TJ Porter – Doughroller https://www.doughroller.net Personal Finance for Smart People Mon, 08 Jul 2024 18:49:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://www.doughroller.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/favicon.ico TJ Porter – Doughroller https://www.doughroller.net 32 32 Chase Business Complete Checking Review – $300 Bonus Opportunity https://www.doughroller.net/banking/chase-business-checking-review/ https://www.doughroller.net/banking/chase-business-checking-review/#respond Fri, 08 Sep 2023 20:27:12 +0000 https://doughrollertra.wpengine.com/uncategorized/banking-chase-business-checking-review/ A checking account is like a financial clearinghouse. It serves as the center of your financial life. Any money you make arrives in your checking account, and all the money you spend comes from it. Just like people, businesses need access to banking services like checking accounts. Business owners can use business checking accounts to...

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A checking account is like a financial clearinghouse. It serves as the center of your financial life. Any money you make arrives in your checking account, and all the money you spend comes from it.

Just like people, businesses need access to banking services like checking accounts. Business owners can use business checking accounts to keep their personal and company finances separate, and many banks offer specialized, business-focused features in their business checking accounts.

Chase is a large bank that offers both personal and business banking services. Its best business checking account is called Chase Business Complete Checking®.

Chase Business Complete Checking Features

These are some of the top features of the Chase Business Complete Checking Account.

$300 Welcome Bonus

When you open a new Chase Business Complete Checking account, you can earn a $300 bonus by meeting a few qualifying activities.

  1. Deposit $2,000 in new funds into your account within 30 days of offer enrollment.
  2. Maintain at least a daily balance of $2,000 for 60 days.
  3. Complete five qualifying transactions within 90 days of offer enrollment.

For any small business, those activities should be rather simple. When completed, your bonus will be deposited into your account within 15 days. Offer expires 10/17/2024.

Online Bill Payment

chase for business

Businesses, just like people, have bills to pay. Whether paying your employees or invoices submitted by suppliers, your business will have to send money to other people from time to time.

Chase Business Complete Checking offers multiple options for both sending and receiving payments. Chase’s online bill payment service has a few business-focused features, making it easy to track your payments in progress and your bills so you can be sure never to miss a due date.

The company also offers an online bill payment guarantee. Chase guarantees that your bill payments will always arrive by the time they are scheduled to arrive. If an error by Chase causes you to miss a due date and incur a fee, Chase will pay the late fee for you.

Business Savings and Lending Services

One of the benefits of banking with Chase is that it is a large, well-known brand that offers various banking services. If you like your experience with Chase Business Complete Checking, the odds are that you won’t have to find another bank if you need other services, like credit cards or loans.

Related: Best Small Business Loans

Business credit cards are a great way for business owners to finance smaller purchases over the short term and give employees who need to make business purchases a way to do so without complicated reimbursement arrangements. Chase also has generous rewards programs if you use its business credit cards.

Chase also offers loans and lines of credit to companies large and small, giving you a way to finance an expansion of your company or the money you need to tackle other projects.

Related: Best Small Business Credit Cards

Point of Sale Systems

Any successful business needs a way to get paid for the goods and services it provides. Even if you have the best products in the world, you can’t make money if people can’t pay you.

Chase offers point-of-sale solutions that you can use with any of its business checking accounts. The Chase QuickAccept tool lets you accept both credit and debit card payments with an easy-to-understand fee structure and same-day deposits of the payments you receive.

You can install the app on your phone or tablet, so you don’t have to buy additional equipment to accept payments for your business.

Chase Business Complete Checking Pricing and Fees

Chase Business Complete Checking charges a $15 monthly fee, but that fee can be waived by meeting just one of the following criteria:

  • $2,000 minimum daily balance
  • $2,000 in net purchases on your Chase Ink® Business Card(s)
  • $2,000 in deposits from Chase QuickAccept® or other eligible Chase Payment Solutions transactions
  • Link a Chase Private Client Checking℠ account.
  • Provide qualifying proof of military status.

Some of Chase’s other account services also involve fees. For QuickAccept transactions, you’ll pay 3.5% + $0.10 per key entry transaction and 2.6% + $0.10 for card reader transactions.

You’ll also pay $0.40 per transaction (deposit, withdrawal, ACH transfer, etc.) if you make in excess of each account’s free transaction limit.

Signing Up

Opening a business checking account with Chase is like opening an account with any other bank minus a minor detail. First, you will need to input your email address to be mailed a special offer code (which includes the $300 bonus if you qualify)

You’ll be asked for basic information about yourself and your business during the application process.

You’ll also have to link another bank account to fund your business account with an online transfer. Chase makes this process easy if you have an existing personal bank account.

You can also open the account in person at a branch by bringing in the coupon code. The application process will be similar in person, on your desktop or phone.

Learn More: How to Open a Business Bank Account

Chase Mobile App, Security, and Support

Chase Mobile App

Chase offers one powerful mobile app that you can use to manage all of your Chase accounts in one place. This includes business and personal bank accounts, credit cards, and loans.

chase mobile app for business

The app is easy to use and has a sleek interface. You can accomplish almost any task you need to through the app, including transferring money between accounts, paying bills, setting up automatic transfers, and accepting card payments from customers.

Related: Best Mobile Banking Apps

Security

Security is a top concern when it comes to your money, so you want to know that the money you keep in your Chase business checking account will be safe.

Chase uses state-of-the-art encryption and internet security tools to protect your personal information and money. The same is true for its mobile application. You can also set up multi-factor authentication for additional account security.

Related: Is Online Banking Safe?

Customer Service

Chase offers many ways to contact customer service when you need help. Some options are available 24/7, while others have more limited hours, but there’s always a way to get the help you need.

The simplest way to get help is to call the company’s support line. Assistance is available 24/7.

  • 1-877-242-7372

If you’d rather not chat with someone over the phone, you can send a secure message through your account portal anytime or night. Chat support through the company’s Twitter account is also available from 7 AM—11 PM Eastern on weekdays and 10 AM—7 PM Eastern on weekends.

Chase also accepts support requests through the mail, and of course, you can visit a branch to speak to a banker anytime a branch is open.

Related: Best ATM Locator Apps

Chase Business Complete Checking Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Nice welcome bonus – $300 is a very solid welcome offer
  • Widely available customer support—Customer support is available 24/7 by phone, and you can also speak with someone in person at a branch or online through social media.
  • Multiple account types available — Chase offers three different checking accounts to suit the size of your business.
  • Banking services — Full suite of banking services, including lending and savings.
  • Large network — National network of branches and ATMs.

Cons

  • Monthly fee — Avoidable, but not ideal for very small businesses
  • Transactions — Some limits on transactions.
  • Extra perks — Lack of features and perks, like integrations with bookkeeping tools or discounts on business services.

Chase Business Complete Checking Alternatives

Novo

chase business complete checking alternative

Novo offers an online business checking account for business owners who do most of their business online.

As a fintech company, Novo doesn’t offer an option for depositing cash. However, it offers many perks and features that can benefit online businesses. For example, account holders can get discounts on services like Google Cloud, Quickbooks, HubSpot, and Google Ads.

Novo also integrates with tools like Slack, Shopify, and Stripe to make it easier for you and your team to keep your business running smoothly.

Best of all, Novo doesn’t charge any hidden or monthly fees. Once you make the $50 opening deposit, there are no minimum balance requirements and few fees to worry about.

  • Minimum balance: None
  • APY: None
  • Transaction Limits: 20 check deposits per month
  • Monthly Fee: None

Read our Novo Review

Lili Basic

lili

If you’re a freelancer who doesn’t need all of the services that Chase provides, Lili might be a good choice for you. Lili is a mobile-focused bank that was designed specifically for freelancers.

There are no minimum balance requirements to worry about and the account is practically fee-free. There is no monthly fee and you don’t even have to worry about overdraft fees.

You’ll maintain easy access to your cash with a debit card that you can use anywhere and a network of more than 30,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide.

Lili can also help make paying your taxes easier by automatically setting some of your income aside to make estimated tax payments. Lili also tracks your debit card spend, making it easier to claim business expenses on your tax return.

  • Minimum balance: None
  • APY: None
  • Transaction Limits: $5,000 per day for debit card spending
  • Monthly Fee: None

Read our Lili Review

Bluevine

chase business complete checking alternative

Bluevine offers an online checking account and lending services, making it a solid choice for companies that need inexpensive banking services, but who want the option to borrow money if they’re looking to expand.

Like Novo, Bluevine lets businesses deposit cash. The deposits happen through a partnership with GreenDot, so there is a $4.95 fee for each deposit. This can add up quickly if you make frequent deposits, but the good news is that there are no monthly maintenance fees to worry about.

Another perk of the account is that you can earn a solid interest rate on balances up to $250,000 – Eligibility requirements apply. The interest can add up if your company has a large cash cushion.

  • Minimum balance: None
  • APY: %
  • Transaction Limits: None
  • Monthly Fee: None

Read our Bluevine Review

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does Chase have a fee-free business checking account?

No, Chase does not have a completely free business checking account. The closest account it offers is the Chase Business Complete Checking account, which has a $15 monthly fee but offers many ways to have the fee waived.

Who can open a business checking account?

Anyone with a business or planning to start a business can open a business checking account, and doing so has many benefits. Chase will allow people with officially organized businesses and sole proprietors without special business documents to open accounts.

Can I use a personal bank account for my business?

Using your bank account for your business is possible, but it isn’t a good idea. A dedicated business bank account keeps your personal and business finances separate, making it much easier to keep track of your business’s money. In some cases, it’s required. For example, owners of limited liability companies can lose their liability protections if they mix their business and personal funds.

Business bank accounts also come with features designed to help business owners manage their company’s finances. Personal bank accounts focus on individuals’ financial needs, meaning the features will not be as applicable to a small business.

Is Chase Business Complete Checking Right for You?

The greatest drawback of Chase Business Complete Checking is the $15 monthly fee. While the fee is relatively easy to avoid, it’s still expensive compared to the many free options.

I’ve used Chase’s personal and business credit cards for years now, and I’ve had nothing but good experiences with them. I also banked with the company briefly and had a lovely experience.

If you want a business checking account that works and can grow with your business, Chase Business Complete Checking is a great choice. The account’s fee structure is reasonable, the $300 welcome offer is a great start, and the monthly maintenance charge is easy to avoid.

Opening the account also gives you access to many other services your business could use, like credit cards and loans, making it easy to recommend trying the account.

Most businesses will be best served by Chase Business Complete Checking and for those who take in a lot of cash, it’s one of the best Business Checking accounts you can own.

Chase Business Complete Checking®

TJ Porter

chase for business
Sign Up Bonus
Interest Rate
Mobile App + Features
Fees
Customer Service

Summary

Chase Business Complete Checking has an excellent up-front offer and tremendous features for everyday business banking. Be careful of its monthly fee.

3.9

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The 5 Best Debt Repayment Tools and Apps https://www.doughroller.net/loans-credit/debt/best-debt-repayment-tools-and-apps/ https://www.doughroller.net/loans-credit/debt/best-debt-repayment-tools-and-apps/#respond Tue, 18 Jul 2023 21:31:19 +0000 https://doughrollertra.wpengine.com/uncategorized/loans-credit-debt-best-debt-repayment-tools-and-apps/ Debt is a major problem for many Americans. For some, their debt isn’t a problem because it is so-called good debt, such as a mortgage. But for many, their debt is in the form of credit card balances, payday loans, or other expensive forms of debt. When you’re in debt, it can feel like an...

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Debt is a major problem for many Americans. For some, their debt isn’t a problem because it is so-called good debt, such as a mortgage. But for many, their debt is in the form of credit card balances, payday loans, or other expensive forms of debt.

When you’re in debt, it can feel like an impossible escape. Even when you make your monthly payments, high-interest rates can make you feel like not much progress is being made. There are apps and tools you can use to help make repaying debt a bit easier, giving you a better chance to get back on your feet financially. Here are five of our favorite debt repayment tools.

Overview of the Best Debt Repayment Tools and Apps

BrandBest for
TallyPeople who want to consolidate their debts
MintPeople who want an app that can help with their budget, not just debt
Undebt.itPeople who want a free tool
ZilchWorksPeople who want a secure, offline program
Debt ManagerPeople who want a mobile-focused option

Tally

Tally is an app designed specifically for people who are having trouble paying off credit card debt.

What sets Tally apart from the competition is that it helps you consolidate your existing credit card debt into a single monthly payment. When you sign up for Tally, you’ll enter your debt information. Based on your creditworthiness and the amount you owe each month, Tally may give you a line of credit.

If you qualify, Tally will handle paying your credit card bills for you. All you have to do is make a single payment to Tally each month. Tally does charge interest on the line of credit but aims to make the rate lower than the rates charged by your credit cards. There are no origination fees or maintenance fees.

Tally mobile app

Other than the cost of its line of credit, Tally is free to use, however, you can only take advantage of its service if you’re able to qualify for its line of credit. According to Tally, you’ll need a minimum FICO score of 660 to qualify.

If you want access to lower interest rates and a higher line of credit, you can also choose to pay for a Tally+ membership for $25/month. This fee is paid from your line of credit and you have to make your payments on time to get the best interest rates.

Mint

Mint isn’t so much a debt repayment tool as it is a tool to help you keep track of all of your financial accounts in one place.

Mint connects with your bank, credit card, and investment accounts, automatically importing your balances and transaction information.

You can use Mint to build a budget, telling it how much you want to spend on each category, such as groceries, entertainment, and utility bills. As you spend money, Mint automatically categorizes your transactions and keeps track of how well you’re sticking to your budget.

Building a budget can help you repay your debt more quickly by making you more mindful of how you spend your money. If you know that you have $3,000 to spend each month, you’ll want to build a budget that involves spending less than that. Then you can put any extra cash toward debt payments.

For every dollar you can shrink your budget, you get an extra dollar that you can put toward repaying your debt ahead of schedule.

Mint does offer some useful tools to make managing your debt easier. You can use the Goals feature to track your debt payoff progress and savings goals.

Mint app

Mint can also keep track of due dates so you can make sure you don’t miss any payments. The app also offers regular credit score updates so you can watch your score improve as your pay down your balances. Mint is completely free. There is no premium service to subscribe to.

Related: Best Mint Alternatives

Undebt.it

Undebt.it is a free online debt calculator. After you create an account, you’ll see a dashboard. Here, you’ll enter all of your different debt accounts, including how much you owe, the monthly payment, the interest rate, and the credit limit of the account.

From your dashboard, you can view all of your debt accounts in one place. The dashboard shows you how much you owe, what your next payment is, and when you’ll pay off each debt.

undebt.it dashboard

The site offers a lot of valuable tools and visualizations that you can use to get a better handle on your debt situation. You can see a graph of your balances over time and how adding an extra $25 can speed up your repayment. If you’re curious about how different payment strategies affect your repayment schedule and the total amount paid, the site can help with that too.

You can also use Undebt.it to get an idea of how repaying your debts will improve your credit score by helping you build a payment history and reduce your overall debt.

Undebt.it also offers a paid membership plan called Undebit.it+ offering more features including bill management and custom debt payoff methods for $12/year. You can also try Undebit.it+ free for 30 days.

ZilchWorks

ZilchWorks is a downloadable program designed to help you get out of debt quickly. Once you download the tool and enter your budget and debt information, ZilchWorks can design a personalized payment plan. The company’s website advertises that it can help you create a plan in as little as 10 minutes.

ZilchWorks

ZilchWorks aims to help its customers pay off their debts in as little as two years. It can also help you save money because its plans take into account interest charges and can help you pay down the most expensive debts first, also known as the debt avalanche method. You can choose between the debt avalanche or debt snowball method. Debt avalanche focuses on paying off high-interest debt first and the debt snowball knocks out the lowest-balance debts first. Here’s how ZilchWorks helps you find out which method may be best for you:

ZilchWorks debt snowball vs avalanche

If you’re security conscious, ZilchWorks is one of the better tools on the market. Unlike many of its competitors, ZilchWorks is a downloadable program rather than a web-based app. Once you download the tool, you can work with it completely offline. That means that your data won’t be hosted on an internet server where it could get exposed to hackers.

It costs $39.95 to unlock the standard version of the software.

Debt Manager

Debt Manager is a mobile app that can help you understand and get control of your debt.

Unlike some of the other apps on this list, Debt Manager doesn’t automate making payments or set aside money for you. Instead, Debt Manager helps you keep track of your debts, visualize their balances, and see how those balances change over time.

When you open the app, you’ll enter your debt information, including balances, interest rates, and monthly payments. The app will then show you your payment schedule and how long it will take to repay your debts.

Debt Manager App

Add extra payments, and Debt Manager will update its calculations to reflect the additional payments. Once you pay off one loan, it will automatically put the money you were paying toward that loan toward another loan.

Debt Manager lets you choose from the same two debt payment strategies mentioned above, the debt avalanche or debt snowball.

Debt Manager is quite cheap, with a one-time cost of $0.99.

How We Came Up with This List

We built this list using a few criteria.

First, we looked at whether the app was truly helpful. Lots of apps claim to help people make more money or get out of debt, but not all of them work. We looked for useful, easy-to-navigate tools.

We also looked at the cost of the tool. When you’re in debt, you don’t want to waste money on expensive apps and tools that may or may not help. The programs here are either free or reasonably priced based on how much they can help you save.

FAQs

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about debt repayment apps.

How can an app help me repay debt?

Each app on this list uses a different method to help you repay your debt. Apps like Tally try to make paying your debt easier by automating the process or sending extra payments for you. Debt can be stressful, so taking some of the mental load away can make repaying debt easier.

Other apps aim to help you visualize your debt, keep track of it, and see how your payments affect your debt. Understanding how debt and interest work can be difficult and these apps try to make it easier. It can be encouraging to see how much even small additional payments can save you in the long run, which means these apps can help encourage you to pay down your debt more quickly.

Is consolidating debt a good idea?

One popular strategy for repaying debts is consolidating your loans into one. Consolidating your debt might be a good idea if you have lots of different loans and have trouble managing multiple monthly payments. Having a single loan is much easier to handle and can make the process simpler. Sometimes, you can also reduce the interest rate of your debt by consolidating it.

Credit cards, for example, are notorious for charging high rates of interest. If you can consolidate a few credit card balances into a lower-interest debt, you can save a lot of money in the long run. The drawback of consolidating debt is that it sometimes comes with upfront costs, like origination fees, and you need to have good credit to qualify for a consolidation loan.

I have multiple debts, which one should I pay first?

If you have more than one debt, it can be hard to choose which debt to put extra payments toward. There are two main strategies that you can use. The debt avalanche focuses on paying the higher-interest debt first. This will save you the most money in the long run because it will reduce the amount of interest that accrues.

The debt snowball focuses on paying off your smallest balance debts first. If your budget is tight, this can free up some cash because once you pay off a loan, you’ll have one less minimum payment to make each month. It can also feel good to pay off a loan, so this method helps you get small victories and work your way up to larger ones. Both strategies have pros and cons, so it’s up to you to choose the one that works for you.

Final Thoughts

Dealing with debt can be stressful and difficult. If you have a lot of debt, it can be hard to see a way out of your situation.

These tools can help you get a handle on your debt and build a repayment plan. They can also help you automate the process, eliminate stress, and show you how quickly you can get rid of your debt.

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Current Review: A Mobile-Focused Option for Managing Money https://www.doughroller.net/banking/current-review/ https://www.doughroller.net/banking/current-review/#respond Mon, 20 Mar 2023 19:14:36 +0000 https://doughrollertra.wpengine.com/uncategorized/banking-current-review/ Finding the right place to keep your money can be difficult. You want an account with low fees and useful features that make it easy to manage your money. Current is a mobile-focused option offering some useful features like early paydays and cashback and could appeal to customers looking for an easy-to-use online bank. Features...

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Finding the right place to keep your money can be difficult. You want an account with low fees and useful features that make it easy to manage your money.

Current is a mobile-focused option offering some useful features like early paydays and cashback and could appeal to customers looking for an easy-to-use online bank.

Features

These are some of Current’s top features.

Early Payday

Sometimes, you need money quickly. Waiting for payday when you only have a few dollars in your account can be painful. With Current, you can get paid as soon as two days before your actual payday.

If you sign up for direct deposit, most employers send your paycheck to your bank a few days before your official payday. This gives your employer and the bank a chance to handle fund transfers and deal with issues.

Instead of making you wait for your payday, Current releases your paycheck to you when it receives the funds, up to two days before payday.

Related: Banks That Offer Early Direct Deposit

Fee-free Overdraft

Another perk for people who frequently have a low account balance is fee-free overdraft. With Current, you can spend money until your account reaches a balance of -$100 without incurring any overdraft fees.

To be eligible for this service, you need to sign up for direct deposit. When you get your next paycheck, Current automatically applies it against your negative balance, repaying the amount you owe.

Related: Best No-Fee Banks

Cashback Rewards

One of the drawbacks of using a debit card over a credit card is that debit cards typically don’t offer rewards. With a rewards credit card, you can get as much as 5% of the amount you spend back as rewards, if not more.

Current changes things up, giving you rewards when you make purchases using your debit card. Current partners with different brands and merchants to offer these rewards.

When you buy something from a participating merchant, you can get as much as 15% back in rewards. You can redeem your rewards for cash back directly to your Current account.

Learn More: Current Visa Debit Card Review

Gas-Hold Refunds

When you use your debit card to make certain kinds of purchases, the company you’re paying might place a hold on some of the funds in your checking account. This is especially common at places like gas stations, where you swipe your card before you know exactly how much you’ll owe.

For example, when you buy gas, you swipe your card before filling up your tank. The gas station might put a hold of $50 on your checking account. This is to make sure that you have at least $50 in your account so that you can afford whatever amount of gas you wind up purchasing.

Once you finish filling up your tank, you know how much you actually have to pay but the $50 hold remains. With most banks, it can take a day or two before the gas station takes the amount owed and releases the hold on the rest of the money in your account. During this time, that money is sitting in your checking account but you can’t spend it.

Current instantly release funds held by gas stations when you finish filling up your tank. This means you’ll have less money stuck in your account, unable to be spent, and more freedom to use your money as you need to.

Savings Pods

Current also aims to make it easier for people to save money by offering savings pods. You can set up multiple savings pods so you can keep track of different goals.

For example, you can set up one pod to hold your emergency funds and another you can use to save for a vacation.

Current lets you automate your savings, making regular transfers from your Current account into your savings pods. You can also sign up for debit card round-ups. If you do, each purchase you make will get rounded up to the next dollar and Current will deposit the round-up to one of your savings pods.

For example, if you buy lunch for $14.39, Current rounds the purchase up to $15 and puts $0.61 into one of your pods. This makes it easy to save without having to think about it.

Learn More: Best Round-Up, Automated Savings and Microsavings Apps

Banking for Teens

Teaching teenagers about money and how to manage it is difficult but important. Current offers a debit card designed for families with teenagers that gives parents tools to help them teach their kids about managing money.

You can instantly transfer money to your teens’ spending accounts and receive a notification each time that they spend money. You can even set up chores in the app and automatically pay your teen as they complete them.

If you want to, you can set spending limits or block certain merchants, helping you ensure that your children spend their money responsibly.

Teens get access to many of the same features as their parents do, including early paychecks and automated savings, as well as the financial freedom of having their own debit card and checking account.

Pricing and Fees

Current does its best to make sure that its pricing is transparent and easy to understand. It advertises itself as offering an account with no hidden fees or surprise charges.

The basic account has no monthly fees and no minimum balance requirements. There are no overdraft fees and you can make fee-free withdrawals from more than 50,000 ATMs nationwide.

To unlock most of Current’s features, including early paydays and multiple savings pods, you need to subscribe to Current Premium. This costs $4.99 per month.

There is an additional charge if you want to take advantage of Current’s teen banking features. You’ll pay $36 per year for each teen you sign up for a card.

Signing Up

Signing up for Current is easy. Download the app from the App Store or Google Play Store, open it, and register with your email address or phone number and a password.

Like any bank account, Current will ask you to provide some personal information, like your name, address, and Social Security number.

You’ll also need to link an existing bank account so you can fund your Current account. Transferring the funds usually takes a few days.

Once you get your account set up, Current will mail you a debit card. When it arrives, you can activate and start using your new account.

Mobile Support

Current’s mobile experience is great. In fact, you can’t sign into your account through a computer’s web browser. You have to manage your account through the Current app.

The app is well-designed, sleek, and easy to use. It has been reviewed positively on both the App Store and Google Play Store, earning an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars across the two stores.

Related: Best Mobile Banking Apps

Security

Any time you trust a company with your money, you want to make sure that it takes security seriously. This is especially true for online banks that have a lot of personal information and access to the money you need on a day-to-day basis.

Current uses industry-standard practices and technology to keep your information safe. Current has also partnered with Metropolitan Commercial Bank, an FDIC-insured bank, to offer its banking services, which means that your account is fully insured by the FDIC.

This means that even if Current goes bankrupt or is unable to return the money you’ve deposited, the FDIC can reimburse you for any money you lose, up to a limit of $250,000 for individual accounts.

Related: Best Online Banks (and Safest!)

Support/Customer Service

When you’re looking for an online option to manage your money, it’s important to understand how customer service works. You can’t just walk into your local branch and ask a person for help. You’ll have to get assistance over the phone or through online chat.

Current has a knowledge base that you can use to answer basic questions about your account and how the different features work.

If you need more personalized support, you can send Current a message through its website or do a live chat through the app. Chat representatives are available 24 hours a day on weekdays and from 9 AM to 8 PM Eastern time on weekends.

If you want to get support by talking to someone by phone, support is available weekdays from 9 AM to 6 PM Eastern time. No phone support is available on weekends.

Pros and Cons

Before signing up with an account at Current, it’s worth considering its pros and cons.

  • Useful features — These include early payday and fee-free overdrafts.

  • Great for families — Current offers tools to help teach teens about money and help parents track spending.

  • Mobile-focused design — Access your account on-the-go via the Current app.


  • Not the best option for everyone — Many features only benefit people who regularly have low checking account balances.

  • Fees — Unavoidable monthly fee for advanced features like early paychecks.

  • Limited product offerings — While there’s an account to manage funds on the debit card and even accounts for savings, there are no lending or other banking services available.

Honest Recommendation

Current has features that may be helpful for some people, but the people who will get the most out of Current are those that are living paycheck to paycheck. If you have a healthy balance in your checking account, getting paid a couple of days early or being able to overdraft your account by $100 won’t be a big deal.

Given that these features are locked behind a $4.99 monthly fee, it’s also hard to recommend the bank to people who are living paycheck to paycheck. Choosing a fee-free bank will let them use more of their money for important things like paying their bills.

What Others Are Saying

Here are what some other top review sites are saying about Current.

Finder – “Current is best for those looking for an innovative checking account packed with money managing tools and resources. With a Current card and checking account you’ll get insights on your spending and savings. You’ll also earn up to 15x the points on debit card purchases, which can be redeemed for cash.”

FinanceBuzz – “Current adds some novel features to mobile banking that other financial institutions might not offer, including its parent/teen accounts. But you should consider if you’re willing to pay almost $40 per year for each teenager in your family that needs access to checking versus potentially opening a free checking account for your child at your traditional bank.”

Alternatives

If you’re looking for a place to park your money but don’t think Current is the right choice for you, consider these alternatives.

Chime®

Chime is an online financial app with no monthly fees and offers a checking account, savings account, and secured credit card that can help you build strong credit.

Chime has many features that can help people save money or get out of a financial bind. For example, SpotMe® lets you overdraft your account by up to $200, fee-free. You can also automate your savings by signing up for debit card purchase round-ups. That savings account earns a solid interest rate and you can use your savings balance as a security deposit for a secured credit card.

Chime is a great choice if you want no monthly fees and an experience that is similar to Current’s, minus the features that help you teach teens about managing money.

Related: Chime vs Simple: A Review of Millennial Banking Options

Ally

If you want a more full-service banking experience, Ally is a solid choice. Ally is an online bank that offers checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, CDs, lending, and investing services. You could feasibly use Ally for all of your financial needs.

Ally doesn’t have minimum deposit requirements or monthly fees for its checking and savings accounts. It also offers ATM fee reimbursements, up to $10 per statement, so you can easily access your money, wherever you are.

Ally is a more traditional banking experience, so it lacks some of the features offered by banks like Current and Chime, but it’s a great choice for people who want a fee-free online account.

Axos First Checking

If you’re looking for an alternative account that you can use to teach your kids about money, Axos First Checking is designed to be a child’s first checking account.

It’s designed specifically for teenagers between 13 and 17. It offers interest on the balance of the account and up to $12 in ATM fee reimbursements each month. There is no monthly maintenance fee.

To help make sure that your teen doesn’t overspend, the account comes with a daily $100 ATM withdrawal limit and a $500 debit card purchase limit.

Parents can sign up for account alerts so they can see how their teens are spending their money and use that information to educate them on good financial habits.

FAQs

These are some of the most frequently asked questions about Current.

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Who Is It For?

Current is designed for two different groups.

One is people who regularly have low checking account balances. Things like instant releases of holds from places like gas stations, fee-free overdrafts, and early payday can make a big difference if you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck.

It’s also designed for people with kids. If you want to get a checking account for your teen so you can teach them about money, Current offers a few useful tools that can make it easier. However, you have to be willing to pay for those tools as they cost $36 per year per child, which can add up quickly.

Bottom Line

Current is mobile-focused with a slick user experience and some powerful features. However, it locks most of these features behind fees that make it hard to justify opening an account. If some of the tools offered by Current seem especially useful to you, and you’re willing to pay the fees, Current might be a good fit. If you’re just looking for a solid online bank, you’ll probably be better off elsewhere.

Related:

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The 5 Best Game Apps That Pay Money https://www.doughroller.net/personal-finance/make-money/games-apps-that-pay-money/ https://www.doughroller.net/personal-finance/make-money/games-apps-that-pay-money/#respond Wed, 08 Mar 2023 20:53:12 +0000 https://doughrollertra.wpengine.com/uncategorized/personal-finance-make-money-games-apps-that-pay-money/ Are you looking for ways to accelerate your side hustle savings? With game apps that pay real money, it’s possible. From Swagbucks and MyPoints to Mistplay, Publishers Clearing House, Long Game, and Givling – there are a variety of options available. In this article, we’ll show you how these apps can help you maximize your...

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Are you looking for ways to accelerate your side hustle savings? With game apps that pay real money, it’s possible. From Swagbucks and MyPoints to Mistplay, Publishers Clearing House, Long Game, and Givling – there are a variety of options available.

In this article, we’ll show you how these apps can help you maximize your earnings while unlocking rewards or even winning cash prizes. Let’s explore the possibilities of using game apps that pay real money today.

Overview of the Best Games Apps That Pay Real Money

AppBest For
SwagbucksWide variety of earning methods
MyPointsRedeem points for cash off purchases at select retailer websites
MistplayEarn rewards for playing phone games
Publishers Clearing HouseGiveaways and sweepstakes
GivlingPeople with student debt

1. Maximize Your Earnings with Swagbucks

  • Where to play: iPhone, Android, and Swagbucks.com
  • How much can you earn: $2 to $4 per hour
  • How much does it cost to play: $0 for most games. Some have cash entry costs.
  • Payment method: PayPal. You can also redeem for other rewards like merchandise and gift cards.

Swagbucks is a great way to maximize your earnings for retirement. It’s an app that pays you real money for playing games, taking surveys, and shopping online. All you have to do is sign up with your email address and start earning points (or “SB”) that can be redeemed for gift cards or cash.

Swagbucks offers incentives for everyday activities like browsing, watching videos and buying items online. For example, when you shop at Amazon through the Swagbucks portal, they will give you SB points in return which can then be exchanged for cash or gift cards. Plus if you use their mobile app while shopping in-store at select retailers like Target or Walmart they will also reward SB points.

You can also earn extra SB by completing daily polls and surveys as well as participating in special offers from companies such as Nike and Sephora. And if none of those options appeal to you there are still plenty of ways to get rewarded with Swagbucks – including playing trivia games on their website or downloading their game apps where users compete against each other for real prizes.

You can also take advantage of the Swago board, a fun way to rack up even more rewards by completing tasks around the site such as watching certain videos or visiting certain websites within a given time period. When all squares are filled out on the board users will be eligible for bonus SB points which can then be used towards future purchases.

Maximizing your retirement savings can be easily achieved by taking advantage of the rewards available through Swagbucks. With MyPoints, you can now get rewarded for playing games and completing surveys online.

2. Get Rewarded with MyPoints

  • Where to play: iOS, Android, and myPoints.com
  • How much can you earn: $2 to $4 per hour
  • How much does it cost to play: Free
  • Payment method: PayPal and gift cards

Are you in search of a way to be rewarded for gaming and completing assignments? MyPoints is the perfect app for you. With MyPoints, you can earn points by playing games and completing tasks. You can then redeem those points for real money or gift cards. Plus, it’s free to join so there’s no risk involved.

MyPoints offers an array of gaming apps that pay real money when you win. From classic card games like Solitaire and FreeCell to arcade-style cash tournaments, there’s something for everyone on this platform. There are also several legit game apps available in the App Store and Google Play Store that pays real money when you play their virtual currency or make in-app purchases.

You don’t even have to spend any of your own money if you don’t want to – there are plenty of free apps out there too. You can choose from hundreds of premium games such as Fruit Ninja, Candy Crush Saga, Words with Friends 2, Wordscapes Uncrossed and many more which offer rewards when completed successfully. The best part is that these rewards come in the form of cash prizes or other goodies like Amazon Gift Cards which makes them totally worth it.

If luck isn’t on your side, try taking a spin at online gaming with MyPoints to potentially win big while having fun. Whether it be slots or poker tournaments – with MyPoints – you could potentially win big while having fun at the same time. And lastly, Apple Pay allows users to make secure payments directly from their iPhones so if winning isn’t your thing but spending is, go ahead and give it a try today.

MyPoints is a great way to get rewarded for your online activities.

3. Unlock Rewards with Mistplay

  • Where to play: Android
  • How much can you earn: $3 to $5 per hour
  • How much does it cost to play: Free
  • Payment method: Gift cards

Mistplay offers an exciting way to make money while having fun – simply play games and get rewarded with real cash prizes, as well as unlock special offers. It’s an app where you can play games and earn rewards in the process. With Mistplay, you can get rewarded with real cash prizes and unlock special offers as well.

You don’t have to be a hardcore gamer to enjoy this app either – there are games of all types available on Mistplay, from puzzles and word games, to action-packed adventure titles. You can also find card games like Solitaire or Blackjack if those are more your style. Whatever type of game you prefer, it’s likely that Mistplay has something for everyone.

Mistplay is a cinch to operate and comprehend the incentive system. Every time you finish a game or challenge in Mistplay, you’ll be rewarded with points that will eventually accumulate into bigger rewards like gift cards and even cash. All these points add up quickly too – so before long, your wallet will start getting heavier with each successful playthrough.

If retirement planning involves growing your savings through playing video games, then consider giving MistPlay a try today. With exclusive offers and bonuses such as extra coins or bonus spins on slots machines available to those who reach certain levels within the game, sticking around longer will reap greater benefits than those who jump ship after only a few rounds. It’s easy to use and understand how the rewards system works so you can start earning points quickly that add up over time into bigger rewards such as gift cards or even cash prizes.

Unlocking rewards with Mistplay is a great way to increase your chances of winning real money. Next, let’s explore how you can win big with Publishers Clearing House.

4. Win Big with Publishers Clearing House

  • Where to play: iPhone, Android, or PCH.com
  • How much can you earn: Highly variable
  • How much does it cost to play: Free
  • Payment method: Cash and gift cards

Publishers Clearing House (PCH) is a great way to win big. With the PCH app, you can enter sweepstakes and earn cash prizes, gift cards, and other rewards. In addition, the PCH app offers a variety of engaging mini-games to play that can accumulate points redeemable for additional rewards.

The key to winning with PCH is entering as many sweepstakes as possible. Increasing your entries in each sweepstake boosts the probability of success. No cash is needed – just put in the effort and devote some time. To maximize your earnings from the PCH app, try setting aside some time each day specifically for playing games and entering sweepstakes on the app.

Another way to increase your chances of winning with Publishers Clearing House is by taking advantage of bonus opportunities whenever they become available. Take advantage of these special promotions and events to gain extra points – don’t miss out. These bonus offers may not always be around so take them when they come up.

Finally, one last tip: keep an eye out for special giveaways on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter too – these often offer additional ways to score points which could lead to bigger wins down the line. So follow their accounts and stay tuned into what’s happening on those platforms as well.

Publishers Clearing House offers a great opportunity to win big with their sweepstakes and lottery games. With that in mind, the next heading will focus on growing your savings with Long Game.

you have to put in your savings, you might earn more from a higher interest rate account than from playing the Long Game app games.

5. Win Cash Prizes with Givling

  • Where to play: iPhone and Android
  • How much can you earn: Variable
  • How much does it cost to play: Free ($.50 per play after two free plays per day)
  • Payment method: Cash and payments toward your student loans

Givling is an innovative game app that rewards players with real money for completing trivia questions and puzzles. With Givling, you can win cash prizes while helping others in need. Givling offers a unique opportunity to boost your retirement funds without having to expend much effort or time.

The first step to winning cash prizes with Givling is signing up for an account. To begin playing, you’ll need to provide your name, email address, and date of birth. Once you’ve created your account, Givling offers daily trivia challenges and puzzle games to test your knowledge.

Once you’ve registered with Givling, it’s time to get the game going. The daily trivia challenge will give you three multiple-choice questions about various topics such as history, science, pop culture, and more. Each correct answer earns points which accumulate over time until they reach a certain threshold when they become eligible for a cash prize drawing. Moreover, there are opportunities to gain extra points by completing timed quizzes or competing against other participants in tournaments and head-to-head contests.

In addition to earning points through trivia challenges and puzzle games on Givling, users also have the opportunity to donate their earnings directly towards paying off student loan debt or mortgages of individuals who are struggling financially due to COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts This is another great way that users can help those in need while still earning some extra money themselves – it’s truly a win-win situation.

FAQs

These are some of the most frequently asked questions about playing games to earn money.

Can you use a rewards credit card with these apps and websites?

Yes, if an app lets you earn money by shopping, you can usually use a rewards credit card alongside the app. This is a good strategy for doubling up on your earnings. You’ll get points in the app or website for shopping with one of its partners and earn cash back, points, or miles from your credit card.

Are these apps worth the effort?

The reality is that most apps that pay you to play games pay very low amounts or only offer a small chance of getting a big payout. If your primary goal is to make money, these apps probably aren’t worth the effort. Working more hours at your regular job or working on a side hustle is likely to be more lucrative than playing these games. However, if you’re looking for a way to have fun and earn some pocket change, these apps can be an excellent way to do that.

How do these apps make money?

If an app is paying people to play games, that money has to be coming from somewhere. These apps make money in a variety of ways. Some apps will get paid by game developers who want more players for their games. By referring you to those games, the app gets a referral fee. Your reward is a cut of that fee. Other apps show advertisements or let users pay to play games. They use the money from ads and paying users to fund prizes for everyone.

How We Came Up with the List

We considered two primary factors when designing this list: how much you can earn and if the app is fun to use.

The point of this article is to list apps that you can use and games you can play to earn some extra money. If you can’t make any money or take hours to earn pennies, you might as well be playing a different game that you enjoy more.

The games that reward you also have to be fun. It isn’t worth the effort to slog through something that isn’t fun for a reward of a few pennies. There needs to be a good mix of potential reward and entertainment to make these apps worth using.

Other factors, such as user reviews and experience, as well as how easy the app is to use, also played a role. No one wants to use a broken or out-of-date app to try to earn rewards because the annoyance of dealing with a faulty app isn’t worth it.

Scams to Watch Out For

Unfortunately, there are lots of scams in the market of games that pay you to play.

One good sign of a scam is games that make you pay money before you can participate. At best, these games are gambling, and highly-skilled players are likely to have a huge advantage. You’ll be more likely to lose money than make it with these games. At worst, these games will take your money and make it almost impossible to earn rewards or cash them out.

Some apps that give you rewards for playing other games on your phone also try to steal your data. Be very careful about which applications you install on your phone and follow security best practices. Check the reviews for apps before you install them, and don’t give them more access to your device than is absolutely necessary.

Are These Apps Safe?

While there are many scams in the getting-paid-to-play market, not all of them are scams. The apps on this list are perfectly safe to use and a good way to earn some extra cash by gaming.

Use your best judgment and do your research before installing any app or giving the app access to your device and you should be safe to game and earn some cash.

Bottom Line

Playing game apps that pay real money can be a great way to supplement your retirement savings. Swagbucks, MyPoints, Mistplay, Publishers Clearing House, Long Game and Givling are all excellent options for earning extra cash with minimal effort. Whether you’re looking to win big or just add some extra funds into your portfolio each month – these platforms offer the chance to do so in an entertaining and rewarding manner.

Read More:

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Capital One Bank vs. Discover vs. Chase Online Banks https://www.doughroller.net/personal-finance/capital-one-bank-vs-discover-vs-chase-online-banks/ https://www.doughroller.net/personal-finance/capital-one-bank-vs-discover-vs-chase-online-banks/#respond Fri, 06 Jan 2023 18:09:26 +0000 https://doughrollertra.wpengine.com/uncategorized/personal-finance-capital-one-bank-vs-discover-vs-chase-online-banks/ Capital One, Discover, and Chase all offer a variety of financial services, including online banking. Online bank accounts are a great place to store your money. They’re just as safe as physical banks and make it convenient to access your money from anywhere. They also tend to pay higher interest rates than brick-and-mortar banks and...

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Capital One, Discover, and Chase all offer a variety of financial services, including online banking.

Online bank accounts are a great place to store your money. They’re just as safe as physical banks and make it convenient to access your money from anywhere. They also tend to pay higher interest rates than brick-and-mortar banks and charge fewer fees.

If you’re looking for a good online bank, especially for savings, Capital One, Discover and Chase are all strong choices, though each has pros and cons.

Capital One Bank vs. Discover vs. Chase: Overview

BrandBest ForSpecial Features
Capital One Bank A basic online banking experience Specialized accounts for kids and teens
Discover Online checking and personal lending Earn rewards on debit card purchases
Chase People who want all their financial services from one company Wide network of physical branches

In a Nutshell

  • Capital One Bank is great for people who want a basic, fee-free online banking experience.
  • Discover® Bank is great for people who want a checking account that rewards them for purchases.
  • Chase is great for people who want to do all of their banking, borrowing, and investing in the same place.

About Capital One Bank

Capital One might be better known for its credit card offerings, but it has spent the past few years expanding its banking services. The company started opening physical locations, called Capital One Cafés which combine the services you’d expect at a bank with the atmosphere and drink menu of a café.

Basic Features

Capital One Bank is a primarily online bank with a few physical locations in major cities. The bank offers checking accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit (CDs).

None of Capital One’s accounts have a minimum balance and they do not charge monthly fees. This makes it easy for anyone to open an account. The savings accounts pay competitive interest rates and checking account customers can get fee-free access to their money at more than 40,000 Capital One and Allpoint ATMs across the country.

Beyond its wide variety of credit cards, Capital One also offers auto loans and small business loans.

Special Features

Capital One offers a few accounts that are designed to help younger people learn about money. You can open a kid’s savings account and use the account to show your children the power of saving money and earning interest. The MONEY account is a teen checking account that you can use to monitor your teen’s spending and teach them about managing their money responsibly.

Fees

One of the benefits of Capital One Bank is that none of its accounts charge a monthly fee or have a minimum balance requirement. You won’t have to worry about having fees eat away at your account balance.

Capital One has its own ATMs and is part of the Allpoint ATM network, giving customers more than 40,000 ATMs that they can use, fee-free. However, Capital One doesn’t refund ATM fees charged by other banks.

Pros and Cons of Capital One

Before opening an account with Capital One Bank, consider these pros and cons.

  • Competitive interest rates
  • Specialized accounts for kids and teens
  • Checking and savings accounts available
  • Some physical locations

  • No ATM fee reimbursement
  • Few loan options available

Why Use Capital One Bank?

Capital One Bank is a good choice if you’re looking for a fee-free, basic online bank. It doesn’t have the killer features and variety of services that some other online banks have, but it does offer inexpensive, functional accounts.

It’s also a good choice if you have children and want to be able to give them their own bank accounts, while still having tools that you can use to teach them about managing money.

About Discover

Discover is another lender and credit-card issuer that has expanded into offering online banking services.

Basic Features

Discover offers checking and savings accounts as well as CDs and money market accounts. Like many online banks, these accounts don’t charge monthly fees; only the CD has a minimum deposit, which is $2,500.

The savings account has a competitive interest rate and the checking account comes with a network of more than 60,000 fee-free ATMs, making it easy to get cash when you need it.

You can also work with Discover if you need to borrow money. Discover offers credit cards, student loans, personal loans, home equity loans, and mortgage refinancing.

Special Features

One unique feature of Discover is it offers rewards for debit card purchases. Typically, one of the top reasons to use a credit card is credit cards offer cashback or other rewards while debit cards don’t.

Discover changes that by paying 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month. This means you can earn $30 each month by shopping normally with your debit card.

Fees

Discover emphasizes the lack thereof a fee structure, for its accounts. The bank doesn’t charge monthly maintenance fees for any of its accounts and offers many other services, fee-free, including:

  • Replacement debit cards
  • New checkbooks
  • Official bank checks
  • Stop payments
  • Deposited item returned
  • Insufficient funds transactions

Pros and Cons of Discover

Before opening an account with Discover, consider these pros and cons.

  • Low or no fees
  • Competitive interest rates
  • Rewards for debit card purchases

  • No physical locations
  • $2,500 minimum deposit for CDs

Why Use Discover?

Discover is a good choice if you want a checking account that rewards you or an online bank having more lending options than Capital One. The ability to earn 1% cash back on debit purchases is good for those who may not be able to qualify for a credit card, as you can earn more than $300 each year in rewards.

Visit Discover Bank

About Chase

Chase is one of the largest financial companies in the world. With more than $3.2 trillion under management, it ranks as the largest bank in the United States and the fifth-largest in the world. It offers almost every financial service you could need, including banking, lending, and investing services.

Basic Features

Chase has a large network of physical banks, but also lets you open accounts online, making it a good choice for people who want the convenience of an online bank but who also want the option to get help in person when they need it.

Chase’s banking services are solid, with multiple varieties of checking and savings accounts that are designed for customers with different levels of assets. The more you have at the bank, the more services you can get, including ATM fee reimbursements, free money orders, and overdraft services.

A drawback of its savings accounts is the interest rates are not very competitive. If you want to earn a better return on your balance, you’ll need an account at a different bank.

If you need more than checking and savings accounts, Chase also offers loans, including mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards. You can also work with Chase to manage your investments, whether you want to manage your portfolio on your own or with the assistance of an advisor.

Special Features

Chase doesn’t offer many special features like Discovers debit card rewards. What makes Chase stand apart is the sheer quantity of services it provides. If you want, it could be the only company that you work with for all your financial needs.

If you have a lot of money to keep in your Chase bank and investment accounts, you can unlock special features, such as exclusive support lines, discounted loan rates, and early ticket sales for events, but you’ll need to have close to $100,000 with Chase before you can open the accounts that offer those perks and avoid the monthly fees.

Fees

Most of Chase’s bank accounts charge a monthly fee of some kind, even the basic ones. The higher the level of service, the larger the fee.

Typically, you can avoid the fee by meeting some requirements, with the requirements becoming more stringent as the level of service increases.

For example, the Chase Total Checking account has a $12 monthly fee that Chase will waive if you meet any of the following requirements:

  • Receive $500 in electronic deposits
  • Maintain a minimum balance of $1,500
  • Maintain an average balance of $5,000 across all your Chase accounts

The Sapphire Checking account charges a $25 monthly fee that you can avoid with a combined balance of $75,000 across your Chase accounts.

Pros and Cons Chase

Before opening an account with Chase, consider these pros and cons.

  • Banking, lending, and investing services all in one place
  • Large network of physical branches
  • Premium service for people with large balances

  • Even basic accounts have (avoidable) monthly fees
  • Poor interest rates

Why Use Chase?

Chase is the bank to use if you’re looking for a single company to handle all of your financial needs. If you work with Capital One or Discover, you’ll need to find other companies to use for investing or certain types of loans. With Chase, you can keep all of your money in one place.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about online banks.

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Related:

Capital One Bank vs. Discover vs. Chase Online Banks: Bottom Line

Online banking has grown in popularity in recent years and it’s now possible to handle all of your banking needs without visiting a physical bank. Capital One Bank, Discover, and Chase all offer online banking services, so if you’re looking to open an account, take the time to consider these options.

Learn More:

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Fetch Rewards Review: Earn Rewards for Grocery Shopping https://www.doughroller.net/personal-finance/reviews/fetch-review/ https://www.doughroller.net/personal-finance/reviews/fetch-review/#respond Sat, 16 Apr 2022 18:11:43 +0000 https://doughrollertra.wpengine.com/uncategorized/personal-finance-reviews-fetch-review/ Grocery shopping is an activity almost everyone has to do at some point in their life. If you want to eat anything at home without ordering takeout for every meal, you’ll probably buy it at a grocery store. Groceries cost money and food is often one of the biggest line items in the average American...

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Grocery shopping is an activity almost everyone has to do at some point in their life. If you want to eat anything at home without ordering takeout for every meal, you’ll probably buy it at a grocery store.

Groceries cost money and food is often one of the biggest line items in the average American budget. You can save money by hunting for sales or couponing, but that takes a lot of work.

Fetch is an app that can help you save some money on your grocery shopping by earning rewards each time you shop.

What is Fetch Rewards?

Fetch Rewards is a grocery rewards app available for both iPhone and Android. When you go grocery shopping, you can use Fetch to earn rewards points that you can redeem for gift cards, effectively helping you save money when you buy groceries.

Unlike similar apps, Fetch doesn’t make you shop at specific stores or pre-load offers to your account. All you have to do is upload a photo of your receipt and Fetch automatically rewards you.

How Does Fetch Work?

Fetch tries to keep things as simple as possible, so it’s pretty easy to use the app once you download it.

Scan Your Receipts

The primary way that people earn rewards with Fetch is by scanning their receipts. Unlike other apps that make you look for specific offers, the majority of Fetch’s offers are automatic.

Fetch partners with popular brands like Frito-Lays, Kleenex, and Aquafina to offer rewards to customers who buy their products. When you upload a photo of your grocery receipt, Fetch automatically finds any partner products that you purchased and gives you rewards points for those purchases based on the amount that you spent.

Related: Best Grocery Receipt Scanning Apps

Shop for Special Offers

On occasion, Fetch has special offers which give you bonus rewards for buying certain products. Just like normal offers, there’s no need to pre-select the offers to qualify for them. Just upload your receipt and Fetch will give you credit for any special offer you qualify for.

Special offers update regularly and are clearly displayed on the app’s home page, making it easy to identify opportunities to earn some bonus points.

eReciepts

Another way you can earn rewards is with eReceipts. You can link your account with some major online retailers, like Amazon and Walmart, to the Fetch app. Whenever you buy a participating brand from a linked website, you’ll also earn Fetch rewards.

Earn Rewards Points

When you buy products from partner brands or complete a special offer and upload a photo of your receipt, Fetch automatically adds rewards points to your balance. You can track your balance and view your earnings over time so you can get a sense of what shopping trips earned you the most points.

Redeeming Your Points

Fetch offers many ways to redeem your points.

The most common option is to redeem your points for gift cards. You can often redeem your points for gift cards as small as $3 or $5, making it easy to turn your points into money you can use. You can get gift cards to popular stores like Amazon.com, Best Buy, and Sephora, typically at a rate of $1 per 1,000 points.

You can also redeem your points for subscriptions to magazines like Real Simple, People, and Entertainment Weekly. Most subscriptions last for a year and cost about 5,000 points, the equivalent of about $5 in gift cards, making this a good deal for people who like magazines.

If you don’t mind taking a risk, the app also runs regular sweepstakes for things like $500 Visa gift cards. You can redeem your points for entries into the contest, with higher redemption levels getting you more entries per point redeemed.

Promotions

Fetch regularly has special offers available in the app, giving you the chance to earn some extra rewards points on your purchases.

You can also share a referral code with friends or use a friend’s referral code when you sign up. Each friend you refer earns you 2,000 points. You also get 2,000 points if you sign up using a friend’s code.

Pricing and Fees

One of the best parts of using Fetch is that there’s no cost and no fees to use the app.

You can download the app for free from the App Store or the Google Play Store and create an account, free of charge. You never have to give the app any payment information and you receive your rewards in the form of gift cards or magazine subscriptions, with no attached fees.

The minimum redemption amount is just $3 and there are no fees to redeem your points, so you don’t have to worry about losing out on some of your rewards when you redeem.

Signing Up

Signing up for Fetch is pretty simple.

The first thing that you have to do is download the app from the App Store or Google Play Store.

When you open the app, it will ask you to create an account. You can create a brand new account or sign in using Google or Facebook.

Once you create your account the app will ask you for some basic information, including your cell phone number, birthday, and gender. It uses this information to customize your experience in the app to display the brands you’re most likely to purchase.

Once you’ve provided that personal information, Fetch will ask you to enter a referral code if you have one from a friend. After that, you’re ready to start using the app.

Mobile Support

Fetch is a mobile-only service. You can’t access the app, upload receipts, or redeem rewards from Fetch’s website.

The good news is that Fetch’s app is well-designed and easy to use. The main page shows the special offers currently available and makes it easy to upload photos of your receipts. The app is easy to navigate and use, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding where any feature is.

Support/Customer Service

Fetch makes it easy to contact customer service. You can access a Help Center directly through the app and view answers to dozens of frequently asked questions.

If the FAQs aren’t enough, you can click the “Contact Us” button and provide a short description of why you’re reaching out. The app automatically opens a chat window that you can use to talk to a customer service representative.

Fetch Pros and Cons

  • Completely free to use — Fetch Rewards has no cost to sign up or use the service, so almost everyone can give it a try.

  • Low redemption minimum — Many shopping rewards apps lock your rewards behind high redemption minimums. With Fetch, you can redeem your points for gift cards as small as $3, so you can quickly turn points into money you can use.

  • Simple to use — Many apps make you pre-select offers, giving you more work to do to earn rewards. Fetch does that work for you, automatically rewarding you for qualified purchases.


  • No clear information about how much you’ll earn — Fetch lists brands that offer rewards but only tells you what you’ll earn from special offers. It doesn’t give information on what you’ll earn on regular purchases from partner brands.

  • No cash redemption option — Cash is king and while gift cards can be as good as cash for some people, not everyone will shop at the stores that Fetch offers gift cards to. People who can’t use any of the gift card Fetch offers won’t get much value from the service.

Alternatives

There are some alternatives to Fetch that you might want to consider before signing up.

Ibotta

Ibotta, like Fetch, is mostly focused on groceries and staples like paper towels and soaps. Also like Fetch, Ibotta bases its rewards on the brands that you buy.

You might want to use both apps for a while and compare your earnings to see which app is better for your shopping habits.

Rakuten

Rakuten is one of the most popular online shopping portals. You can earn cash back when you’re shopping online by visiting Rakuten and using its portal to click through to the stores you want to shop from. You’ll earn cash back as a percentage of your purchase and get a check in the mail every three months for all the rewards you’ve earned. Rakuten also offers an in-store rewards program so you can earn cash back when you physically shop at a partner store.

FAQs

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Who is Fetch For?

Fetch is for anyone who does the grocery shopping for the household and who wants to earn some rewards for the things that they buy. You don’t have to do much additional work; just upload a photo of your receipt. There’s little reason for anyone who goes grocery shopping regularly not to try it out.

Bottom Line

Fetch Rewards is an app that rewards grocery shoppers for uploading photos of their receipts. You automatically earn points based on the purchase of products from brand partners. Given how easy the app is to use, the low redemption minimums, and the fact that you can sign up for free, almost everyone should give the app a try.

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