The Best Cash Back Credit Card Rewards

By MoneyBlueBook

Updated List Of The Best Cash Back Credit Card Offers Below!

As I indicated in the past, I'm a big fan of integrated credit card reward programs like Citi Card's Thank You Rewards Network. I like how all of their reward credit cards generate Thank You rewards that can be pooled into one source and later redeemed for rewards like cash back, statement credit, airline tickets, and popular merchandise. Years ago, you could get a higher cash back percentage with your credit cards, but times have changed as companies have cut and reduced their cash back benefits in favor of encouraging reward point usage. But many people still prefer to stick with cash back cards. Cash back rebates are easier than reward points to understand and despite the slightly lower percentage back offered by the former, many people still favor the convenience and simplicity that cash back reward credit cards provide.

People Like Cash Back Cards Because They Are Much Easier To Use and Redeem Than Reward Cards

I personally don't mind using credit cards that offer reward points, but I'll admit that it does involve more micromanaging. I've been accumulating Citi Thank You rewards for more than a year now and have accumulated a substantial stockpile of points, enough for an international airplane ticket to Asia and more. But the process requires me to monitor my point progression to ensure my points are not near expiration since accrued reward points do expire after some time if not timely redeemed.

Upon close inspection of all credit card reward and

By MoneyBlueBook

Although I work a regular full time job, I also run a few fledgling side ventures on the side. As I mentioned about a month ago, I am currently attempting to establish a trade name and open a business bank account in the business' name to better keep track of venture earnings and assets.

However, I'm currently unable to establish a business bank account because the state agency hasn't processed and sent me my approved trade name certificate yet. I did not file for expedited service (*snapping fingers in a darnnit motion* ) so it's taking much longer than expected. Banks will not usually allow an individual to establish a business bank account that doesn't contain the applicant's name in the account title without a valid trade name or fictitious business certificate. So for now, I'm stuck without the services of a proper business bank account. However, meanwhile my side businesses have continued to generate income and now I have several business checks made out to my fictitious business name that I am unable to deposit immediately. It has been weeks and the business checks continue to sit on my desk gathering dust and looking quite lonely.

Ideally, business funds should not be co-mingled with personal funds since the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will require the tax filer to account for his/her business income and expenses on a separate form, although both business and personal income will ultimately be treated as the tax filer's ordinary income. However, my checks have been sitting around un-deposited for some

By MoneyBlueBook

I'm a lazy guy. I'm also not a very big shopper. This combination tends to work against me when I have to buy presents for others during the Christmas holiday shopping season. Some people are easy to shop for but for others, it's an ordeal trying to figure out what to give them.

Sometimes I just want to take the easy, effortless route by dolling out cash to the masses. But I think most people are still very traditional and find the idea of giving out plain old cash very distasteful. This is how the marketing braniacs came up with gift cards. The way these businesses promote gift cards is quite brilliant since they've managed to convince many that giving a gift card means something more than just giving out cash, and that somehow the gift cards can convey the message of "I love you" better than cash ever could. But essentially, they are the same as cash except they don't carry the same gifting stigma. I know some people find gift cards and gift certificates to be tacky and unoriginal, but the cards do serve a useful purpose and in fact, I myself sometimes prefer gift cards over receiving an actual present.

Cash Is Best, But Gift Cards and Gift Certificates Are The Next Best Thing

Who doesn't like cash? It's the most versatile gift since you can do whatever you want with it - use it, spend it, save it, hide it, earn interest on it. One of the problems with receiving regular conventional gifts

By MoneyBlueBook

If you're a frugal person and like to live a thrifty lifestyle, then I'm sure you might have done this before. Have you ever found yourself driving long distances or straying off your usual travel path to visit a more distant store or gas station just so you could save a few extra bucks? Or how about this one - have you waited outside an electronics store or mall entrance for hours or even days for the opportunity to catch a special limited bargain?

I used to be an extreme bargain hunter but now I'm trying to be more sensible about it. Although I still like to save, I realize now that sometimes the extra savings doesn't justify the extra effort and mileage required. But old frugality and bargain hunting habits are sometimes hard to break.

My Feeble Attempts At Saving Money

Case in point - when first I moved to my current neighborhood, I continued to visit the former Shopper's Food Warehouse near my old place because I found it to be cheaper than the closer alternative at the nearby Giant Food store. But over time I realized that this back and forth trip was an absolute waste of time and didn't justify the measly few dollars and cents I saved in grocery costs. Although I saved money by traveling to a more distant store, I was wasting even more on time and gas money unnecessarily. Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of the overall financial savings picture.

This is also the same reason why I ultimately decided

By MoneyBlueBook

I had dinner with a good friend of mine not too long ago and the subject of jobs, aging parents, and financial planning came up. My friend knew that I had this personal finance blog and decided to share with me some personal information to get my advice. After listening to him talk about his income and how he stashed all of his accumulated money in his checking account, I realized that he had no clue about the basics of financial planning and the need to put his money and investments to work for him.

I ended up explaining in great detail to him about the power of compound interest and why it was so important that he immediately jump start his financial future today and not delay any longer. To give my newbie friend the spark he needed to start his way towards fiscal growth and responsibility, I provided the following basic tips:

1) Pay Off High Interest Credit Card Debt As Soon As Possible - Fortunately for my friend, although he used credit cards regularly, he had no outstanding balance that he was paying high interest or fees on. His FICO credit score was also thankfully a pristine 750. For a great number of people though, credit card debt is a serious problem since credit cards almost always have higher interest rates (10-30% APR) than any other type of debt.

In my opinion, credit card balances must be tackled before anything else, including worrying about retirement concerns. One can't possibly plan for the future if

By MoneyBlueBook

Conventional wisdom suggests that it is always better to buy a home than to rent. After all, when you rent you are given no tax breaks and you are not investing your rent payments into anything that will appreciate over time. I don't disagree with the pro-buying sentiments, but I think during major housing recessions we need to rethink our strategy. Unlike stock market corrections and shifts, the real estate market trends are slow to act and slower yet to cycle through the changes. Like a sloth, the housing market inches slowly downwards and upwards and I think we've only yet begun to see the worst of the housing collapse.

Buying a home is usually a much better option in the long term compared to renting, but I think these are different times. I have every intention to buy a house in the future - just not at the present moment or for the next 2-3 years at least. My short term goal is to invest my funds in the stock market and continue to save. I currently lease a brand new condominium unit I discovered through Craigslist. Ever since college and graduate school I've been renting and I think it's been a smart decision. I did not have the funds during my earlier college years to purchase a home, so I missed the housing boat. My best bet now is to enjoy my rental lifestyle for a few more years, and continue to grow my eventual down payment.

Aside From the Obvious Timing Reasons,