While I know I can get a higher percentage reward with cash back cards, I prefer the points cards I have. The thing I never liked about the cash back cards is they all seemed to offer the cash back in the form of a payment on the card. The rewards I get are in the from of gift cards to store I like. This allows me to buy something that I can't fit in my budget.
Can I get more from a cash back card, yes. But I like the gift cards more.
Give their resume to anyone you know who might be interested. I got my first "real" job out of college largely because my sister knew someone who was hiring.
I understand the thrust of your post and if frequent flyer tie-ins with credit cards weren't a good deal for the card issuers, you can bet they'd be pulled as fast as free drinks and meals on domestic flights.
If it's good for the card issuer, then it's bad for the consumer right? In the aggregate, that may be the case but for a specific individual who can make it work for them, it can be a good deal.
My wife has family in the Los Angeles area and we live in a mid-sized city on the east coast. To get my family of five there and back would cost about $2000 in airfare. Utilizing the signing bonus for a particular credit card coupled with spending that I already do every month gets me those five tickets for about $100 all in. I don't use cash back cards, but to get $2000 cash back to pay for airfare in this scenario requires some pretty serious spending.
If an individual runs a balance on their card, incurs late fees, or overspends on things they otherwise wouldn't buy, these airfare savings rapidly erode but if planned correctly miles programs can save an individual consumer money. Just my 2 cents.
Why not address the point that these rewards are paid for by the merchants where we swipe our cards. We really end up paying for the rewards in the result of higher prices at their stores to offset the higher processing fees for rewards cards.
On the other hand you could also have brought up the kind of people who pay the balance on their card every month, so why not use a reward card and get a little bonus?
Finally, there are cards out there that let you do what you want with the points: travel, cash, or overpriced stuff'n'junk from their catalog.
I agree that cash is always good and that a personal finance book would serve the grad for the rest of their life, but what about doing something to allow them to celebrate their achievement. Help them make their graduation memorable and do something unexpected!
My little girl has wanted a dog for about three years now, and I've done extensive research on the entire process of pet ownership. While I can certainly afford routine vet fees and food/incidentals for a healthy pet, it's the fear of illness and/or emergency services that have worried me. I have heard some very sad stories about pets being put to sleep due to the owner's inability to pay thousands in care, and I never wanted to put my child, myself, and of course a pet in that position. So, reluctantly, I deduced that a dog was simply not in the cards for us.
It was not until a friend of mine (who swears by PetPlan) directed me to a site offering plan comparisons and customer reviews that I began to change my mind about being able to afford a pet. I couldn't find many negative experiences on this objective, third-party site for the plans I researched and in the end, I felt that Healthy Paws was the best offer (only because their plan is based on a yearly deductible vs. PetPlan's per-incident). We are now the proud owners of a 5-mo-old Yorkie and my daughter is in heaven. I love this little guy to pieces and I'm so grateful to Healthy Paws for making pet ownership a reality rather than a pipe dream.
Oh, and for those recommending a savings account instead of doing the plan--that's not a bad idea, except you're banking on the hope that any illnesses or emergency services wouldn't be required for many years. Sticking $30/mo into an account is fine if your pet doesn't incur and hefty fees for about a decade, but what if there's an emergency that comes up beforehand? That said, if you have plenty of cash saved up to the extent that shelling out $5K for surgery and other costs isn't a hardship, then obviously getting insurance may not be necessary. For me, however, it absolutely is.
I didn't think this was real until I saw it on a tv show. If this happened to me I would just excuse myself to the "washroom" and go home. Problem solved!
Seeing as I'm a college grad myself (I just graduated with my AA, and I'm moving away from home for the first time this summer to get my BA) the best gift someone could give me right now would be either money or furniture for my new apartment. Furniture would be great because I would never buy it for myself, since I'm going to be on an extremely restrictive budget for the next few years.
Money would also be wonderful for obvious reasons. I'm 18 and have conquered two years of college already, and I would like to think that I have a realistic idea of what my budget is going to look like for the next two to four years: dollar store groceries, thrift store clothing, and bills, bills, bills.
One appliance that I highly recommend is a pressure cooker. I have two that I use constantly made by Fagor. If I am pressed for time I can do a roast with vegetables in 15 to 20 minutes and it tastes like I have been slaving away all day. The meat falls apart, so it can be used on tougher (cheaper!) cuts of meat. I also have all of the above tools and love them!
Hello, has anybody heard about the company MaximizeSocialMedia.com with Chris McLaughlin and Craig Collin? What reputation does the company have?
Taiya
I'm 28 and graduated college at 22. The best graduation gift I received was probably the one I was the least excited about at the time- 2 books from my dad's business partner. Thomas Merton's Book of Hours and Kiplinger's Money Smart Women. They are incredibly different, one focusing on spirituality and one's relationship with God, the other a great primer for how to become a financially secure, independent and intelligent woman. While my 22 year old self found them a little boring (compared to cash and gift cards I wanted to blow right away), I have found myself referenced both books over and over as I've grown and worked to establish new goals (personal, financial and spiritual).
Advice on what they can expect. But not being pushy. Maybe a book on things like 401ks, health insurance, renter's insurance, savings, student loans, etc.
Money. The average college grad has to retire over $20,000 worth of debt. While money isn't original or particularly personal it is practical and pretty much lets the recipient decide where to apply it(after all that edumacating decision making should be a breeze right?)
The best gift to give a college graduate is some financial help to alleviate his or her tuition debt. The second best gift would, in today's market, be a good job with good pay and benefits, plus a retirement plan.
While I know I can get a higher percentage reward with cash back cards, I prefer the points cards I have. The thing I never liked about the cash back cards is they all seemed to offer the cash back in the form of a payment on the card. The rewards I get are in the from of gift cards to store I like. This allows me to buy something that I can't fit in my budget.
Can I get more from a cash back card, yes. But I like the gift cards more.
Give their resume to anyone you know who might be interested. I got my first "real" job out of college largely because my sister knew someone who was hiring.
I understand the thrust of your post and if frequent flyer tie-ins with credit cards weren't a good deal for the card issuers, you can bet they'd be pulled as fast as free drinks and meals on domestic flights.
If it's good for the card issuer, then it's bad for the consumer right? In the aggregate, that may be the case but for a specific individual who can make it work for them, it can be a good deal.
My wife has family in the Los Angeles area and we live in a mid-sized city on the east coast. To get my family of five there and back would cost about $2000 in airfare. Utilizing the signing bonus for a particular credit card coupled with spending that I already do every month gets me those five tickets for about $100 all in. I don't use cash back cards, but to get $2000 cash back to pay for airfare in this scenario requires some pretty serious spending.
If an individual runs a balance on their card, incurs late fees, or overspends on things they otherwise wouldn't buy, these airfare savings rapidly erode but if planned correctly miles programs can save an individual consumer money. Just my 2 cents.
You just lost me as a customer because of your add for soda coupons. How can a healthy veg and fruit add support soda?
Why not address the point that these rewards are paid for by the merchants where we swipe our cards. We really end up paying for the rewards in the result of higher prices at their stores to offset the higher processing fees for rewards cards.
On the other hand you could also have brought up the kind of people who pay the balance on their card every month, so why not use a reward card and get a little bonus?
Finally, there are cards out there that let you do what you want with the points: travel, cash, or overpriced stuff'n'junk from their catalog.
I liked and posted on Facebook too! :)
I agree that cash is always good and that a personal finance book would serve the grad for the rest of their life, but what about doing something to allow them to celebrate their achievement. Help them make their graduation memorable and do something unexpected!
Money
My little girl has wanted a dog for about three years now, and I've done extensive research on the entire process of pet ownership. While I can certainly afford routine vet fees and food/incidentals for a healthy pet, it's the fear of illness and/or emergency services that have worried me. I have heard some very sad stories about pets being put to sleep due to the owner's inability to pay thousands in care, and I never wanted to put my child, myself, and of course a pet in that position. So, reluctantly, I deduced that a dog was simply not in the cards for us.
It was not until a friend of mine (who swears by PetPlan) directed me to a site offering plan comparisons and customer reviews that I began to change my mind about being able to afford a pet. I couldn't find many negative experiences on this objective, third-party site for the plans I researched and in the end, I felt that Healthy Paws was the best offer (only because their plan is based on a yearly deductible vs. PetPlan's per-incident). We are now the proud owners of a 5-mo-old Yorkie and my daughter is in heaven. I love this little guy to pieces and I'm so grateful to Healthy Paws for making pet ownership a reality rather than a pipe dream.
Oh, and for those recommending a savings account instead of doing the plan--that's not a bad idea, except you're banking on the hope that any illnesses or emergency services wouldn't be required for many years. Sticking $30/mo into an account is fine if your pet doesn't incur and hefty fees for about a decade, but what if there's an emergency that comes up beforehand? That said, if you have plenty of cash saved up to the extent that shelling out $5K for surgery and other costs isn't a hardship, then obviously getting insurance may not be necessary. For me, however, it absolutely is.
Faith in humanity: +50
I didn't think this was real until I saw it on a tv show. If this happened to me I would just excuse myself to the "washroom" and go home. Problem solved!
Would love to win this contest!
Seeing as I'm a college grad myself (I just graduated with my AA, and I'm moving away from home for the first time this summer to get my BA) the best gift someone could give me right now would be either money or furniture for my new apartment. Furniture would be great because I would never buy it for myself, since I'm going to be on an extremely restrictive budget for the next few years.
Money would also be wonderful for obvious reasons. I'm 18 and have conquered two years of college already, and I would like to think that I have a realistic idea of what my budget is going to look like for the next two to four years: dollar store groceries, thrift store clothing, and bills, bills, bills.
A book: The Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews. Great lessons on what it takes to have true success in life.
I think money is always welcome, or get them something they can use in the workforce (perhaps a nice watch or suit, for men at least).
One appliance that I highly recommend is a pressure cooker. I have two that I use constantly made by Fagor. If I am pressed for time I can do a roast with vegetables in 15 to 20 minutes and it tastes like I have been slaving away all day. The meat falls apart, so it can be used on tougher (cheaper!) cuts of meat. I also have all of the above tools and love them!
Hello, has anybody heard about the company MaximizeSocialMedia.com with Chris McLaughlin and Craig Collin? What reputation does the company have?
Taiya
I'm 28 and graduated college at 22. The best graduation gift I received was probably the one I was the least excited about at the time- 2 books from my dad's business partner. Thomas Merton's Book of Hours and Kiplinger's Money Smart Women. They are incredibly different, one focusing on spirituality and one's relationship with God, the other a great primer for how to become a financially secure, independent and intelligent woman. While my 22 year old self found them a little boring (compared to cash and gift cards I wanted to blow right away), I have found myself referenced both books over and over as I've grown and worked to establish new goals (personal, financial and spiritual).
Advice on what they can expect. But not being pushy. Maybe a book on things like 401ks, health insurance, renter's insurance, savings, student loans, etc.
A job! FB/tweeted!
A book on personal finance along with some cash!
like you guys on FB! :)
cash cash cash! or gift cards to useful places like the grocery store, gas, target, or amazon.
Money. The average college grad has to retire over $20,000 worth of debt. While money isn't original or particularly personal it is practical and pretty much lets the recipient decide where to apply it(after all that edumacating decision making should be a breeze right?)
The best gift to give a college graduate is some financial help to alleviate his or her tuition debt. The second best gift would, in today's market, be a good job with good pay and benefits, plus a retirement plan.
Cash is the best, I don't know too many that will graduate without student loans.