By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com

If you’re a beginner to the world of stock buying and selling, this guide will help you get started. Note that this is NOT a guide on how to choose which stocks to buy, but instead the basics of how to set up a stock trading account if you’re a beginner.

Step 1: Choose An Online Broker

In order to buy and sell stocks, also known as “stock trading”, you will have to have an account with an online broker. “Online broker” sounds sort of intimidating and mysterious, but an online broker is just an online trading platform — it’s a company’s website (or mobile app) where you go to buy and sell stocks, and also to see your current stock holdings, deposit money for trading, etc. You have probably heard some of these brokerages’ names before, even if you’re not sure how they work — Charles Schwab, E-Trade, Robinhood, Fidelity, TD Ameritrade, etc. All of these will let you set up an account for free, and once you’ve done the next step below, you’ll be ready to buy stocks.

Step 2: Fund Your Account

If you’re going to buy stock, you’ll need money in your account. Whichever online stock broker you choose, there will be a way to add money. In most cases, you’ll give information about your bank account (account number and bank routing number) and how much money you’d like to transfer to the broker’s platform. Here’s how that looks on E-Trade:

Once you approve the transfer, it could take a few days before that money moves from your bank account into your new broker account. Once it does, you’ll be ready to buy stocks!

(This is a regularly updated post; last update 10/15/21.) If you’ve ever been pitched on opening a new credit card at a retail store while making a purchase, you know that some stores are more than happy to give you instant credit — you apply on the spot, get approved, and you can use the card immediately. Below we offer a list of such cards, including regular bank credit cards as well as retail credit cards. Apply online and get shopping today. (Note that instant approval is not guaranteed.)

• American Express Cards – Most American Express credit cards and charge cards now offer the possibility of an “Instant Card Number” upon approval. Your “eligibility is based on our ability to instantly validate your identity.” If you are eligible, you’ll get an Instant Card Number that you can use even before you have the physical card in hand. Note, however, that you may not be able to access your card’s complete credit line instantly.
• PayPal Cashback Mastercard – One of our very favorite credit cards on the market also lets you use your card today if you are approved instantly. Here’s the language they use to describe the process: “If you’re approved, in most cases, a temporary credit line will instantly be added to your PayPal account and you can start using it on PayPal right away – – even before you receive your card.” Beyond the instant approval, this card gives you a 2% rebate on everything you buy with it — which is the top of the market for cash-back cards with a flat rate on all purchases.

Updated October 8, 2021 – Comenity Bank and its sister company Comenity Capital Bank are the issuers behind many retail store credit cards and other credit cards as well. If you have a credit card from one of the companies listed below, it’s not issued by the store whose name is on the front, but instead by Comenity:

• Academy Sports Credit Card
• AKC (American Kennel Club) (Card no longer offered)
• Alphaeon Medical Credit
• Ann Taylor
• Arhaus
• Ashley Stewart
• Avenue
• Bealls Florida Credit Card
• Bealls Outlet / Burkes Outlet
• Bed Bath & Beyond
• Big Lots
• BJ’s Wholesale Club
• Blair
• Blue Nile

By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com

Updated October 1, 2021 – Below we list the very best credit cards on the market, including cash back and travel rewards cards. See the cards’ applications pages for further details as well as information on introductory bonus offers and any exclusions on rewards & perks.

Best Cash Back Credit Cards

“Flat” Cash Back (Same Rebate Percentage on All Purchases):

• Wells Fargo Active Cash Visa – You get 2% “flat” cash back, meaning you get the same 2% cash back on every purchase with the card. Plus, you can earn a bonus as a new cardholder, something most other 2% cards do not offer. (Right now that bonus is $200 if you spend $1000 or more with the card in the first three months after account opening.
• Citi Double Cash – 2% “flat” cash back, meaning you get the same 2% cash back on every purchase with the card. No annual fee.
• SoFi Credit Card – Earn 2% cash back on all purchases, but only if you deposit your earnings into a SoFi account. No annual fee & no foreign transaction fees.
• Other 2% “flat” cash back credit cards: Fidelity Visa, PayPal Cashback Mastercard

Cash Back Cards with Enhanced Purchasing Categories:

• Citi Custom Cash – Get 5% cash back in the category where you spend the most each billing cycle (on up to $500 in purchases in that category); 1% cash back elsewhere. No annual fee.
• Capital One SavorOne Card – 3% cash back on dining, groceries, entertainment purchases, and most streaming services, 1% elsewhere. No annual fee.
• Blue Cash Preferred from American Express – 6% cash back on groceries & streaming services, 3% on gas & transit, 1% elsewhere. No annual fee first year, $95 per year after that.
• Blue Cash Everyday from American Express – 3% cash back on groceries, 2% on gas and at certain department stores, 1% elsewhere. No annual fee.
• US Bank Altitude Go – 4% cash back on dining purchases, 2% on groceries, gas, and streaming services, and then 1% anywhere else. No annual fee.
• Chase Freedom Unlimited – 3% cash back on dining purchases, 3% at drugstores, 5% at Chase’s own travel booking site, and 1.5% on all other purchases. No annual fee.
• Chase Freedom Flex – Get 5% cash back on purchases in certain categories that change every calendar quarter. Also get 3% on dining, 3% at drugstores, 5% at Chase’s own travel booking site, and 1% elsewhere. No annual fee.
• Navy Federal Credit Union More Rewards American Express Card – 3% cash back at grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, 1% elsewhere. No annual fee. Must qualify as member of the credit union.
• Navy Federal Flagship Rewards – Earn 3% cash back on travel, 2% everywhere else. There is a $49 annual fee. Must qualify as member of the credit union.
• US Bank Cash+ – Get 5% cash back in your choice of two purchasing categories from a list that US Bank provides, then 2% cash back on your choice of gas, groceries or dining. 1% back everywhere else. No annual fee.
• Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards – Get 3% cash back in a purchasing category of your choice, 2% at grocery/wholesale stores, 1% elsewhere. No annual fee.
• Discover it – Get 5% cash back on purchases in certain categories that change every calendar quarter. All other purchases earn 1%. No annual fee.
• Also worth mentioning: Verizon Visa, Apple Card, Venmo Credit Card

By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com

Getting a credit card as a college student can be a smart move, because credit card companies are actually more likely to approve you while you’re a student than after you graduate. (Makes no sense, but it’s often true.) So, provided you can use the card responsibly (and not rack up debt), a student credit card can help you establish a credit history and build a credit score, which will be valuable to you later on when you want a car loan, mortgage, etc.

That said, here are our recommendations for the best student credit cards:

• Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Card for Students – This no-annual-fee student credit card offers good rewards and the possibility of a sweet upfront bonus as a new cardholder. Let’s start with that bonus: you’ll get a $200 bonus as a new cardholder IF you spend at least $1000 with this card in the first 90 days after you open the account, so it’s best to apply when you know you can hit that level of spending early on. Beyond the bonus, you’ll get nice cash-back rewards: 3% cash back in a purchasing category of your choice (from a category list that includes online shopping, gas, dining out, and more), 2% at grocery stores and warehouse clubs, and 1% everywhere else. Note that there is a cap on those 2%/3% purchasing categories of $2500 in combined purchases — any spending you do in those categories beyond $2500 in a calendar quarter would still earn 1% on those purchases. (For example, if you spent $1500 on dining as your 3% category in the calendar quarter from January through March, and $1500 at grocery stores, you’d get the regular 3% or 2% reward on the first $2500 of those $3000 in combined purchases, while the last $500 would earn a 1% rebate.)
• Capital One SavorOne Student Card – A nice no-annual-fee cash back credit card with enhanced rebates in categories where students often spend. You’ll get 3% cash back at grocery stores and restaurants, as well as on entertainment purchases and most streaming services. (Be sure to check their website to see what purchases qualify in those categories.) All other purchases earn 1% cash back. The card has no foreign transaction fees, so if you travel outside of the U.S., you won’t pay anything extra on your purchases. (Many credit cards charge an extra 3% on foreign transactions.) However, this card does have a high 26.49% interest rate, so make sure you pay your bills in full each month to avoid interest charges.

By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com

Consumer Reports has long been a respected name when it comes to reviewing consumer products and choosing the best of the options in the marketplace. Its coverage of cars & trucks is especially well respected, because it offers reviews of new vehicles as well as used vehicles, including information on which cars have the most problems (and fewest problems) and how long you can expect a certain make and model to last.

To us, it is established that Consumer Reports provides value. But the question is: how much value? Is it worth it to be a paid subscriber?

How much is a subscription?

Let’s talk first about what Consumer Reports actually costs. You can get an online subscription for $39 per year, or you can choose to get that online subscription at $12 per month if you want to test it out for a shorter term. (But note that it will automatically renew each month unless you stop it.)

By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com

Updated September 15, 2021 – Cashback Monitor is a site that allows you to compare the cash back or other rewards you can get if you use certain shopping portals or credit card reward malls when you shop at specific stores. If you’re not aware of how these portals and malls work, it generally goes like this:

1. You sign in to the portal/mall before you shop online.
2. Once signed in, you get a selection of retailers that have agreed to provide certain discounts (or reward points) to users of that portal/mall. For example, last we looked, the Shop Through Chase portal was offering an extra 3% cash back if we used our Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card at Ulta Beauty.
3. You choose the retailer where you want to shop, and then hit the “Shop Now” button or whatever means the “mall” has to transport you to the retailer’s site.
4. Your purchases at the retailer site are tracked and you get the extra cash back or reward points.

These shopping portals are kind of a no-brainer if you’re planning on shopping with certain retailers anyway, so you should take advantage.

By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com

One of the more satisfying possibilities for working at home is becoming a virtual assistant. While there is no single definition of what a “virtual assistant” is, most people think of it as doing general office work, which might include:

• Making phone calls or writing emails on a company’s behalf (or for an individual within a company), including scheduling appointments.
• Data entry, anything from tracking sales calls to entering figures in a database.
• Writing & editing basic marketing materials or letters.
• Bookkeeping
• Internet researching
• Blog management
• Social media management
• Graphic design
• Technical support

Your virtual assistant journey might include any or all of those tasks, depending on your skills and the needs of potential clients. You undoubtedly will be asked to do other things specific to whatever industry your clients are in.

No credit card offers a 0% interest rate forever, but many cards will start you out at 0% and let you carry a balance with no interest for a good long time. (Just make sure you have it paid off before the zero percent period ends.) Here are the best no-annual-fee credit cards that offer a 0% introductory interest rate on your new purchases:

0% for 20 months/billing cycles

• US Bank Visa Platinum Card – 0% interest rate on new purchases for the first 20 billing cycles. Note that the card does not offer any rewards program.

0% for 18 months/billing cycles

• BankAmericard – 0% interest rate on new purchases for the first 18 billing cycles. While that is a strong offer, note that the card does not have any sort of rewards program.
• Citi Simplicity Card – 0% interest rate on new purchases for the first 18 months. Does not offer rewards.
• Citi Diamond Preferred Card – 0% interest rate on new purchases for the first 18 months. Does not offer rewards.
• Wells Fargo Platinum Visa – 0% interest rate on new purchases for the first 18 months. No rewards.

By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com

The Amazon Rewards Visa is a popular credit card for rewards seekers, thanks to its 5 points per dollar on Amazon.com and Whole Foods purchases for Amazon Prime credit card customers (3 points for cardholders without Amazon Prime), plus 2 points at restaurants, gas stations, and drug stores, and 1 point per dollar everywhere else.

But is your credit score good enough to qualify? What credit score do you need to get the Amazon Visa?

There is no guaranteed answer to this question. But, using a combination of our own knowledge of Amazon and Chase practices (Chase issues the Amazon Visa), plus a bunch of data points we’ve hunted down from around the Web, we can make an educated declaration:

• In general, customers with a 650 or better credit score will be approved for the Amazon Visa. However, we have seen reports of approvals as low as 600, and some denials at scores between 650 and 725. Obviously your odds increase with a higher score. However, remember that your credit score is not the only factor in approving or denying your application. Many credit card companies will pay special attention to the length of your credit history, your current debt, your current income, and how many other credit cards or loans you’ve recently opened. That’s why there is no guarantee when it comes to a minimum credit score for approval.