How to Close Your US Bank Account or US Bank Credit Card Online

Posted on October 15, 2025 // 2 Comments

After US Bank completely changed the terms of their Smartly Rewards credit card less than 6 months after application, I have nearly completed closing nearly all of my US Bank accounts, including bank accounts, credit cards, and brokerage accounts. The process was relatively simple, and you don’t need to visit a branch or call them on the phone if you don’t want to. You can close your account online using the Live Chat feature on their website. Simply type in “close account” into their Smart Assistant search bar, and then they will ask which account you want to close. After you select it, you will be presented with the following popup options. These may be different based on their daytime/weekday business hours, but I was able to reach someone in less than a minute. The Live Chat agent closed things efficiently while I did other stuff on my computer.

If you have a US Bank credit card with an annual fee that was charged to your account within the last 30 days, the annual fee will be automatically refunded after you close the credit card account. In other words, you can wait until you actually see the new annual fee charged to the account before you close the account (if you want). That may give you more time to redeem all your rewards (which will be lost upon closure) and use up all the perks like a travel statement credit or TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee. In the past, US Bank has also offered “retention” offers in order to keep your business, but I was not offered anything this time when canceling. Perhaps if you call into a human, they might be more likely to offer something, I don’t know.

For the US Bank brokerage account, I had moved in over $100k in assets to qualify for their highest loyalty tier. Well, that loyalty was not rewarded, so I was off again looking for the best place for my assets. I thought about the Kraken up to 2% offer for 1-year hold, but the reward-to-risk ratio just wasn’t there for me. The current regulatory environment is not pro-consumer, and I didn’t feel comfortable with possible having to beg and plead for my $100k back if Kraken blew themselves up in a crypto meltdown. I also didn’t like how the “up to” 2% bonus was contingent on outside factors. I’ll still take the easy crypto money, though!

In the end, I chose this Merrill Edge transfer offer, which is a $400 bonus on $100k transferred (0.4%) with a much shorter 90-day hold. I already have an account with Merrill and Preferred Rewards status, and I find them reliable and professional. Merrill Edge will also reimburse me for the $95 outgoing transfer fee charged by US Bank. Thankfully, this offer is also valid for existing customers. If one bank isn’t meeting your needs, there is most likely a better offer out there.

Filed Under: Banking, Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Best Interest Rates Survey: Bank Accounts, Treasury Bills, Money Markets, ETFs – October 2025

Posted on October 13, 2025 // 2 Comments

Here’s my monthly survey of the best interest rates on cash as of October 2025, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Banks and brokerages love taking advantage of our idle cash, and you can 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 10/13/2025.

TL;DR: Savings account interest rates have dropped slightly overall. You can get 4.6% and 4.5% APY if you accept some hoops/restrictions. Short-term T-Bill rates have fallen slightly, now ~4.1%. Top 5-year CD rates are ~4.3% APY, while 5-year Treasury rate is ~3.6%.

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 saving rate at the moment: Pibank at 4.60% APY (no min), but they have some weird restrictions; like you can only use wire/Plaid to deposit and wire transfers to withdraw funds?! Presidential Bank has a 4.50% APY savings account that requires an Advantage Checking account. You’ll have to decide if the hoops are worth it. CIT Platinum Savings is now at 3.85% APY with $5,000+ balance and is offering an up to $300 deposit bonus which increases your effective APY for a while. There are many banks in between.
  • SoFi Bank is at 3.80% APY + up to 4.50% APY for 6 months + $325 new account bonus with qualifying 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.
  • 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. I call this the “okay/good” zone of 3.40%+.

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 13-month No Penalty CD at 3.95% APY ($500 minimum deposit). Farmer’s Insurance FCU has a 9-month No Penalty CD at 4.00% APY ($1,000 minimum deposit). USA USALLIANCE Financial CU has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 3.90% APY ($500 minimum deposit).
  • Abound Credit Union has a 10-month certificate at 4.30% APY ($500 min). Early withdrawal penalty is 90 days of interest. Anyone can join this credit union via $10 membership fee to join partner organization.

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 a 7-day SEC yield of 4.04% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 4.12%, 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 (100% for 2024 tax year) exempt from state and local income taxes because it comes from qualifying US government obligations. Current 7-day SEC yield of 4.04% (compound yield of 4.12%).

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 10/10/25, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.09% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 3.61% annualized interest.
  • The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 4.12% 30-day SEC yield (0.09% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years. SPDR Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) has a 4.02% 30-day SEC yield (0.136% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.15 years. The new Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) has a 4.12% 30-day SEC yield (0.07% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 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 May 2025 and October 2025 will earn a 3.98% 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-October 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 post another update 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 $150 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.
  • Oklahoma Central Credit Union pays 6.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases (non-ATM) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union if they are “affiliated with another credit union”.
  • La Capitol Federal Credit Union pays 5.75% 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).
  • First Southern Bank pays 5.50% APY on up to $25,000 if you make at least 15 debit card purchases, 1 ACH credit or payment 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 5.50% APY (down from 6%) 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.

  • United Fidelity Bank has a 5-year certificate at 4.30% APY ($1,000 minimum), 4-year at 4.25% APY, 3-year at 4.20% APY, 2-year at 4.20% APY, and 1.5-year at 4.25% APY. Early withdrawal penalties are not disclosed clearly online.
  • Mountain America Credit Union (MACU) has a 5-year certificate at 4.00% APY ($500 minimum), 4-year at 4.00% APY, 3-year at 4.00% APY, 2-year at 4.25% APY, and 1-year at 4.00% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 4-year and 5-year is 365 days of interest. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization American Consumer Council for a one-time $5 fee (or try promo code “consumer”).
  • Lafayette Federal Credit Union (LFCU) has a 5-year certificate at 3.97% APY ($500 minimum), 4-year at 3.97% APY, 3-year at 3.97% APY, 2-year at 4.02% APY, and 1-year at 4.02% APY. Slightly higher rates with jumbo $100,000+ balances. Note that the early withdrawal penalty for the 5-year is a relatively large 600 days of interest. Anyone nationwide can join LFCU by joining the Home Ownership Financial Literacy Council (HOFLC) for a one-time $10 fee.
  • 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 brokered CD at 3.75% 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 (and will!) call back your CD if rates drop significantly later.

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. 4.05% 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 10/13/25.

* I no longer recommend fintech companies due to the possibility of significant loss due to poor recordkeeping and the lack of government protection in such scenarios. The point of cash is absolute safety of principal.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

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

One Key Credit Cards (VRBO, Expedia, Hotels.com): $400/$600 OneKeyCash Bonus (Limited-Time Offer)

Posted on October 10, 2025 // 2 Comments

The One Key and One Key+ credit cards are travel rewards cards offered by Expedia Group (Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO) and issued by Wells Fargo. Rewards are earned as “OneKeyCash” which can only be used to offset travel bookings on one of those three sites. Personally, the main draw for me is VRBO as we often book one larger space instead of two hotel rooms for our family of five. Right now, there is a limited-time offer. Highlights:

One Key Card

  • New cardholder bonus: $400 in OneKeyCash after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
  • 3% back in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo.
  • 3% back in OneKeyCash at gas stations, grocery stores and on dining.
  • 1.5% back in OneKeyCash on all other purchases.
  • Automatic Silver One Key status. Supposedly, this includes “savings of 15% or more on over 10,000 hotels worldwide.” Unlock Gold when you spend $15,000 per calendar year.
  • Other benefits include no foreign transaction fees, cell phone protection, and travel protections like travel accident insurance and trip cancellation insurance.
  • No annual fee.

One Key+ Card (note the plus sign!)

  • New cardholder bonus: $600 in OneKeyCash after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
  • 3% back in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo.
  • 3% back in OneKeyCash at gas stations, grocery stores and on dining.
  • 2% back in OneKeyCash on all other purchases.
  • Automatic Gold One Key status. Supposedly, this includes “savings of 20% or more on over 10,000 hotels worldwide.” Unlock Platinum when you spend $30,000 per calendar year.
  • $100 in OneKeyCash each year on your Cardholder anniversary.
  • $120 Global Entry/TSA credit. Receive one statement credit up to $120 for a Trusted Traveler Program, such as Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck®.
  • Other benefits include no foreign transaction fees, cell phone protection, and travel protections like travel accident insurance and trip cancellation insurance.
  • $99 annual fee.

The credit card rewards stack on top of the standard OneKeyCash earned for booking on Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO. However, it’s often cheaper to book a hotel directly at their own website, so I usually don’t use Expedia or Hotels.com. With VRBO, often the same house is also listed on Airbnb and on a small independent management site. Sometimes VRBO is the cheapest (after all their fees and taxes) or offers the best refund policy, so I still use VRBO in those cases.

Limitations on Expedia flight bookings. You can use OneKeyCash for a flight, but note the following limitations:

To use OneKeyCash on a flight, you will need enough OneKeyCash to cover the entire cost of your eligible flight, including taxes and fees, and may not add any optional extras like checked bags or seat assignments. You can purchase those extras after booking your ticket. OneKeyCash may only be used on selected flights.

In contrast, you can use OneKeyCash to partially offset a VRBO rental, down to the penny. Note that not all VRBO properties are eligible for OneKeyCash redemption (VRBO must be their payment processor) and you must use the “Pay Now” option.

I personally don’t usually use Expedia or Hotels.com on a regular basis, but I do book on VRBO regularly enough to expect to use up the OneKeyCash bonus. For those that have done most of the other big credit card bonuses, this card still offers some good potential value, even if it is in a more restricted rewards system.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Amazon Prime Big Deals Day 2025: Check For Extended Free Trials and Easy Credits

Posted on October 8, 2025 // 1 Comment

Amazon is running yet another “Huge Sale!” called Prime Big Deal Days. I’m late, and by the time you read this, it might be over. (You probably didn’t miss that much.) Check your wishlist. Check your “Buy Again” past purchases. I’ve listed again a few of my favorite things below as well.

Yes, I’m recycling most of the stuff from an old post, but that’s the thing to do as this is when where a lot of easy credits and extended free trials are reset. Time to spend a minute to click-and-check. I’ve gotten over $50 in easy value from the free trials and refreshed Shop with Points credits.

(Note: If you are reading this in an email/RSS reader, unfortunately I am not allowed to include any Amazon affiliate links in e-mails, so they have been removed. Please click here to view the links.)

As the name suggests, most deals require a Prime membership. New members can sign up for a 30-day free trial. Amazon Prime for Young Adults (age 18-24) has a 6-month free trial and $7.49/month after that (50% off regular). If you’ve already done the trial, you can simply buy a single month of Prime for $14.99 ($6.99 with SNAP, EBT or Medicaid card).

“Shop with Points” Promos (Check again if reset/targeted) Most likely, only the top three will work this time around, but I still clicked and checked.

Amazon Free Trials

Stuff I Own (and Would Buy Again)

  • Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum We still love our cordless Dyson. I’m sure a knockoff nowadays will do the trick, but this is another daily workhouse in our household. We had the V8 before, but the extra power of this one is useful.
  • Amazon Eero 6E mesh WiFi router system 3-pack. If you have WiFi coverage issues and haven’t upgraded your router recently, I do recommend an upgrade. It just makes WiFi something you don’t worry about anymore. No more dead spots.
  • Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Noise Canceling Headphones. I’m not an audiophile, but these feel great, work well on planes, and are reliable.
  • COSORI Air Fryer 6 Qt. Love this air fryer. We use it nearly every day; heats things up like a microwave, except it keeps things crispy instead of soggy. Easy to clean.
  • Vitamix 5200 blender. Kitchen staple, sometimes we use it a lot, sometimes rarely, but it’s always there ready and powerful.
Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Kraken Crypto/Brokerage: Up to 2% Deposit Bonus w/ 12-Month Hold

Posted on October 7, 2025 // 4 Comments

Kraken is offering up to a 2% deposit bonus in October for any customer that deposits $1,000+ in cash or crypto during October. The deposit bonus will vary from 1% to 2% depending on total deposits across all customers, with the strange rule that when $500 million in total aggregate deposits are made and the full 2% deposit is triggered, the entire promo ends immediately, so you need to have participated by then. The bonus will then be paid within 14 days after the promo ends, in their USDG stablecoin.

Net deposits are calculated by total cash and crypto deposited, minus withdrawals during the promotion period. Your deposits earn a 1% match rate, which can boost up to 2% based on community progress. The final rate is set based on the total community net deposit value at the end of the promo (Oct 31 or when $500M is reached).

You must keep your net deposits at Kraken through November 1st, 2026. You can trade your deposit, and market fluctuations are okay as long as you don’t withdraw any funds. Full terms here.

Kraken is best known as a crypto exchange, but as of early 2025 they now offer US stock trading under Kraken Securities through a partnership with Alpaca (press release). The terms say that you can trade your deposits, so technically I don’t see why you couldn’t move your cash to Kraken, buy a T-Bill ETF like SGOV or VBIL (current SEC yields ~4.11% and 4.12%), and basically earn up to an additional 2% APY on your cash for a year.

A 2% deposit bonus for a 12-month hold is a pretty good deal. For me, the main catch is that you have to trust the US regulatory agencies that manage SIPC insurance in case Kraken Securities fails during the next year. ETFs held in an SIPC brokerage account are definitely better than an uninsured crypto account, but I just worry it could be messy, so I’d probably size my risk (deposit amount) accordingly.

If you haven’t already, you should also grab Kraken’s $75 new crypto account bonus and 30 days of free money spins, where I earned almost $20 in random crypto like DOGE and PEPE:

Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Investing //

Mesa Homeowners Card: Mortgage Rewards + Up to 50,000 Point Bonus

Posted on October 2, 2025 // 10 Comments

Mesa is a new fintech focused on “homeowners”, currently with a credit card and mortgage lending product. Their Mesa Homeowners Visa Card (issued by Celtic Bank) currently has a 50,000 points bonus albeit with a pretty high spending requirement. The card does have a unique set of perks that could be valuable.

Bonus details:

  • 50,000 bonus points after $12,000 or more on eligible purchases within the first 3 months (90 days) of Card Membership. Offer currently set to expire 10/15/25.
  • To receive this offer you must apply and be approved for the Mesa Homeowners Card between 9/19/2025 – 10/15/2025 Must use code SEPT50 or CHRIS50 at card application to qualify for the offer.
  • Must apply via iOS or Android app.
  • Bonus points will be credited to your account within 8–12 weeks after the qualifying purchase threshold is met.
  • You are not eligible to receive this welcome offer if you currently have the Mesa Homeowners Card, or if you are a previous Mesa Homeowners Card holder.

Card details:

  • 1X Mesa Point per $1 on your monthly mortgage payment, up to 100,000 points annually, when you spend at least $1,000 during your statement cycle on eligible purchases with your Mesa Homeowners Card.
  • 3X Mesa Points on purchases categorized under Home Decor, Home Improvement, General Contractors, Cable & Streaming Services, Home Insurance, Property Taxes, Maintenance, Telecom, Utilities and daycare. 2X Mesa Points on groceries, gas, EV charging. (Note: Target, Amazon, Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club do NOT count as 2X.) 1X Mesa Points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • This is a confusing statement, and indeed the rewards system is a bit funky. You can earn points based on your stated monthly mortgage amount, BUT you don’t actually pay your mortgage with this credit card. However, you must charge $1,000 to the card on other things, in order to trigger the mortgage-linked rewards.
  • $65 Costco Annual Credit – When you join Costco or renew your existing membership on the card.
  • $120 Lowe’s Annual Credit – Maximum of $30 per quarter. Must link your myLowes Rewards account.
  • $200 Thumbtack Annual Credit – Hire trusted pros for home projects
  • $100 Armadillo Home Warranty Credit
  • $120 Wag! Annual Credit – On-demand pet care
  • $120 The Farmer’s Dog Annual Credit – Fresh, healthy meals for your pup
  • No annual fee.


Fine print on the credits here.

What can Mesa points be redeemed for? Yet another currency and point system to track.

  • 1.2 to 1.4 cents per points via their Travel Portal.
  • 0.8 cents per point when you cash out towards your mortgage, even though you don’t actually pay your mortgage with it (it goes into your linked bank account).
  • 0.8 cents per point towards gift cards.
  • 0.6 cents per point as a credit card statement credit.

You can also transfer to the following at a 1:1 ratio, except for ALL which is only at a 1.5:1 ratio.

Air Canada Aeroplan
Air India Maharaja Club
Finnair Plus
Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club
SAS EuroBonus
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
Vietnam Airlines LotusMiles
Accor Live Limitless (1.5 Mesa -> 1 ALL point)

Personally, I’d probably either go with the 0.8 cents value virtual mortgage offset, or transfer to Air Canada points.

Bottom line. This is a new fintech and so there may be some hiccups with applications, identity verification, and them changing up their features and workarounds. However, the potential first-year value is very high if you can satisfy the high initial spending hurdle. That’s up to 50,000 points upfront + 100,000 points per year on mortgage, which is worth at least $400 + $800 in cash (technically towards your mortgage).

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Hilton Honors American Express Cards: Limited-Time Offer of 100,000 Points w/ No Annual Fee

Posted on October 2, 2025 // 9 Comments

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Updated with new limited-time offers. Hilton Hotels and American Express have co-branded credit cards with special perks for Hilton customers. Each person can only get one welcome offer, per card in your entire lifetime, so it’s best to apply during a temporary bump-up and/or limited-time offer.

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  • Limited Time Offer: 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/14/2026.
  • 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar on purchases at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations.
  • 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases.
  • Hilton Honors(TM) Silver Status comes with this card. Spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on this card within a calendar year and upgrade this benefit to Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status through the end of the next calendar year.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • No annual fee.
  • See Rates and Fees

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  • Limited Time Offer: 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $8,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 1/14/2026.
  • 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made using the Hilton Honors Business Card on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year, 3X Points thereafter.
  • Up to $240 in Hilton credits annually (Up to $60 per quarter). Get up to $60 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made with this card directly with a Hilton portfolio property.
  • Complimentary Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status (free breakfast, room upgrades based on availability, 5th standard reward night free).
  • Upgrade this benefit to Hilton Honors(TM) Diamond Status through the end of the calendar year if the total eligible purchases that you spend on your Card Account during a calendar year reach $40,000 or more.
  • $195 annual fee.
  • See Rates and Fees

What are Hilton Honor points worth? The best value is from booking free hotel nights or using their “Points & Money” option where you pay with a combination of Hilton points and cash. Hilton has some really nice properties, but the value varies from hotel to hotel. I just ran a search and for the same 60,000 Hilton points, I could book rooms that cost $320 or $532 cash. I’ve seen some valuations around 0.6 cents per point, which I think is fair on average, but I would be more conservative at 0.5 cents a point. That would make 150,000 points = $750 value and 100,000 points = $500 value towards Hilton hotel stays.

The good part of Hilton points is that they have so many different hotel brands, from business-class DoubleTree to luxury Waldorf Astoria. Hilton also lets you transfer and pool points with other with other family or household members. As long as you keep them active (once every 12 months), I do like to keep some around. These credit cards are handy for creating activity.

Free Night Award details. When it is offered (not all the time), the Free Night Award is valid for a one-night standard room at eligible Hilton properties, and also covers resort fees and taxes. There are many great and valuable options to redeem, but importantly read about the property exclusions here. Here are the full terms. To redeem the Free Night Reward, you must call 1-800-446-6677 (1-800-HHONORS). It’s quite easy and I’ve found the agents to be very helpful if you want to combine multiple certificates, combine a paid stay and a Free Night Award, etc. Free Night Rewards will expire 12 months from date of issuance.

I’ve used this Free Night Award at the Grand Wailea in Maui, and that standard room would have cost 110,000 Hilton Points otherwise. Other fancy possibilities include Conrad New York, Conrad London, Waldorf Astoria Park City, and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.

Bottom line. Hilton American Express cards offer regular Hilton customers a good opportunity to earn additional points towards free Hilton hotel stays as well as additional perks like status upgrades. The best time to apply for a Hilton co-branded American Express card is during a limited-time increase to their welcome offers. This is because American Express has changed their policy to only allow each person to get a welcome offer once per card.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers and Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

Hilton Honors Card from American Express: See Rates and Fees

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: See Rates and Fees

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General //

Bank of America Credit Cards – 2% More Rewards Day on Thursday 11/6/2025

Posted on September 28, 2025 // 4 Comments

Back for 2025. Bank of America has a one-day credit card promotion called “More Rewards Day” on Thursday, 11/6/25. Depending on your BofA credit card type (both consumer and business cards are all eligible), you can earn an additional 2% cash back or 2 points or miles/$1 spent on up to $2,500 in purchases made on 11/6/25 only (Eastern time zone!), up to a $50/5,000 point cap per unique credit card account. That’s on on top of the rewards you’re already earning. No enrollment required.

Eligible cards include:

Customized Cash Rewards
Unlimited Cash Rewards
Travel Rewards
Premium Rewards®
Premium Rewards® Elite
BankAmericard® Power Rewards®
BankAmericard Rewards®
MERRILL+®
MERRILL+® Elite
Atmos™ Rewards Ascent
Atmos™ Rewards Summit
Royal Caribbean®
Celebrity Cruises®
Norwegian Cruise Line
Beaches
Sandals
Free Spirit®
Allegiant
Air France KLM
BankAmericard®

You can get up to a $50 bonus on each of your unique BofA credit cards. Note that it expires 11:59pm in the Eastern time zone. It appears that somehow they can track the “transaction date” separately from when it posts to your statement. Note that some retail websites don’t actually charge you until a physical item ships.

Only Purchases that post to your account and appear on your statement with a transaction date of 11/06/2025 will qualify. Merchants may impact when a transaction will appear on your statement, particularly if they delay processing of the purchase. Transactions with delayed processing of 90 days or more will not be eligible to be included in the promotional offer.

Some possibilities beyond timing the normal bonus categories on your unique cards:

  • Pay estimated income taxes at PayUSATax.com for currently a 1.75% fee.
  • Pay your insurance premiums upfront. My State Farm grouped monthly bill can also be timed using manual payment.
  • Pay your utilities, property taxes, phone bills, and other monthly bills upfront. Sometimes it just costs a one-time flat fee to pay by credit card, which can be worth if you are charging $1,000+.
  • Make your annual charitable contributions for this year on this date.
Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

Closing US Bank Accounts to Avoid Annual Fee After Smartly Credit Card Negative Changes

Posted on September 25, 2025 // 10 Comments

As of 9/15/25, my US Bank Smartly credit card was downgraded from 4% cash back for my situation to the more restrictive version of the negative changes to the US Bank Smartly credit card, which matches what is available to new applicants. In other words, a 2% cash back card. Going for any higher cash back rewards tier would actually lose you money due to the interest you must give up on your bank balances.

US Bank changed the terms of their product less than 6 months after many people applied and opened multiple new accounts, including myself. Rather disappointing, although I would have accepted the less restrictive version. But now, since I can get better cash back elsewhere, it was time to tear down the US Bank relationship that I had previously been incentivized to build.

Before 9/15/25, I had:

  • Smartly Checking account with active deposits and withdrawals.
  • Smartly Savings account.
  • Smartly Credit Card with thousands of dollars in monthly transactions.
  • US Bancorp Investments Self-Direct Brokerage account with $100,000+ in assets.

After the negative changes, I will have:

  • Smartly Checking with $5 balance.
  • Smartly Savings (closed).
  • Smartly Credit Card with no regular activity.
  • US Bancorp Investments Self-Direct Brokerage account (closed).

This minimal setup keeps a few accounts open for possible future use, but in the meantime there will be no regular activity and no fees. The US Bank Smartly Checking has a $12 monthly fee that can be waived with a U.S. Bank Smartly credit card. The US Bank Smartly credit card itself has no annual fee. I’ll make a transaction on the checking and the credit card once a year to maintain activity and prevent closure. Hibernation mode.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

CIT Bank Platinum Savings Account: Up to $300 Deposit Bonus (New & Existing Customers)

Posted on September 23, 2025 // 7 Comments

CIT Bank has a new limited-time $225/$300 Platinum Savings deposit bonus.1 The bonus depends on deposit amount, and it is open to both new and existing customers*. Importantly, the bonus is in addition to the interest rate, currently a competitive 3.75% APY2 (as of 11/20/25) with a balance of $5,000 or more. There is a minimum $100 deposit to open a new account.

* Important note: The fine print states: “Customers who previously participated in the PS2025 promotion and received the associated bonus are not eligible to participate in the PS2025 promotion again.” This was an earlier promotion from around March 2025.

New deposit bonus details. For new customers, you must first open a new account with at least $100 and promo code PS2025 at this special offer link. You’ll get multiple confirmations that you are enrolled in the promo during the application process.

If you already have an CIT Bank existing account, you still need to first officially enroll in this offer via the “Start savings now” button and then logging into your CIT Bank account. If you have other types of CIT Bank accounts already, but need to open a new Platinum Savings account, you can do that easily as well.

There are only two tiers for the bonus, either $25,000 or $50,000. Qualifying funds must come from an account outside of CIT Bank. (Transfers from existing CIT Bank accounts will not qualify for this promotion.)

  • A new deposit of $25,000 to $49,999 within 30 calendar days of your open/enrollment date will get you a $225 cash bonus.
  • A new deposit of $50,000+ within 30 calendar days of your open/enrollment date will get you a $300 cash bonus.

There is a limit of one Platinum Savings promotional offer per account and per Primary customer. If multiple Platinum Savings accounts are opened, only one account per primary account owner is eligible.

All customers who qualify for the $225 or $300 bonus offer will receive the bonus in the enrolled Platinum Savings account within 60 days after the 30-day funding period. The enrolled Platinum Savings account must be open at the time of the bonus payment to qualify. You can fund all at once or in multiple transfers, it just has to be done within the 30-day window.

Note that there is no minimum holding period. You just need to fund within the 30-day period after your opening/enrollment date. After that initial 30-day period, your account just needs to be open at the time of the bonus payment, which is another 60 days after the 30-day mark. You do not have to maintain the balance during those additional 60 days, although you could choose to keep it there until the bonus arrives.

Effective APY rough numbers. The lack of minimum holding period makes the potential effective APY theoretically sky-high. For the sake of rough numbers, if you assume you keep the money there for 30 days, here are the effective interest rates you could get as either a new or existing customer:

  • For a new/existing customer earning the $225 bonus on $25,000 in new deposits with a 30-day hold period, which also qualifies you for the current 3.75% APY tier, that works out to a total 14.55% APY for 30 days (10.8 + 3.75).
  • For a new/existing customer earning the $300 bonus on $50,000 in new deposits with a 30-day hold period, which also qualifies you for the current 3.75% APY tier, that works out to a total 10.95% APY for 30 days (7.2 + 3.75).

You can see that the $25k tier works out to be a higher percentage, but you get more absolute money if you have enough fund for the $50k tier.

The Platinum Savings account has no minimum balance fees, no monthly service fees, no inactivity fee. However, make sure you keep $5,000 in there to qualify for the highest interest rate tier.

Bottom line. CIT Bank has really good limited-time deposit bonuses from time to time, and thankfully they are also usually available to existing customers. Right now is one of those times, with a new up to $300 Platinum Savings deposit bonus and it is indeed open to both new and existing customers. The bonus is on top of the interest rate, currently 3.75% APY (as of 11/20/25) with a balance of $5,000 or more.

This offer is for a limited-time only, and they may end it at any time.

1Official promotion disclosure:

This limited time offer to qualify for a $225 cash bonus with a minimum deposit of $25,000 or a $300 bonus with a minimum deposit of $50,000 is available to New and Existing Customers who meet the Platinum Savings promotion criteria. The Promotion begins on November 20, 2025 and can end at any time without notice.

Click here to see promotion details and
terms.

2APY disclosure for Platinum Savings:

Platinum Savings is a tiered interest rate account. Interest is paid on the entire account balance based on the interest rate and APY in effect that day for the balance tier associated with the end-of day account balance. *APYs — Annual Percentage Yields are accurate as of December 15, 2025: 0.25% APY on balances of $0.01 to $4,999.99; 3.75% APY on balances of $5,000.00 or more. Interest Rates for the Platinum Savings account are variable and may change at any time without notice. The minimum to open a Platinum Savings account is $100.

For complete list of account details and fees, see the CIT Bank Personal Account disclosures.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

Apple TV+: Free Month (New or Returning Subscribers)

Posted on September 23, 2025 // Leave a Comment

Apple TV+ is offering a free 1-month trial, available to both new and returning subscribers. Auto-renews at the end of the month if you don’t cancel. However, Apple is good about subscriptions – if you cancel early, even immediately after signing up, you still get to use it until the end of the trial, after which it will end without issue. I just do it all in one motion. I enjoyed Ted Lasso and Shrinking. Hat tip DoC. Fine print:

1. Code expires on January 7, 2026. New and qualified returning subscribers only. This is a promotional code and is not for resale, has no cash value, and will not be replaced if lost or stolen. Valid only for Apple TV+ in the United States. Requires Apple ID with payment method on file. Apple TV+ renews for USD$9.99/month after the promotion until canceled.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

The Platinum Card® from American Express Review: Lots of New Perks, Bigger Credits, Increased Annual Fee

Posted on September 19, 2025 // Leave a Comment

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Updated with new perks, increased credits, and increased annual fee. card_name is the classic premium travel card, with an extended list of luxurious perks along with a hefty annual fee. It’s time for another look again as they have added many new perks and increased their annual fee. Notable, none of the previous credit and features were removed, so all the improvements can be easily compared to see if you feel they offset the annual fee increase.

Here is the sign-up bonus and rewards structure:

  • As High As 175,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards(R) points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • 5X Membership Rewards(R) points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel(R), including Fine Hotels + Resorts(R) and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel(R) on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
  • 1X MR points on other purchases.

Here are the many statement credits included with the card:

  • NEW! $300 lululemon Credit. Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card(R) for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
  • NEW! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy. When you use the Platinum Card(R) to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card(R). Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
  • Improved: $300 Digital Entertainment Credit (up to $25 per month). Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card(R) at participating partners. Enrollment required.
  • Improved: $600 Hotel Credit. Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts(R) or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel(R) using the Platinum Card(R). *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
  • Improved: $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit. With the Platinum Card(R) you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card(R) to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card(R) to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
  • $200 Airline Fee credit. Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card(R) Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit. Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card(R). *Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R) credit. Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck(R) application fee (through a TSA official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card(R). Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • $209 CLEAR(R) Plus Credit. CLEAR(R) Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card(R). *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
  • $100 Saks Credit. Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card(R). That’s up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
  • $300 Equinox credit annually. Up to $300 back in statement credits each calendar year towards an Equinox membership. Enrollment is required.
  • $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike credit. $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike. Enrollment is required.
  • American Express Global Lounge Collection(R). With over 1,550 airport lounges – more than any other credit card company on the market* – enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection(R), over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club(R) visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass™ Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
  • $895 annual fee.
  • See Rates and Fees

Note the following language:

Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this Card. We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility.

Not sure about your history? The application will tell you if they detect that you are not eligible for the bonus based on their records. Given that you can only get the welcome offer once time per lifetime, it is best to apply during a limited-time offer.

Membership Rewards points can be converted to the following airline and hotel programs (there are more, this is just a selection):

  • Delta SkyMiles
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • JetBlue
  • ANA Mileage Club (partner of United Airlines)
  • Air Canada (partner of United Airlines)
  • British Airways (partner of American Airlines)
  • FlyingBlue (Air France/KLM)
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • Choice Privileges
  • Hilton Honors
  • Marriott Rewards (Starwood)

They also run limited-time 25% to 40% bonuses on points transfers. You can also transfer to gift cards many retailers at varying rates, but many available at the rate of 10,000 MR points = $100 gift card. My most recent redemption was a $100 Home Depot card for 10,000 points, sometimes less when they run special discount. However, don’t expect the cash-equivalent prepaid credit cards at that rate, it’s usually closer to a 0.6 cent/point ratio.

American Express Global Lounge Collection. With American Express Global Lounge Collection(R), eligible Card Members can enjoy access to over 1,550 airport lounges globally, including:

  • The Centurion® Lounges
  • Delta Sky Club(R) Access when flying an eligible Delta flight
  • Escape Lounges
  • Priority Pass(TM) Select Lounges. Enrollment required
  • Lufthansa Lounges, when flying Lufthansa Group
  • Plaza Premium Lounges

Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass™ Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express(R) App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.

Adding together all the many credits, you can easily see that the perks can easily add up to much more than the $895 annual fee. The question is whether you can take advantage of those perks and how much value you personally get out of them. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Bottom line. card_name has added an impressively large list of new perks while also adding a generous welcome offer. You’ll have to see if your lifestyle matches up to the perks that this card offers.

I will be adding this improved offer on my list of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

(See Rates and Fees)

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General //
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