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Don’t Use a Balance Transfer to Pay Off a Personal Loan: Here’s Why

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If you are struggling to pay off your debt, landing a lower interest rate on what you owe can make a big difference. Usually, balance transfer rates on credit cards can look very attractive. Plus, they might even be lower than what you have on your current personal loan. However, using a balance transfer to pay off a personal loan isn’t typically a great idea. There are risks with that approach, and terms might not remain favorable over time. If you are wondering why you shouldn’t use a balance transfer to pay off a personal loan, here’s a look at why it’s a bad idea.

That Introductory Rate Won’t Last Forever

In the vast majority of cases, balance transfer introductory interest rates don’t last indefinitely. You may have access to the promotional rate for just six months, 12 months, or 18 months, which isn’t a lot of time.

After the introductory balance transfer rate expires, you are stuck with the credit cards regularly interest rate, which is commonly much higher than the rate you’d have on a personal loan. The average credit card interest rate falls near 17 percent.

If your personal loan interest rate is lower than your credit card interest rate after the promotional rate expires, you could find yourself paying more in interest as you pay down the balance or hit with a higher payment down the road. Most credit card payments are a percentage of your balance along with the interest charges. When the interest rate kicks in, your monthly payment will almost certainly go up, and this can have a major impact on your budget.

By sticking with your personal loan, you get a level of predictability. Personal loans tend to have fixed payments over the life of the loan, so you know exactly what you’ll need to pay each month until the debt is gone. Plus, personal loans are finite. You know how many payments are left and when the last one happens, giving you a precise date as to when you’ll clear the debt.

Balance Transfer Fees

Balance transfers come with fees, usually 3 to 5 percent of the amount of the balance you are transferring. The exact amount varies from one bank or credit union to the next.

This fee isn’t spread out over time. Instead, it is added to the balance you owe the moment the balance transfer goes through. As a result, you significantly increase your debt immediately, and that isn’t always a smart move.

If you stick with your personal loan, you aren’t accruing any more debt. Any fees associated with the loan are already part of your balance, barring particular (and somewhat rare) exceptions, such as early payoff penalties that a limited number of lenders levy.

Credit Score Impact

Paying off a personal loan with a balance transfer impacts your credit score. First, once the balance transfer fee goes onto your account, your debt load increases. This can negatively affect your credit score.

Second, when you pay off the personal loan, that account usually closes. As a result, the average age of your credit accounts shifts. If the balance transfer credit card is a new account, your average account age will likely go down, negatively impacting your credit score.

Finally, moving a personal loan debt to a credit card also hurts your debt-to-credit ratio. That ratio is a reflection of the amount you owe on your credit cards as compared to your credit limit. The higher the percentage of your available credit limit that you use, the worst that ratio is in the eyes of the credit bureaus. As a result, your credit score can take a pretty big tumble depending on the amount of debt you transfer.

While the exact impact on your credit score will depend on your unique situation, it is important to understand that it could be both noticeable and negative. If you may need to open another credit account in the relatively near future, doing a balance transfer to pay off your personal loan could make that harder, not easier.

Qualifying Isn’t Always Easy

If you don’t have a balance transfer credit card and were considering opening one to address your personal loan debt, it’s essential to understand that this isn’t a guaranteed option. Many balance transfer cards require borrowers to have at least “good” credit, usually with scores of at least 680 or 700. Some won’t approve anyone with less than “excellent” credit scores, typically around 750 or higher.

Even if you can get a balance transfer card with fair credit, the terms usually don’t work in your favor. The promotional interest rate may only be available for six months. Plus, the credit card’s regular interest rate after that will apply, and it’s commonly pretty high.

Additionally, opening a new card also impacts your credit score. You’ll have a “hard pull” on your credit report (too many of which can hurt your score), a lower average account age, an adjustment to your total available credit, and more shifts that all cause your credit score to change.

Risky Move

Ultimately, using a balance transfer to pay off your personal loan can be a very risky move. Unless you can guarantee that you can pay off the entire balance (including the balance transfer fee) before the promotional rate expires, it typically isn’t worth pursuing. And, even then, there is always an impact on your credit report, and your score might go down. If you can’t ride out a period with a lower score, then this approach isn’t right for you even if you can pay off the balance during the promotional period.

Instead, do your best to pay off your personal loan quickly. If you aren’t dealing with a potential early payoff penalty, you can save yourself a ton by making additional payments and working diligently to rid yourself of that debt while leaving it where it is, all while preserving your credit score.

Have you ever used a balance transfer to pay off a personal loan? Do you think it was a mistake? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Why Was My Credit Card Application Denied?

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Every once in a while, I’ll fill out a new credit card application.  Usually, I research first, and I only apply if I am reasonably certain that the company will approve my application. However, now and then, I have to deal with rejection. When I was younger, this would frustrate me immensely. Over time, though, I’ve learned to cope with credit card application rejection. I see it as a learning opportunity. Taken that way, it’s just information that can help me move forward. Here are some of the reasons your card application might have been denied.

Rejection Is Painful, But It’s Not the End of the World

Rejection of any kind feels painful. Yes, even credit card application rejection hurts a little bit. After all, the credit card company is basically telling you that you’re not trustworthy enough to deserve their loans. If you’ve worked hard to establish good credit, rejection can be particularly painful. That said, it’s really not the end of the world.

Believe me, I know that it can feel like it. For me, the worst times are when I’ve applied for a new credit card because I really need that money. I’m already in a state of fear, so the rejection hits me worse than ever. I feel bad about myself because I didn’t get the money. Plus I feel anxious because I don’t know where the money will come from. However, even though it feels terrible, it’s going to be okay.

So, the first thing that you should do after a credit card application rejection is just to breathe. Relax. Try to calm your mind. Center yourself. If you let yourself spin out of control, you’re not going to handle this as well as you should.

Use the Information to Take Action

When a company denies your credit card application, they provide you with a reason. These days, we usually apply online. We don’t usually get the rejection immediately. Instead, it comes in the form of a letter mailed to the house about a week later. Keep your eye out for the letter. It has important information that you need to be able to decide on your next steps. The rejection feels disempowering. However, the information in that letter actually empowers you to move forward.

Is the Rejection Valid?

That letter tells you the reason(s) that you received the rejection. The first thing that you need to do is to make sure that the reasons listed are accurate and valid. Sometimes credit card companies do get it wrong. Sometimes your credit report has incorrect information. Look at the list of reasons, pull your credit report, and make sure that the credit card company got it right.

For example, let’s say your rejection was because of delinquent payments. However, you know that you have never made a late payment. Pull your credit report and look for signs of late payment. If you see some that you know are wrong, then it’s time to update your credit report. You can file an appeal with the credit reporting agency for review. Once your information is up to date and correct, you can re-apply for a credit card.

The Rejection is Valid. Now What?

Of course, more often, the reasons listed for rejection are accurate. You really did have late payments, for example. Don’t worry; all is not lost. This is still valuable information that will help you get back on track with your finances. As you do, you’ll increase the likelihood of credit card application acceptance in the future. Here are some of the most common causes for application rejection and what you can do about them:

Low Credit Score

If you have a low credit score, you won’t qualify for certain credit cards. There are two things that you can do about this:

  1. Work to improve your credit score.
  2. Apply for a credit card within your approved score range.

If you need a new credit card immediately, then it’s worth doing the latter. In either case, it’s time to start working on the former. The better your credit score, the better options you’ll have in the future.

Low Income

Some credit cards only accept people with a minimum income. If you’ve been rejected because of low income, then it’s time to review that. If you do earn a decent amount of money, then you’ve probably just applied for a fancy credit card that’s out of your range. Apply for one that doesn’t require such high income. Alternatively, of course, you can work to increase your income. If you take on part-time work or extra hours this year, then you should be able to qualify for that card in the future.

Debt-to-Income Ratio

Sometimes it’s not that your income doesn’t cut it. Instead, it’s that your debt is too high, compared to the amount of income that you earn. Again, you can work to increase your income. Alternatively, or in conjunction with that, you’ll have to work to lower your debt. This is the kind of situation where it might make sense to consolidate your existing debt under a lower APR so that you can start paying it off more quickly.

If your debt-to-income ratio isn’t great, then it’s important to think carefully about whether or not you really need a new credit card. It may feel like you do since you want the money. However, remember that you’re already struggling to pay down existing debt. Taking on more credit card debt might not even make sense at this time. Instead, it could be time to rework your budget.

Note that credit card companies might look at all of your loan debt, not just your credit card debt when making these decisions. Therefore, if you have student loans, mortgages, auto loans, and other types of debt, these could be what’s affecting your ability to get a credit card.

High Balances

Maybe you have credit cards, you pay the minimum balance on time, and you earn enough to cover repayment. However, for one reason or another, you’re running high balances on your cards. In other words, one or more cards is close to its credit limit. That’s a red flag for credit card companies. If you find out from your rejection letter that this was the cause for rejection, then it’s time to start paying down that debt. If you can get the balance down below 30% of the credit limit on each card, then you are more likely to qualify for a credit card next time that you apply.

No matter what caused the rejection, it’s information that you can use to improve your chances of getting a credit card in the future. Take the long view but begin working today to remedy the problems.

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21 Reasons Dave Ramsey Sucks at Giving Credit Score Advice

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Dave Ramsey credit cards

There are huge disadvantages of having no credit score. I actually know this better than most. After living over ten years in Japan, I came back to the US naively assuming that the credit history I had built over there would transfer back to the US. That wasn’t the case and I found myself having to deal with numerous situations without a credit score. From my personal experience of having to deal with all the negatives that come with having no credit score, as well as knowing a number of others who experienced a similar situation to me when they returned, I can say with conviction that Dave Ramsey gives horrible credit score advice.

For those unfamiliar, Dave Ramsey refers to a credit score as the “I-Love-Debt Score” and makes the statement that “the only way to have a good credit score is to go into debt, stay in debt, and continually pay your accounts perfectly — without adding too much debt or paying too much off. In other words, stay in debt for as long as you can.” This is patently false as I currently have no debt whatsoever and yet have a good credit score. Others do too.

He then advises that since you are working to become debt free, once you reach that goal you “…don’t need a credit score, anyway, since you don’t plan on using credit!” While this might sound nice, I can attest that even when you are debt free, a good credit score comes in extremely handy. I would even argue that having one is essential if you want to truly be financially savvy since it can save you a lot of money. If you care about getting the most out of your money, a credit score, whether we like it or not, is important to have.

While you may have heard some of the below arguments before regarding why a credit score can be important, my guess is that some of my arguments you may never have considered before. Below are 21 reasons that it’s important to keep a good credit score even if you’re debt free (and why Dave Ramsey sucks at giving credit score advice).

Wasted Time

This one is huge and one that I rarely see mentioned. I can’t over emphasize this point enough, and I would argue for this reason alone, you want to keep a good credit score. Not having one will mean that you will have to spend a lot more time when it comes to numerous financial situations, including any of the ones mentioned below. If you believe that your time is worth something as I do, wasted time can be a huge cost. Even when you are able to get what you want, you usually have to spend a lot more time explaining why you don’t have a credit score even though you don’t have any debt. I had to spend countless extra hours, many being extremely frustrating, sorting out my financial situation which should have been straight forward and simple all because I had no credit history.

Difficulties Even When Successful

Another problem with having no credit score is that even when you successfully get what you want, it’s much more difficult to get it than if you had a good credit score. Not having a credit score often means going through several layers of management until you can reach someone who will approve what you need. The fact is that for most entry-level employees, if anything isn’t exactly correct, they can’t approve it. That means that people who don’t have credit scores have to work much harder to get things than others that have a good credit score can get without any hassles.

Poor Customer Service

This is another aspect of not having a credit score that is often not mentioned, but the reality is that if you have no credit score, you don’t get treated nearly as well in many situations as you do when you have a good credit. When institutions look up my credit these days, they always seem to come back with a smile and an attitude that they are willing to do anything they can to help me. When I had no credit score, they always came back with concerned looks and a demeanor telling me that it was going to be difficult to help me even if they did the best that they could. The fact is, having a good score means that you will get better treatment from anyone who looks it up.

Lack of Financial Flexibility

Having a good credit score gives you a lot of financial flexibility that isn’t available for those with no credit score. When you have a good credit score, there are many financial institutions that want to work with you. That’s not the case when you have no credit score. Having a quality credit score means that you can get a much better deal when it come to virtually any financial transaction than you could get with no credit score at all. When the unexpected happens and you need to get funds for something that you had never anticipated, you simply have more flexibility in getting them than you do without a score to your name. This include the flexibility of financially helping out others if you choose to do so.

Increase Large Transaction Risks

One of the things that I immediately realized when I was still trying to get a credit card (which I was having trouble doing because I didn’t have a credit score) was the additional risk that came when making large purchases. I have always put the purchase of my airline tickets on credit cards because years ago I had a ticket on an airline that suddenly went bankrupt. Since I had made the purchase with a credit card, the credit card company refunded the amount back to me since I never received the service I had paid for. Had I not paid with a credit card in that instance, I would have simply lost the money. I had to make a number of large purchases upon arriving back in the US and although I was able to make them in other ways, I felt a bit uneasy knowing that if things went wrong, I really had no protection simply due to the lack of a credit rating.

Emergency Cash

Having lived through the Great Hanshin Earthquake (along with a number of smaller natural disasters), I know the importance of having access to emergency funds. When these disasters happen, it’s often impossible to get access to money that you have in your bank account (in the case of the Hanshin Earthquake, it was over 2 weeks before I had access to those funds). It helps to have cash in the days immediately after the disaster when many of the electronic transaction systems are down, but it also helps to have a credit card. During that time, my credit card was a lifesaver in securing a hotel room and other needs when I needed to spend thousands of dollars to get out of the city and find other lodging, but still didn’t have access to my bank accounts. Living in an area of the US where I knew a similar disaster could take place, I found that I needed to keep a lot more cash on hand in case of an emergency. I ended up losing interest on the cash I took out of the bank account plus there was the risk that it might get stolen, or in an emergency I wouldn’t be able to get to where I kept it in my house. Even with a large amount of cash on hand, I still felt my financial preparation was far from adequate had a true emergency happened. That is not the case now that I have good credit and credit cards.

Debit Cards Have Drawbacks

It’s often argued that there really is no need to have credit cards if you have a debit card, but in my experience, there are some definite drawbacks to this argument. I had a friend who had his debit card stolen and his account compromised. While he eventually got all the money that was taken out of his account back, his account ended up being frozen for a few weeks while an investigation took place. During this time, he had no access to any of his banking funds. As mentioned above, in an emergency you might need to access more funds than are in your debit card account with no way to transfer additional funds to it. It also doesn’t cover you with large transactions like an airline ticket refund if an airline goes bankrupt.

Difficulty Getting Security Clearance

One of my friends who came back after living overseas for a number of years landed a great job, but the job required security clearance. The lack of a credit score turned out to be a major stumbling block for him to get his clearance. He eventually did, but it took a lot of time and effort since his lack of one sent up a red flag, and even ended up meaning much more scrutiny in other areas of his life as well to get the clearance. Again, if you consider time and aggravation as a cost, then there is a definite one when you don’t have a score to your name.

Difficulty Getting an Apartment

I remember talking with one apartment manager when returning to the US that told me as soon as I mentioned that I didn’t have a credit score that I wouldn’t get approved for an apartment in his complex. He explained that there was high demand for the apartments so it simply wasn’t worth the risk to management even though I had a good explanation as to why I didn’t have one. While I did eventually find an apartment, the lack of a score caused some type of issue at each complex I looked at, making the entire process much more difficult than it ever should have been, and definitely much more so than if mine had been good.

The Possibility of Divorce

Nobody ever thinks they are going to get divorced when they first get married, but the truth of the matter is a high percentage of couples do. If you go into a divorce without a credit score, this can cause a number of issue both during and after. When people believe that they will never have to take out another loan when they become debt free, they are probably at a point where they never think they will get divorced either. The problem with divorce is that it can be an extremely expensive process and can quickly wipe out any savings and emergency funds that you might have had. Once divorced, financial circumstances can greatly change to where loans you thought you would once never need, might be needed to bridge gaps until you can create a new budget for your new reality. Hiring lawyers, finding a new job, getting a new place to live all become more difficult without a score in an already stressful time.

Difficulty Getting Loan Approval

If there is ever a situation when you need a loan, not having a credit score will make it many times more difficult to secure it than if you have a good credit. The thing is, even if you anticipate never needing to get another loan again, circumstances change and life could place a wrench into your best laid plans. Even if you are debt free at a moment and don’t anticipate ever needing a loan, that can quickly change if you unexpectedly lose a job and are unable to find a new one as quickly as you hoped. Life throws curve balls from time to time and if you are thrown one without a good credit to your name, recovering from it can be a lot more difficult than if you had it.

A More Expensive Mortgage

If you need to take out a mortgage, you will end up paying much more if you don’t have a credit score. The problem is that no credit score is equivalent to a bad credit score to most lending institutions. If they have no records that you can pay off your debts, they assume the worst and assume that you can’t. This means no score is the same as having a terrible score in the eyes of lending institutions. While you still may be able to secure a loan (and you may not), you will end up having to pay a larger interest rate to do it which can mean paying tens of thousands of dollars more over the lifetime of the loan.

Difficulty Securing Utility Services

When I needed to get utilities in my name after returning from Japan, I couldn’t just call and have them turned on like I expected. Several required me to pay a deposit in order to put the service in my name since I had no credit history of paying these bills in the past. It makes for an extra step in the process, it takes more time to get the service and you lose the interest that you could have earned from the money that you must give as a deposit.

Trouble Getting a Cell Phone Contract

Upon my return to the US, I was actually denied the first cell phone contract I tried to get due to no credit history. I was eventually able to secure one, but I ended up having to pay a deposit to do so much like I had to when it came to the utilities. While the deposit wasn’t a huge amount, I did lose the interest that I could have been earning on it. Far more frustrating was the extra time and headaches (and the costs associated with them) caused by not having a score that would have never come into play if I had a good one.

Possible Negative Effect on Job Opportunities

One thing that many people fail to realize is that as many as 70% of companies will check the credit history of a candidate for a job before they hire. With so many qualified people in the job market these days, it’s often the little things that end up determining who gets hired. A lack of a credit score compared with someone with the same qualifications that has a stellar one could be the difference in who gets the job. Similar small details can make the difference on promotions within certain corporations, especially for sensitive positions. If you lose a job or are passed over a promotion, that can mean thousands of dollars in lost income.

Pay More for a Car

There have been a number of surveys over the years that show that some car dealers have a tiered system on how much they mark-up a car depending on the credit score of the individual buying the car. Those who are deemed the least credit worthy, which would include those with no credit score, can be charged as much as 3.5% more for a car than those with top scores. This has nothing to do with the interest rate on a car loan, but the actual amount that is charged for the car. That means that even if you don’t need a car loan, you can potentially end up paying more for a car when you don’t have a score.

Another way that lack of a score can cost you more, as pointed out by Anni in the comments, is that you can often get dealer discounts by financing a car worth thousands of dollars, then pay off the car loan soon after. I know that this situation arises because I did it once for one of my car purchases. I had the cash to purchase the car in full, but there was a deal to save $2000 through the credit section of the car maker if I agreed to finance the car, so it made good financial sense to do so. I took the $2000 discount and the loan, but as soon as the $2000 credit came through, I paid off the entire loan. The key here is that to take advantage of these car maker financing discounts, you have to qualify for them, and if you don’t have a credit score, you’re not likely to do so.

A More Expensive Car Loan

If you do need to take out a car loan, you will end up paying thousands of dollars more in interest charges with no score than you would with a good one. Interest rates for those with good credit are usually in the low single digits, while those without will pay double-digit interest rates on the exact same loan. While you may not think you will ever need to take out a loan again, something that you never expected like a divorce or a lost job could result in you needing to get one.

More Expensive Insurance

The insurance industry is in the business of assessing risk. They look at a wide variety of things to determine the risks of the individuals and families that use their services. One of the things that they look at is your credit score. Having one that is poor makes you a higher risk than an individual who has one that is high. The problem is that having no score doesn’t allow them to determine whether you are a higher or lower risk, so they will always make the assumption that you are a higher risk when the risk is unknown. What that all means is that if you have no score, you will end up paying more for life insurance, car insurance and homeowners insurance than you would if you hade a good score.

Difficulty Getting a Credit Card

One of the things that Dave Ramsey says is that you don’t want credit cards, but this is only true if you can’t control yourself. The truth is that credit cards are only a disadvantage if you don’t pay them off fully each month. Once you are out of debt and have built an emergency fund so that there is no need to put expenses on your credit card that you can’t pay off in full each month, credit cards are actually a financially savvy tool to use. They give you insurance in many transactions you may not have otherwise, they may provide additional insurance for you with certain purchases such as airline tickets and car rentals, and they can even pay you cash back for purchases you would otherwise make. The problem is that if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need a credit card, but you don’t have a score, it can be extremely difficult to get one. Even when you do, you can expect to have a very low credit limit that will take years to grow to where it can be useful for larger purchases. I know because the only credit card I could qualify for when I returned was with a bank that I had been with for over 20 years, and they still would only give me one with a $500 limit to start.

Difficulty Getting School Loans

If you ever decide to go back to school, having no score can make it difficult to secure loans. Again, many assume that they will never need to go to school again, but further education might be the only way to secure a job if you happened to lose the one you have. If you can’t qualify for student loans from your school or federally funded loans to pay for your education, you will have to turn to private loans which have interest rates much higher and can end up costing you thousands of dollar more for the same education.

Difficulty Getting Business Loans

If at any time you decide that you would like to start a business, not having a score can hurt you financially in trying to secure a loan for the business. When banks give business loans to individuals, they want to see that they have a track record of paying out the other loans that they have taken out. With no score to your name, that record doesn’t exist and you become a greater risk to give a business loan to. With no score, you might not be able to qualify for one at all without putting up a large amount of collateral, and even if you do, you are likely to pay a higher interest rate on the loan than if you had good credit. You will definitely have a much more difficult time securing the loan which can mean many more hours (if not days) trying to get the money you need.

Dave Ramsey gives lousy credit score advice because he fails to take into account that life can get messy in ways that we never anticipate. In addition, he doesn’t take into account the costs associated with the extra time and aggravations that can come with not having a score. If it were true that you needed to always remain in debt in order to have a good credit score as he states, I might give him some slack, but the fact is that this statement is patently false, I know because I’m currently debt free with a good score. While I’m certainly not saying that all the advice that he gives is bad, the advice he gives regarding credit scores sucks.

Finally, if you don’t like my analysis and want to see what Dave Ramsey has to say, think about getting a copy of his book The Total Money Makeover. The book is an combination of educational handbook, inspirational coaching guide and self study manual. It has sold something like 5 million copies – so its a good example of his best work.

Business Credit Card Deductions You Won’t Want to Miss

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Business credit card deductions

There are more than 364 million open credit card accounts in the United States. Most people use one daily. This is typically true of businesses as well. In fact, most business owners have a credit card they use for any and all purchases. However, not everyone is aware of the many business credit card deductions they may be missing out on.

5 Business Credit Card Deductions

As many of us are receiving our W2s and other tax paperwork in the mail, you may be searching for additional deductions you can make before you file. If you are a business owner or have a business credit card, be sure you make a note of these.

  1. Credit card interest charges. Ideally, you wouldn’t have any interest on purchases for your business. Every once in a while you may have to buy a large piece of equipment or something more expensive that you aren’t able to pay off in one swipe. If you are charged any interest throughout the year, you can deduct it from your taxes.
  2. Any swipe fees. At any point during the year, if you paid a service fee to swipe your business credit card, deduct the fee.
  3. Late fees. The same can be said of late fees. You can write off any late fees you paid last year.
  4. Annual fees. Some business credit cards have an annual fee. If your card does, you can deduct the fee from your taxes.
  5. Miscellaneous credit card fees. All in all, you’ll be able to deduct any fees or charges you paid last year using your business credit card. Be sure you note any fees you incur, so you have this information on file.

Things to Keep in Mind When You File

Keep in mind, that these deductions are only available for business credit card transactions. You cannot write off fees and interest charges for any personal items. If you use your business card for anything personal, you’ll need to go through your statement and calculate the amount of interest paid on business dealings. However, it is best to use the card solely for business purchases to make tax season a little easier.

Lastly, if you have any questions about business credit card deductions or other deductions available to you, it never hurts to consult a tax professional. At this time of year, many firms are running specials and can help answer any questions you may have.

What is one of your favorite business or personal tax deductions?

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Costco Cash Back Rewards: Are They Worth It?

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Costco has a rewards program that allows members to receive cash back on their purchases – as if buying 100 rolls of toilet paper for less than 50 cents a roll was not enough. Wondering how you can get even more out of your Costco membership? Here’s what you need to know about Costco cash back rewards.

How Do Costco Cash Back Rewards Work?

Here’s how it works: First, you must have a current Gold Star or Business membership. To receive rewards, you need to upgrade to an Executive Membership, which costs an additional $60.

Once you are an executive member, you’ll receive a 2% rebate on select pre-tax purchases, mostly on items you will purchase at the front register. Recently, Costco began including select travel purchases. Costco’s travel program offers discounts at resorts and popular destinations as well as cruises. Not all travel purchases are eligible for the rebate, so check with Costco, first.

Other Costco Rebate Exclusions

Other exclusions to the rebate are tobacco-related products, gas, Costco Cash gift cards, membership fees, consumer and insurance services, photo center purchases and some alcoholic beverage purchases in certain states. And if you allow your cousin to purchase items using your card, they don’t count toward your rebate.

Even if you have been a member for years, you won’t get any rewards on purchases made before you became an executive member. Costco reserves the right to change its policy so if you are making a purchase based on the rebate, make sure it qualifies.

How Much Can You Earn?

The 2% rebates are capped at $1,000 annually. You don’t get the money automatically. The rebate is distributed via a rewards certificate when you renew your membership. You can use the rebate on most purchases you make at the register but again, always double check as policies change.

Is the Costco Executive Membership Worth It?

You have to spend $50,040 a year at Costco to get the $1,000 rebate. If you are already spending a lot of money at Costco for big-ticket items, it’s worth it. But if you are spending less than $250 a month, you won’t cover the $60 Executive membership cost.

Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi

Costco has another way for customers to earn cash back through their Anywhere Visa Rewards Card by Citi. While this is a Costco-branded credit card, you can use the card anywhere and receive rewards. You can get 4% back on your gas purchases at any station, including Costco gas pumps. If you eat at your favorite restaurant and use your card, you get 3% back. You will also receive 3% back on your travel purchases.

Customers receive 2% cash back on purchases at Costco both in the store and online. And you get a 1% rebate on any other purchases. You have to be a member of Costco and have good enough credit to qualify for the card to participate in the rewards program.

Is the Costco Anywhere Visa Rewards Card Worth It?

Yes and no. You have to spend $3,000 on each item to receive the maximum award amount of $2,730. Three thousand dollars is a lot of money to spend on gas and food each month. However, if you just want to make a few hundred dollars each year, it’s easily doable.

Like Costco’s other reward program, the rebate is issued once a year. Customers receive a certificate in February based on purchases made during the prior year. You can redeem your certificate for goods at Costco or you can get cash. You can’t use it on Costco’s website or for travel.

Keep in mind that you will also be paying interest if you don’t pay off your purchases each month. The interest you incur will likely be more than the rewards you’ll earn. Unless you are going to use the card for major purchases or use it for business purchases, the card may not be worth it.

Do you use Costco cash back rewards? Let us know in the comments below.

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Follow These 10 Habits to Financial Success

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financial success tips, habits to financial success, financial tips

Developing good financial habits can be a challenge. Many people aren’t taught much about money management growing up, and it is easy to fall into the trappings of debt, living paycheck-to-paycheck, and lifestyle inflation. But, if you focus, you can improve. If you want to make progress, here are 10 habits that promote financial success.

1. Spend Less Than You Earn

The first step for financial success is to spend less than you earn. This includes all purchases, including credit cards, as spending more than you can repay immediately is the pathway to debt.

Additionally, unless you spend less than you earn, savings will be practically impossible. You won’t be able to secure your retirement, purchase a home, or pay for a child’s college if you don’t have money left over to save and invest.

2. Track Your Income and Spending

If you don’t monitor your financial health, getting ahead will be incredibly challenging. Not only do you need to track how much you earn, but also what you spend and where. This gives you the ability to audit your choices, spot financial leaks, and make decisions based on data instead of an assumption about your fiscal well-being.

3. Automate Your Bills and Savings

When it comes to maintaining your financial health, automation is your friend. Set up automatic payments on as many bills as possible as well as deposits into savings, retirement, and investment accounts.

This creates a “set it and forget it” scenario, eliminating the chance that you’ll miss a payment or deposit because you forgot. However, that doesn’t mean you can stop monitoring your accounts, as it is wise to make sure that payments and deposits are going through properly.

4. Limit Your Ability to Spend

If you regularly make impulse purchases, then limiting your ability to spend spontaneously is wise. For example, don’t carry every credit or debit card with you all the time, particularly when you are heading to a place where overspending is common. Alternatively, you can opt only to carry cash, bringing just the right amount to handle a planned purchase with you when you shop.

By limiting what you have in your wallet or purse (or saved in your phone), you can gain control over impulse purchases.

5. Read Your Way to Financial Success

Staying informed is critical to your financial well-being. Before you sign up for a new credit product, read every detail to identify any hidden costs you didn’t notice previously. That way, you can make sure you know exactly what you are getting into before you proceed.

Similarly, read every credit card, loan, and bank statement carefully when it arrives. This gives you a chance to spot errors during the time window where corrections are possible. If you don’t notice an error quickly, you might not be able to intervene if the period during which correcting the discrepancy is allowed expires.

6. Never Rely on “Future” Money

Making financial decisions based on a possible windfall is typically trouble. For instance, counting on a raise before it happens or planning on an inheritance from a relative who is still alive can set you up for failure if it doesn’t come through. It leads you to spend based on cash you don’t genuinely have, and that can result in burdensome debt if your “future” money never arrives.

Instead, don’t allow yourself to believe that you have the money until you actually see it in your hand (or account). Otherwise, don’t count it as part of your financial picture, because it really isn’t until it arrives.

7. Set Financial Goals

While maintaining good habits is always beneficial, having specific goals can help you stay motivated. Plan for big purchases, retirement options, or similar financial events in advance and make them goals. Additionally, break down how much you need and use those goals to craft a viable plan to make them a reality.

By setting goals, you give yourself a target. Plus, as you make progress, you can use those objectives to remain focused, possibly making it easier to resist temptations and impulse purchases.

8. Resist Lifestyle Inflation

When you get a raise, you may want to adjust your lifestyle according to your new income. However, if you spend every extra dime, you aren’t working toward financial success. Instead, you are missing out on an opportunity.

If you are living comfortably and end up with a raise, resist the urge to spend and focus on saving instead. Boost your retirement contributions, build your emergency fund, or start investing. This allows your money to grow and provide you with protection, leaving you better prepared for the future and the unexpected.

9. Check Your Credit Reports

Every year, you can access your credit report from each of the three major bureaus for free. By checking your reports, you can get errors corrected and spot signs of fraud or identity theft, protecting your financial situation with due diligence.

Consider pulling one report every four months. That way, you have a rotating supply that increases the odds that you’ll spot problems quickly and empowers you to make smart choices going forward.

10. Avoid Minimum Payments

If you do have debt, minimum payments mean you will pay the most in interest. Instead of sticking to the minimums on high-interest debts, make paying them off a priority and throw every spare dime that direction. Additionally, resist the urge to add to the balances as you pay them down, as high-interest credit card debt is one of the most cumbersome financial situations you can encounter.

By following these tips, you can develop habits that lead to financial success.

Do you have a habit that will help you reach financial success? Share it in the comments below.

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