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Best Credit Cards RIGHT NOW – December 2023

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Below we list some of the best credit cards on the market right now, with an emphasis on cash back and travel rewards cards:

Best Cash Back Credit Cards

card_name – Why We Like It: Maybe the best rewards credit card for grocery purchases with no annual fee, plus a rare 3% reward for general online purchases. EARN: 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: bonus_miles_full card_name. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

card_name – Why We Like It: Good cash-back on everyday categories, and a nice “catch all” reward rate on other purchases, with no annual fee. Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services), 3% on drugstore purchases, and 1.5% on all other purchases. INTRO OFFER FOR NEW CARDHOLDERS: bonus_miles_full 👀

card_name – Why We Like It: Offers generous cash back in everyday categories where you are likely to be doing real spending, with no annual fee! Earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases. EARLY SPEND BONUS: bonus_miles_full.

More Cash Back Credit Cards

Best Travel Credit Cards

Travel credit cards are difficult to rank because travelers have different needs in terms of budget, frequency of travel, perks desired, etc. Think about your needs/wants as you consider these cards:

card_name – Why We Like It: HUGE new cardholder bonus opportunity, good everyday rewards, yearly 10% points bonus, and a cornerstone of the “Chase Trifecta.”

EARN: 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the card’s $50 Annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit), earn 2x on other travel purchases, earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out, earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs), earn 3x points on select streaming services, earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Chase Trifecta: Use the Chase Sapphire Preferred as the foundation of a larger strategy to obtain multiple Chase cards and combine points to redeem at a 25% premium through Chase’s travel booking site or to get access to Chase travel transfer partners including United, Southwest, Hyatt, Marriott and more.

NEW CARDHOLDER BONUS OPPORTUNITY: bonus_miles_full

(Also, each account anniversary you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year. For example, if you spend $20,000 on purchases, you’ll get 2,000 bonus points.) Annual Fee: annual_fees.

card_name – Why We Like It: Offers the desirable features of more expensive travel cards, but strips away the fluff to keep the annual fee reasonable. That annual fee is annual_fees, but you can get up to $300 in travel credits when you book through Capital One Travel, and there is an Early Spend Bonus: bonus_miles_full The Anniversary Miles Bonus kicks in starting on your first anniversary, with 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel).

In terms of rewards on everyday purchases, earn unlimited 10 miles per dollar in purchases on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, plus unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases. And don’t forget airport lounge access through the Priority Pass network & the new Capital One Lounges, plus quite a bit more.

Instant Approval Gas Credit Cards 2023

Based on our research, the following credit cards may give you instant approval (instant approval is never guaranteed), and in some cases you’ll be able to use that gas credit card today. Note that we are including credit cards from specific gas stations as well as general bank credit cards that offer an enhanced reward on gas purchases:

card_name – This no-annual fee card lets you earn 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), PLUS 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), PLUS 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.

NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: bonus_miles_full card_name. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

card_name – Offers 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 6% cash back on up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back on transit purchases, 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.

NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: bonus_miles_full Annual fee: annual_fees card_name. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

AAA Five Diamond Hotels List 2023

Below are the current AAA Five Diamond hotels for 2023. (The 5 Diamond list is updated monthly, though it tends to stay mostly the same month-to-month.)

Five Diamond Hotels in the United States

👇

Arizona

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess – Scottsdale
Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North – Scottsdale
The Phoenician – Scottsdale
The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician – Scottsdale
The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain – Marana (Tucson)

California (listed north to south):

Northern:

The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe – Truckee
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco – San Francisco
Chateau du Sureau – Oakhurst

Los Angeles & Surrounding:

Ojai Valley Inn – Ojai
Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village – Westlake Village
The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows – Beverly Hills
L’Ermitage Beverly Hills – Beverly Hills
The Maybourne Beverly Hills – Beverly Hills
The Peninsula Beverly Hills – Beverly Hills
Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills – Beverly Hills
Hotel Bel-Air – Los Angeles
The Resort at Pelican Hill – Newport Beach
Montage Laguna Beach – Laguna Beach
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach – Dana Point
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel – Dana Point

San Diego & Surrounding:

Park Hyatt Aviara Resort – Carlsbad
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa – Rancho Santa Fe
Fairmont Grand Del Mar – San Diego
The Lodge at Torrey Pines – La Jolla / San Diego

Best Capital One Credit Cards 2023

Capital One offers a range of consumer credit cards that target different consumer groups based on rewards preferences and credit history. Below we offer our ranking of the five “best” Capital One credit cards:

card_name – Why We Like It Best: Offers generous cash back in everyday categories where you are likely to be doing real spending, with no annual fee! Earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases. EARLY SPEND BONUS: bonus_miles_full

card_name – Why We Like It: Offers the desirable features of more expensive travel cards, but strips away the fluff to keep the annual fee reasonable. That annual fee is annual_fees, but you can get up to $300 in travel credits when you book through Capital One Travel, and there is a strong Early Spend Bonus: bonus_miles_full. The Anniversary Miles Bonus kicks in starting on your first anniversary, with 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel).

Afterpay Stores Alphabetical List – Who Accepts Afterpay?

Below is a list of stores that accept Afterpay for “buy now, pay later” financing, listed in alphabetical order. NOTE: In some cases, you’ll need to use the Afterpay app to purchase at these retailers:

Michaels Credit Card Review 2023

Craft store chain Michaels is now offering a credit card with rewards and other perks that build off of the existing Michaels Rewards program.

A 9% Reward!

The most significant and attractive aspect of the Michaels credit card is that it offers a 9% reward on purchases at Michaels stores and Michaels online. In the standard Michaels Rewards program, you’d earn 3% on your purchases, or 6% after you spend at least $300 at Michaels in a year. So having the credit card means 3%-6% in additional rewards on your Michaels purchases.

But You Have To Use Rewards Fast

Every time you earn $5 in rewards in the Michaels Rewards program, you are issued a $5 rewards voucher. With a 9% reward on your purchases, you can earn a $5 voucher with just over $55 in purchases, so earning a redeemable reward can happen fast. (You can also redeem more than one $5 voucher at the same time if you have multiple vouchers available.)

The downside to the Michaels Rewards vouchers is that you only have 32 days to use them once they’ve been issued. This may be fine if you are a frequent Michaels shopper, but for some people it might force them to make a purchase at a Michaels store or Michaels online sooner than would naturally happen. That pressure to take advantage of your rewards voucher could lead to purchases you’re not thrilled about or vouchers that you earn but never use — an undesirable outcome either way.

List of All American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts (and The Hotel Collection)

The American Express travel programs, “Fine Hotels + Resorts” and “The Hotel Collection”, offer rebates and perks at certain hotels if you are a holder of The Platinum Card or the American Express Gold Card. Below is the complete list of all Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection properties worldwide. United States hotels are first, or skip to: Canada, Mexico + Caribbean, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America, Middle East, Africa

United States

Alabama

106 Jefferson Hotel – Huntsville (The Hotel Collection)
Grand Bohemian Hotel, Mountain Brook – Mountain Brook (The Hotel Collection)
The Valley Hotel – Homewood (The Hotel Collection)

Arizona

Amara Resort & Spa – Sedona (The Hotel Collection)
Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows – Scottsdale (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
Arizona Biltmore – Phoenix (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
Boulders Resort & Spa, Scottsdale – Carefree (The Hotel Collection)
Canopy by Hilton Scottsdale Old Town – Scottsdale (The Hotel Collection)
Canopy by Hilton Tempe Downtown – Tempe (The Hotel Collection)
Castle Hot Springs – Morristown (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
Enchantment Resort – Sedona (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess – Scottsdale (The Hotel Collection)
Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale – Scottsdale (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort – Tucson (The Hotel Collection)
Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort – Scottsdale (The Hotel Collection)
JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort – Phoenix (The Hotel Collection)
Kimpton Hotel Palomar – Phoenix (The Hotel Collection)
L’Auberge de Sedona – Sedona (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort – Tucson (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
Miraval Arizona – Tucson (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
Mountain Shadows – Paradise Valley (The Hotel Collection)
Omni Scottsdale Resort – Paradise Valley (The Hotel Collection)
Royal Palms Resort – Phoenix (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain – Paradise Valley (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
Tempe Mission Palms – Tempe (The Hotel Collection)
The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician – Scottsdale (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
The Hermosa Inn – Paradise Valley (The Hotel Collection)
The Phoenician – Scottsdale (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain – Marana (Fine Hotels + Resorts)

Comenity Bank Credit Card List 2023

Updated November 21, 2023 – Comenity Bank and its sister company Comenity Capital Bank are the issuers behind many retail store credit cards and other credit cards. (Both banks are subsidiaries of Bread Financial, formerly named Alliance Data.) 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:

AAA Visa Credit Cards (Through local AAA clubs)
Academy Sports Credit Card
All Pet Credit Card
Alphaeon Medical Credit
Ann Taylor
Arhaus
Ashley Stewart
Avenue
B&H Payboo Credit Card
Ballard Designs
Bealls Florida Credit Card
Bealls Outlet / Burkes Outlet
Bed Bath & Beyond
Big Lots

Best High Yield Savings Accounts – December 2023

Updated November 20, 2023 – Below is our list of the best online savings accounts based on annual percentage yields (APY). Most have no monthly fee, but may limit the number of monthly withdrawals or have minimums to open or maintain an account.

SoFi Savings & Checking Account – BONUS WITH THIS LINK: Get a $25 – $275 bonus when you open a SoFi Checking/Savings Account! Earn a $25 bonus when you open a SoFi Checking & Savings account AND up to another $250 if you set up direct deposit.

This combined Savings and Checking account offers you a 4.6% APY on your savings IF you have a direct deposit coming into your account (as well as a 0.50% APY on money in your SoFi checking account). No minimum balance required, no monthly fee. (Affiliate link)

Best Credit Cards For Bad Credit – Unsecured & Secured – December 2023

When it comes to credit cards for people with bad credit, your choices are limited. But you don’t have to be stuck with a lousy credit card. Below we list some of the best credit cards for people with bad credit. If your credit is too bad for an unsecured credit card (unless it comes with outrageously high interest and fees), then consider a secured credit card that requires a refundable deposit but often has better terms otherwise.

Unsecured Credit Cards for Bad Credit

card_name – This popular Capital One credit card allows you to earn 1.5% cash back on all of your card purchases. Note, however, that this version is tailored to those with lower credit scores, meaning it has a higher interest rate than the standard Quicksilver Rewards card as well as a annual_fees annual fee. Could be worth it as you work to build up your credit score, especially if you earn enough in rewards to make up for the annual fee.