"Not only do nearly one-third of credit card rewards go unclaimed every year"
and
"even the responsible card users who game the system end up spending more than they intend."
are at odds with one another, if not diametrically opposed. Quite possibly, people who are aware that the credit card rewards system is a silly ploy to get card holders to spend more money totally ignore the rewards and determine whether or not to use their credit card -- i.e., whether or not to buy something -- based on actual need.
In other words, maybe the unclaimed rewards are not being "left on the table"; maybe they are being forfeited by truly responsible card holders making a concerted effort to -not- fall into the trap of "spending more than they intend".
In fact, you conclude with that very advice : "The best way to avoid the psychological pitfalls of rewards credit cards is to ... ignore how your spending is tied to your rewards." Fully ignoring that tie includes not claiming your rewards, or at least most of them, since most rewards by and large cause you to buy something else. (Free airplane tickets? Great! ... now you need to get a taxi to the airport, book a hotel room at the city you're going to, rent a car to get around, pay admission to all those wonderful attractions, ...)
Maybe the 1/3rd of rewards going unclaimed is a sign of a large body of card holders already following that advice, and your article is approaching it from the wrong angle. Instead, you should say, "An astonishing 2/3rds of credit card rewards are claimed, meaning that card holders as a group are being duped into spending more money than they really mean to."
So a better title that really makes your point would be, "Are You Forfeiting All of the Credit Card Rewards That You Should Be?"
Word of caution regarding Global Entry: If you have *ever* been convicted of a crime--including misdemeanors and no matter how long ago--the government happily keeps the application fee and denies you the service.
The AMEX Platinum Card entry into Airport lounges was discontinued in early 2014. While there is a program available called Priority Pass, it's notable that many of the lounges will not honor the pass program if it originates through a credit card program. I suspect that they had too many takers for a limited space in the lounges.
Oh my! I want to try all of these, starting with the pie crust and ice cream. I don't mind making pie crust the long way...but it's, you know, LONG! And I love the versatility of the ice cream recipe. So many flavor possibilities!
Wondering...you say clothing for a particular job. So if you're blogging about fashion and show a blog of a particular new blouse, can you write off that blouse?
OMG thank you so much! I was just speaking with my husband about this issue. We are in our late thirties , ready to start a family but unsure about buying a home. Your article streamlined all the expense and is a great tool.
There are so many perks to rewards credit cards. They should be used at all times IF you pay them off each month.
Not only can you get cash rewards, but most credit cards extend warranties on certain items. They also usually cover your rental car insurance. Many will even offer some sort of travel insurance and coverage for lost baggage, etc...
So you've "listened to stories of your coworkers?". Does this mean that you haven't experienced what you've so expertly written about? Value is in the eye of the beholder, numbnuts. Since your article isn't printed on newspaper I can't even line my bird cage with it. Ask me how much I value "your opinion" based on your "stories of your coworkers." What a jerk-off you are!
Graduate school - took out loans to finance. However, it was a great investment as it helped me land a more lucrative job than I would have found otherwise.
I was happily reading this article, not too surprised by anything that was written but still looking to be inspired to grill late in the season. (Note: nobody grills like South Africans... if you don't know what a braai is, you really should look it up and give it a try.) But what got me, was the ending. Do WHAT with apples?!?!? YES! I am going to do all of those things and one more! Inspiration has finally arrived. How about, cutting off the top of an apple, scooping out the majority of the insides, leaving a hard shell, dipping the shell in melted chocolate, and placed upside down on wax paper to dry... then either roasting or boiling the apples until they're very nearly apple sauce, sprinkling with cinnamon... put a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream in the bottom of the shell, and top with the apple mash. That sounds good! :D
This menu draws from known vegetarian/pescetarian sources of protein like eggs, beans, peanut butter, yogurt, cheese, tuna, etc. I'm a relatively competitive distance runner and do just fine on this sort of diet. But we all have very unique nutritional needs -- that's for sure!
we are a family of five (plus one dog!) living in a 1050sqft home and we too feel we are bursting at the seams! :) We are hoping that building a master suite addition onto our existing home will give everyone the perfect little bit of extra breathing room we are currently missing :)
The other thing to watch out for at Costco is an item may be the same price as a regular store but it may include extra items Eg a Keurig coffee cup dispenser has about 60 k-cups included as well as a reusable universal k-cup to make your own coffee.
What makes me sad is when a commenter says that they never want to see Vegas in their entire life. For anyone that doesn't know, YES! This article is right in that there are people on the streets of every stoplight corner willing to hand you a naked picture of a girl with an advert of a strip club...I went with a friend whose Dad was stationed there during their family's time in the Air Force and it was so freaking embarrassing! It was also nasty and ridiculous as all you see littered on the ground downtown are those same cards. What I didn't get to see however is what lies outside of Vegas. While they both were wanting to go to every casino in town that they had gone to when he was stationed there, I had a brochure that talked about Red Rock Canyon and other sights like Mt. Charleston, which you can see at every angle of downtown Las Vegas. There are...let me repeat...THERE ARE OTHER THINGS TO DO IN LAS VEGAS NEVADE OTHER THAN GAMBLE! Get on the net and look!! Sheesh people...Mt. Charleston and Red Rock Canyon are on the outskirts of town but hell, they beat just seeing glitzy, overpriced shows and getting peddled by strip club auctioneers!
Several years back we had opportunity to visit London. We did it on the cheap, staying in a slightly seedy, but clean, hotel with a free buffet breakfast served next door. (Now we know why hobbits are mad for mushrooms and what Harry Potter meant by sausages.) Museums are free, the tubes are cheap, every one speaks English and is polite. We hit Portobello Road, saw street performers, visited old bookstores and "charity shops", sat at a free church lunch time concert (Bach's organ music), had tea at the Tate Modern, fish and chips twice at this perpetually crowded hole in the wall shop, chatted with an immigrant shopkeeper about the best tea (she recommended PG Tips), and sought out a couple soccer balls for our boys. We spent money on the Westminster Abbey tour and if jet lag weren't such an issue would have loved to have taken in a show (MUCH cheaper than NY). We supplemented our big breakfast with a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread and a "meal out" each day. I would not recommend English pizza ("do you want chips with that?") or English peanut butter. Other than those, we had a wonderful visit.
These two sentiments,
"Not only do nearly one-third of credit card rewards go unclaimed every year"
and
"even the responsible card users who game the system end up spending more than they intend."
are at odds with one another, if not diametrically opposed. Quite possibly, people who are aware that the credit card rewards system is a silly ploy to get card holders to spend more money totally ignore the rewards and determine whether or not to use their credit card -- i.e., whether or not to buy something -- based on actual need.
In other words, maybe the unclaimed rewards are not being "left on the table"; maybe they are being forfeited by truly responsible card holders making a concerted effort to -not- fall into the trap of "spending more than they intend".
In fact, you conclude with that very advice : "The best way to avoid the psychological pitfalls of rewards credit cards is to ... ignore how your spending is tied to your rewards." Fully ignoring that tie includes not claiming your rewards, or at least most of them, since most rewards by and large cause you to buy something else. (Free airplane tickets? Great! ... now you need to get a taxi to the airport, book a hotel room at the city you're going to, rent a car to get around, pay admission to all those wonderful attractions, ...)
Maybe the 1/3rd of rewards going unclaimed is a sign of a large body of card holders already following that advice, and your article is approaching it from the wrong angle. Instead, you should say, "An astonishing 2/3rds of credit card rewards are claimed, meaning that card holders as a group are being duped into spending more money than they really mean to."
So a better title that really makes your point would be, "Are You Forfeiting All of the Credit Card Rewards That You Should Be?"
Your pin button doesn't work on iPad, and this is pin worthy!
Word of caution regarding Global Entry: If you have *ever* been convicted of a crime--including misdemeanors and no matter how long ago--the government happily keeps the application fee and denies you the service.
The AMEX Platinum Card entry into Airport lounges was discontinued in early 2014. While there is a program available called Priority Pass, it's notable that many of the lounges will not honor the pass program if it originates through a credit card program. I suspect that they had too many takers for a limited space in the lounges.
Thanks for some new tips!
Trick #2, dividing by 12: I think
you mean 408.
Oh my! I want to try all of these, starting with the pie crust and ice cream. I don't mind making pie crust the long way...but it's, you know, LONG! And I love the versatility of the ice cream recipe. So many flavor possibilities!
Wondering...you say clothing for a particular job. So if you're blogging about fashion and show a blog of a particular new blouse, can you write off that blouse?
My college degree was the most expensive. I took loans out.
My car:)
Probably my car.
OMG thank you so much! I was just speaking with my husband about this issue. We are in our late thirties , ready to start a family but unsure about buying a home. Your article streamlined all the expense and is a great tool.
Definitely my 2012 Honda Civic - never buying a new car again!
There are so many perks to rewards credit cards. They should be used at all times IF you pay them off each month.
Not only can you get cash rewards, but most credit cards extend warranties on certain items. They also usually cover your rental car insurance. Many will even offer some sort of travel insurance and coverage for lost baggage, etc...
My college degree. Even with scholarships, work-study, and summer jobs, I still had to take out about 40K in loans!
Les Mis? Didn't u ever read Gift of the Magi??
Thanks for using my article!
So you've "listened to stories of your coworkers?". Does this mean that you haven't experienced what you've so expertly written about? Value is in the eye of the beholder, numbnuts. Since your article isn't printed on newspaper I can't even line my bird cage with it. Ask me how much I value "your opinion" based on your "stories of your coworkers." What a jerk-off you are!
does wedding count as the most expensive purchase?
Graduate school - took out loans to finance. However, it was a great investment as it helped me land a more lucrative job than I would have found otherwise.
I was happily reading this article, not too surprised by anything that was written but still looking to be inspired to grill late in the season. (Note: nobody grills like South Africans... if you don't know what a braai is, you really should look it up and give it a try.) But what got me, was the ending. Do WHAT with apples?!?!? YES! I am going to do all of those things and one more! Inspiration has finally arrived. How about, cutting off the top of an apple, scooping out the majority of the insides, leaving a hard shell, dipping the shell in melted chocolate, and placed upside down on wax paper to dry... then either roasting or boiling the apples until they're very nearly apple sauce, sprinkling with cinnamon... put a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream in the bottom of the shell, and top with the apple mash. That sounds good! :D
This menu draws from known vegetarian/pescetarian sources of protein like eggs, beans, peanut butter, yogurt, cheese, tuna, etc. I'm a relatively competitive distance runner and do just fine on this sort of diet. But we all have very unique nutritional needs -- that's for sure!
we are a family of five (plus one dog!) living in a 1050sqft home and we too feel we are bursting at the seams! :) We are hoping that building a master suite addition onto our existing home will give everyone the perfect little bit of extra breathing room we are currently missing :)
The other thing to watch out for at Costco is an item may be the same price as a regular store but it may include extra items Eg a Keurig coffee cup dispenser has about 60 k-cups included as well as a reusable universal k-cup to make your own coffee.
The main one that I disagree with is pop which is always on sale somewhere and rarely more the 8 bucks , often less for 24 cans
What makes me sad is when a commenter says that they never want to see Vegas in their entire life. For anyone that doesn't know, YES! This article is right in that there are people on the streets of every stoplight corner willing to hand you a naked picture of a girl with an advert of a strip club...I went with a friend whose Dad was stationed there during their family's time in the Air Force and it was so freaking embarrassing! It was also nasty and ridiculous as all you see littered on the ground downtown are those same cards. What I didn't get to see however is what lies outside of Vegas. While they both were wanting to go to every casino in town that they had gone to when he was stationed there, I had a brochure that talked about Red Rock Canyon and other sights like Mt. Charleston, which you can see at every angle of downtown Las Vegas. There are...let me repeat...THERE ARE OTHER THINGS TO DO IN LAS VEGAS NEVADE OTHER THAN GAMBLE! Get on the net and look!! Sheesh people...Mt. Charleston and Red Rock Canyon are on the outskirts of town but hell, they beat just seeing glitzy, overpriced shows and getting peddled by strip club auctioneers!
Several years back we had opportunity to visit London. We did it on the cheap, staying in a slightly seedy, but clean, hotel with a free buffet breakfast served next door. (Now we know why hobbits are mad for mushrooms and what Harry Potter meant by sausages.) Museums are free, the tubes are cheap, every one speaks English and is polite. We hit Portobello Road, saw street performers, visited old bookstores and "charity shops", sat at a free church lunch time concert (Bach's organ music), had tea at the Tate Modern, fish and chips twice at this perpetually crowded hole in the wall shop, chatted with an immigrant shopkeeper about the best tea (she recommended PG Tips), and sought out a couple soccer balls for our boys. We spent money on the Westminster Abbey tour and if jet lag weren't such an issue would have loved to have taken in a show (MUCH cheaper than NY). We supplemented our big breakfast with a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread and a "meal out" each day. I would not recommend English pizza ("do you want chips with that?") or English peanut butter. Other than those, we had a wonderful visit.