Alex Merrick

Wronged by the banks? The CFPB is here to help (for now)

Leave a Comment / Banking

As one might expect of me, I push my relationships with every financial institution and expect perfection in delivery. Unsurprisingly, this often leaves me disappointed and escalating for attention with limited results. Cue the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). While they were chartered for bigger and better things (read: enforcement and regulation to protect consumers) […]

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Shopping Portals – easy extra discounts on your online purchases

Leave a Comment / General Schemes

Portal? What does that even mean? There are a range of web “portals” which track purchases and credit back some of the bounty/fees to consumers. Particularly for larger purchases, there’s no sense in leaving money on the table for one or two extra clicks. Also these stacking with other credit card rewards, discounts, and loyalty

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Mesa Card shutdown – “too good to be true” really is exactly that 📉📉📉

Leave a Comment / Credit Cards

The card is as dead dead as the dinosaurs. Reddit is blooming with speculation and folks miffed at the quick turn here. The original pitch is solid, but just because something sounds good doesn’t mean it’s a good business. It is so delightfully coincidental that the redemption from my Mesa-provided $100 gift card for Cozy

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American Express Platinum – that $300 hotel credit 2x/year sure is sweet

Leave a Comment / Credit Cards

I may have a dozen cards with annual fees, but that doesn’t mean I like paying the fees out of the goodness of my heart. There’s some sort of, typically meaningfully, benefit I see with each of those cards. Free nights. Free bags. Travel credits. Uber discounts. Regardless, big fees, though, are still potentially scary

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Big international trip? Skip stupid Forex fees & currency conversions

Leave a Comment / Banking, Credit Cards

Fresh off the Thanksgiving getaway to Mexico, there’s no better time to reflect quickly on how to keep expenses reasonable and avoiding unnecessary fees. Travel is expensive, but why throw money away? Here are the top hits: No Forex Fee Cards The most important first step is this. Rewards are great, but if you’re paying

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