Dan Wilke, Author at Credit Liftoff

Discover Pre-Approval – Credit Cards

November 14, 2019 by Dan Wilke Leave a Comment

Getting Pre-Approved With Discover

Life today is wired for simplicity. Getting a credit card is no different. What used to require a visit to the bank can now be completed entirely online. Discover offers customers the opportunity to review credit cards for which they meet approval criteria before completing a full application.

Discover offers a number of credit card options within their “it” family of credit cards. Here will will review the Discover Pre-Approval process as well as several of their most popular cards.

Discover IT Preapprove — Discover IT Family of Credit Cards

Why Get Pre-Approved?

Ensuring you are likely to be approved for a line of credit is a very smart financial decision. Completing a credit application which results in a declined decision will negatively impact your credit score. Your credit report will reflect the credit inquiry which can negatively impact your history.

A pre-approval with Discover does not impact your credit. The process is not reflected on your credit report. Unlike a full credit application, pre-approval decisions are based on “soft credit pulls”. These are not full inquiries and are not reflected on your credit report.

Discover will review your credit history and financials to determine if you are eligible for any of their credit cards. Cards offered range from options for individuals with poor credit, average credit, or great credit.

After completing the process you can review your card options before you apply for the card. If you are happy with the option you are approved for you can complete the full application at that time.

How To Complete Your Pre-Approval Review

As mentioned above, the entire process can be completed online. Customers will be asked to provide a variety of information to get a thorough pre-approval review. The following information will be requested:

Contact information (name, address, etc.)
School enrollment status
Financial details (gross income, rent/mortgage expense, etc.)
Your full social security number
The type of rewards you are interested in earning with your new card

As you can see, this is a very thorough review. Consumers will need to provide much of the information that is requested in a full application review. This will ensure that your approval is extremely likely for any card you are offered.

Even though you are asked to provide your full social security number, no hard credit review will be performed. Your review will have no impact on your credit score or credit history.

Popular Discover Credit Cards

The Discover it Cash Back

Earn 5% cash back on rotating categories (quarterly)
Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
First year back back is matched 100%
Redeem cash back directly to your statement balance
No annual fee

The Discover it Miles Card

Earn 1.5 Miles with every dollar spent
First year 100% match for all miles earned
No blackout dates when redeeming your miles
Miles can be redeemed for cash or statement credit
No annual fee

The Discover it Student Cash Back Card

$20 good grade reward for maintaining a 3.0 GPA
Earn 5% cash back on rotating categories (quarterly)
Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
All cash back earned your first year is matched
No annual fee

The Discover it Secured Card

Designed for consumers with poor credit
Security deposit is fully refundable
Earn 2% cash back with gas and dining ($1,000 in purchases each quarter)
Build credit and upgrade to an unsecured credit card overtime
No annual fee

Which Discover it Card Is Best For You?

Have you been pre-approved for a Discover it Card? The above cards are their most popular options. My personal choice is the Discover Miles Card. Customers will earn 1.5 miles for each dollar spent. This is the best overall return rate of the Discover Cards for customers who do not like to keep track of confusing rotating categories.

For students, the it Student Cash back is a fantastic option to begin building your credit while in school. Managing your credit at this time of your life can be hugely beneficial for the long run. The Student it Card is one of the best student credit cards and rewards students with cash for good grades.

A final popular option is the Discover it Secured. This card will require a security deposit (just like all secured cards). This is one of the best secured cards on the market. It offers cash back for dining and gas purchases which is nearly unheard of for secured credit cards. Customers have the option to build their credit and upgrade to an unsecured card.

Do you have a Discover Credit Card? Did you use their online pre-approval process? Let us know about your experience with Discover in the comments below!

Helpful Links:

www.Discover.com/preapprove

Deserve Credit Cards Review and Features

November 7, 2019 by Dan Wilke Leave a Comment

Building Credit and Earning Rewards With Deserve

Deserve is a credit card start-up which focuses on providing credit for consumers who may not be qualified for other options. Their primary focus is students and young professionals.

It was announced today that Deserve has raised $50 million dollars in their latest round of funding. These impressive numbers are largely driven by investors who see their unique approach to credit cards as an a winner.

Deserve began with a focus on providing credit for consumers who did not have a social security number. This market was primarily focused on international students. Today, they have expanded their applicant base to include consumers who may have very little credit history.

Three credit cards are offered. The Deserve Pro, The Deserve Classic, and The Deserve EDU. Let’s take a look at these three credit cards and the features they provide.

The Deserve PRO Credit Card

Cell phone protection and extended warranty
3% back on travel, 2% back on dining, 1% back on all other purchases
Interest rates (APR) begins at 17.74%
One year complimentary Priority Pass Membership
MasterCard Platinum Member benefits
No Annual Fee

The Deserve PRO card is available for new professionals (employed) who may not have extensive credit history. This card provides great rewards in the form of cash back for purchases. The credit limit for the card is up to $10,000.

Deserve is designed so that cardholders can eventually become eligible for the Deserve PRO Card. If you have one of the other Deserve Cards you can inquire about upgrading to PRO. Given the reward benefits of this card, Deserve cardholders should attempt to upgrade their account as quickly as possible.

To qualify for the Priority Pass membership customers will need to complete $1,000 in spending on their new account within the first 90 days of opening your card.

The Deserve EDU Credit Card

Cell phone protection and extended warranty
1% back on all other purchases
Interest rates (APR) begins at 20.49%
Free year of Amazon Prime Membership
MasterCard Platinum Member benefits
No Annual Fee

The Deserve EDU Card is specifically designed for students. A social security number is not required to be approved for this card. This makes it a great choice for international students who may not be eligible for other cards due to social security requirements.

Customers will be required to make a purchase on their new account to activate the Amazon Prime membership access. This is valued at $59.

The Deserve CLASSIC Credit Card

Cell phone protection and extended warranty
3% back on travel, 2% back on dining, 1% back on all other purchases
Interest rates (APR) begins at 24.74%
MasterCard Platinum Member benefits
No Annual Fee

The Deserve CLASSIC is a “catch-all” card for customers who are new to credit. There are no rewards with this credit card but you will build credit as you use your card. Some cardholders may be eligible to upgrade to the PRO as they responsibly use their card.

What Makes Deserve Different Than Others?

Deserve is one of several popular start-ups which use unique underwriting to determine credit card approval. Traditional credit cards are issued after reviewing you credit history. Your eligibility will be based on your overall credit worthiness.

Companies like Deserve and Petal are changing this system. They use their own algorithms to determine whether or not you are eligible for their products. This allows them to provide credit to customers who may not be otherwise eligible.

Another popular feature about Deserve credit cards is that they do not require a security deposit. Many of the major companies offer cards for consumers with poor or not credit. These cards are often “secured”, meaning you need to deposit money upfront to receive a credit limit. Deserve does not require any security deposit for all three of their credit cards.

Reviews For Deserve

Deserve has a 4.5 of 5 star rating on the popular review platform, Trust Pilot.

Some of the most common reviews are from international students who are not able to apply for other cards due to the lack of a social security number.

Many reviewers also mention how they were able to get approved for the card despite being turned down for other products.

Bottom Line – Does Deserve Deserve a Spot In Your Wallet?

If you have limited credit history you may have found how difficult it is to get approved for a credit card. Deserve is a credit no fee option for customers looking to build their credit. Your payments are reported to TransUnion and Experian which will help you build your credit history.

Deserve appears to be a great option for consumers looking to build their credit with a no fee card.

Have you applied for the Deserve Card? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!

Upstart: Personal Loan and Debt Consolidation Review

November 4, 2019 by Dan Wilke Leave a Comment

Personal Loans From Upstart

Loans range from $1,000 up to $50,000
Interest rates from 5.67% to 35.99%
Flexible loan terms ranging from 3-5 years
No penalty for paying off your loan early
Evaluates factors to facilitate lower interest rates

Upstart is a very well received personal loan provider. Trust Pilot users have them with a 5 star, “excellent” rating based on consumer responses. The most common theme among reviews is the ease and speed with which their application was completed.

One aspect that makes Upstart unique is that they consider additional criteria beyond the standard credit score and credit history analysis used by most finance lenders. Upstart will have applicants provide information such as your Education, Area of Study, and Work History to assess you loan application.

Potential customers can review their loan rate with no impact to their credit score. This will allow you to compare your offer from Upstart with competitors without completing the entire application process.

Upstart “My Offer” Mail Invitation

If you have received an invitation offer from Upstart you can review your rate online. To access your offer you will need to provide the unique offer code your received in the mail.

After entering your offer code you will need to provide some additional information to review your specific rate. No hard credit pull is required to access your offer. Checking your personal loan offers from Upstart will not be reflected on your credit history.

Upstart Reward – $10 Amazon Gift Card

Current Upstart Promotions include an Reward Offer to receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card simply for reviewing your offer. To qualify for this reward you will need a unique offer code. This is provided by mail and will not be available for all consumers.

The entire process will take about 5 minutes to complete and you will receive your reward simply for assessing your Upstart Offer.

Your gift card will be provided by email and may take up to a week to arrive after completing the offer review.

Upstart Fees and Repayment

As mentioned above, there is no penalty for paying off your Upstart Personal Loan early. This should be you primary goal. Paying off your loan early will save you money that would have been the result of interest accumulation.

Loan origination fees with Upstart vary. Some customers will qualify for 0% origination fee. However, fees for a new loan can be as high as 8% with Upstart. This highlights the importance of comparing all aspects of your personal loan offer and getting multiple quotes.

Late fees with Upstart are 5% of the owed balance or $15 per late payment (whichever is greater). Consumers should always make it a priority to avoid late payments for all bills.

Credit Requirements For Upstart

Upstart can be a great option for consumers who have less than great credit. Upstart factors in work history and education when assessing their loan applications. This can greatly benefit consumers who may not have substantial credit history.

Credit score requirements are typically around 620. You will also have to prove an annual income of at least $12,000 and cannot have excessive debt to income.

Upstart is unique in the way they review loan applications it is possible the exact requirements may vary based on your work history and education.

Personal Loans: Additional Resources

Choosing A Personal Loan With Upstart

If you are considering Upstart for a personal loan it is important to assess what you will be using the money for. Personal loans can be great resources for high interest debt consolidation or personal expenses.

When using a personal loan for debt consolidation you will need to compare the total cost of your personal loan relative to the total cost of repaying your current debt. Make use of repayment calculators to assess what the best option is.

Has Upstart financed your personal loan? Let us know about your experience in the comments below!

Helpful Links:

www.Upstart.com/myoffer

www.Upstart.com/reward

Marcus Invitation Code Loan Offers Review

October 30, 2019 by Dan Wilke Leave a Comment

Marcus Personal Loans by Goldman Sachs

Marcus provides loan offers to potential clients via mail and email. If you have received a personalized offer you can view the loan details and apply online. Viewing your offer will NOT impact your credit score.

To access your offer you will need to provide the Marcus Offers Invitation Code found on the mailer you received. The code is a phrase plus 7 or 8 digits. This will need to be entered in to the following form online:

Marcus Loan Offers Invitation Form — Marcus Loan Offers – Invitation Code Form

Once you enter your code you can access your personalized loan offer. If you would like to proceed with the loan, you can then complete the full application process. Decisions are typically made instantly and funds are provided within days.

Loan Features and Services

Loans available up to $40,000
Interest rates as low as 6.99% (up to 28.99%)
Loan terms from 36 to 72 months
No sign up fees and no pre-payment fees

Personal loans, like other credit decisions, are decided based on your consumer credit worthiness. The lowest interest rates and longest term loans are generally only available to consumers with great credit.

There is no need to have an invitation code to view an offer with Marcus Loans. You can view your loan details in as little as five minutes even if you do not have a loan invitation code.

How To Apply For a Marcus Personal Loan

As shown above, you will need your invitation code if you want to view your personalized offers. Potential customers can visit www.Marcus.com/Offers to provide their invitation code and access their offer.

If you have not received an offer code, you can still view a personalized offer by providing some basic personal information. You can review your Marcus Personal Loan offers online without your code here.

Customers will need to complete a full application which will include information such as your desired loan amount and your loan terms. You will also need to provide your personal information and basic financial information. A full credit check will only be done with the submission of a completed application.

What Makes a Good Personal Loan?

Selecting the right personal loan can be the difference of thousands of dollars in savings over the life of a loan. It is critical to make sure you receive the best loan product when you accept an offer.

The best strategy is to review multiple offers from various banks. Be sure to make sure that you are reviewing offers that do not require a hard credit pull. This will provide multiple credit inquiries on your report which may otherwise hurt your credit score.

The primary factor will be your interest rate and loan terms. You will need to find a repayment term that fits your budget and provides you with the lowest possible interest rate offer for you loan.

Additional Personal Loan Resources:

Why Do Consumers Choose Personal Loans?

Personal loans are very popular for emergency expenses and high interest debt consolidation. The funds are provided very quickly and typically have lower interest than options like credit cards.

If you are considering a personal loan to pay off a credit card you will need to review your current interest rate vs that of you personal loan offer. Many online tools will help you decide which option will provide you with the most savings.

Contacting Marcus: 1-844-627-2871

Walmart Credit Cards Converting To Capital One

October 26, 2019 by Dan Wilke Leave a Comment

Walmart Is Changing Their Credit Card Issuer Effective October 11th, 2019

In July of 2018, Walmart announced that they would be switching from SyncBank to Capital One as their store credit card service provider. Today, Walmart announced this switch would begin in October. There are several important dates and details cardholders will need to be aware of which we will review here.

The primary purpose of this card conversion is that SyncBank will no longer be the issuer and service provider for cardholders. This will now be managed by Capital One. Capital One is one of the biggest card issuers in the Country and has a great reputation within the industry. It is likely that many cardholders will enjoy the new Capital One platform compared to SyncBank. Having cards issued from both banks, I can say that I much prefer the Capital One user interface.

Let’s take a look at what cardholders can expect as the conversion process moves forward.

Walmart Capital One Card Conversion Image and Date — Walmart Capital One Card – Conversion Date set for October 11th, 2019

Conversion Process Timeline

At the moment, no action is required from Walmart Cardholders. On October 11th, their account will be switched to begin earning rewards with their new Capital One Rewards Account. Beginning on October 14th, customers will be able to set up their payments with Capital One. The Capital One App can be downloaded and your new autopay can be activated. You will also begin to see your reward balances through the new program.

In late 2019 through early 2020 Walmart and Capital One will begin sending out new credit cards. When you receive your new card you will need to take action to complete the conversion process. Your old card will be discarded and you will need to activate your new card. Once you have set up your new payment method and activated your new account the entire conversion process will have been completed.

Related Credit Card Material

Important Conversion Information

When a credit card is converted to a new card issuer there are a number of important actions that cardholders will need to address. Aside from the new card activation process mentioned above, several other critical steps include:

Set Up Your New Payment Method

Payment will need to be switched from SyncBank to Capital One. Your card payment date will also change to reflect your new account. Customers will need to visit Capital One to set up online electronic payment methods. This can be completed by setting up your new Capital One Account for your Walmart Credit Card.

Update Auto Subscription Payments

If you have recurring subscriptions on your current card you will need to update these payments. For instance, if you have a Netflix, bill payment, or anything other recurring payment on your card you will need to reset these details with your new card to prevent a lapse in payment.

No New Application Process Is Necessary and Easy

Your new card will be sent to you and no new application or credit check is required. You will receive new credit card term agreements for your new Capital One Walmart Card.

Unlike when Costco converted to their new credit card the Walmart to Capital One will be a walk in the park.

Setting Up Your New Capital One Account

If you already have an account with Capital One you will not be required to create a new account. Your new card will be added to your existing account. You will be able to manage your Walmart Card using your current Capital One login information.

If you are not a current Capital One user you will need to create a new account. Setting up a new account can be done starting on October 14th, 2019. Customers can set up their account online and begin updating their payment and card management details.

Card Payment Interruptions

There will be no interruptions in payments aside from the time between October 11th through October 13th. Payment will not be able to be made online until the 14th when your Capital One Account will be accessible. During this time only mailed in payments will be processed. It will not be necessary to send a payment by mail as long as your account is current. Customers can simply wait until their new Capital One account is live to continue making electronic payments.

Changes To Rewards Program

At this time Walmart has not released details of its new reward program. It has been stated that there will be updates coming to the program. At this time we do not yet know if these will be beneficial changes or not.

UPDATE! More details in regards to the reward program can be found at our new write up “Walgreens Rewards Mastercard“.

Authorized Users

If you have an authorized user on your Walmart Credit Card they will also receive a new card. The card will need to be activated in the same way as the primary cardholder. No further action will be required for authorized user accounts.

Final Thoughts – Walmart Capital One Conversion

Overall, it sounds like this process is being handled very conveniently for customers. Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid the necessity of setting up new payment details and resetting any automatic payments you have on your account. These actions will be critical to ensure no lapse in card or bill payments.

It is yet to be seen if the new rewards program will be a better deal for cardholders. Once the details of the new rewards program is released we will be able to determine if this will be a benefit for Walmart Cardholders.

AMEX Introduces New Green Card Benefits

October 24, 2019 by Dan Wilke Leave a Comment

The Remaking of The American Express Green Card

American Express has revamped their iconic Green Card with some big changes. This card was widely considered a total dud prior to these updates. The card offered minimal rewards and bonuses. All of that has changed. Let’s take a look at the new perks:

3x Points For Travel and Dining
45,000 Point New Customer Sign Up Bonus
$100 Statement Credit For Away (Luggage Vendor – Temporary Offer)
$100 Annual Credit For CLEAR (airport security)
Current offers subject to change 1/15/19
Annual Fee of $150

The New AMEX Green Card — The Updated AMEX Green Card

What Has Changed?

The previous version of the Green Card offered few rewards. The only bonus point category was 2x points with AMEX Travel. Conversely, the new version of the card now offers 3x points for dining and travel – two of the most sought after bonus categories for credit card rewards.

The new sign up offer for this card is also new. Customers now have the opportunity to earn 45,000 bonus points when they open a new account. To complete the offer, customers will need to spend $2,000 within the first 3 months of opening their new account.

Additionally, the Away and CLEAR statement credit are both new features. The Away offer may be temporary but it appears the CLEAR statement credit will be here to stay for now. CLEAR allows you to register and be processed in airport security lines more quickly (where available).

One final change to the AMEX Green Card is the annual fee. The previous version of the card came with a $95 annual fee. This has been increased to $150.

Applying For The New Green Card

Applications for the AMEX Green Card were temporarily closed by but have been re-opened. Customers can view the full card benefits and features online. The application can be found by visiting the main Green Card website.

Potential applicants will also have the option to compare the Green Card to other AMEX credit cards like the popular Gold Card and AMEX Everyday Card.

Does The Green Card Earn a Spot In Your Wallet?

American Express offers a variety of valuable rewards card. For the first time in many years the Green Card can now be considered one of them. This card will primarily appeal to customers who are big travelers and can take advantage of the CLEAR statement credit.

If you are a current CLEAR user then this card is almost a no brainer. Very few cards offer this incentive and it will cover most of the cost of the annual fee. CLEAR is not offered at all airports. You can check here to see which airports provide CLEAR.

The dining and travel bonus categories will provide additional broad appeal for this card. Furthermore, the sign up bonus is very competitive among similar credit cards. This card provides many of the features of the AMEX Gold Card at a less expensive annual fee.

Are you going to go AMEX Green? Let us know why or why not in the comments below!

Refer Your Chase Card To Earn Rewards

October 22, 2019 by Dan Wilke Leave a Comment

The Chase Credit Card Referral Program

Chase Bank issues some of the most popular Credit Cards. The have many reward cards that are eligible for their referral program. Chase customers can invite their family and friends to apply – upon acceptance, you will be rewarded for sharing the product.

Not all cards and customers will be eligible for this program. The easiest way to know if you have a chance to take advantage of this offer is to watch your email for referral notifications. If you have been notified that your card is eligible for referral you can invite friends and earn rewards for each acceptance (up to 5 per year).

The best part about this program is all parties receive rewards. Referred friends are eligible for sign up bonuses associated with their card offer through the referral program.

How To Refer-A-Friend With Chase

Simply follow the link provided in your email if you have been provided with notification that your Chase product is eligible for referral. If you have not received a link, you can visit the Chase Refer-A-Friend Webpage to see if you are eligible for referral rewards.

Upon arriving at the referral page you will find the following form to be completed:

The three pieces of information required are your last name, your billing zip code, and the last 4 digits of your eligible Chase Credit Card. After submitting this information you will be sent to a new webpage with a link specific to your referral.

This link is the most important aspect of the process. In order to receive a referral your friend will need to use this link to access their application. This is how Chase will identify that you are associated with the referral. This is the only way to receive credit for your referral – the link MUST be used.

You can send the link by email or by text. When your friend receives the link they will be directed to their card offer and application. If approved, you will receive your bonus offer for the referral program.

Earning Rewards With The Chase Referral Program

As outlined above, the referral link must be provided to your friend in order to receive rewards. Depending on your Chase product, you will receive points based on the current offer. Point values vary but typically range between 5,000 and 20,000 points per referral.

Chase customers are able to earn 5 referral bonuses each year. Customers can send the link to as many friends as they would like. If more than 5 friends accept your referral, you will be maxed out on earnings at 5 referrals.

Your rewards will be credited to your Chase Rewards account. Points can be used for any eligible redemption option.

Current Chase Credit Card Referral Offers

Chase referral offers are subject to change but below are some of the most popular referral offers currently available:

Chase Southwest Rapid Reward Cards

Earn 10,000 points for each referral with your Chase Southwest Card. Your points are eligible to count towards your annual Southwest Companion Pass. Companion pass requires 110,00 points annual for 2019 and will be raised to 125,000 points for 2020.

Chase Ink Business Cards

Both the Ink Unlimited and Ink Preferred Cards are eligible for referral offers. Customers will receive 15,000 points for each Ink Unlimited Referral and 20,000 points for each Ink Preferred Referral.

Chase Freedom Cards

The Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Unlimited cards are both eligible for referral offers. Chase Freedom referrals with earn 5,000 points per referral. Chase Unlimited referrals will earn 10,000 points.

United Explorer Cards

Each referral for the United Explorer Card will earn 10,000 miles.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Customers will earn 15,000 points for each referral up to a total of 75,000 points.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card

Earn 20,000 points for each referral. Important to note that while this referral bonus is the largest point amount, actual values vary depending on the rewards program.

World of Hyatt Card

Customers will earn 10,000 points for each successful referral.

Disney Rewards Card

Receive $100 in Disney Reward Dollars for each successful referral offer with you Disney Rewards Card.

Final Thoughts

The Chase Referral program is a great way to earn additional rewards. If you know a friend or family member interested in the same Chase Product you have, be sure to discuss this program with them before they apply for a new card!

Do you know of any other Chase Referral Program Offers? Please let us know in the comments below!

Helpful Links:

www.ReferYourChaseCard.com

Expedia Rewards Voyager Card – Now With 50,000 Sign Up Bonus

October 21, 2019 by Dan Wilke Leave a Comment

Citi Expedia Reward Credit Card Offer Increased

Citi offers two Expedia branded credit cards. The Expedia Rewards and Expedia Rewards Voyager Card. Both offers have been updated with additional bonus points awarded for new customers.

One important thing to point out is that the offers provided through the Citi website are different than are currently found on Expedia. The Expedia offers currently provide the better sign up offers.

Expedia Reward new customers will earn 20,000 bonus points and Voyager Card new customers will receive 50,000 bonus points.

Card Features: Expedia Reward Card

20,000 bonus point offer
3x points for all Expedia purchases
1x points for all other purchases
Expedia Silver status
No foreign transaction fee or annual fee

Previously, cardholders received 10,000 points and a $50 statement credit for this card. The new offer provides 20,000 points when $1,000 is spent within the first 3 months on your new account. The previous offer is currently available on the Citi website but this may soon be updated as well.

Card Features: Expedia Voyager Rewards Card

50,000 bonus point offer
4x points for Expedia purchases
2x points for dining and entertainment
1x points for all other purchases
$100 Airline Travel Credit
No foreign transaction fees
$95 annual fee

The Expedia Voyager card will soon be on many credit card enthusiasts radars with this new sign up bonus. Additionally, this card provides many great features and the sign up offer makes it even more attractive.

The sign up bonus requires new customers to spend $2,000 within the first 3 months of opening their new account. The 50,000 bonus points is valued at approximately $710 when redeemed through Expedia for VIP Access Hotel purchases. Values with vary for other purchases.

Furthermore, cardholders are also eligible for 5,000 anniversary points when they spend $10,000 on their card in a year.

The most underrated aspect of this card is the annual travel credit. This includes TSA Pre-check and Global Entry. The Airline credit covers incidentals like checked bags and in flight WiFi.

More Travel Credit Card Information:

Redeeming Rewards With Expedia

Points with Expedia have different values depending on what they are used for. The best bang for your buck comes with the VIP Access Hotel purchases. Points are worth about 1.4 cents per point at this rate. Most other purchases will range from 0.7 cents upwards.

Both cards provide an automatic increase to your Expedia Status Level. As mentioned above, you will receive Silver Status with The Rewards Card and Gold Status with the Voyager Card. This status boost will provide freebies like drinks and spa services when you use the VIP Access Hotel services provided with Expedia.

Helpful Links:

Expedia Credit Cards

Expedia Rewards Terms and Conditions

The New Delta AMEX Card – Upgrades For 2020

October 10, 2019 by Dan Wilke Leave a Comment

American Express SkyMiles Cards

AMEX has announced major changes coming to their Skymiles family of credit cards in 2020. For current cardholders, the changes will be automatic and no action will be required. New cardholders who apply now will also receive automatic updates to their rewards when the changes go in to effect.

American Express offers 4 personal credit cards and 3 business credit cards under the Delta umbrella. All cards will receive updates to their rewards program and benefits.

Customers and interested consumers can learn more about the at www.NewDeltaAmex.com.

Major Changes and Updates

Select cards will receive access to The American Express Centurion® Lounges
TSA Pre-Check will be added as an additional benefit (good every 4 years)
Dining will earn double Miles and hotel stays will earn triple Miles
Additional business card perks like double miles for advertising and shipping expenses
Changes will take effect on 1/30/2020 and will be applied automatically

The primary change for cardholders will be the reward rate for earning miles. All cards will receive a big upgrade in this respect. Double miles for dining will be added to all personal cards. Additionally, Gold and Platinum Cardholders will receive double points for all supermarkets purchases.

These benefits will significantly increase the value of the Delta Cards as a daily spending credit card. Previously the only way to earn additional miles beyond 1:1 was with Delta purchases.

On the downside, some customers will see a modest increase to their annual fee. The Delta Gold Card will increase from $95 to $99 per year. The Platinum Card will increase from $195 to $250. Finally, the Reserve will increase from $450 to $550.

The increase in annual fee will mostly be offset by the additional reward potential. That said, it is never a positive to learn your credit card annual fee is going up!

Additional Travel and Airline Credit Cards

Which Personal Delta Card Is Best For You?

American Express offers four Delta Personal Cards:

Blue Delta SkyMiles
Gold Delta SkyMiles
Platinum Delta SkyMiles
The Delta Reserve Card

The Blue Delta Card is a no annual fee rewards card. Cardholders earn miles for every purchase including 2x miles for dining. The downside of this card is the new cardholder sign up bonus is severely lacking relative to the other options.

The Gold Delta Card is likely the best bet for Delta fans. The annual fee will be $99 beginning in 2020 (currently waived for the first year). However, the card offers a huge sign up bonus of 60,000 miles for new cardholders.

The Platinum and Reserve cards are designed for frequent Delta travelers looking to earn Medallion Qualifying Miles. These miles allow you to rank up through the rewards program more quickly. These cards have substantially higher fees at $250 and $550, respectively.

Overall, the Gold Card will be the best bet for most cardholders. It strikes the balance of big rewards without a big annual fee. Additional benefits of the more exclusive Platinum card includes one free companion pass each year. This may be well suited for travelers who frequently have a companion on their journey.

Which Business Delta Card Is Best For You?

Much like the personal line of Delta Credit Cards the same cards are offered for business with the exception of the Blue Card. There is no zero annual fee card available for businesses.

Similarly, the reward tiers are increased with the more exclusive cards. The Delta Gold Business Card is a great option for business owners who do not want the higher annual fee. The sign up bonus is substantial (70,000 vs 80,000 for the higher end cards).

Much like the personal cards, the Gold Card does not provide Medallion Qualifying Miles for new cardholders as part of the sign up offer.

Frequent Delta Business travelers will want to consider the higher end cards as they will allow for faster upgrades through the SkyMiles Reward Program.

Final Thoughts – 2020 Delta Upgrades

Most cardholders will find the small increase to their annual fee worth the additional benefits. The addition of categories to earn bonus miles is huge and will make the card a daily spending credit card for many Delta fans.

Travel cards with reward categories are pretty rare. Most card only allow additional points for purchases made with the airline. This is a welcome change that will hopefully begin to spread to other popular airline branded credit cards.

TD Bank Overdraft Class Action Lawsuit ($70 Million Dollar Settlement)

October 3, 2019 by Dan Wilke Leave a Comment

TD BankOver Draft Settlement

A 70 million dollar class-action lawsuit has been proposed in the class action lawsuit entitled In re: TD Bank NA Debit Card Overdraft Fee Litigation.

You can file a claim at www.tdbankoverdraftclassaction.com.

The case is entitled Case No. 6:15-mn-02613, and is under review in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.

Proof of purchase is not required.

All claims must be filed by 2/7/2020.

Who Should File a Claim?

The settlement classes (“Settlement Classes”) include:

All holders of a TD Bank Personal Account, who, from August 16, 2010, to and including April 22, 2016, incurred one or more Overdraft Fees as a result of TD Bank’s practice of assessing Overdraft Fees based on the Account’s Available Balance rather than its Ledger Balance (“TD Available Balance Consumer Class”); and
All holders of a Carolina First Bank/Mercantile Bank Account, who, from December 1, 2007, to and including June 20, 2011, incurred one or more Overdraft Fees as a result of Carolina First Bank’s and/or Mercantile Bank’s practices of (1) High-to-Low Posting or (2) assessing Overdraft Fees based on the Account’s Available Balance rather than its Ledger Balance (“South Financial Class”); and
All holders of a TD Bank Personal Account who were assessed one or more Overdraft Fees for an ATM or One-Time Debit Card Transaction from August 16, 2010, to and including June 26, 2019 (“Regulation E Class”); and
All holders of a TD Bank Personal or Business Account who, from March 8, 2013, to and including June 26, 2019, incurred one or more Sustained Overdraft Fees (“Usury Class”); and
All holders of a TD Bank Personal Account who, from December 5, 2011, to and including June 26, 2019, incurred one or more Overdraft Fees on Uber or Lyft ride-sharing transactions while not enrolled in TD Debit Card Advance (“Uber/Lyft Class”); and
All holders of a TD Bank Business Account who, from August 16, 2010, to and including June 26, 2019, incurred one or more Overdraft Fees as a result of TD Bank’s practice of assessing Overdraft Fees based on the Account’s Available Balance rather than its Ledger Balance (“TD Available Balance Business Class”).“

TDBankOverdraftClassAction.com Contact Information

Mail: TD Bank Overdraft Litigation c/o Epiq P.O. Box 6006 Portland, OR 97228-6006

Phone: 1-877-588-5722

Fax: Not available