t meet any of the criteria above? No problem! You can still become eligible for PSECU membership by joining the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society (PRPS).

PRPS is a statewide association providing education, advocacy, and resources for those working and volunteering to manage Pennsylvania’s 6,000+ local parks. Park and recreation departments provide safe and affordable recreation opportunities, creating stronger and more inclusive communities.

PRPS membership dues are $20, but we cover $10 when you select to join PRPS during our application process.

There may also be a required $5 initial deposit into a share savings account. I also experienced a hard credit check on Experian when I joined over a year ago, but more recent reports are that they have switched to a soft pull. Here are the details on the bonus requirements:

$300 Checking Bonus Requirements

  • Become a PSECU member using promo link and promo code 300REFER (should be automatically applied) and be approved for at least one savings and one checking account with debit card.
  • Sign up and log into digital banking (online or mobile).
  • Set up and receive 2 Qualifying Payroll Direct Deposit(s), each of $500 or more, into either the new savings or checking accounts.
  • Above must be completed within 100 days of establishing your membership.

My application process went smoothly and similar to other credit unions. I did have to upload a scan of the front and back of my driver’s license to help verify my identity (which is a good thing in my opinion) as well as answer some identity verification questions based on my credit report. The application took a couple days to process but I was able to get my account information and online access without any phone call or paperwork required. I did have to call them briefly to get my checking account number (didn’t want to wait on the free checks to arrive) in order to set up my direct deposit. My bonus arrived without issue and as promised.

One bonus per tax ID, so a couple could each open their own PSECU accounts and get $300 each even if they live in the same household.

Greenlight perk. Another useful perk of PSECU for those with kids and teens is they include a free Greenlight subscription, which is a popular reloadable debit card service for kids. This is usually $5 a month ($60 a year). Here’s my Greenlight Kids Debit Card review.

More fine print:

$300 New Member Bonus Terms and Conditions

From 1.1.25 to 12.31.25, PSECU is running a new member incentive bonus. To receive $300, new members must sign up with promotional code 300REFER and satisfy each of the requirements listed below. After the first 100 days from establishing membership, your status to receive the bonus will be assessed and processed, which can take up to 45 days. This means, if all requirements are met, you can expect your bonus to be deposited into your Regular savings share within 145 days from establishing membership. Promotion open to U.S. Residents who are 18 years of age or older at the time membership is established. Limit one (1) new member $300 New Member Bonus per tax identification number used to open a new PSECU account. Joint owners listed on accounts are not eligible to be rewarded for this bonus unless they open their own account. You will not be eligible for the $300 New Member Bonus if you are a current PSECU member, have closed an account within the past 12 months, or have received any new member incentive bonus within the past 12 months.

Qualifying Payroll Direct Deposits are defined as paychecks, Social Security payments, and pension payment.

The following are not Qualifying Direct Deposits: person to person transfers (P2P), demand deposit account to demand deposit account transfers (for example, from a checking account to another checking account), and deposits or ACH transfers not from an employer or the government (for example, online transfers or bank transfers).

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

Navy Federal cashRewards Plus Card: $250 Bonus, 0% APR for 12 Months w/ No Balance Transfer Fee, 2% Cash Back, No Annual Fee

Posted on January 8, 2025 // 3 Comments

Updated with no balance transfer fee 0% APR offer. The Navy Federal cashRewards Plus Card is the new and improved sibling of the Navy Federal cashRewards Card (no “Plus”). The difference: If the credit limit you get is $5,000 and above, you get the Plus with a higher 2% cash back. Under $5,000; no Plus and the old 1.5% cash back. NavyFed has a limited-time offer starting January 2025. Rest of the highlights:

  • $250 cash back for new cardholders after $2,500 in purchases within 90 days of account opening.
  • NEW: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 12 months, with no balance transfer fee. This limited-time offer ends 3/31/25.
  • Flat 2% cash back on all purchases with the cashRewards Plus card with $5,000+ credit limit.
  • Flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases with the cashRewards card with less than $5,000 credit limit.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • No annual fee.

There is no cap on cash back earned. Cash back does not expire as long as the account is open. Note: There is no longer any benefit to having direct deposit on a NavyFed checking account.

A few readers have commented that they don’t like dealing with miles or points, and prefer simple cash back. This is one of the better cash bonuses on a flat 2% cash back card with no annual fee. I would recommend to maximize your stated income to include all legitimate, eligible sources in order to get the highest credit limit possible.

The primary catch here is that in order to apply, you must be a NavyFed credit union member. Membership eligibility for NavyFed now goes beyond current and retired members of the armed forces to include their families and household members of veterans, Department of Defense personnel, and more. Eligible family members include your spouse, parents, siblings, grandparents, children, stepchildren and grandchildren. If you call them up, they can help you confirm the details on the veterans in your family. The effort can be worth it as NavyFed also offers other useful financial products like mortgages, car loans, certificates of deposit, etc.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

M1 Review: DIY Robo-Advisor, $75 Bonus via Referral

Posted on January 8, 2025 // 59 Comments

I’ve tried out my share of robo-advisors, which always sounded nice in theory but I eventually became disillusioned as they kept generating lot of unnecessary capital gains every time they change their model portfolios to chase the latest and hottest trends. My favorite service for those that want a little extra help is one where I can pick my own custom target portfolio, but the robo still does the hard work: M1 Finance. Here’s a quick rundown of what makes them different:

  • Fully customizable. You pick your own target asset allocation “pie”. (You can add ETFs or individual stocks.) You can simply copy one of the many model portfolios out there, or make your own custom pie as you like. You have full control! M1 handles the tedious stuff, like rebalancing or dividing a $100 contribution across 8 different ETFs.
  • No commissions. Free stock/ETF trades with a low $100 initial minimum for taxable accounts and a $500 minimum opening amount for retirement accounts. After your initial deposit any amount greater than $10 can be deposited.
  • Free with $10,000 balance. Otherwise $3/month. Most robo-advisors charge an annual management fee of 0.25% to 0.50% of assets, or force you to own something bad, like a lot of low-interest cash. (Looking at you, Schwab…)
  • Free dynamic rebalancing. All new deposits (and withdrawals) will be invested (or sold) dynamically to bring your portfolio back toward your target asset allocation. M1 will also rebalance your entire portfolio back to the target allocation for you with a few clicks (for free) whenever you choose, on demand. You don’t need to do any math or maintain any spreadsheets.
  • Fractional shares (dollar-based). For example, you can just set it to automatically invest $100 a month, and your full amount will be spread across multiple ETFs. Dollar-based transactions were one of the advantages of buying a mutual fund, but fractional shares solve this problem. ETFs are also usually more tax-efficient than mutual funds.
  • Real brokerage account with off-the-shelf investments that you can move out. Some robo-advisors hold special, proprietary funds that you have to sell if you ever leave, possibly creating a big tax bill. (Looking at you, Fidelity…) M1 is built on a regular brokerage account, so you can move your Vanguard/iShares/Schwab ETFs and stock shares out to another broker whenever you want.

Now, for a long time, Vanguard didn’t offer automatic fractional investments into ETFs. But as of October 2024, Vanguard now offers fractional ETF investments.

Still, M1 Finance checks off many of the boxes of my brokerage wish list. The only thing they could add would be to have the high availability of knowledgeable customer service of a huge company like Fidelity or Schwab.

If you want to invest in newer factor ETFs that focus on Small-Cap, Value, Momentum, or Quality factors like those from DFA and Avantis, or a mix of dividend-oriented ETFs like SCHD/VIG/VYM, their service makes it much easier to set up a portfolio mix of different ETFs.

M1 Plus features are now available to everyone. M1 Plus was their premium subscription tier with several additional perks. As of May 2024, everyone gets these features, but they are only free with a $10,000 balance and $3/month otherwise.

  • High-yield savings (currently 4.00% APY as of 7/1/25). FDIC-insured up to $5 million.
  • Competitive margin rates.
  • Custodial accounts for kids.
  • Extra 3pm PM ET trade window.
  • Automated “smart” transfers.

$75 referral bonus. M1 has a $75 referral bonus if you open a new account with $10,000 and maintain it for 30 days. Here is my M1 referral link (thanks if you use it!) from which you must start opening your new account.

A bonus that amounts to 0.75% of your initial deposit with only a 30 day hold is technically a 9% annualized yield.

ACAT Transfer bonus. This is not currently available.

Bottom line. M1 Finance is a brokerage account that acts like a customizable robo-advisor with automatic rebalancing into a target portfolio. You control the model portfolio, and they do the tedious work. Great for implementation of a low-cost, index or passive ETF portfolio. New pricing structure as of May 2024: Free for those with $10,000 in assets, otherwise $3 a month.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Investing //

Last-Minute Healthcare FSA Reminder (Average Loss $441!), Amazon $10 FSA Offer

Posted on December 29, 2024 // 13 Comments

Updated for 2024, new $10 Amazon bonus. Here’s a year-end reminder to get back all the money sent into Healthcare Flexible Spending Accounts (HC FSA) due to their “use it or lose it” structure (see possible extensions below). According to the latest analysis by EBRI, roughly half (!) of FSA accountholders forfeited funds to their employer in 2022. The average forfeiture was $441.

I am picking up an extra pulse oximeter and forehead thermometer after our multiple fun journeys with kids and respiratory illnesses this year.

Quick ideas. If you didn’t exhaust your funds with insurance copays or deductibles, here are eligible items that you can still buy over-the-counter without a prescription. Just order things online and then submit the receipt. Amazon even has a special FSA-eligible page that directly accepts FSA/HSA debit cards, complete with an “under $25” and “little-known eligible items” section. Consider using this time to stock your hurricane/earthquake/snowstorm emergency kits.

Right now, they are also offering $10 Amazon credit when you spend $50 on eligible FSA items.

(You may need to view this page on the website to see all the Amazon links.)

The 2020 CARES Act added the following categories for 2021 and beyond:

Ideally, if you use an FSA card and shop through an eligible FSA store, things will be auto-approved. Otherwise, when getting a receipt, make sure it clearly includes the following:

  • Date of service or purchase
  • Name or description of the item
  • Amount of purchase

Deadline extensions. Employers have the option of adding one of the following:

  • Some plans allow a grace period until March 15th of the following year as opposed to a December 31st deadline to use your funds, but it may only apply to claims and not late purchases. Check with your employer on if they opted-in to these extensions.
  • Some plans allow participants to carry over up to $500 in unused FSA funds into next year. Check with your employer.

Big, exhaustive lists. Some of these are searchable by keyword as well.

But remember, your FSA administrator has the final say as to the exact guidelines for reimbursement according to your plan. Every year, I have to deal with claim rejections and extra paperwork. The skeptic in me suspects that this bureaucratic nightmare is part of their business model. (Remember mail-in rebates?) Guess who gets to keep unreimbursed FSA funds? The employer, which can then use the money to pay for… the FSA administrator.

Got a Health Savings Account (HSA) and think you are ineligible for an FSA? Look for a “limited-purpose FSA” option that is restricted to dental and vision care services. These have the same max annual salary deduction.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Frugal Living, Taxes //

Amazon Last-Minute Gift Card Sale: Up to 20% Off (Lowe’s, Nordstrom, DoorDash, Uber, Instacart, Combos) + $200 No Fee Visa Gift Card

Posted on December 17, 2024 // 1 Comment

Tick, tock… Amazon is having a big last-minute gift card sale with up to 20% off many retailers. These aren’t the best deals ever for yourself, but they are useful as in-stock and on-time gifts for others. Accordingly, I like the combo cards with multiple options ($7.50 off $50).

In addition, you can get a $200 Virtual Visa eGift Card for exactly $200 (the $6.95 purchase fee is waived with promo code VISA). No physical card; Online use only. Notably, this card is both shipped and sold through Amazon, so it can trigger many of the Shop with Points promos from credit cards issuers mentioned in my Black Friday post. Use your Discover Cash Back, American Express Membership Rewards points, etc. and your net price may easily be much lower than $200.

  • “Happy Birthday” Combo: Lowe’s, Cheesecake Factory, AMC Movies, Outback, Gap
  • “Let’s Eat ” Combo: Cheesecake Factory, Chili’s, Cracker Barrel, Red Lobster, Panera Bread
  • “Fun & Fabulous” Combo: Sephora, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom
  • “On The Run” Combo: Panda Express, Krispy Kreme, Taco Bell
  • “Season’s Greetings” Combo: Macy’s, Gamestop, Lowe’s, Ulta
  • Lyft
  • Bath & Body Works
  • Instacart
  • DoorDash
  • Uber/Uber Eats
  • Google Play
  • Meta Quest
  • Panera Bread
  • Victoria’s Secret
  • Taco Bell
  • Under Armour
  • Domino’s
  • Petco
  • VUDU
  • Golden Corral
  • H&M
  • Chuck E. Cheese
  • Fandango
  • Foot Locker

(Please click here to view full post with Amazon links if viewing on RSS/email. I am an Amazon affiliate.)

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

TrueMed: Use Your Pre-Tax HSA/FSA Funds on Exercise Equipment

Posted on December 16, 2024 // 2 Comments

It’s that time of year, where I will soon remind you to use up your Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds before they expire. However, if you somehow have a large unused balance that you can’t offset with sunscreen and cold medicine, you may be interested in the possibility of using it towards exercise equipment.

While shopping for a Zwift smart trainer bike, I came across a new checkout option called TrueMed that lets you “pay with HSA/FSA”. TrueMed claims to “unlock tax-free HSA/FSA spending for the leading exercise, healthy food and supplement companies”.

In order to use your HSA/FSA funds on these types of things, you need a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) – a signed document from a licensed healthcare provider that asserts that a product, treatment, or device is medically necessary for a patient. The LMN is valid for one year from the date it’s signed.

Check out this IRS alert: Beware of companies misrepresenting nutrition, wellness and general health expenses as medical care for FSAs, HSAs, HRAs and MSAs. For exercise equipment, you must be treating a specific medical condition (like a knee injury vs. general health):

Exercise equipment must be used to treat a specific medical condition in order to be considered eligible for reimbursement. Exercise equipment used for general health and wellbeing is not eligible for reimbursement.

It appears TrueMed provides the LMN after you fill out their online questionnaire. In some cases, I notice that they will charge you a fee like $15 to take the online questionnaire.

There is a movement redefining healthcare, focusing on proactive, root-cause solutions like fitness, nutrition, and innovative health technology. When you shop with Truemed merchants, you can seamlessly qualify for a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN), enabling you to use pre-tax HSA/FSA funds for these transformative health interventions—saving you an average of 30%.

I’m not affiliated with TrueMed. I have not tried TrueMed and I have not submitted a claim for any exercise equipment using their Letter of Medical Necessity. In the end, it is still dependent on your specific claims administrator to approve the claim and accept the documentation you provide. I’ve come across a few examples of rejections, but also other reports that TrueMed later adjusted their practices in order to qualify. They appear to work with you:

My Claim Was Denied… Now What?

If you receive an alert of a denied claim, we are here to help! To best support you, please compile the following information.

– Denied Claim Information
– A screenshot or copy of the denial notice. This should include the denial reason clearly stated and also the denial code, if provided.
– The name of your HSA/FSA administrator, if not clearly shown on the denial notice.

Once you have this information compiled, please email support@truemed.com and include this information in the email body.

This may be worth further investigation if you are already committed to a specific exercise program or equipment as treatment. I’d prefer a bike as treatment for joint issues, hypertension, or obesity over more pills. As a checkout option, I like that it should come into play after you grab any other available discounts. I’ve historically had bad experiences with FSA claims administrators, so I would tread carefully.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Best Interest Rates Survey: Savings Accounts, Treasuries, CDs, ETFs – December 2024

Posted on December 15, 2024 // 12 Comments

Here’s my monthly roundup of the best interest rates on cash as of December 2024, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. There are lesser-known opportunities available to individual investors, often earning more money while keeping the same level of safety by moving to another FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union. Check out my Ultimate Rate-Chaser Calculator to see how much extra interest you could earn from switching. Rates listed are available to everyone nationwide. Rates checked as of 12/15/2024.

TL;DR: Slightly lower overall in the short-term. Only a few around 5% APY now. Still some 4%+ APY 5-year CDs. Compare against Treasury bills and bonds at every maturity, taking into account state tax exemption. I no longer recommend fintech companies due to the possibility of loss due to poor recordkeeping and/or fraud.

High-yield savings accounts
Since the huge megabanks still pay essentially no interest, everyone should at least have a separate, no-fee online savings account to piggy-back onto your existing checking account. The interest rates on savings accounts can drop at any time, so I list the top rates as well as competitive rates from banks with a history of competitive rates and solid user experience. Some banks will bait you with a temporary top rate and then lower the rates in the hopes that you are too lazy to leave.

  • The top rates at the moment are from newcomers TIMBR at 5.05% APY and Pibank at 5.00% APY. I have no personal experience with either, but they are the top rates at the moment. Most others have dropped at least a little. For example, CIT Platinum Savings is now at 4.55% APY with $5,000+ balance.
  • SoFi Bank is at 4.00% APY + up to $325 new account bonus with direct deposit. You must maintain a direct deposit of any amount (even $1) each month for the higher APY. SoFi has historically competitive rates and full banking features. See details at $25 + $300 SoFi Money new account and deposit bonus.
  • Here is a limited survey of high-yield savings accounts. They aren’t the top rates, but a group that have historically kept it relatively competitive such that I like to track their history.

Short-term guaranteed rates (1 year and under)
A common question is what to do with a big pile of cash that you’re waiting to deploy shortly (plan to buy a house soon, just sold your house, just sold your business, legal settlement, inheritance). My usual advice is to keep things simple and take your time. If not a savings account, then put it in a flexible short-term CD under the FDIC limits until you have a plan.

  • No Penalty CDs offer a fixed interest rate that can never go down, but you can still take out your money (once) without any fees if you want to use it elsewhere. Marcus has a 7mo/9mo/11mo No Penalty CD at 4.00% APY with a $500 minimum deposit. Farmer’s Insurance FCU has 9-month No Penalty CD at 4.50% APY with a $1,000 minimum deposit. Consider opening multiple CDs in smaller increments for more flexibility.
  • Langley Federal Credit Union has a 10-month certificate special at 5.25% APY ($500 min, $50,000 max). This is a promo for new members only. Anyone can join this credit union nationwide; you must maintain $5 in their share savings account. Early withdrawal penalty is 90 days of interest.

Money market mutual funds
Many brokerage firms that pay out very little interest on their default cash sweep funds (and keep the difference for themselves). Note: Money market mutual funds are highly-regulated, but ultimately not FDIC-insured, so I would still stick with highly reputable firms.

  • Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX) is the default sweep option for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has an SEC yield of 4.54% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 4.64%, which is better for comparing against APY). Odds are this is much higher than your own broker’s default cash sweep interest rate.
  • Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund (VUSXX) is an alternative money market fund which you must manually purchase, but the interest will be mostly (80% for 2023 tax year) exempt from state and local income taxes because it comes from qualifying US government obligations. Current SEC yield of 4.49% (compound yield of 4.58%).

Treasury Bills and Ultra-short Treasury ETFs
Another option is to buy individual Treasury bills which come in a variety of maturities from 4-weeks to 52-weeks and are fully backed by the US government. You can also invest in ETFs that hold a rotating basket of short-term Treasury Bills for you, while charging a small management fee for doing so. T-bill interest is exempt from state and local income taxes, which can make a significant difference in your effective yield.

  • You can build your own T-Bill ladder at TreasuryDirect.gov or via a brokerage account with a bond desk like Vanguard and Fidelity. Here are the current Treasury Bill rates. As of 12/13/24, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.31% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.24% annualized interest.
  • The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 4.88% SEC yield (this looks old) and effective duration of 0.10 years. SPDR Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) has a 4.42% SEC yield and effective duration of 0.08 years.

US Savings Bonds
Series I Savings Bonds offer rates that are linked to inflation and backed by the US government. You must hold them for at least a year. If you redeem them within 5 years there is a penalty of the last 3 months of interest. The annual purchase limit for electronic I bonds is $10,000 per Social Security Number, available online at TreasuryDirect.gov.

  • “I Bonds” bought between November 2024 and April 2025 will earn a 3.11% rate for the first six months. The rate of the subsequent 6-month period will be based on inflation again. More on Savings Bonds here.
  • In mid-April 2025, the CPI will be announced and you will have a short period where you will have a very close estimate of the rate for the next 12 months. I will have another post up at that time.

Rewards checking accounts
These unique checking accounts pay above-average interest rates, but with unique risks. You have to jump through certain hoops which usually involve 10+ debit card purchases each cycle, a certain number of ACH/direct deposits, and/or a certain number of logins per month. If you make a mistake (or they judge that you did) you risk earning zero interest for that month. Some folks don’t mind the extra work and attention required, while others would rather not bother. Rates can also drop suddenly, leaving a “bait-and-switch” feeling.

  • OnPath Federal Credit Union (my review) pays 7.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and login to online or mobile banking once per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization. You can also get a $100 Visa Reward card when you open a new account and make qualifying transactions.
  • Genisys Credit Union pays 6.75% APY on up to $7,500 if you make 10 debit card purchases of $5+ each per statement cycle, and opt into online statements. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • La Capitol Federal Credit Union pays 6.25% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases of at least $5 each per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization, Louisiana Association for Personal Financial Achievement ($20).
  • NEW: Falcon National Bank pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make at least 15 debit card purchases, 1 direct deposit OR ACH credit transaction, and enroll in online statements.
  • Credit Union of New Jersey pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make 12 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit, online bill payment, or automatic payment (ACH) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • Andrews Federal Credit Union pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization.
  • Find a locally-restricted rewards checking account at DepositAccounts.

Certificates of deposit (greater than 1 year)
CDs offer higher rates, but come with an early withdrawal penalty. By finding a bank CD with a reasonable early withdrawal penalty, you can enjoy higher rates but maintain access in a true emergency. Alternatively, consider building a CD ladder of different maturity lengths (ex. 1/2/3/4/5-years) such that you have access to part of the ladder each year, but your blended interest rate is higher than a savings account. When one CD matures, use that money to buy another 5-year CD to keep the ladder going. Some CDs also offer “add-ons” where you can deposit more funds if rates drop.

  • Credit Human has a 59-month CD at 4.11% APY. 48-month at 4.11% APY. 35-month at 4.25% APY. 23-month at 4.30% APY. 1-year at 4.40% APY. $500 minimum. The early withdrawal penalty (EWP) for CD maturities of 36 months or more is 365 days of interest. For CD maturity of 1 year, the EWP is 270 days of interest. This is actually a credit union, but is open nationwide with a American Consumer Council (ACC) membership. Try promo code “consumer” when signing up at ACC for a free membership.
  • Synchrony Bank has a 5-year certificate at 4.00% APY (no minimum), 4-year at 3.50% APY, 3-year at 3.75% APY, 2-year at 3.50% APY, and 1-year at 4.00% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 4-year and 5-year is 365 days of interest.
  • BMO Alto has a 5-year CD at 3.90% APY. 4-year at 3.80% APY. 3-year at 3.80% APY. 2-year at 3.80% APY. 1-year at 4.20% APY. No minimum. The early withdrawal penalty (EWP) for CD maturities of 1 year or more is 180 days of interest. For CD maturities of 11 months or less, the EWP is 90 days of interest. However, note that they reserve the right to prohibit early withdrawals entirely (!). Online-only subsidiary of BMO Bank.
  • You can buy certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. You may need an account to see the rates. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance and easy laddering, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. Right now, I see a 5-year non-callable CD at 3.90% APY (callable: no, call protection: yes). Be warned that both Vanguard and Fidelity will list higher rates from callable CDs, which importantly means they can call back your CD if rates drop later. (Issuers have indeed started calling some of their old 5%+ CDs during 2024.)

Longer-term Instruments
I’d use these with caution due to increased interest rate risk (tbh, I don’t use them at all), but I still track them to see the rest of the current yield curve.

  • Willing to lock up your money for 10 years? You can buy long-term certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. You might find something that pays more than your other brokerage cash and Treasury options. Right now, I see a 10-year CDs at [n/a] (non-callable) vs. 4.40% for a 10-year Treasury. Watch out for higher rates from callable CDs where they can call your CD back if interest rates drop.

All rates were checked as of 12/15/2024.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers, Investing // Tagged:

Mint Mobile Holiday Deal: 12-Months of Unlimited Plan at $15/Month (50% Off, $180 Savings)

Posted on December 11, 2024 // 7 Comments

This year will make it six years with Mint Mobile cellular service. They have provided reliable service at a low cost, and it fits my needs. They use the T-Mobile GSM 4G LTE and 5G networks, which means most phones are compatible and switching just requires swapping in a new SIM card (more recently I just use eSIM for instant over-the-air switching). (Mint was so successful that T-Mobile bought them.) I am an affiliate for them, but I’m also a loyal user.

This is their best deal in recent memory: New customers can get 12-Month Unlimited Plan for only $15/month. This is 50% off their normal low pricing of $30 a month for 12 months ($360 a year), for a savings of $180. Usually they only offer this discount for 3 months, so make sure you don’t buy the 3-month plan by accident! Offer ends January 2nd, 2025.

Want a new phone too?

Note: “Unlimited” data still means speeds are throttled after 40 GB per month. Video streams at 480p. My personal primary complaint is that as an MVNO they are lower data priority, so at concerts or large public events, I feel my cellular data is slower than others. But I can’t bring myself to pay the full price of regular T-Mobile over that.

Use their phone compatibility checker first to see if you can bring your current phone over. All of their plans offer the slower 128 kbps speeds after you use up your LTE data, which is nice as you can still check your email and access basic services. (New customer means your phone hasn’t been on Mint within the past 90 days.)

7-Day “No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee” (starts upon SIM activation) so you can test them out before making any commitment.

All of our full phone plans and See for Yourself Kits feature a 7-Day Money Back Guarantee for all purchases made on mintmobile.com or using the app. You can cancel your wireless phone plan service for any reason within 7 days of activation and we will refund you 100% of the purchase price, including any fees and taxes. Shipping is not refunded.

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may be compensated.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Alaska Airlines Premium Credit Card: 500 Mile Bonus For Joining Waitlist (No Commitment)

Posted on December 11, 2024 // Leave a Comment

Alaska Airlines is teasing a new credit card, currently called the “Alaska Airlines Premium Credit Card”, and you can get 500 free Alaska miles just for joining their waitlist by December 31st, 2024 with your name and MileagePlan number. There is no commitment, so I’ll take the free miles. If you later apply and get approved, they will also add on another 5,000 bonus miles. The application is not set to open until “Summer 2025”.

1 – Register your interest in the Alaska Airlines Premium Credit Card by Dec 31, 2024, and you will receive 500 miles for registration and, upon approval of your application for the Alaska Airlines Premium Credit Card, 5,000 miles in addition to any other new account bonus offer you may qualify for. To qualify, applicants must apply via a link that will be emailed to them using the email address provided in their offer registration within 14 days of receiving the exclusive application link. Must provide valid Mileage Plan account information to be eligible. Limit of one registration offer per valid Mileage Plan account. By registering for this offer you agree to receive communications from Alaska Airlines about, and how to apply for, the Alaska Airlines Premium Credit Card. Communications sent and managed by Alaska Airlines. You may opt out at any time.

There are a bunch of features and perks teased, but a lot of this stuff ends up being changed before launch.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Sam’s Club New Membership Discount: $30 Off Club, $50 off Plus

Posted on December 10, 2024 // Leave a Comment

sams200bSam’s Club has a new discount offer on new memberships. This is slightly cheaper than the previous Sam’s Club Groupon deal. Each includes a Household member card. Expires 1/31/25.

Fine print on the Club offer:

Join now and receive $30 off a $50 Club membership for a final price of $20. Must join as a new Sam’s Club or Sam’s Plus member through the link provided to qualify for this Offer. Offer is valid for new Sam’s Club members only; and is not valid for (i) membership renewals, those with a current membership, those who were Sam’s Club members less than six (6) months prior to joining, or Walmart and Sam’s Club associates.

Fine print on the Plus offer:

Join now and receive $50 off a $110 Plus membership for a total of $60. Must join as a new Sam’s Plus member through the link provided to qualify for this Offer. Offer is valid for new Sam’s Club members only; and is not valid for (i) membership renewals, those with a current membership, those who were Sam’s Club members less than six (6) months prior to joining, or Walmart and Sam’s Club associates.

Upgrading from Club to Plus will get you:

  • Free curbside pickup of club order with no minimum. (Club members have a $50 minimum pre-tax.)
  • Free delivery from your local club warehouse on order of $50+. Works within 15-mile radius of a participating warehouse. (Club member have $8 fee per order.)
  • Free shipping on eligible online orders of $50+.
  • 2% Sam’s Cash back on in-club purchases, up to $500 a year. (Nothing with Club)
  • 3% back on Sam’s Club purchases with the Sam’s Club Mastercard (1% with Club).
  • Extended early shopping hours at some warehouses.
  • Early access to select online deals.

You may also wish to try to stack your Sam’s Club purchase with a cashback shopping portal. I’m not sure if it will work with all of them, but maybe. Many offer new customers bonuses if you make a qualifying purchase, including Swagbucks ($10 bonus), MyPoints ($10 bonus), Rakuten (formerly eBates) ($40 bonus currently, varies), TopCashBack (varies), and BeFrugal ($10 bonus). So you could sign-up and stack this deal to trigger the bonus. I have cashed out of all of these in the past.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Rakuten Cashback Portal: $40 New Member Bonus via Referral

Posted on December 9, 2024 // Leave a Comment

$40 offer is back through 12/16. Rakuten (formerly eBates) is one of the biggest cashback shopping portals, where you earn a rebates on your online (and possibly in-store, see below) purchases. Right now, they have an limited-time $40 new user bonus via referral when you make your first purchase of $40+ through any participating Rakuten retailer within 90 days of joining. The standard non-referral bonus is only $10.

Some popular examples of retailers that could trigger the bonus include Sam’s Club, eBay, Lowe’s, Apple, Samsung, Chewy, and Temu.

Many retailers also have extra cashback percentages during this Holiday time period, so be sure to use some sort of cashback portal if you can.

Finally, note that many travel sites participate, including Booking.com, Expedia.com, VRBO, Hawaiian Airlines (direct), Marriott.com (direct), IHG Hotels (direct), Priceline, Orbitz, Hotels.com.

Rakuten is also somewhat unique in that they offer in-store cashback as well at a variety of physical stores like Macy’s, Mattress Warehouse, Staples, Neiman Marcus, Petsmart, Nordstrom Rack, Food Lion, Sephora, and more.

Here’s an overview of the process:

  • You must first link your debit or credit card and provide eBates with your credit card information. Works with Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
  • Then, you must manually add a specific store. You can use their smartphone app (iOS/Android) for convenience. Be aware of some exclusions like gift card purchases.
  • Shop at the store register with that specific credit card. Debit cards must be run as “credit” purchases where you sign (no PIN). It’s very discreet. You don’t need to say anything, show a membership card, provide a coupon, etc. You don’t need to keep the receipt.
  • After you shop, the store will be unlinked automatically. If you want to shop at that store again, you must remember to manually re-link the offer again to your card.
  • You may not get instant confirmation. Look for a confirmation within a week or so.
Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Navy Federal CU New Member Bonus: Additional $300 w/ New Credit Card

Posted on December 9, 2024 // 5 Comments

Navy Federal Credit Union has a new “Join and Get $300” promotion for new members. Join as a new Navy Federal member by 12/31/2024 and you can get an additional $300 statement credit when you open a new Navy Federal credit card within 14 days of joining. As with most credit unions, you’ll need to open a Share Savings account and keep $5 in there. Additional selected fine print:

1 Offer valid November 1 – December 31, 2024 and can expire anytime without prior notice. To receive the one-time $300 statement credit to your credit card account, you must 1) be 18 or older and eligible for membership, 2) join Navy Federal between 11/1/2024 and 12/31/2024, and 3) open a new unsecured Navy Federal credit card account within 14 days of joining. Offer excludes Navy Federal Business, Home Equity Line Platinum, and nRewards® Secured credit cards. […] Limit one (1) statement credit per member. […] Statement credit will be credited to your account within 8 weeks of credit card account opening.

Navy Federal membership is open to members of the Coast Guard, all Department of Defense (DoD) uniformed personnel, reservists, Active Duty, retired, Veterans, Army and Air National Guard, DoD civilian employees, contractors, and their immediate family. In 2019, they expanded membership to include veterans and their immediate family members including grandparents through grandchildren. If you call them, they will help you look up information on veterans in your family.

This could stack up to be a pretty significant bonus, as the first-year value for these two card bonuses are already $400+ on their own.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //
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