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Understanding the Perk of a Credit Card Extended Warranty
Many manufacturers warranty their products against defects or certain other issues for a period of time. This is known as the manufacturer’s limited warranty, and depending on the product, it might provide coverage for a period as short as 30 days or as long as three or more years. In many cases, by swiping the right piece of plastic at checkout, you can get an automatic credit card extended warranty.
What Is Extended Warranty Coverage?
An extended warranty is any coverage that goes beyond what the manufacturer provides automatically when you buy a product. Extended warranties are often available for purchase from third parties.
For example, you might purchase an appliance at a home-improvement store like Home Depot or a piece of electronics at a big-box store such as Best Buy. When you pay, you might be asked if you want to purchase extra warranty coverage of several years beyond the manufacturer warranty. In some cases, these warranties step in to provide additional coverage, such as replacing the product if it is damaged or falls victim to typical wear and tear.
What is a Credit Card Extended Warranty?
Some credit card accounts come with a special perk. If you purchase a qualifying product with your card, the card network backs your purchase with an extended warranty coverage. The extended warranty coverage that comes with some of the best credit cards usually extends the manufacturer’s warranty for up to a year longer.
The length of an extended warranty offered can vary by card, and the credit card network won’t extend a warranty past a certain time. Typically, if the manufacturer offers more than a five-year limited warranty, no card network adds time to that. Some only add time if the manufacturer’s warranty is three years or less. Others only add to a manufacturer’s warranty that ends within 12 months.
How Can You Tell if Your Credit Card Includes Extended Warranty Protection?
Many major cards, including some on Visa, American Express and MasterCard networks, offer warranty protection. The best way to find out if your credit card company includes this perk is to read your benefits guide, which is included in the paperwork that came with your card. You can also usually find this information online if you have an online account for the card or you can call the customer service number for your credit card issuer and ask.
Does My Visa Card Have an Extend Warranty?
If your card is a Visa Signature card, then this extra perk is included. Simply look for the words Visa Signature on the front of your card. If you don’t see those words, consult your benefits paperwork or call customer service to get the details about card benefits.
Does Capital One Offer Extended Warranty?
Yes, some Capital One cards come with extended warranty protection. This is because Capital One cards are typically issued on either the Visa or MasterCard network, and it’s the network that provides the warranty coverage.
Does the Costco Visa Include Extended Warranty Perks?
Yes, someCostco-branded Visa credit cards include an extended warranty perk. This is also true for several other branded cards for various stores, hotel chains or airlines.
How Does the Visa (or Other)Â Extended Warranty Work?
Credit card extended warranty programs have some unique guidelines but do tend to follow the same overall concept. You pay for an eligible item with your credit card. If a covered issue arises after the manufacturer’s warranty coverage is up but before the extended time period covered by the card network, then you can file a claim to be reimbursed for the loss. To file a claim, you’ll need to call the benefits administrator for your credit card issuer.
- American Express: 1-800-225-3750
- Visa: 1-800-882-8057
- MasterCard: 1-800-622-7747
When you make a purchase with your credit card, keep the receipt in case you need to file a claim. Also keep the manufacturer’s warranty, receipt, serial number and product description information on hand. You’ll need all of this information when you make the phone call to file a claim.
Make it a habit to start a paper file whenever you spend big on something. That way, you’ll be ready in case you need to use this benefit. But do note that not all purchases are covered by these rewards. Examples of what’s not covered include boats, motorized vehicles, computer software and used or pre-owned items.
Extra Protection by Paying with Credit Cards
The credit card extended warranty isn’t the only perk you might get when you pay with your credit card. Some cards offer buyer’s remorse protection, ensuring you can always return eligible items within certain windows, or travel and road protections for peace of mind when you find yourself 100 miles or more away from home.
Understanding how credit cards work and what benefits you get from yours lets you get added value when making purchases. Start off right by choosing the best credit card for your needs and using it wisely as one resource in your personal money management toolbox.
The post Understanding the Perk of a Credit Card Extended Warranty appeared first on Credit.com.
Source: credit.com
How to Make Better Financial Decisions
A key financial decision people struggle to make is how to allocate savings for multiple financial goals. Do you save for several goals at the same time or fund them one-by-one in a series of steps? Basically, there are two ways to approach financial goal-setting:
Concurrently: Saving for two or more financial goals at the same time.
Sequentially: Saving for one financial goal at a time in a series of steps.
Each method has its pros and cons. Here’s how to decide which method is best for you.
Sequential goal-setting
Pros
You can focus intensely on one goal at a time and feel a sense of completion when each goal is achieved. It’s also simpler to set up and manage single-goal savings than plans for multiple goals. You only need to set up and manage one account.
Cons
Compound interest is not retroactive. If it takes up to a decade to get around to long-term savings goals (e.g., funding a retirement savings plan), that’s time that interest is not earned.
Concurrent goal-setting
Pros
Compound interest is not delayed on savings for goals that come later in life. The earlier money is set aside, the longer it can grow. Based on the Rule of 72, you can double a sum of money in nine years with an 8 percent average return. The earliest years of savings toward long-term goals are the most powerful ones.
Cons
Funding multiple financial goals is more complex than single-tasking. Income needs to be earmarked separately for each goal and often placed in different accounts. In addition, it will probably take longer to complete any one goal because savings is being placed in multiple locations.
Research findings
Working with Wise Bread to recruit respondents, I conducted a study of financial goal-setting decisions with four colleagues that was recently published in the Journal of Personal Finance. The target audience was young adults with 69 percent of the sample under age 45. Four key financial decisions were explored: financial goals, homeownership, retirement planning, and student loans.
Results indicated that many respondents were sequencing financial priorities, instead of funding them simultaneously, and delaying homeownership and retirement savings. Three-word phrases like “once I have…,", “after I [action],” and “as soon as…,” were noted frequently, indicating a hesitancy to fund certain financial goals until achieving others.
The top three financial goals reported by 1,538 respondents were saving for something, buying something, and reducing debt. About a third (32 percent) of the sample had outstanding student loan balances at the time of data collection and student loan debt had a major impact on respondents’ financial decisions. About three-quarters of the sample said loan debt affected both housing choices and retirement savings.
Actionable steps
Based on the findings from the study mentioned above, here are five ways to make better financial decisions.
1. Consider concurrent financial planning
Rethink the practice of completing financial goals one at a time. Concurrent goal-setting will maximize the awesome power of compound interest and prevent the frequently-reported survey result of having the completion date for one goal determine the start date to save for others.
2. Increase positive financial actions
Do more of anything positive that you’re already doing to better your personal finances. For example, if you’re saving 3 percent of your income in a SEP-IRA (if self-employed) or 401(k) or 403(b) employer retirement savings plan, decide to increase savings to 4 percent or 5 percent.
3. Decrease negative financial habits
Decide to stop (or at least reduce) costly actions that are counterproductive to building financial security. Everyone has their own culprits. Key criteria for consideration are potential cost savings, health impacts, and personal enjoyment.
4. Save something for retirement
Almost 40 percent of the respondents were saving nothing for retirement, which is sobering. The actions that people take (or do not take) today affect their future selves. Any savings is better than no savings and even modest amounts like $100 a month add up over time.
5. Run some financial calculations
Use an online calculator to set financial goals and make plans to achieve them. Planning increases people’s sense of control over their finances and motivation to save. Useful tools are available from FINRA and Practical Money Skills.
What’s the best way to save money for financial goals? It depends. In the end, the most important thing is that you’re taking positive action. Weigh the pros and cons of concurrent and sequential goal-setting strategies and personal preferences, and follow a regular savings strategy that works for you. Every small step matters!
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Source: feeds.killeraces.com
Best Checking Accounts 2020
Sound money management is an important part of a solid financial strategy. Youâll want to have some of your money set for retirement in a traditional or Roth IRA. Still, other money might be saved for your kidsâ college, a down payment on a house or other longer-term goals. And then you might have an emergency fund as well as a checking account that you use to pay your monthly bills and expenses. Each of these buckets of money can be in a different kind of account. In this article, weâll look at some of the best checking accounts.
What makes a good checking account
Before we look at some of the best checking accounts, itâs a good idea to talk about what makes for a good checking account. A checking account is an account that you would typically use to pay your ongoing monthly expenses. It is more and more rare to actually write paper checks, and instead, you would typically use a debit card or cashless payment account linked to your checking account.Â
With a checking account, some features to look for include no monthly or maintenance fees, a low minimum amount to open an account, the rate at which they pay interest, and any account opening bonus they might offer. The interest rate that checking and savings accounts pay is tied to the federal funds rate and usually varies over time. As of 2020, the interest rates are quite low, and many checking and savings accounts do not pay any interest at all. Also keep in mind that even if your account pays you 1% interest, youâre still losing money to inflation. So you wouldnât want to keep any long-term investment money in a checking or savings account.
With all that being said, letâs take a look at some of the top checking accounts available.
Discover Cashback Debit
Discoverâs checking account offers 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month, which is one of the few debit cards that offer a reward on ongoing purchases. The Discover Cashback Debit account also comes with no monthly maintenance or other fees, no fees to withdraw at over 60,000 ATMs worldwide and no fees for insufficient funds.
CapitalOne 360 Checking
The CapitalOne 360 Checking account has no account minimums or fees. It currently offers a 0.10% APY on balances, though you can also open a no-fee CapitalOne 360 Performance Savings account which offers 0.65% APY as of the time of this writing. CapitalOne also has thousands of branch offices nationwide, so you can do your banking online or in-person. The CapitalOne 360 Checking account offers three different options if you happen to overdraft your account – Auto-Decline, Next Day Grace and Free Savings Transfer.
Fidelity Cash Management Account
Fidelityâs Cash Management Account also offers no account fees or minimum balances. It also reimburses ATM fees nationwide, though only offers 0.01% APY on account balances. Fidelity makes it easy to transfer money between your checking account, savings accounts and any retirement accounts you have with Fidelity. Plus, the Fidelity Rewards Visa offers 2% cash back on all purchases, which you can redeem into your Fidelity Cash Management Account or any other Fidelity account.
Wealthfront Cash Account
Wealthfrontâs Cash Account offers a high-interest checking account (0.35% APY as of this writing) with no fees. And Wealthfrontâs convenient account dashboard lets you easily move money between your checking account and any investment or retirement accounts that you have with them. They also offer a service where you can get access to your paycheck up to two days early if you direct deposit into your Wealthfront Cash Account
HSBC Premier Checking
HSBCâs Premier Checking account also offers no fee on ATMs nationwide or for everyday banking transactions, but does charge a monthly maintenance fee if you donât have at least $75,000 in combined accounts or direct deposits of at least $5,000 monthly. They are currently offering a promotion where you can earn 3% as a welcome bonus, up to $600. Youâll get 3% on qualifying direct deposits, up to $100 per month, for the first six months of having your account.
Chase Total Checking
Chase Total Checking is currently offering a welcome bonus of $200 when you open a new account and have a direct deposit made to your account in the first 90 days. Chase Total Checking is currently paying an interest rate of only 0.01% APY. Also, there is a $12 monthly maintenance fee which can be avoided if you either:
- Have direct deposits totaling $500 or more
- Have a balance at the beginning of each day of $1,500 or more
- Have an average beginning day balance of $5,000 or more in any combination of all of your Chase accounts
The post Best Checking Accounts 2020 appeared first on MintLife Blog.
Source: mint.intuit.com
Mint Money Audit 6-Month Check-In: How Did Michelle Allocate Her Windfall?
In March I offered some financial advice to Michelle, a Mint user who was struggling with debt, a lack of retirement savings and a bit of family financial drama amongst her siblings.
Michelle was anticipating a cash bonus from her company and wasnât sure if she should save the money or use it to relieve her debt.
I recommended a two-prong approach where she uses the cash to play savings catch-up in her retirement account and knock down some of her debt, which, at the time, included a $3,000 credit card balance and $52,000 in student loans.
Six months later, Iâve checked in with the 38-year-old real estate developer, to see if any of my advice was helpful and if sheâs experienced any shifts in her financial life.
We spoke via email:
Farnoosh: Have your finances have improved over the last 6 months since we last spoke? If so, what has been the biggest improvement?
Michelle: Yes. I’ve aggressively been contributing to my 401(k) â about 50% of my pay – and had hoped to reach the annual maximum of $18,000 by June, but looks like it will be more like October. I also received a $40,000 distribution from a project that I closed.
F: What aspects of your financial life still challenge you?
M: Investing for sure. I never know if I’m hoarding too much cash. I am truly traumatized from the financial downturn. I just joined an online investment platform, but it was also overwhelming. Currently I have $45,000 in a regular savings account that earns 1.5%.
Another challenge is not knowing whether to just bite the bullet and pay off my student loans or to continue to pay them monthly.  I hate that I’m still paying loans 16 years after I graduated and it’s a source of frustration [and embarrassment] for me.  I owe $36,000. Often times I have an inner monologue about the pros and cons of just paying them off but then my trauma from 2008 kicks inâ¦and I decide to keep my $45,000 nest egg safely where I can check the balance daily.
F: I recommended allocating $45,000 towards retirement. Was that helpful? What are some ways you’ve managed to save?
M: Yes, I recall you saying you recommended having a total of $100,000 towards retirement for a person my age. Currently, I have $51,000 in my 401(k), $35,000 in a traditional IRA and $17,000 in my Ellevest brokerage account, so I’ve broken the $100,000 goal.
I did add a car note to my balance sheet. My old car suffered a total loss (major electrical failure due to a sunroof leak!) and the insurance gave me a check for $9,000. I used it all towards the new vehicle (a certified used 2014 Acura) and I’m financing $18,000.
F: Your dad’s home was a source of financial stress, it seemed. Were you able to talk with your siblings and arrive at a better place with that?
M: My dad actually has passed since we last spoke. He passed in February and so his will went to probate. My siblings and I have decided not to make any decisions about the house for at least one year. Yes, this is kicking the can further down the street however, they recognize that I maintain the house and pay the real estate taxes and so they are not pressuring me to move or to sell.
The new deed has been recorded and the property is under all our names and so everyone seems ok with knowing that I can’t do anything regarding a sale or refinance unilaterally.
So, for now, I live rent free other than paying utilities, miscellaneous maintenance on the house and real estate taxes quarterly. This, too, is helping me save aggressively.
Also, the new car note has replaced the hospice nurse contribution so I’m not feeling that my budget is overburdened with the new car.
I think ultimately I will buy out at least two of my siblings and stay in the house. Verbally they have expressed being okay with this.
Have a question for Farnoosh? You can submit your questions via Twitter @Farnoosh, Facebook or email at farnoosh@farnoosh.tv (please note âMint Blogâ in the subject line).
Farnoosh Torabi is Americaâs leading personal finance authority hooked on helping Americans live their richest, happiest lives. From her early days reporting for Money Magazine to now hosting a primetime series on CNBC and writing monthly for O, The Oprah Magazine, sheâs become our favorite go-to money expert and friend.
The post Mint Money Audit 6-Month Check-In: How Did Michelle Allocate Her Windfall? appeared first on MintLife Blog.
Source: mint.intuit.com
Watch Your Wallet: 7 Hidden Costs of Self-Isolating at Home During Coronavirus
Yuttachai Saechan/Getty Images; realtor.com
Those who are fortunate enough to still be collecting a paycheck while quarantined or sheltering in place might expect to build up some serious savings. While you work from home, you’re avoiding your usual commuting expenses, and you’re probably saving money by not going to bars, restaurants, and movies, or skipping that vacation to Fiji.
But as spending decreases in some areas during self-isolation, it can creep up in others. To brace yourself and your budget, keep an eye on these expenses while youâre self-isolating at home.
1. Utilities
If youâve gone from office life to Zoom life, youâre spending more time at home than usual, which could ramp up your household expenses.
âYour utility spending might be considerably higher if you’re spending more time at home cooking, charging devices, using lights and appliances,â says Ted Rossman, industry analyst at CreditCards.com.
To keep your utility bills down, turn off lights when you leave the room, open windows during the day to let in cool air, unplug devices that youâre not using, and consider turning down your water heater by a few degrees.
2. Groceries
m-gucci/Getty Images
Even if youâre not hoarding (and you shouldnât be), you might find yourself spending more on groceries while you shelter in place.
For some people, an uptick in grocery spending will be offset by the money saved from not dining at restaurants. But if your local store is picked overâor if you pay fees for grocery deliveryâyou could spend more on groceries than usual.
âIâve been to a local grocery store, and the only thing that was available was organic, so I couldnât buy the generic. I actually had to spend more money,â says Steve Repak, author of the â6 Week Money Challenge for Your Personal Finances.â
If your grocery spending feels out of hand, be flexible and creative with your menu. Cook the food you already have at home before you head back to the store. Sites such as Eater have compiled resources for home cooks, including Pantry Cooking 101 and How to Stock a Pantry.
If youâre using a delivery service, place infrequent, larger orders instead of several small orders. Or consider curbside service; many stores are allowing free pickups where they bring your groceries right to your car, so you can save on delivery fees and tips.
3. Meal delivery and takeout
You may not be able to enjoy a nice meal at a restaurant, but you can order takeout and deliveryâand those indulgences can add up quickly. After all, itâs not just the meal youâre paying for.
âThereâs probably still a service fee, and on top of that you have to leave a gratuity,â Repak says. (It’s also a good idea to generously tip the workers who are delivering your food in these times.)
If youâre on a budget, reserve takeout and delivery for special occasions or those days when you just canât muster the motivation to cook.
4. Alcohol and other sources of comfort
Moyo Studio/Getty Images
If you find yourself decompressing with a glass or two (or three) of wine every night, your drinking habit could do a number on your budget. And you wouldn’t be aloneâalcohol consumption has shot up nationwide, and in states where recreational marijuana is legal, dispensaries are reporting booming business.
âSocial isolation is really strongly linked to physical and mental health problems, and the way we cope with a lot of them is by drinking more,â Repak says. âPeople are going to smoke more and drink more … and we need to find other healthier coping mechanisms to offset that additional spending.â
You may not want to totally forfeit your evening glass of pinot, but you can make your supply last longer by sipping a mug of (far more affordable) chamomile tea on occasion, or opting for a calming yoga video or breathing exercise.
__________
Watch: Our Chief Economist’s View on the Pandemic, Mortgage Rates, and What’s Ahead
__________
5. Subscriptions
Youâve rewatched all your favorite shows on Netflix and Huluâso, now’s the time to add a Disney+ subscription, right?
Not so fast, Repak says.
âSave a little bit of money by just picking one of the streaming services,â he suggests, or at least donât pile on new subscriptions to the ones you already have.
To free up your budget, take inventory of your other monthly subscriptions, services, and other recurring expenses, and see if there’s anything that can be eliminated.
âTen dollars a month may not sound like a lot, but if you have five of those, that’s $600 annually,â Rossman adds.
6. Online shopping
Poike/Getty Images
If you turn to retail therapy to soothe your soul, your budget could take a hit. True, many retailers are offering deep discounts in order to move merchandise, but even discount purchases add up.
âImpulse buying is a potential trap,â Rossman says. âSome people fall victim to it more than others.â
Instead of clicking âadd to cartâ as a coping mechanism, Repak suggests cleaning out your closet instead.
âThis is a great time that we can offset our budget by decluttering our house or apartment,â he says.
Use sites like Poshmark to sell your clothes, or Mercari for your household items. Many donation centers such as Goodwill are still accepting donations, tooâjust call ahead to make sure your local store or donation drop-off location will take your items.
7. New hobbies you’re trying in quarantine
Our spending habits are highly personal, and you might find yourself throwing money at a new habit or hobby to fight cabin fever.
âItâs a worthwhile exercise to track your spending, especially now that so much is different,â Rossman says. âLook through your credit card and bank statements from the past month. Do you see anything surprising? Are there areas where you spent extra but didn’t feel it was worth it? These could be good ways to cut back.â
And remember: Even if quarantine has eliminated some of your old day-to-day expenses, itâs easy to overestimate how much youâre saving.
âMost people don’t have a great handle on their budget and spending habits anyway, and so much has changed of late,â Rossman says. âIt’s easy to overlook things.â
The post Watch Your Wallet: 7 Hidden Costs of Self-Isolating at Home During Coronavirus appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
Source: realtor.com
Why a Family Should Make Major Financial Decisions Together
The post Why a Family Should Make Major Financial Decisions Together appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.
Whether or not you have the option to stay at home with your children or choose to work full or part-time, making major financial decisions with your partner or spouse can make a huge difference in your self-esteem and deepen your trust in each other. Having an equal voice in the big decisions, backed by the solid knowledge of what your joint investments and accounts hold, is a smart mom move.
Donât be scared of the words âmajor financial decisions.â Keep reading. Iâll be gentle.
Donât let fear guide you
Nothing used to make me more nervous than the idea of talking about money. And itâs not because I have a lot of it, quite the opposite. When I was single, I always paid my bills, but rarely on time. I racked up interest on my credit cards, wasting money I couldnât afford to give away. I didnât file my taxes for ten years, which cost about $5,000 to clean up.
I was at war with money. So, I was more than happy to hand over the management of the family finances to my partner as soon as we combined households.
This was a mistake. It wasnât wrong for any nefarious reason. My ex-husband remains one of my best friends. Simply put, it was a missed opportunity. But, for someone with a less trustworthy partner, handing over responsibility could lead to a major disaster.
Making decisions means sharing responsibility
Letâs start with the best-case scenario. You and your partner have a good stable relationship. Money is okay. Thereâs enough coming in that you arenât really worried about any of the basics. But who sits down and pays the bills?
If itâs you, then you know how much the taxes are and the utilities and the mortgage or rent. Maybe you balance out what you allow yourself to purchase at the grocery store by what you know is in the family checking account.
But, if your partner doesnât know the cost of living, whatâs to stop them from ordering an expensive new gadget. Maybe they make more money than you bring in, and they are super excited about the new iPhone.
Sounds like a tense situation brewing.
A new piece of electronics is tiny as far as major purchases are concerned. But spending nearly (or even over) $1,000 for the latest smartphone can set back a family making an average income when an out-of-pocket medical expense pops up in the same month. And, with a family, thatâs bound to happen.
If both partners know the familyâs finances, purchases can be coordinated and saved for. Thatâs the first step to bigger things, like buying a home, paying for college, and figuring out what kind of retirement you can look forward to.
How to get started with family finances
Talk about it. Itâs family meeting time. Say you want to pay the bills or share them. I know couples who pass the responsibility of paying the bills back and forth every six months. They have a joint checking account and set up all the bills in an online payment system that needs to be monitored. Find a method that works for you.
You might think you are really good at saving money, because you only buy sale items, but thatâs small potatoes. If you expand your thinking to future savings and layout purchases in a spreadsheet, you might have fun planning how much you can save in a month and a year. Then you get to plan what to do with those savings at your next family meeting.
For example, once you save $1,000, you can begin to think about opening an investment account, like an IRA, for retirement, or you could invest in stocks on your own.
Stuff happens: be prepared
No one wants to think about death, divorce, or disability. But, moms with kids stand to lose the most when these things happen. Knowing the state of your familyâs finances ahead of time will save you time and stress when you can least afford to waste either.
Even the most civilized divorce is a tense process. To serve or answer a divorce summons you have to know every last detail of your own and your partnerâs income, expenses, and investments.
Do you know how much your partner has squirreled away for retirement? Have a talk about what kind of future you want to have together and what expectations you have for your children. You donât just get what you ask for; you get what you plan for, too.
And, if an accident happens, your husband or wife would want you to be OK. If you and your partner donât know each otherâs bank information and logins, exchange them as a shared trust exercise. Itâs good practice, in case of an emergency and necessary should something terrible occur.
Take care of yourself
My college sociology teacher told the women in my class something Iâm going to pass on to you.
Get your own bank account and credit card, separate from your partnerâs. Pay bills on a credit card that you know you can fully pay off on a monthly basis so that you can build your own credit.
You never know when your credit score could become what saves your family from a disaster, like homelessness. And if you get used to making small and medium-sized financial decisions together, youâll be ready for the really big things.
Build confidence
After your initial discomfort dissipates, youâll find that having your familyâs financial facts at your fingertips gives you confidence. When you donât know how much you have and how much you spend, then your partner is your banker. And no matter how much love you share, money will always be a power issue.
A family financial meeting once a quarter or twice a year will save you from answering to your partner about your credit card bill or wondering why your debit card isnât working.
—By Nic DeSmet
The post Why a Family Should Make Major Financial Decisions Together appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.
Source: pennypinchinmom.com