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[ad_1] If you can write great copy for an ad or pen a lovely turn of phrase, you could make money from your skills. Keep reading to find out how to make money writing—one of the many ways you can boost your income online.    How to Make Money Writing Authoring articles for magazines, writing compelling marketing descriptions for products, and self-publishing fiction; these are all ways you can turn your words into positive growth in your bank account. We’ve got 10 tips for how to make money by writing online and offline below. 1. Guest Post on High-Paying Publications and Magazines Magazines and other publications often pay for content. Full-time magazine writers earn an average of around $55,000 per year, but you can make extra money on a part-time basis with this tip. Publications may pay by the word—with payment ranging from pennies to dollars per word—or by the piece—with payment from dozens to hundreds of dollars. Publications with larger circulations in niche industries tend to pay best overall. It can take time to build relationships with editors and land assignments, though. Many writers get their foot in the door with small pieces to showcase their skills. You can search online for publications that accept pitches and guidelines for submission. 2. Become a Copywriter Full-time copywriters make just over $56,000 per year, on average. But you don’t have to commit to a full-time gig to make good money as a copywriter. Many copywriters take on per-piece or project work, and they can command payments that range from a few cents per word to a dollar per word.  Copywriters use clever, compelling language to help market and sell products. Writers who can learn this specific form of writing can make good money as a freelancer, contracted copywriter, or regular employee. 3. Do Freelance Content Writing for Businesses Businesses require content of all types, not just sales and marketing copy. They hire freelancers directly and also work with content agencies. Content agencies build pools of freelancers they can use for writing jobs, so if you can sign up with such an agency, you may have ongoing work whenever you want it. There are also online writing platforms where anyone can sign up to be a freelance writer. These platforms will match your skill set with appropriate clients. 4. Ghostwrite Stories When you ghostwrite something, you put the work into words, but someone else puts their name on the final product. Most copywriting and freelance content work is ghostwriting. But you can also ghostwrite fiction, autobiographies, and nonfiction books for authors who have ideas but neither the time nor the ability to see them through. Generally, a ghostwriting client provides you with a topic and outline. They may continue to collaborate with you throughout the creation of the work. In the end, they pay you. You walk away with the cash, and they walk away with ownership of the story or whatever else you wrote.  5. Get Paid to Write on Medium Medium is a profit-sharing platform where you can post blogs and articles and get paid when people view and share them. You can tell your own story, write op-eds about various topics, or create how-to articles.  It’s important to be realistic when you want to know how to make money online by writing, though. Most people on Medium don’t make much. According to data published on Medium, 94% of writers make less than $100 a month. However, the top 1% make $5,000 or more a month. You can also submit articles you write on Medium to various publications on the platform to get greater exposure. 6. Self-Publish on Amazon Kindle If you’ve always wanted to author a book, now is a great time to do it. Self-publishing has grown tremendously over the past 20 years, and it’s easier than ever to get your work out there. You can self-publish novels, novellas, short stories and nonfiction titles through Amazon Kindle. How much you make depends on a variety of factors, including: Your readership: The more books you sell, the more you can make.  Number of books: Successful full-time, independently published authors tend to have a large back catalog of books. Book prices: Amazon pays commissions based on how much you charge for your books.  Length of book and reader completion rate: If you list your books on Kindle Unlimited, you get paid based on how much of your books readers actually read. 7. Blog and Make Money Through Affiliate Marketing For those looking for tips on how to make money writing online without writing business copy or novels, this may be the right path. It involves three major steps: Creating a website or blog with content relevant to a niche you can write a lot about Signing up for affiliate networks so you can promote products and link to sites Enabling an ad network, such as Google AdSense, to show ads to site visitors When people use your links to sign up for services or purchase products, you earn a commission.  8. Find Paid Writing Internships If you’re in college, just graduated or looking to make a career change to copywriting or sales writing, consider looking for paid internships. These positions provide on-the-job training to help you boost your skills and resume so you can land higher-paying writing jobs in the future. 9. Become a Technical Writer Technical writers earn an average of $68,000 per year, according to GlassDoor. These positions often require a bachelor’s degree related to writing or the field in which you plan to write. For example, someone who wants to write copy for pharmaceutical or medical companies might do well with a degree in biology or chemistry. As a technical writer, you’d create how-to guides and manuals for products or software or write in-depth white papers and other documents about niche topics. 10. Make Money Writing Social Media Content Companies and publications need people to manage their social media. Social media tasks can range from writing posts and tweets

[ad_1] Debit cards look and feel like credit cards. But they aren’t the same thing. Discover the difference between debit and credit cards in this quick guide, including what happens if you choose to run your debit card as credit when paying for goods or services. In This Piece Can You Use Your Debit Card as a Credit Card? What Happens When You Use a Debit Card as Credit? Can I Use My Debit Card as Credit With Insufficient Funds? Can I Use My Debit Card as a Credit Card for Online Purchases? Does a Debit Card Build Credit? Can You Use Your Debit Card as a Credit Card? The answer is yes and no. You can choose “credit” rather than “debit” at the register in many cases, but that doesn’t mean your debit card actually acts as a credit card. To better understand the answer, let’s look at the differences between these types of cards. A credit card lets you pay with a line of credit. You don’t need the money in an account at the time you use the card—you’ll pay it back later.  A debit card, in contrast, is tied to an existing account with existing money. For example, most people have a debit card tied to their checking accounts. When you use the card for debit or credit transactions, the money is still coming out of your checking account, and you should still have the money in your account before you complete the transaction. Note that some merchants don’t let you use your debit card as a credit card. They may have their payment systems set up so you have to enter a PIN. This is typically so they can save on fees associated with credit transactions.  What Happens When You Use a Debit Card as Credit? When you use your debit card at the register and select “process as credit,” the transaction processes as if you’d used a credit card. The money still comes out of your account—you don’t get to borrow it and pay it back later—but it doesn’t do so in real time. When you use your debit card to pay for a debit transaction, you typically enter your PIN number. The transaction is processed and settled immediately, which means the money comes out of your account at that moment. If you pulled up your bank account online right after paying this way, you’d see the transaction. When you use your debit card as a credit card, you don’t enter your PIN. The approval for the transaction may be based on an authorization, which involves the merchant pinging your bank account for a small amount—say $1—to ensure everything is in order. The actual transaction doesn’t settle until the merchant settles the purchase, which it may do in a big batch with other purchases at the end of the day or even a few days later. It can take several days for a debit card payment run as a credit card transaction to fully hit your bank account.  Can I Use My Debit Card as Credit with Insufficient Funds? Since your debit card is tied directly to your bank account, the funds must already be in your account before you make the purchase. You should think of a debit card as a conduit for the cash you already have. You should never use your debit card to buy things when you don’t have the money for them. Some banks do provide overdraft protection. This means if you miscalculate your balance and try to pay for something that’s more than what you have in the account, the transaction is allowed. Banks usually charge fees for this, however, and it can get expensive. If you’re new to debit cards, you might want to practice with a prepaid debit card, which you fund with prepaid amounts. Prepaid debit cards can also be great tools for those who don’t want to open a checking account for any reason. Can I Use My Debit Card as a Credit Card for Online Purchases? If your debit card has a Mastercard or Visa logo on it, you can use it just like a credit card for online purchases. If you’re shopping online and there’s an option to pay with a credit card, simply select it. Enter the information from your debit card and finalize the payment. Again, you should only do this when you have the money in the account to cover the transaction.  Does a Debit Card Build Credit? No, a debit card doesn’t build credit. It’s not a line of credit or credit account, so nothing gets reported to the credit bureaus. However, if you overdraw your account with your debit card and fail to make good on those funds, your bank might eventually close your account and turn you over to collections. That can negatively impact your credit. So it’s still important to use your debit card wisely. The Bottom Line Using a debit card to make a credit transaction isn’t that different from using it to make a debit transaction. The money still comes out of your bank account. You don’t, however, have to enter your PIN, so many people choose credit to safeguard the security of their account.  A debit card is a great money management tool. As with all financial tools, it’s important to use it wisely. Only pay with it when you have the funds to do so, and check your account to ensure all payments are actually yours and there aren’t any mistakes or fraud.To keep an eye on your overall financial status, consider signing up for ExtraCredit so you can see your FICO scores and what’s on your credit reports. The post Can You Use a Debit Card as a Credit Card? appeared first on Credit.com. [ad_2]

[ad_1] Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Many people with good credit scores own at least one credit card, with 82% of all credit card holders boasting credit scores of 680 and higher. When used responsibly, credit cards can be a great tool for building credit. Here’s a complete guide on how to build credit with a credit card. Table of contents:  5 best ways to build credit with a credit card How to use credit cards to build credit How to build credit without a credit card Building credit with a credit card FAQ 5 Best Ways to Build Credit with a Credit Card To improve your credit score with a credit card, you need to know how to best use your credit card. Responsible credit card usage is key to boosting your credit—it won’t increase simply because you got a credit card. Here are the five best ways to increase your credit score using a credit card. 1. Pay bills on time One of the most important parts of having a credit card is paying your credit card bill on time. Payment history is the largest factor in your FICO® score at 35%, which means it can make or break your score.  Get into the habit of paying your bills on time every month and watch your score grow. Setting up automatic payments for a few days before your bill is due can help make sure you never miss a payment and give a cushion of time for the payment to go through.  2. Keep your utilization rate low Your credit utilization rate, or credit utilization ratio, is the amount of credit you’re using divided by the amount of credit available to you (your credit limit).  Let’s say your credit limit is $500. This is the maximum amount you can spend on your credit card before payments are denied, but that doesn’t mean you should spend that much.  It’s best for your credit score to keep your utilization rate under 30%—under 10% is even better! This is because the amount of money you owe impacts 30% of your FICO score and the lower this number is, the better. But how much can you actually spend with your credit card?  If your credit limit is $500, 30% of that is $150. So, you should aim to never have a balance over $150 on your credit card. Even better, shoot for a balance under $50 (10% of your limit). 3. Don’t overspend You don’t need to carry a balance on your credit card to improve your credit score. Paying off your balance in full every time, not just making the minimum payment, is the best practice.  Carrying a balance can cost you more in credit card interest and late fees. Plus, it may increase your utilization rate and damage your credit score. Do your best to avoid credit card debt and treat your credit card like a debit card—only spending money you have. 4. Use your card regularly Using your first credit card requires a delicate balance. You don’t want to spend too much and go over your utilization rate, but if you don’t use it regularly enough, the lender may close your account. Using some of your available credit is one of the best ways to boost your credit.  The solution is to use your card to make regular, small purchases. This could include purchases like:  Gas Groceries Small, recurring bills  Inexpensive meals After a while of making these regular purchases and paying them off on time, your credit card provider will probably increase your credit limit, allowing you to spend more with your card. Until then, using your card for these types of purchases can help you establish responsible credit card habits and keep your credit utilization low.  5. Avoid opening more cards Every time you apply for a new credit card, the creditor makes a hard inquiry on your credit, which drops your credit score a few points. You’ll be able to earn back those points in the long run, but in most cases, if you apply to a bunch of credit cards at once, those hard inquiries will add up and take a toll on your credit.  For this reason, you should only apply for one credit card at a time and make sure it’s a good match for you. When you’re first building your credit, it’s best to start small with one card and take your time to practice building credit with it before opening more accounts. How to Use Credit Cards to Start Building Credit To recap, here’s a step-by-step guide to increasing your credit score with your first credit card.  Apply for a credit card you can qualify for. Connect your bank account for automatic monthly payments. Make small purchases to use under 30% of your credit limit (under 10% is better). Pay your balance in full and on time each month. Avoid opening new credit cards. Regularly monitor your credit report. If you’re not sure what kind of credit card to apply for, here are the types of credit cards you can use to start building credit and the advantages of each. Unsecured credit card: An unsecured credit card, or standard credit card, is great if you qualify for one. They don’t require a deposit to use and often offer rewards. Secured credit card: This type of card is great if you can’t get approved for a standard credit card. Secured cards require a deposit but then they work like any other credit card.  Student credit card: If you’re a student, it’s typically easier to qualify for a student card than a standard credit card. These cards can have decent rewards too! Store credit card: Store credit cards can sometimes be easier to qualify for than standard

[ad_1] Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw unemployment rates reach highs that we haven’t seen since the 1930s. By October 2021, unemployment reached a high of 4.9%, causing many to look for creative ways to earn an income.  Job security is rarely guaranteed, which is why learning how to make money online is a great way to ensure you’re able to take care of yourself and your family when times are tough.  In this post, we’re going to tell you about 37 different ways you can make money online from the comfort of your own home. From full-time to part-time to side hustling on top of your regular nine-to-five, we list out different ways to supplement your income as well as include what you need to get started and who these jobs fit best. How to make money online from home  There’s an endless amount of ways to make money online from home by capitalizing on the skills you either currently have or can easily learn. For years, many have been leveraging the “gig economy” to make money online, which is a virtual market where short-term contracts and freelance work are prevalent. Although these jobs don’t offer the stability or benefits of full-time work, these “gigs” can help supplement your income and frequently lead to steady work. Read on to learn about 37 ways to make money online by leveraging the gig economy. 1. Sell used items Money-making category: Selling or renting physical items You no longer need to have a garage sale in order to sell your old items. Online, you can use platforms like Poshmark to sell used clothing, or you can sell them locally on sites like Craigslist, OfferUp and the Facebook Marketplace.  One of the primary advantages is that you’re no longer limited to your neighborhood and can reach a larger pool of potential buyers. This isn’t just limited to clothes, either. You can sell old furniture, electronics and more. Best for: Those with old items they no longer need What you need to get started: Supplies to ship orders or transportation to deliver locally 2. Flip novelty items Money-making category: Selling or renting physical items This sounds similar to selling used items, but the difference is that you’re purposefully buying old items to make a profit. eBay is an auction website, and many people are looking for hard-to-find novelty items. You can also flip items on similar sites like Craigslist and Poshmark. At thrift stores, garage sales and old toy stores, you can find hidden gems for a low price that you can sell for a significant profit. Best for: People who like treasure hunting What you need to get started: Supplies to ship orders or transportation to deliver locally 3. Sell arts and crafts Money-making category: Selling or renting physical items If you love making arts and crafts, your own clothing or anything similar, you can make money from home on sites like Etsy. No matter what you enjoy making, there’s a market for it on Etsy.  Best for: Creatives and artists What you need to get started: Materials to create items 4. Rent out your stuff Money-making category: Selling or renting physical items Do you have things that you don’t mind renting out? Well, websites like FriendWithA connect you with people who are looking to rent various items. Some of the main items people rent include cameras and film equipment, tools, generators, bikes and other items people may only need for a day or two. Best for: People with items they aren’t regularly using What you need to get started: Items in good condition to rent 5. Rent out a room Money-making category: Selling or renting physical items More and more people are using websites like Airbnb to make money from home by renting out a room, guest house or home. Services like this are especially profitable if you live in a destination city that people travel to for events. Visitors select dates similar to a hotel, and AirBnB takes a small portion of the profit. Best for: People with an extra room or home What you need to get started: A well-maintained room or home 6. Sell stock videos and photos Money-making category: Selling virtual items or goods For those who love photography and videography, there are a variety of websites that will buy your photos and videos. Websites like SmugMug Pro, 500px, Getty Images, and many others will pay you for the rights to your photos and videos. Best for: Photographers and videographers What you need to get started: A camera 7. Sell royalty-free music Money-making category: Selling virtual items or goods Similar to photography and videography, many websites will pay you for your music. This type of music goes in the background of YouTube videos, advertisements and anywhere else people may need some background music. Websites like Epidemic Sound and Pond5 are good places to start when it comes to selling your tunes. Best for: Musicians What you need to get started: Instruments and recording equipment. Royalty and licensing information is available on the websites. 8. Self-publish books Money-making category: Selling virtual items or goods If you’re a writer, you no longer need to go through a publisher to make money selling books. Today, there are many different websites that allow you to self-publish and sell your books.  The most popular site is Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), but you can also sell your books on websites like Apple, Google Play books, Kobo and more. If you have a microphone, you can turn your books into audiobooks as a way to make even more money from your writing. Best for: Writers What you need to get started: Writing software 9. Create online courses Money-making category: Selling virtual items or

[ad_1] In a Nutshell Visa and Mastercard are both card networks. Both organizations manage the payment networks through which their cards work. Visa and Mastercard are different companies, but they operate in a very similar way. Four credit card networks tend to compete for space in consumer wallets. They are Mastercard, Visa, Discover and American Express.  According to Statista, Mastercard and Visa have had the largest market share for a while. As of 2021, they accounted for more than 87% of the market. Compare that to Amex’s 10.5% and Discover’s 2.2% and you can see that most credit cards are Mastercard or Visa. But is one better than the other? Are there really any differences between these two major credit card networks? Find out in our guide to the difference between Mastercard and Visa below. In This Piece What’s the Difference Between Mastercard and Visa? How Are Visa and Mastercard Similar? What’s the Difference Between a Network and an Issuer? How Does Payment Processing Work? Other Mastercard vs. Visa Similarities Which Is Better: Visa or Mastercard?    What’s the Difference Between Mastercard and Visa? While they’re both credit card processing networks, these are unique and separate companies. They were founded at different times. Originally known as the BankAmericard credit card program, Visa launched in 1958. Mastercard began as Master Charge: The Interbank Card when it emerged as a BankAmericard competitor in 1966. Visa cards don’t work on the Mastercard network, and vice versa. You can’t, for example, use a Visa to pay for something in a store that only accepts Mastercard. How Are Visa and Mastercard Similar? There are more similarities between Visa and Mastercard than differences. As mentioned earlier, these are both card networks. They both play the middleman between payment processors and issuing banks. Both companies operate globally, so if you alert your issuer in advance, you should be able to use your Visa or Mastercard in another country when you go on vacation. Whether you pay fees for this service depends on your card issuer and account details—not on Visa or Mastercard. Both Visa and Mastercard have tens of millions of merchants in their networks, and both companies’ merchant fees are comparable. Both organizations are publicly traded. What’s the Difference Between a Network and an Issuer? The credit card network is the middleman between the payment processor and the issuer of the card. When you pay with a credit card, the information is processed through the network to the bank that issued your credit card. On the other side of the transaction, the data that supports the funds transaction is also processed through the network. Visa and Mastercard are credit card networks. They’re responsible for the infrastructure for these transactions and for protecting the information as it passes between the payment processor and the issuer. For this service, the credit card networks charge a fee—usually paid in part via a small percentage of every transaction. An issuer is the bank that issues the card. Examples include Chase, Citibank and Capital One. The issuer is the entity that decides whether you’re approved for a credit card and sets interest rates and fees. It’s also the lender that pays for the goods you purchase with your credit card and the entity you pay back with your payments.  How Does Payment Processing Work? Visa and Mastercard credit card and debit card payments all go through the same payment process—albeit on different networks. The process looks like this: Consumers swipe cards—or tap contactless cards—in physical stores or enter card details online. Merchants send payment authorization requests to their payment processors.  Payment processors send payment requests to the appropriate card network. Card networks “ask” issuing banks for payment authorization.  Issuing banks approve or deny the transaction. At this point, transactions are—hopefully—authorized, but they’re not settled yet. The process must continue: Merchants send approved payment requests to payment processors in batches.  Once again, payment processors send transaction details to Visa, Mastercard or other applicable card networks. Card networks “ask” issuing banks for previously authorized funds. Issuing banks release the funds, which travel to merchant banks. Credit card processing network fees get taken out along the way. Merchant banks transfer funds into individual merchant accounts. At this point, the store or other merchant has been paid for the goods or services you bought with your credit card. Your next statement should also reflect the purchase.  Other Mastercard vs Visa Similarities Visa and Mastercard issuers have a range of products to choose from. Debit cards let you spend money already in your bank account—plus your overdraft if you have one set up. Meanwhile, you must fund prepaid cards in advance.  Visa or Mastercard credit cards have the following things in common. 1. Credit Scores Matter Card issuers make decisions based on consumers’ credit scores. If you want a card with an extra-low APR and a really high credit limit, you’ll need a top-notch credit score. Lower credit scores generally mean lower credit limits and higher interest rates. If you’re new to credit or you need to repair your credit, look for a credit builder or credit repair card. You won’t have a very high limit to begin with, and your APR might not be very competitive, but if you make regular payments, you’ll soon qualify for a better product. Surge Mastercard® Credit Card Apply Now on Surge’s secure website Card Details Intro Apr: N/A Ongoing Apr: See Terms* Balance Transfer: N/A Annual Fee: See Terms* Credit Needed: Fair-Poor-Bad Snapshot of Card Features All credit types welcome to apply! Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time) Fast and easy application process; results in seconds Use your card at locations everywhere that Mastercard® is accepted Free online account access 24/7 Checking Account Required See if you’re Pre-Qualified without impacting your credit score Card Details + 2. Rewards Cards Provide Value Mastercard and Visa both partner with issuers that offer rewards

[ad_1] At a glance: If you’re looking for a credit card that offers a wide range of rewards and benefits, the U.S. Bank FlexPerks Gold American Express Card is an excellent choice to consider. With this card, you can earn rewards on purchases that can be redeemed for travel, merchandise and cash back.  In this post: The benefits What to consider before signing Alternative cards Our takeaways The U.S. Bank FlexPerks Gold American Express Card is a rewards credit card that lets you accumulate points and redeem them for a variety of perks. Options for redemption include travel, such as hotel stays and airfare, products and cash back. You’ll need good to excellent credit to get approved for this card, which provides the highest level of points for hotel and car rental purchases when booked through the FlexPerks Rewards Center. The Benefits of the U.S. Bank FlexPerks Gold American Express Card This credit card comes with a number of benefits. First, for a rewards card with decent benefits, it has a fairly low annual fee of $85. Depending on your creditworthiness, the variable APR is 18.99% to 28.99%, and you’ll never pay foreign transaction fees—something that’s important for international travelers. You earn points when spending with the U.S. Bank FlexPerks Gold American Express in the following ways: In addition to points, you get a lot of perks you might expect from a travel rewards credit card. Those include: What to Consider Before Signing Up for the U.S. Bank FlexPerks Gold American Express Card Before applying for a credit card, you should always consider whether you have the credit score to get approved. Review the fine print, including annual fees, interest rates and other fees, to ensure you can afford to hold the card. Finally, consider whether the perks and rewards structure will work well for your lifestyle. For example, if you aren’t someone who stays in hotels or travels a lot, this card may not be the right fit for you. You might get a better deal by applying for a cashback credit card. However, if you do travel a lot and don’t have a preferred hotel chain or airline, the FlexPerks card can provide the flexible rewards system that’s right for you. Alternatives to the U.S. Bank FlexPerks Gold American Express Card Not sure if this is the right card for you? Check out some other options below. U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card APR/Rates: Regular APR: 18.27%-27.49% Intro APR: 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles Fees Annual fees: none Balance transfer and convenience check cash advance fees: 3% or $5 Other cash advance fees: 5% or $10 Late and returned payment and over limit fees: up to $40 Rewards: 1% to 3% cash back Bonus Rewards: N/A Best for: Small Business U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card  APR/Rates: Regular APR: 20.49%-28.49% Intro APR: N/A Fees Annual fees: $95 after the first year Balance transfer and convenience check cash advance fees: 3% or $5 Other cash advance fees: 5% or $10 Late and returned payment fees: up to $41 Rewards: 2x to 5x points Bonus Rewards: 50,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first 120 days Best for: Travel Rewards U.S. Bank Business Leverage Visa Signature Card APR/Rates Regular APR: 20.49%-25.49% Intro APR: N/A Fees Annual fees: $95 after the first year Balance transfer fees: 3%-5% or $5 Convenience check cash advance fees: 5% or $5 Other cash advance fees: 5% or $10 Late and returned payment fees: $39 Rewards: 1% to 2% cash back Bonus Rewards: $750 bonus rewards when you spend $7,500 in the first 120 days Best for: Small Business U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card APR/Rates Regular APR: 18.99%-28.99% Intro APR: 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for first 15 billing cycles Fees Annual fees: none Balance transfer and check cash advance fees: 3% or $5  Other cash advance fees: 5% or $10  Late and returned payment fees: up to $41 Rewards: 2% to 5% cash back Bonus Rewards: $200 rewards bonus when you spend $1,000 in the first 120 days Best for:  Cash Back U.S. Bank Altitude Go Card APR/Rates Regular APR: 19.49%-28.49% Intro APR: 0% introductory APR on purchases and balances transfers for 12 billing cycles Fees Annual fees: none Balance transfer and check cash advance fees: 3% or $5  Other cash advance fees: 5% or $10 Late and returned payment fees: up to $41 Rewards: 1x to 4x points redeemable as cash back Bonus Rewards: 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 the first 90 days Best for: Cash Back U.S. Bank Business Platinum Card APR/Rates Regular APR: 16.49%-25.49% Intro APR: 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 18 billing cycles Fees Annual fees: none Balance transfer and check cash advance fees: 3% or $5 Other cash advance fees: 5% or $10 Foreign transaction fees: 3% Late payment fees: $19-$39 Returned payment fees: $35 Over limit fee: $39 Rewards: N/A Bonus Rewards: N/A Best for: Small Business U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card APR/Rates Regular APR: 18.99%-28.99% Intro APR: 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 18 billing cycles Fees Annual fees: None Balance transfer and check cash advance fees: 3% or $5 Other cash advance fees: 5% or $10 Foreign transaction fees: 3% Late and returned payment fees: up to $41 Rewards: N/A Bonus Rewards: N/A Best for: Balance Transfer U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Credit Card APR/Rates Regular APR: 21.49%-28.49% Intro APR: N/A Fees Annual fee: $400 Balance transfer and check cash advance fees: 3% or $5 Other cash advance fees: 5% or $10 Late and returned payment fees: up to $41 Rewards: 1x to 5x points Bonus Rewards: 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days Best for: Travel Rewards Our Takeaways The U.S. Bank FlexPerks Gold American Express Card may be a good option for individuals looking for a flexible travel rewards credit card. Whenever you’re applying for any card, you should consider details such as rewards, fees and other benefits of the card. Choose a card with benefits that work for you and fees that fit within your budget to

[ad_1] Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Quick answer box Term life insurance covers you for a specified amount of time, whereas a whole life insurance plan covers you permanently. Whole life insurance provides more coverage and a cash value that you can borrow against, but it’s significantly more expensive. For many, talking about life insurance with loved ones can be scary as it makes us confront difficult topics around death and finances. The reality is that life expectancy in recent years has declined due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors. Additionally, there are between 180,000 to 450,000 sudden unexpected deaths (SUDs) each year. We don’t share this information to scare you, but rather explain why it’s important to think about how you plan to protect your loved ones in the event of an unexpected death. This can often be a difficult topic to discuss, but it’s why life insurance is such an important resource. Like other forms of insurance, life insurance provides a sum of money should an individual pass away. With life insurance, you name beneficiaries like your spouse, children, or others, so they’re financially secure if something were to happen to you. Here, you’ll learn the differences between term life vs. whole life insurance, the benefits and drawbacks of each and how to choose the one that’s right for you and your family. Key takeaways: Term life insurance is similar to regular insurance because you’re covered for as long as you have the policy Whole life insurance is more expensive than term life, but it covers you permanently The average price of whole life insurance can be five to 10 times more expensive or more, but it also provides more coverage and benefits What is the difference between term vs. whole life insurance? The primary difference between term and whole life insurance is that term life insurance lasts for a certain number of years and whole life insurance lasts as long as you’re alive. While paying your premiums for whole life insurance, you also have an account with a tax-free cash value, which you can borrow against.  What is term life insurance? Term life insurance covers you for a specified amount of time, which is typically between five and 30 years. If an individual passes away during the term, the beneficiaries of the policy receive a payout. Between term and whole life insurance, term life insurance is often the more affordable option.  When signing up for a term life insurance policy, you can choose one that’s unique to your situation. By doing this, you can sometimes find a lower price to reduce your premiums. The pros and cons of term life insurance Term life insurance’s biggest benefit over whole life insurance is the cost. It’s more affordable, but there are some downsides to consider as well. Pros: Affordable Policies are easier to understand Better for young, healthy people Cons: Beneficiaries don’t receive money if you outlive the term No tax benefits No cash value Term life insurance is similar to other insurance policies in the sense that if nothing happens, you don’t receive a payout or other benefits. What is whole life insurance? Whole life insurance covers you for as long as you’re alive, but it’s often more expensive than term life insurance. Those who choose this option need to budget for insurance a bit more to get the additional benefits. Also known as “permanent life insurance,” this insurance policy never expires as long as you’re paying your premiums on time. The pros and cons of whole life insurance The biggest benefit of whole life insurance is that your loved ones will receive a payout regardless of when you pass away. It also has some cash and tax benefits, but there are some drawbacks to take into consideration, too. Pros: Lasts as long as you’re alive Can borrow or withdraw money from the policy Loans are usually tax-free Premium price doesn’t fluctuate Cons: More expensive than term life insurance Policy may be canceled if you miss a payment Unpaid loans reduce the benefits When you make payments on whole life insurance, the payments are split between your premium and the cash value. According to Fidelity Life, the amount going into the cash value is larger at the start of the policy and gradually lowers over time. This cash value can also accrue interest, which makes it similar to a savings account. What’s the cost difference between term and whole life insurance? As mentioned, whole life insurance can be much more expensive than term life insurance. To simplify, we’ll use a $500,000 policy to look at the average cost difference between the two. This can help you whether you’re budgeting for retirement or looking to get a policy while you’re younger.  The following monthly rate averages come from research conducted by Quotacy for term life insurance and Policy Genius for whole life insurance: .container{ max-width: 1200px; width: 100%; margin: auto; } .cradit-crawalable-table { border-collapse: separate; width: fit-content; border-radius: 10px; margin: 50px 0; border: solid 1px #f2f2f2; border-spacing: 0; overflow: auto; height: max-height; display: block; } .cradit-crawalable-table::-webkit-scrollbar { width: 5px; border-radius: 20px; } .cradit-crawalable-table::-webkit-scrollbar-track { -webkit-box-shadow: inset 0 0 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.3); border-radius: 20px; } .cradit-crawalable-table::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb { background-color: #44b853; outline: 1px solid slategrey; border-radius: 20px; } .cradit-crawalable-table thead { color: #303030; } .cradit-crawalable-table thead tr { background-color: #f2f2f2; border-radius: 10px; } .cradit-crawalable-table thead tr th { text-align: left; padding: 15px; border: 0; } .cradit-crawalable-table thead tr th:first-child { border-radius: 10px 0 0 0; } .cradit-crawalable-table thead tr th:last-child { border-radius: 0 10px 0 0; } .cradit-crawalable-table tr td { padding: 15px; border-left: 0; border-right: 0; border-bottom: solid 1px #f2f2f2; } .cradit-crawalable-table tr p { padding: 0; margin: 0; } .cradit-crawalable-table tr a { color: #44b853; padding: 0; text-decoration: none; } .question-box { padding: 50px;