myFICO 25% Off Promotional Code
myFICO is currently running promotion with 25% off on FICO credit score and other selected credit products. When purchasing FICO products from now till September 30th using promotional code FINANCIALHELP25, you can get a 25% discount on
- FICO Standard TransUnion or Equifax: $11.96 after 25% off
- Suze Orman’s FICO Kit Platinum: $37.46 after 25% off
myFICO also offers myFICO ScoreWatch credit monitoring service for an annual subscription price of $89.95, or $8.95 per month. With ScoreWatch, you can monitors your Equifax credit report on a daily basis and update your FICO credit score every week. In addition, you will be notified when you reach your target score or when you qualify for a better interest rate. ScoreWatch also alerts you when unexpected changes to your credit report because your FICO score to drop. With ScoreWatch, you will receive two Equifax Score Power reports each year with no additional cost. Other benefits of the credit monitoring service include real-time monitoring of the following events:
- Newly opened accounts
- Inquiries from applications for new credit
- Increases in account balances
- Changes in account status, such as a missed payment
- New activity on accounts that were inactive
- Newly listed public records, such as bankruptcies, court judgments, and tax liens
- Newly listed collection company records
- Changes to public records and collection company records
- Changes to the name listed on your credit report
- New addresses or phone numbers
ING Direct Electric Orange $50 Bonus Promotion
ING Direct is currently running a promotion for its Electric Orange Checking Account. The promotion will give $50 bonus to each new customer when the following conditions are met during the promotion period:
- Open an Electric Orange with promotion code EL593 by October 31, 2009;
- Activate the Electric Orange MasterCard Debit Card;
- Use the Electric Orange Card to make at least 3 signature-based purchases in the first 45 days after the account has been opened;
- $50 bonus will be automatically deposited into the Electric Orange 50 days after the account has been opened.
Electric Orange is ING’s interest bearing checking account, but interests paid on a small account balance is close to nothing. Currently, an account with balance up to $50,000 only earns 0.25% APY. Interest rate for balance between $50,000 and $100,000 is at 1.50% APY and 1.55% APY for balance of $100,000 or more.
The account has no minimum balance requirement and no monthly service fees. The debit card also allows you to withdraw cash from AllPoint network ATMs for free.
Scottrade Stock Trading Platform
Scottrade is an online discount broker which offers self-directed investors a wide range of products and services. Unlike many other discount brokers which operates only online, Scottrade also has branch offices throughout the country, giving investors easy access to Scottrade staff for face-to-face help.
Scottrade offers investors two trading platforms. One is web-based and the other is a standalone, PC-based called ScottradeELITE, which can be downloaded and installed on local computer if the account owner has more than $25,000 in the account.
Currently, Scottrade charges $7.00 for each stock trade. Though the commission isn’t the lowest among popular online discount brokers, Scottrade’s other features, such as branch office, stock research tools, and instant account funding (with restrictions) make it an attractive option for stock and options trading.
The best feature I like about Scottrade is that it shows the total market value of my account graphically right on the home page. Even though the graphic only covers up to 6 months, it give me a clear view how my investments have changed over time. This is a feature that I didn’t find at any other brokers I am using.
Scottrade doesn’t have charts on its homepage. Quotes are given as numbers only, even though it does have a separate page where I can get plots and all the technical analysis tools. To trade a stock, I need to enter the symbol in the Quick Quote first then provide all the necessary order information (or click the Trade tab on the top). What I feel not very convenient is that for those securities I already own, I have to go through the same steps (enter symbol and order info) to make a trade.
Scottrade doesn’t have streaming real-time quotes on its main web platform. However, it does have a free, Java-based streaming tool that opens in a new window (from the Streaming Quotes link on the left) and trades can be made from there as well.
While every broker has a web-based trading platform, not every one offers free, real-time streaming quotes. For most brokers, you can only get real-time quote when you enter the stock symbol and get the quote of the particular stock. With Scottrade, you can not only get real-time streaming quote for free, but also trade right from the window as well, no need to go back to the main interface.
AMEX Starwood Preferred Guest Card 25,000 Starpoints Promotion
Are you a frequent traveler? If you are, then you may want to check out the Starwood Preferred Guest Card from American Express, another travel rewards credit card that rewards cardholders with generous points and bonuses.
Right now, Starwood Preferred Guest Card is running a promotion that will give new cardholder up to 25,000 Starpoints in bonus. Of those bonus points, 10,000 points (enough for up to 3 free nights at a Category 1 or 2 hotel) will be credited after the first purchase within the first year. The additional 15,000 Starpoints will be rewarded after the cardholder spends $15,000 on the card within 6 months.
Starwood Preferred Guest Card Reviews
American Express’s Starwood Preferred Guest Card is a travel rewards credit card that earns cardholders Starpoints which can be redeemed for airline tickets, hotel stays, or room upgrade. To earn rewards points, all you need to do is use the card for your everyday purchases at any location where American Express is accepted. With the Startwood card, you can
- Earn 1 point for every dollar you spend on every day items;
- Earn double points when you stay and make purchases on over 890 participating Starwood hotels and resorts in 95 countries;
- Earn an additional point for every dollar spent at Starwood hotels and resorts when joining the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program (enrollment in the program is automatic for the cardholder).
In addition to the rewards program, as an American Express cardholder, you also enjoy some extra services from American Express for either shopping or travel when you use the card.
- Return protection: Guarantees your satisfaction on designated items within 90 days from the date of purchase.
- Extended warranty: Mirrors manufacturers’ warranties for covered products purchased with your Card account, for up to one additional year.
- Purchase protection: Protects covered items for up to 90 days from the date of purchase if it is stolen or accidentally damaged.
- Emergency check-in: Check into a hotel and charge your stay with the Card, even if your Card has been lost or stolen.
- Assured reservations: Guarantee your hotel reservations with your Card and your room will be waiting for you even if you arrive late, or the hotel will provide you with a comparable room nearby, along with transportation to your new location.
- Travel accident insurance: Provides up to $100,000 in accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
All these benefits come with a $45 annual fee. If you open an account during the promotion period, the annual fee will be waived for the first year.
How to Redeem Starpoints?
There are several ways to redeem points earned with the Starwood Preferred Guest Card. You can redeem the points for free stays at hundreds of Starwood properties, such as Westin Hotels & Resorts, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Four Points by Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, and W Hotels with no blackout date. If you prefer, the points can also be transferred to frequent flyer miles with more than 30 airlines, usually at 1 mile per point ratio. Redemption can be easily made online, by phone, or at the hotel.
Currently, the Starwood Preferred Guest Card also offers a promotional rate of 2.90% APR for 6 months on purchase made with the card. Check it out to see if you like the card.
Pulaski Bank Visa Card: A Card With Low Rate
Apparently, I never really know anything about the Pulaski Bank Visa Card issued by Pulaski Bank, except seeing it mentioned in the Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine as one of the low-rate cards.
So how low is the rate? How about 6.50% fixed APR for both purchase and cash advance?
When I apply for a new credit card, and for all those credit cards that I already own, I almost never paid any attention to the card’s interest rate, except the introductory rate which could be 0% for 12 months. Some may argue that interest rate is probably one of the most important elements of a card offer, but that’s never the case for me because I always pay my credit card bills in full. So whatever rate a card charges doesn’t bother me at all (I’d rather keep a close eye on the card’s rewards program). Nonetheless, I can still tell that the 6.50% APR is still much lower than the rates of all the premium cards I own, where are usually in the range between 10 to 15% APR.
While it’s nice to have a card with a low rate, I also want some other features or benefits if I would ever get a card. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can expect from the Pulaski Bank Visa Card except, well, the low rate. So basically, the low rate is the only feature of this credit card (BTW, you will have to pay a $35 annual fee for using the card).
Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t think this is a card for me. I want a card to have a little bit more than a low rate. However, if you always carry a balance on your credit card, then the Pulaski Bank Visa Card could make a nice choice. After all, you can save a lot of money with a card that charges 6.5o% APR than a card that charges 15.0% APR.
The AmericanDream Card – The Pooled Rewards Card
This card, the AmericanDream Card from HSBC, is quite unique.
Rewards programs from most credit cards usually reward cardholders with cash backs, frequent flyer miles, or points. The AmericanDream Card, on the other hand, gives card members entries to the sweepstakes. Every time a dollar is spent on everyday purchases with the card, an entry to the monthly American Dream jackpot is earned. Card members can receive up to 1,000 entries per qualified transaction and there’s no limit on the number of entries one can earn. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?
During the promotion period (from now till September 30, 2009), the card is offering some incentives to encourage people apply for the card, including:
- 1,000 lottery entries for just applying for the card;
- 50 entries for every referral and another 1,000 entries for every approved application;
- 100 entries for paying bills online;
So what exactly is up for grab? Well, the grand prize for one lucky winner each month’s drawing is 0.5% of the total amount spent by all card members during the month, up to $25,000.
What do you think of this card? While the jackpot is pretty impressive, I won’t put too much into the odds of actually winning, obviously depending on the number of users and how much money they spend. To increase your chance of winning the sweepstakes, you will have to spend more money. The spending, however, could end up earn you nothing if you don’t win the lottery. I’d prefer a guaranteed return for the money I spend via a reward program that guarantees something, might that be rebates or miles.
Anyway, that’s just me. Take a look at the AmericanDream Card to see if it’s your type.