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Regulators move to limit access to leveraged ETF products after Kospi falls by a third this month
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Looking for a great cash-back credit card? You're hardly alone. In a survey from personal-finance site WalletHub, 79% of people said they are most interested in earning cash-back credit card rewards, a significantly higher percentage than those who prefer rewards points or miles.
SEE MORE Get a Handle on Your Credit Card Debt
To help you in your search, we have compiled a list of great cards that provide cash back on every purchase (or reward you with points that you can easily trade for cash at a strong value).
For each card, we've calculated a typical annual rebate based on spending patterns in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey and assuming $25,000 spent on the card annually (unless otherwise noted). For cards that do not waive their annual fee the first year, we've subtracted the annual fee from the cash value of the annual rebate.
Best Cards for Flat-Rate Cash Back
These cards provide simple and strong cash-back rewards on all spending.
Wells Fargo Active Cash Visa
Website: www.wellsfargo.comInterest rate: 0% for 15 months, then 17.24% to 27.24%
Annual fee: None
Sign-up bonus: $200 back if you spend $1,000 in the first three months
Typical annual rebate: $500
This card provides 2% cash back on all purchases, making it a great card to slip into your wallet if you prefer simple, straightforward rewards. Ways to redeem your cash back include as a statement credit, cash at the ATM with a Wells Fargo debit or ATM card (in $20 increments), gift cards ($25 increments), or a credit to a qualifying Wells Fargo credit card, checking account or mortgage. A nice side b
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After two years of a red-hot market, it's time real estate and mortgage professionals get ready for what could be a slowdown in their business.
Earlier this summer housing prices were on fire. Now there is talk of a "housing recession." Due in part to higher mortgage rates and more people vacationing this summer, U.S. existing home sales fell in July for the sixth straight month, the longest streak of declines in more than eight years.
SEE MORE Is Your Job Burning You Out?
One of my clients in the Midwest put his home up for sale recently and has had no interested buyers - none. A few months ago, we were certain it would sell in days. The plan was to sell the house and pay off their construction loan on their new home before it converted to a permanent mortgage. Now, that plan may need to change.
Several mortgage companies have already let go thousands of employees, and one company, Sprout Mortgage, based in East Meadow, N.Y., shut down in early July. Real estate brokerage companies, such as Compass and Redfin, have also slashed their workforce.
Real estate is cyclical, and while sales will not totally dry up, anyone tied to the industry should get their finances in order now in case the current downturn lasts another several months.
Here are a few moves to consider:
Build an Emergency Fund Twice as Big as a Salaried Worker's
No one wants to get caught borrowing money to pay their bills. While putting away enough money in a savings or money market account to cover six months of expenses is normal, it's best to plan for a longer period if you work in a cyclical industry.
Consider keeping six to 12 months of r
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