Tag - bankrate

Lifehacker: Want to Be Happier? Live Closer to the Stuff You Want to Do

The next time you’re apartment or house hunting, don’t start by looking for the perfect building or home. Instead, look for the places where you’d like to spend your time—gyms, libraries, restaurants, and so on—and pick a home as close to those amenities as possible.

Preferably, no more than 15 minutes away.

Bankrate: Bye, billfold: A guide to paying with your mobile wallet

If you’ve never used a mobile wallet before, you might be curious about how it works — and why it could be a better option than a credit card. Read this guide to learn how mobile wallets work, the pros and cons of using a mobile wallet, and which mobile wallet might be right for you.

Bankrate: American Airlines and Hyatt Hotels team up for crossover rewards-earning partnership

Good news for American Airlines and Hyatt Hotels loyalty program members: You’ll soon be able to earn World of Hyatt points as a passenger and American Airlines AAdvantage miles as a guest.

Lifehacker: How I Increased My Net Worth by $27,000 in Six Months

I read Financial Freedom three times, cover-to-cover. I did all the exercises and plugged my numbers into Sabatier’s online calculators. I realized that with my current expenses, I could “retire” and live off my investments as soon as those investments hit $750,000—which, at the time, the calculators predicted would take twelve years to achieve.

Of course, I’m not really planning to retire in my late 40s. I’m both a writer and a novelist; we tend to keep working until our final hours. But I’m also realistic. I’ve been a freelancer for seven years, but I can’t guarantee my web writing career will last another seven; even if there’s still the same demand for articles and content, I may start getting passed over for fresher faces with a better grasp of pop/youth culture.

Lifehacker: Change Your Loyalty Program Passwords Now

Hackers don’t just target high-value travel rewards, either. The NYT reports that one man had 9,700 Buffalo Wild Wings points stolen. According to BWW’s Blazin’ Rewards site, that’s enough for nine free lunches (not counting tax and tip) and one free order of street tacos.

Bankrate: Which credit cards earn rewards for Airbnb and VRBO stays?

Many travelers have discovered that Airbnbs and VRBOs offer great ways to save money and enjoy the comforts of home while visiting another city or country. When you book an Airbnb or a VRBO, you have the freedom to cook your own meals, let your kids run around in the back yard and experience a neighborhood from the perspective of a guest, not a tourist.

But some travelers might not realize that they can also earn credit card rewards on Airbnb and VRBO bookings.

Lifehacker: How to Choose Which Passive Income Stream to Pursue

If you want to earn more money, passive income is one of the best ways to do it. Earning money through a job or side hustle is great, but if you can set up a passive income stream that generates money even when you’re not actively working—well, that’s kind of the dream, isn’t it?

Lifehacker: Track Your Activities Before You’ve Done Them

By filling out my spreadsheet before my day started, instead of using it as a way to report how the day had gone, I found myself pre-committing to my positive habit changes.

Which meant that I stuck to my habits.

Because I’d already told myself I had.

Lifehacker: You Might Be Eligible for a TurboTax Refund

Call 888-777-3066 to talk to a TurboTax representative and get your filing fee refunded. ProPublica reports that multiple taxpayers have successfully requested and received their refunds, so if you’re eligible, go ahead and make that call.

Lifehacker: For Better Financial Outcomes, Study Math Instead of ‘Financial Literacy’

So, if you’re an adult who wants to prepare yourself for the financial challenges of the future, focus on getting good with numbers. Learn how to identify which banks or investments offer high interest and low fees. Ask yourself whether you’ll get a better return on your dollar by putting it towards debt repayment or stashing it in an index fund. Remember that financial-guru tips like “pay off your smallest debt first” or “wait to claim your Social Security benefits” might be helpful, but you should always do the math on your own.

Bankrate: Tend to spend? These are great credit cards for big spenders

If you can afford to put a lot of money on your credit card every month — and pay it off in full — you need a credit card that rewards big spending. Many of the best rewards credit cards are designed for average spenders. If your spending goes far beyond the average, you’re going to want a credit card that offers better-than-average rewards.

Bankrate: What is Credit Card Churning, and How does it Affect your Credit Score?

Credit card churning is the practice of opening many new credit cards to claim lucrative sign-up bonuses. After you earn your sign-up bonus, you either cancel the credit card (often to avoid paying an annual fee) or simply stop using the card. Credit card churning is especially popular among “travel hackers,” who collect multiple sign-up bonuses and redeem them for free flights or hotels.

Bankrate: How to Do a Capital One Balance Transfer

If you want to do a Capital One balance transfer online, start by logging into your Capital One credit card dashboard. Locate the credit card you want to use for the balance transfer and click “View Account.” Then look for the menu option “I Want To,” which should be located in the middle right of your screen next to a gear icon.

Lifehacker: Last-Minute Tax Tips for Freelancers

This isn’t going to be the typical “last-minute tax tips” post. I’m not going to advise you to try to remember any business expenses you forgot about, or remind you that filing electronically could get you a faster refund. Instead, I’ve got two huge pieces of advice for freelancers and solopreneurs filing 2018 taxes—both of which could save you a lot of money.

Lifehacker: How Changes to the ACA Might Affect Your Insurance Premiums

If you haven’t been following the latest Affordable Care Act news, I don’t blame you. This morning, The Washington Post ran a story titled The White House does or doesn’t have a health-care plan that is or isn’t better than Obamacare—and that isn’t even an April Fools headline.