Being able to envision what it would be like to be free from debt can help motivate you to take the steps necessary to make it a reality. For many, debt is a way of life. Or rather, it has … Read More … Read More
credit cards
Why your goal is to not care about credit cards (if you even care today)
As you build wealth, the reasons to use credit cards fall away even more. Recently I wrote about my own revelation that, while I love collecting (and using!) frequent flyer miles, eventually, with my own financial goals in place, I … Read More … Read More
Here are the times when I use a credit card
Once of the very first posts on this site was called “How credit cards are like alcohol“. In it, I stated that I didn’t believe that there was anything inherently bad about credit cards, but only that some people can … Read More … Read More
Is a credit card safer than a debit card?
I recently got some pushback about using debit cards. I always appreciate this. I want ideas to be battle-tested, and I welcome the opportunity to think critically about decisions I’ve made and suggestions I’ve given. I don’t need everyone to … Read More … Read More
How store credit cards foreshadow the retail apocalypse
In my last post, I mentioned how I had once had an Exxon credit card given to me by my mom to use for emergencies. It made me think about those specialty credit cards. How quaint I thought. A credit … Read More … Read More
Emergencies are the worst time for using debt
Not long after I got my drivers license, my mom gave me an Exxon card to carry around with me. “For emergencies, in case you run out of gas and are stranded.” I never used it. It’s not that I … Read More … Read More
Captain Obvious Reports: How not to have more credit card debt
Sometimes I like to get deep into the rabbit role with details. The post I wrote immediately before this detailed the ins and outs of rebalancing your investment portfolio. An important topic to discuss, but it’s hard not to be … Read More … Read More
A quick primer on obtaining and using foreign currencies when traveling
As I mentioned about tracking expenses when traveling abroad, other countries don’t use US dollars. (I’m joking about this being notable, of course.) But switching between currencies presents some extra challenges and requires extra awareness to prevent getting burned with … Read More … Read More
How to decide whether to keep a credit card with an annual fee
I mentioned that there is only one reason to keep a credit card that carries an annual fee: The benefits you get from holding the card that you would have paid for anyway must be greater than the annual fee. … Read More … Read More
Conferring with the enemy (Part 5): Finishing the deal
All posts in this series: Conferring with the enemy (Part 1): A credit card for a travel plan Conferring with the enemy (Part 2): Fulfilling minimum spend requirements on a credit card Conferring with the enemy (Part 3): The waiting (for … Read More … Read More