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COVID is ‘growing' in nearly every state, CDC reports. Here's where levels are highest The HillSummer is now California's COVID busy season as winter waves fade Los Angeles TimesIs There a Summer COVID Surge? With Cases Rising in Every State, Watch for These Symptoms TODAY.comCOVID-19 cases rising nationwide ahead
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Whether you travel often or just take the occasional vacation, a travel rewards credit card can be an excellent companion. With every purchase, you can use a good travel card to collect points or miles that are redeemable for flights, hotels or other travel bookings. And many travel cards come with extra benefits, too, from free entry into airport lounges to statement credits toward application fees for TSA PreCheck and other programs that expedite security screening at the airport.
Take a look at our picks of the best travel rewards credit cards. If you'd rather have a card that offers cash-back rewards, see The Best Cash-Back Credit Cards.
For each card (except premium travel cards), we've calculated a typical annual rebate based on spending patterns in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey and assuming $25,000 spent on the card annually. For cards that do not waive their annual fee the first year, we've subtracted the annual fee from the cash value of the annual rebate. Except where noted, these cards don't charge a foreign-transaction fee.
Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards: No Annual Fee
With these cards, reap points or miles without paying an annual fee.
Chase Freedom Unlimited Visa
Website: www.chase.com Interest rate: 0% for 15 months, then 17.24% to 25.99%
Annual fee: None
Sign-up bonus: $200 back if you spend $500 in the first three months; 5% back on gas station purchases for the first $6,000 spent in the first year
Typical annual rebate: 45,277 points, worth $453
Chase Freedom Unlimited is a compelling no-fee option for domestic travelers who are willing to book tr
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After two years of a red-hot market, it's time real estate and mortgage professionals get ready for what could be a slowdown in their business.
Earlier this summer housing prices were on fire. Now there is talk of a "housing recession." Due in part to higher mortgage rates and more people vacationing this summer, U.S. existing home sales fell in July for the sixth straight month, the longest streak of declines in more than eight years.
SEE MORE Is Your Job Burning You Out?
One of my clients in the Midwest put his home up for sale recently and has had no interested buyers - none. A few months ago, we were certain it would sell in days. The plan was to sell the house and pay off their construction loan on their new home before it converted to a permanent mortgage. Now, that plan may need to change.
Several mortgage companies have already let go thousands of employees, and one company, Sprout Mortgage, based in East Meadow, N.Y., shut down in early July. Real estate brokerage companies, such as Compass and Redfin, have also slashed their workforce.
Real estate is cyclical, and while sales will not totally dry up, anyone tied to the industry should get their finances in order now in case the current downturn lasts another several months.
Here are a few moves to consider:
Build an Emergency Fund Twice as Big as a Salaried Worker's
No one wants to get caught borrowing money to pay their bills. While putting away enough money in a savings or money market account to cover six months of expenses is normal, it's best to plan for a longer period if you work in a cyclical industry.
Consider keeping six to 12 months of r
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