Moomoo Investing App Promo: Up to $1,000 of NVDA Cash Deposit Bonus, or 3% ACAT Transfer Bonus + 8.1% APY for 2 Months

Posted on March 12, 2026 // 77 Comments

Updated offers March 2026. Brokerage app Moomoo is offering a couple of new promotions for new customers (or existing ones that haven’t funded their accounts yet), one for cash deposits and one for ACAT transfers.

Cash deposit bonus. New customers can get $1,000 of NVDA stock + 8.1% APY for 2 months via referral link if they make a net deposit of $100,000+ by 8/31/26. The minimum hold period is 180 days for the $1,000 tier. The extra 4.75% APY is only valid for 2 months on the first $20,000 of cash sweep deposits. Full terms here. There are also lower tiers:

To be clear, this is for cash deposits, not ACAT transfers. You can invest the cash into stocks and options, but you can’t withdraw during the hold period. Earning $1,000 on $100,000 for a 180 day hold works out to 2% annualized, which is not nearly as good as in the previous version of this offer where it was a 60-day hold and thus 6% annualized.

ACAT transfer bonus.If you have existing investments of ETFs or stocks, new customers can get a 3% transfer bonus + 8.1% APY for 2 months. Maximum bonus is $600 on $20,000 transferred. The 3% bonus is paid out in quarterly installments and fully paid after a year. You must transfer “stocks, certain options, ETFs, and cash to MFI using an ACAT transfer from your existing brokerage account.” For the 8.1% APY, the extra 4.75% APY is only valid for 2 months on the first $20,000 of cash sweep deposits. Full terms here.

A 3% transfer bonus with a year minimum hold is pretty good, too bad it is only for new customers and the cap is at $20k transferred. Here the details of the 3% bonus:

A 3% match of the first transfer amount. The match amount is limited to the first $1-$20,000 transferred in. The match will be given as a “Cash Coupon” and credited in four equal quarterly installments. The first installment will be unlocked on Day 90 following the settlement date of the Qualified Transfer-In; the second on Day 180; the third on Day 270; and the fourth on Day 360. Each installment equals 25% of the Cash Coupon; the total Cash Coupon equals 3% of the Transfer Amount.

What Moomoo calls a “Cash Coupon” is not a direct cash credit to your account; it works like a coupon that rebates a future stock trade. You may have to activate it and then make a trade to claim it. In the past, I have chosen to just buy (and then sell) enough SGOV (again, a conservative T-Bill ETF) to trigger it in a simple manner if you don’t have other stock trades you plan to make. For example, you might need to buy a single $101 share of SGOV to trigger a $100 cash reward into your account. It was a bit of a hassle, but I’ve always managed to convert all my Moomoo “Cash Rewards” or “Cash Coupons” converted to actual cash.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Investing //

CIT Bank Platinum Savings APY Boost Promo: 6-Months at 4.10% APY (New and Existing Customers)

Posted on March 10, 2026 // 12 Comments

CIT Bank has a new limited-time Platinum Savings APY Boost Promotion, offering a boosted interest rate of 4.10% APY for 6 months on their Platinum Saving account that is 0.35% APY above the standard APY (currently 3.75% APY) for balances of $5,000 and above. Thankfully, this offer is available to both new and existing customers that activate the promotion.

New customers will need to sign up for a new CIT Bank Platinum Savings account using the promo code CITBoost to qualify. There is a $100 minimum balance required to open, and you will need a $5,000 minimum balance to get the higher interest rate on this tiered account. There are no monthly service fees.

Existing customers with a Platinum Savings account opened prior to the promotion must enroll via the enrollment web page using promo code CITBoost. You will not get the 6-month boost automatically. Note that the terms also add the following:

Customers are ineligible to participate in the Platinum Savings APY Boost promotion if:

– They are earning an APY over the standard rate.
– They participated in a cash bonus promotion in the past 6 months.

Still, I am appreciative that existing customers are again eligible for this promotion, as most other banks will only allow new customers to participate.

Note that if the base rate on the Platinum Savings account changes, during the promo you will maintain a 0.35% APY interest rate boost above the standard interest rate.

1APY disclosure for Platinum Savings:

Platinum Savings is a tiered interest rate account. Interest is paid on the entire account balance based on the interest rate and APY in effect that day for the balance tier associated with the end-of day account balance. *APYs — Annual Percentage Yields are accurate as of February 17, 2026: 0.25% APY on balances of $0.01 to $4,999.99; 3.75% APY on balances of $5,000.00 or more. Interest Rates for the Platinum Savings account are variable and may change at any time without notice. The minimum to open a Platinum Savings account is $100.

2 Discloser on multipliers:

Based on comparison to the national average Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on savings accounts as published in the FDIC National Rates and Rate Caps, accurate as of February 17, 2026.

* Platinum Savings APY Boost Promotion Terms and Conditions

This is a limited time offer available to New and Existing customers who meet the Platinum Savings APY Boost promotion criteria.

Accounts enrolled in the Platinum Savings Annual Percentage Yield (APY) Boost promotion will receive a 0.35% APY boost on the Platinum Savings current standard APY tiers for 6 months following the opening of a new account or when an existing Platinum Savings account is enrolled in the promotion.

The Platinum Savings APY boost will be applied on account balances up to $9,999,999.00. Account balances above $9,999,999.00 will earn the standard APY. If the standard-published APY should change during the promotion period, the APY boost will move with it, offering an account APY above the standard rate.

The Promotion begins on February 13, 2026, and ends April 13, 2026. Customers enrolled in the promotion prior to the end date will receive the APY boost for the 6-month period outlined in the terms and conditions.

The promotion can end at any time without notice.

For complete list of account details and fees, see the CIT Bank Personal Account disclosures.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

Wells Fargo $400 Checking Bonus

Posted on March 9, 2026 // 7 Comments

I’ve been opening new bank accounts for bonuses for over 20 years now, and the bonuses have only gotten bigger over time. People still hate switching bank accounts (a big fraction are on the very first checking account they ever opened), which means that banks have to offer big bounties to convince them to switch.

You may be surprised that the well-known banks often offer some of the biggest bonuses, but those are also the banks that pay 0% interest on their deposits, while the bank goes off and earns at least 4% (more as they are lending it out too). If you leave $5,000 in a checking account, that’s at least $200 a year the bank is earning on you, and that can go on for decades.

Right now, Wells Fargo will give you a $400 bonus when you open a new Everyday Checking account and make $1,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening. Offer marked to end 4/7/2026.

The Wells Fargo Everyday Checking account monthly service fee is $15, but it is waived with one of the following each fee period:

  • $1,500 minimum daily balance.
  • $5,000 or more in qualifying deposit balances, investment balances, or both.
  • $500 or more in total qualifying electronic deposits.
  • A primary account owner who is 17 to 24 years old (they want this to be your first checking account!)
  • A qualifying monthly non-civilian military direct deposit with the Wells Fargo Worldwide Military Banking program.

In the past, Wells Fargo has not done a “hard credit check” upon a new account opening, while also being very flexible with what qualifies as a direct deposit.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

Best Interest Rates Survey: Bank Accounts, Treasury Bills, Money Markets, ETFs – March 2026

Posted on March 8, 2026 // 2 Comments

Here’s my monthly survey of the best interest rates on cash as of March 2026, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Banks and brokerages love taking advantage of idle cash, and you can often earn more interest while keeping the same level of safety by moving to another FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union. Check out my *fixed!* Ultimate Rate-Chaser Calculator to see how much extra interest you could earn from switching. Rates listed are available to everyone nationwide. Rates checked as of 3/8/26.

TL;DR: Savings account interest rates dropped slightly on average overall. You can still get 4.6% if you accept certain hoops/restrictions, but most are under 4% now. Short-term T-Bill rates were flat at ~3.6%. Top 5-year CD rates are ~4% APY, while 5-year Treasury rate is ~3.7%.

High-yield savings accounts*
Since the huge megabanks still pay essentially zero interest, everyone should at least have a separate, no-fee online savings account to piggy-back onto your existing checking account. The interest rates on savings accounts can drop at any time, so I list the top rates as well as competitive rates from banks with a history of competitive rates and solid user experience. Some banks will bait you with a temporary top rate and then lower the rates in the hopes that you are too lazy to leave.

  • The top saving rate at the moment: Pibank at 4.60% APY (no min), but they have some weird restrictions; like you can only use wire/Plaid to deposit and wire transfers to withdraw funds?! CineFi (no min) dropped a bit to 4.25% APY, a division of First Entertainment Credit Union. OnPath FCU also dropped to 4.25% APY with $25,000 minimum balance. CIT Platinum Savings held at 3.75% APY with $5,000+ balance. There are many banks in between.
  • SoFi Bank is at 3.30% APY (new customers can get up to 4.00% APY for 6 months + $325 bonus with qualifying direct deposit. You must maintain a direct deposit of any amount (even $1) each month for the higher ongoing APY. SoFi has historically competitive rates and full banking features.
  • Here is a limited survey of high-yield savings accounts. They aren’t the top rates, but a group that have historically kept it relatively competitive such that I like to track their history. This month they start at 3.30% APY on up.

Short-term guaranteed rates (1 year and under)
A common question is what to do with a big pile of cash that you’re waiting to deploy shortly (plan to buy a house soon, just sold your house, just sold your business, legal settlement, inheritance). My usual advice is to keep things simple and take your time. If not a savings account, then put it in a flexible short-term CD under the FDIC limits until you have a plan.

  • No Penalty CDs offer a fixed interest rate that can never go down, but you can still take out your money (once) without any fees if you want to use it elsewhere. Marcus has a 13-month No Penalty CD at 3.95% APY ($500 minimum deposit). Farmer’s Insurance FCU has a 9-month No Penalty CD at 4.00% APY ($1,000 minimum deposit). USALLIANCE Financial CU has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 3.90% APY ($500 minimum deposit). CIT Bank has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 3.75% APY ($1,000 minimum deposit).
  • USALLIANCE Financial CU has a 12-month CD at 4.05% APY ($500 minimum deposit). Early withdrawal penalty is 180 days of interest.
  • Farmer’s Insurance FCU has a 12-month CD at 4.00% APY with new money required. $1,000 minimum to open. Early withdrawal penalty is 90 days of interest.

Money market mutual funds
Many brokerage firms that pay out very little interest on their default cash sweep funds (and keep the difference for themselves). Note: Money market mutual funds are highly-regulated, but ultimately not FDIC-insured, so I would still stick with highly reputable firms.

  • Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX) is the default sweep option for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has a 7-day SEC yield of 3.59% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 3.65%, which is better for comparing against APY). Odds are this is much higher than your own broker’s default cash sweep interest rate.
  • Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund (VUSXX) is an alternative money market fund which you must manually purchase, but the interest will be mostly (100% for 2025 tax year) exempt from state and local income taxes because it comes from qualifying US government obligations. Current 7-day SEC yield of 3.62% (compound yield of 3.68%).

Treasury Bills and Ultra-short Treasury ETFs
Another option is to buy individual Treasury bills which come in a variety of maturities from 4-weeks to 52-weeks and are fully backed by the US government. You can also invest in ETFs that hold a rotating basket of short-term Treasury Bills for you, while charging a small management fee for doing so. T-bill interest is exempt from state and local income taxes, which can make a significant difference in your effective yield.

  • You can build your own T-Bill ladder at TreasuryDirect.gov or via a brokerage account with a bond desk like Vanguard and Fidelity. Here are the current Treasury Bill rates. As of 3/6/26, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 3.70% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 3.54% annualized interest.
  • The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 3.54% 30-day SEC yield (0.09% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years. The Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) has a 3.54% 30-day SEC yield (0.06% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years.

US Savings Bonds
Series I Savings Bonds offer rates that are linked to inflation and backed by the US government. You must hold them for at least a year. If you redeem them within 5 years there is a penalty of the last 3 months of interest. The annual purchase limit for electronic I bonds is $10,000 per Social Security Number, available online at TreasuryDirect.gov.

  • “I Bonds” bought between November 2025 and April 2026 will earn a 4.03% rate for the first six months. The rate of the subsequent 6-month period will be based on inflation again. More on Savings Bonds here.
  • In mid-April 2026, the CPI will be announced and you will have a short period where you will have a very close estimate of the rate for the next 12 months. I will post another update at that time.

Rewards checking accounts
These unique checking accounts pay above-average interest rates, but with unique risks. You have to jump through certain hoops which usually involve 10+ debit card purchases each cycle, a certain number of ACH/direct deposits, and/or a certain number of logins per month. If you make a mistake (or they judge that you did) you risk earning zero interest for that month. Some folks don’t mind the extra work and attention required, while others would rather not bother. Rates can also drop suddenly, leaving a “bait-and-switch” feeling.

  • La Capitol Federal Credit Union pays 6.50% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases of at least $5 each per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization, Louisiana Association for Personal Financial Achievement ($20).
  • OnPath Federal Credit Union (my review) pays 6.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and login to online or mobile banking once per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization. You can also get a $150 Visa Reward card when you open a new account and make qualifying transactions.
  • Genisys Credit Union pays 6.75% APY on up to $7,500 if you make 10 debit card purchases of $5+ each per statement cycle, and opt into online statements. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • Oklahoma Central Credit Union pays 6.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases (non-ATM) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union if they are “affiliated with another credit union”.
  • First Southern Bank pays 5.50% APY on up to $25,000 if you make at least 15 debit card purchases, 1 ACH credit or payment transaction, and enroll in online statements.
  • Credit Union of New Jersey pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make 12 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit, online bill payment, or automatic payment (ACH) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • Andrews Federal Credit Union pays 5.25% APY (decreased) on up to $25,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization.
  • Capitol Credit Union pays 6.00% APY on up to $15,000 if you make 12 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization ($5 to Wild Basin Wilderness).
  • Find a locally-restricted rewards checking account at DepositAccounts.

Certificates of deposit (greater than 1 year)
CDs offer higher rates, but come with an early withdrawal penalty. By finding a bank CD with a reasonable early withdrawal penalty, you can enjoy higher rates but maintain access in a true emergency. Alternatively, consider building a CD ladder of different maturity lengths (ex. 1/2/3/4/5-years) such that you have access to part of the ladder each year, but your blended interest rate is higher than a savings account. When one CD matures, use that money to buy another 5-year CD to keep the ladder going. Some CDs also offer “add-ons” where you can deposit more funds if rates drop.

  • United Fidelity Bank has a 5-year certificate at 4.15% APY ($1,000 minimum), 4-year at 4.10% APY, 3-year at 4.10% APY, 2-year at 4.10% APY, and 1.5-year at 4.05% APY. Early withdrawal penalties are not disclosed clearly online.
  • Advancial Federal Credit Union has has a 5-year certificates at 3.97%/4.07%/4.18% APY APY based on either a $1,000/$25,000/$50,000 opening balance. Early withdrawal penalty for the 5-year is 365 days of interest. Anyone nationwide should be able to join via membership with partner organization US Dog Agility Association, but I would call to verify first.
  • Mountain America Credit Union (MACU) has a 5-year certificate at 4.00% APY ($500 minimum), 4-year at 4.00% APY, 3-year at 4.05% APY, 2-year at 4.20% APY, and 1-year at 3.80% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 4-year and 5-year is 365 days of interest. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization American Consumer Council (use promo code “consumer” when joining).
  • You can buy certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. You may need an account to see the rates. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance and easy laddering, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. Right now, I see a 5-year non-callable brokered CD at 3.90% APY (callable: no, call protection: yes). Be warned that both Vanguard and Fidelity will list higher rates from callable CDs, which importantly means they can (and will!) call back your CD if rates drop significantly later.

Longer-term Instruments
I’d use these with caution due to increased interest rate risk (tbh, I don’t use them at all), but I still track them to see the rest of the current yield curve.

  • Willing to lock up your money for 10 years? You can buy long-term certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. You might find something that pays more than your other brokerage cash and Treasury options. Right now, I see a 10-year CDs at 4.05% APY (non-callable) vs. 4.12% for a 10-year Treasury. Watch out for higher rates from callable CDs where they can call your CD back if interest rates drop.

All rates were checked as of 3/8/26.

* I no longer recommend fintech companies due to the possibility of significant loss due to poor recordkeeping and the lack of government protection in such scenarios. The point of cash is absolute safety of principal.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers, Investing // Tagged:

Robinhood HOOD Rewards Season 2026 Promos: Up to 3% ACAT Transfer Bonus

Posted on March 1, 2026 // 2 Comments

Robinhood is running “HOOD Rewards Season” from 2/19-3/25, which includes the return of some competitive account transfer bonuses. Noteworthy are the 3% total match if you have $10,000 in margin (which you can “create” beforehand) and the 2% match that includes 401k rollovers. However, note that they have very long minimum holding periods where you are stuck at Robinhood (and can’t pursue other opportunities) or they will clawback the bonus. Transfers must be initiated by March 25, 2026 to qualify.

  • 2% bonus on ACATS transfers to your Robinhood joint or individual taxable brokerage account from an external brokerage. 5-year minimum hold period + Robinhood Gold ($5/mo or $50/year) membership for a year required.
  • 3% total bonus on ACATS transfers (1% extra) with a margin balance of $10,000 or more to your Robinhood joint or individual taxable brokerage account from an external brokerage.
  • 2% bonus on ACATS transfers to your Robinhood IRA, including 401k rollovers. 5-year minimum hold period + Robinhood Gold ($5/mo or $50/year) membership for a year required.
  • 3% bonus on IRA contributions. This is a standard offer for Robinhood Gold customers, but still worth noting if you are joining the Robinhood ecosystem. 5-year minimum hold period.
  • Robinhood will also cover outgoing transfer fees (up to $75) if you transfer $7,500+ in assets.
  • 2% bonus on crypto transfers. They are also announcing new products/features on March 4, 2026.

Full terms at Robinhood.com/hoodrewardstransfer.

The 2% bonus on taxable account transfers requires a subscription with Robinhood Gold ($5/mo) and customers must stay subscribed to Gold for 1 year after receiving each Gold match to keep the full Gold match. A 1% match is available to non-Gold customers, no subscription required. The funds that earned the match be kept in the account for at least 5 years to avoid a potential chargeback of the bonus. Transfer must be initiated by March 25,2026 to qualify. Offer only applies to self-directed individual or joint taxable accounts. For more information refer to Hood Season Account Transfer Bonus at robinhood.com/hoodrewardstransfer??

The additional 1% margin bonus is available to all customers who are approved for a margin account and transfer a margin balance of at least $10,000 using ACATS.

If you don’t want to move your money around all the time, I think this is a pretty good promo. If you move over a $100,000 portfolio for 5 years, that’s $3,000. If you move over a $1,000,000 portfolio for 5 years, that’s $30,000. If you have a $100,000 portfolio parked at Merrill Edge, given the upcoming Preferred Rewards changes, compare this bonus against potential cash back. Might be better to take the upfront money than to chase a higher tier. Robinhood now has over $300 billion in assets under custody.

It’s not hard to “create” a $10,000 margin balance by buying some extra SGOV/VBIL in your account right before the ACAT transfer (assuming you have enough equity collateral), do the transfer, and then pay off the margin by selling the SGOV/VBIL right after the transfer is completed. You’ll just pay a little margin interest in the meantime, should be less than $10 as your SGOV/VBIL will earn interest as well (price should increase in interim if no dividend distribution). Robinhood wants investors that use margin, as they tend to be more profitable.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Investing //

Bilt Rent Day for March 1st, 2026: Japan Airlines Transfer Bonus

Posted on February 27, 2026 // Leave a Comment

Bilt recently revamped their credit cards, leaving Wells Fargo and switching to Cardless. The good news is that they now give rewards on mortgage payments in addition to rent. The bad news is that they require a lot of non-housing spend for you to “unlock” those rewards. Overall, the program is much more complicated than before, requiring you to carefully juggle housing and non-housing spending amounts on your card to make it barely possible to gain value above a simple 2% cash back card.

Importantly, separate from their original Bilt points, which are great and convert 1:1 to Hyatt points in addition to possible monthly transfer bonuses to other airline programs, they added a new thing confusingly called “Bilt Cash” which is nothing like cash at all.

I decided to convert to the new no-annual-fee Bilt “Blue” credit card as they offered me a “$100 sign-up bonus”, but this bonus turned out to be in Bilt Cash, which I haven’t been able to redeem for anything of value to me.

On March 1st only, Bilt is offering a Rent Day transfer bonus of between 25% to 100% to Japan Airlines. If you pay them $135 in Bilt Cash, they will let you bump up to an increased bonus percentage. So if you are on the base tier like me and only get a 25% transfer bonus to JAL, I could pay them $135 in Bilt Cash and make it a 50% transfer bonus. Possibly a good use of Bilt Cash and a way to use up your points, but again only on March 1st.

I wish I could explain the new program here simply, but I can’t. Personally, I have gone ahead and converted nearly all of my Bilt points to Hyatt, and will wait and see if things get better.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Hilton Honors American Express Cards: New Limited-Time Offers

Posted on February 24, 2026 // 10 Comments

Updated with new limited-time offers. Hilton Hotels and American Express have co-branded credit cards with special perks for Hilton customers. Each person can typically only get one welcome offer, per card in your entire lifetime, so it’s best to apply during a temporary bump-up and/or limited-time offer. Hat tip to DoC and DDG, which has found some personal links without the once-per-lifetime language (“NLL” or “no-lifetime-language”). The business links below still include the NLL. Here’s what the “lifetime-language” looks like, and there should be a pop-up indicating that you are indeed not eligible for the bonus based on their records.

You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card or previous versions of this Card. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.

Hilton Honors American Express Card (No Annual Fee)

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 70,000 Bonus Points and one Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/15/26.
  • 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar on purchases at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations.
  • 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases.
  • Hilton Honors(TM) Silver Status comes with this card. Spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on this card within a calendar year and upgrade this benefit to Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status through the end of the next calendar year.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • No annual fee.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card ($150 Annual Fee)

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 130,000 Bonus Points and one Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/15/26.
  • 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar on purchases at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations.
  • 4X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar on U.S Online Retail Purchases.
  • 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases.
  • Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status comes with this card. Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on this card within a calendar year and upgrade this benefit to Hilton Honors(TM) Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
  • Up to $200 in Hilton Credits annually. Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. That’s up to $200 in statement credits annually.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • Earn an additional Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
  • $150 annual fee.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card ($550 Annual Fee)

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 175,000 Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 4/15/26.
  • 14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • 7X Bonus Points for eligible purchases: on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com; on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies; & at U.S. restaurants.
  • 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases.
  • Hilton Honors(TM) Diamond Status comes with this card.
  • $400 Hilton Resort Credit. Get up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on your Hilton Honors Aspire Card. That’s up to $400 back annually.
  • $200 Flight Credit. Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter, for a total of up to $200 back each year, on flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com using your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
  • $209 CLEAR+ Credit. CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $209 per calendar year in statement credits, when you pay for a CLEAR+ Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • Multiple Free Night Reward Opportunities. Enjoy an Annual Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors in your first year of Card Membership and every year upon Card renewal. Earn another Free Night Reward from Hilton after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you can earn an additional Free Night Reward from Hilton after you spend a total of $60,000 in purchases on the Card within the same calendar year.
  • $550 annual fee.

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card ($195 Annual Fee)

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 175,000 Bonus Points and one Free Night Reward after you spend $8,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/15/26.
  • 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made using the Hilton Honors Business Card on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year, 3X Points thereafter.
  • Up to $240 in Hilton credits annually (Up to $60 per quarter). Get up to $60 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made with this card directly with a Hilton portfolio property.
  • Complimentary Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status (free breakfast, room upgrades based on availability, 5th standard reward night free).
  • Upgrade this benefit to Hilton Honors(TM) Diamond Status through the end of the calendar year if the total eligible purchases that you spend on your Card Account during a calendar year reach $40,000 or more.
  • $195 annual fee.

What are Hilton Honor points worth? The best value is from booking free hotel nights or using their “Points & Money” option where you pay with a combination of Hilton points and cash. Hilton has some really nice properties, but the value varies from hotel to hotel. I just ran a search and for the same 60,000 Hilton points, I could book rooms that cost $320 or $532 cash. I’ve seen some valuations around 0.6 cents per point, which I think is fair on average, but I would be more conservative at 0.5 cents a point. That would make 150,000 points = $750 value and 100,000 points = $500 value towards Hilton hotel stays.

The good part of Hilton points is that they have so many different hotel brands, from business-class DoubleTree to luxury Waldorf Astoria. Hilton also lets you transfer and pool points with other with other family or household members. As long as you are able to keep them active (once every 12 months), I do like to keep some around. These credit cards are handy for creating activity.

Free Night Award details. When it is offered (not all the time), the Free Night Award is valid for a one-night standard room at eligible Hilton properties, and also covers resort fees and taxes. There are many great and valuable options to redeem, but importantly read about the property exclusions here. Here are the full terms. To redeem the Free Night Reward, you must call 1-800-446-6677 (1-800-HHONORS). It’s quite easy and I’ve found the agents to be very helpful if you want to combine multiple certificates, combine a paid stay and a Free Night Award, etc. Free Night Rewards will expire 12 months from date of issuance.

I’ve used this Free Night Award at the Grand Wailea in Maui, and that standard room would have cost 110,000 Hilton Points otherwise. Other fancy possibilities include Conrad New York, Conrad London, Waldorf Astoria Park City, and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.

Bottom line. Hilton American Express cards offer regular Hilton customers a good opportunity to earn additional points towards free Hilton hotel stays as well as additional perks like status upgrades. The best time to apply for a Hilton co-branded American Express card is during a limited-time increase to their welcome offers. This is because American Express has changed their standard policy to only allow each person to get a welcome offer once per card.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers and Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

PSECU $300 New Checking Account Bonus (Updated 2026)

Posted on February 19, 2026 // 13 Comments

Updated with 2026 promo details. Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union (PSECU) has a $300 new checking account bonus. That is also my referral link as I successfully did a similar $300 deal previously. PSECU is a digital-first credit union with a very open membership. If you don’t satisfy the available free options, anyone can join with $10:

Don’t meet any of the criteria above? No problem! You can still become eligible for PSECU membership by joining the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society (PRPS).

PRPS is a statewide association providing education, advocacy, and resources for those working and volunteering to manage Pennsylvania’s 6,000+ local parks. Park and recreation departments provide safe and affordable recreation opportunities, creating stronger and more inclusive communities.

PRPS membership dues are $20, but we cover $10 when you select to join PRPS during our application process.

There may also be a required $5 initial deposit into a share savings account. I also experienced a hard credit check on Experian when I joined over a year ago, but more recent reports are that they have switched to a soft pull. Here are the details on the bonus requirements:

$300 Checking Bonus Requirements

  • Enter your email address into the referral link. Make sure this email address matches the one on your application.
  • Complete your application with promo code 2026REFER (should be automatically applied) and be approved for at least one savings and one checking account with debit card.
  • Sign up and log into digital banking (online or mobile).
  • Set up and receive 2 Qualifying Payroll Direct Deposit(s), each of $500 or more, into either the new savings or checking accounts.
  • Above must be completed within 100 days of establishing your membership.

My application process went smoothly and similar to other credit unions. I did have to upload a scan of the front and back of my driver’s license to help verify my identity (which is a good thing in my opinion) as well as answer some identity verification questions based on my credit report. The application took a couple days to process but I was able to get my account information and online access without any phone call or physical paperwork required. I did have to call them briefly to get my checking account number (didn’t want to wait on the free checks to arrive) in order to set up my direct deposit. My bonus arrived without issue and as promised.

One bonus per tax ID, so a couple could each open their own PSECU accounts and get $300 each even if they live in the same household.

PSECU occasionally has some decent CD rates, and they have a 2% cash back credit card with no annual fee if you maintain a checking account with direct deposit.

Greenlight perk. Another useful perk of PSECU for those with kids and teens is they include a free Greenlight subscription, which is a popular reloadable debit card service for kids. This is usually $5 a month ($60 a year). Here’s my Greenlight Kids Debit Card review.

More fine print, saved for future reference:

* $300 New Member Bonus Terms and Conditions. From 1.1.26 to 12.31.26, PSECU is running a new member incentive bonus. To be eligible to receive $300, new members must apply for membership using the promotional code and satisfy each of the requirements listed below. Your membership application must be started between 1.1.26 and 12.31.26 to be eligible to participate in this bonus offer. Applications started before 1.1.26 or after 12.31.26 will be disqualified from participation in the promotion. After the first 100 days from the date membership is established, PSECU will assess whether all promotional requirements have been met. If eligible, bonus processing may take up to an additional 45 days. Therefore, if all conditions are satisfied, the $300 bonus can be deposited into your Regular savings share within 145 days of the membership establishment date. PSECU reserves the right to extend processing time if requirements are not met or if additional verification is needed. This promotion is limited to individuals who are either a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident alien residing in the U.S. who are 18 years of age or older at the time membership is established. Eligibility is determined based on the applicant’s status as of the date of membership establishment, and no exceptions will be made. Limit one (1) new member $300 New Member Bonus per tax identification number used to open a new PSECU account. Joint owners listed on accounts are not eligible to be rewarded for this bonus unless they open their own account. You will not be eligible for the $300 New Member Bonus if you are a current PSECU member or have closed an account within the past 12 months. You are not eligible to receive this bonus if you ever received any new member incentive bonus from PSECU for opening a new account, regardless of when the prior bonus was awarded. This restriction applies to all prior new member promotional offers and is not subject to exception. Members who open accounts and/or loans by fraudulent, suspicious, or illegal means, including but not limited to providing PSECU with fraudulent or fabricated information, are not eligible to participate in this bonus offer. PSECU may adjust the deposited bonus or remove the deposited bonus at any time if PSECU suspects accounts and/or loans were opened by fraudulent, suspicious, or illegal means, including but not limited to providing PSECU with fraudulent or fabricated information. A minimum share deposit of $5 is required to open and maintain a Regular savings share account. The $5 share deposit is also a mandatory condition for eligibility to receive the $300 New Member Bonus, and the member must be in good standing as defined by PSECU’s Bylaws Article II, Section 1. A $5 minimum share purchase will be made on behalf of the new member by PSECU. The Annual Percentage Yield on PSECU’s Regular savings share account is 0.25%. This variable rate is current as of 12.1.2025 and may change. Withdrawals and fees may reduce earnings on the account. The recipient of the bonus ($300) is solely responsible for payment of applicable taxes on that amount. If you have any questions, please seek the advice of a qualified tax professional. The decision to award a portion or total bonus is solely within PSECU’s discretion, and all decisions made by PSECU shall be final. PSECU may terminate or change the terms and conditions of this promotion without notice. Subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

OKX Crypto: $200 Referral Bonus + 4% Deposit Bonus + 3.5% APY on USDG + AirDrops

Posted on February 19, 2026 // 22 Comments

Updated with lower USDG earn rate and lower 4% deposit bonus. Also, check if any of your past bonuses are unlocked. Crypto exchange OKX is currently offering a few different bonuses which may be stackable. Details below.

  1. New customers: $200 referral bonus Should auto-populate the promo code 79795662. That’s mine, thanks if you use it. Details below.
  2. New and existing customers: 4% Deposit Match for all deposits of at least $10 (max $2,000 on $50,000 deposit). 24 week hold period to get full deposit match, paid out every 14 days. Details below.
  3. New and existing customers: 3.5% APY on USDG (stablecoin)
  4. New and existing customers: Free crypto via X Drops Club. Must maintain a $1,000+ portfolio of crypto (cash, USDC, USDT and USDG stablecoin does not count). BTC, ETH do count. You must also “join” each airdrop before the window closes. More details here and here.

1. $200 New customer bonus details. For new OKX customers:

  • Sign up via special referral link. I think they allow either smartphone or browser sign-up, but identity verification may be easier on a smartphone. That’s my referral link, which should auto-populate with the promo code 79795662. Thanks if you use it!
  • Complete identity verification (driver’s license and smartphone selfie).
  • $200 BTC Bonus if you deposit $200+ of either cash (link bank account via Plaid) or crypto within 30 days, trade that $200 or more of crypto (can purchase stablecoin like USDG), and hold the assets for at least 30 days within a 90-day period. After 90 days, the bonus will be tradable and withdrawable.
  • Stablecoins such as USDG, USDT, and USDC qualify for deposit, trading volume, and AUM holding requirements.

2. 4% Deposit Match

  • OKX is running a 4% bonus match on new deposits (minimum $10 and maximum $50,000). You must hold for 24 weeks to get the full 4%, but it is paid out gradually every 14 days (2 weeks). You still keep liquidity and can withdraw your deposits at any time, but you lose the match.
  • Must opt in *first* by March 23rd, 2026, and then make the deposit. Look for this offer in app.
  • Full terms.

3. OKX is also paying 3.5% APY on USDG deposits currently. This dropped from 5% on 3/2/26. USDG stablecoin is not FDIC-insured. They claim to be fully backed by US Treasury Bills with monthly audits and regulated by Singapore, but I still plan to withdraw my USDG out into a real FDIC-insured bank as soon as the holding period is over. This is a short-term play for me; I’m in for the stacking bonus duration and then I’m out.

4. X Drops Club is a recurring rewards program with automatic daily drops that scale with a user’s eligible crypto balance. Must maintain $1,000+ in eligible crypto assets (excluding fiat, USDC, USDT, and USDG).

Please perform your own due diligence on crypto apps. They are still not regulated on the same level as bank account or brokerage accounts. The bonuses are bigger, but there is added platform risk with crypto apps that are not FDIC or SIPC-insured. I don’t like to keep significant funds in there any longer than is required for the bonus to clear, and I only do short-term deals.

Here is the OKX Wikipedia page and they are profiled in the Forbes article “The World’s Most Trustworthy Crypto Exchanges”. (Also see: Kraken and Gemini bonuses.)

Note: OKX does not allow customers to be individuals residing in New York, Texas, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

Bank of America Rewards: Higher Balance Requirements for Credit Card Boosts + New Monthly Credits (Coming May 2026)

Posted on February 18, 2026 // 10 Comments

(Update: BofA sent out a new e-mail that your existing members with a Preferred Rewards bonus on your credit card will be maintained at least until your annual BofA anniversary date following November 2026. So if your anniversary month is April, you’ll be good until April 2027. For new cardmembers, it starts May 2026. They also added the detail that the monthly debit card credits will apply to select “streaming and news subscription services”. )

Bank of America has a press release that their “Preferred Rewards” program is changing to “BofA Rewards” on May 27, 2026 (hat tip Bogleheads). Notable changes include the tier names, their required balances, and higher requirements for credit card rewards boosts. Here is a comparison of the old and new tiers.

Preferred Rewards Tiers (OLD; Current)

  • Gold – $20,000 to < $50,000 combined balance
  • Platinum – $50,000 to < $100,000 combined balance
  • Platinum Honors – $100,000 to < $1,000,000 combined balance
  • Diamond – $1,000,000 or more combined balance

BofA Rewards Tiers (NEW; Effective May 2026)

  • Member – Less than $30,000 combined balance
  • Preferred Plus – $30,000 to < $100,000 combined balance
  • Preferred Honors – $100,000 to < $1,000,000 combined balance
  • Premier – $1,000,000 or more combined balance

Combined balances refers to the three-month average account balance across qualifying Bank of America and Merrill accounts. Qualifying accounts include:

  • Bank of America deposit accounts: Bank of America Advantage Banking, savings, money market savings, CD and IRA accounts
  • Merrill® investment accounts, such as the Cash Management Account (CMA) and IRA accounts
  • 529 plans appearing on your Merrill statement
  • Revocable grantor trust accounts

The big negative change is that you now need the Premier ($1,000,000+) tier to get the maximum 75% boost in credit card rewards. That’s a huge 10X increase in the balance required.

New BofA Rewards Tiers x Credit Card Rewards Boosts

  • Member – Credit card rewards boost: 10%
  • Preferred Plus ($30k+) – Credit card rewards boost: 25%
  • Preferred Honors ($100k+) – Credit card rewards boost: 50%
  • Premier ($1M+) – Credit card rewards boost: 75%

Many people have moved over stock holdings to a self-directed brokerage account at Merrill Edge in order to qualify for some of these rewards. Going from a 75% boost to 50% boost may mean going from 2.6% cash back on everything to 2.25% cash back, unless your combined balances meet the $1 million mark. A disappointing change.

A possible positive offset are new monthly credits on the higher tiers if you make certain purchases on your BofA debit card linked to your BofA checking account.

New BofA Rewards Tiers x Monthly Debit Card Credits

  • Member – No subscription credits
  • Preferred Plus ($30k+) – No subscription credits
  • Preferred Honors ($100k+) – Up to $8 per month in statement credits for “several pre-determined subscription services” (up to $96/year).
  • Premier ($1M+) – Up to $15 per month in statement credits for “several pre-determined subscription services” (up to $180/year).

BofA has not announced the eligible subscriptions yet, but hopefully it is a flexible category. This will be an important detail, and it could offset a big part of lost cashback rewards for those with lower credit card spending.

Current Preferred Rewards members will be automatically enrolled in BofA Rewards. The terms state that current Gold and Platinum tier members will initially be changed to the Preferred Plus tier, even with the new balance mismatches.

Filed Under: Banking, Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Best Interest Rates Survey: Bank Accounts, Treasury Bills, Money Markets, ETFs – February 2026

Posted on February 11, 2026 // 1 Comment

Here’s my monthly survey of the best interest rates on cash as of February 2026, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Banks and brokerages love taking advantage of idle cash, and you can often earn more interest while keeping the same level of safety by moving to another FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union. Check out my Ultimate Rate-Chaser Calculator to see how much extra interest you could earn from switching. Rates listed are available to everyone nationwide. Rates checked as of 2/11/26.

TL;DR: Savings account interest rates are mostly unchanged from last month. You can still get 4.6% if you accept certain hoops/restrictions, but most are under 4% now. Short-term T-Bill rates have fallen, now ~3.6%. Top 5-year CD rates are ~4% APY, while 5-year Treasury rate is ~3.7%.

High-yield savings accounts*
Since the huge megabanks still pay essentially zero interest, everyone should at least have a separate, no-fee online savings account to piggy-back onto your existing checking account. The interest rates on savings accounts can drop at any time, so I list the top rates as well as competitive rates from banks with a history of competitive rates and solid user experience. Some banks will bait you with a temporary top rate and then lower the rates in the hopes that you are too lazy to leave.

  • The top saving rate at the moment: Pibank at 4.60% APY (no min), but they have some weird restrictions; like you can only use wire/Plaid to deposit and wire transfers to withdraw funds?! CineFi (no min) is new at 4.50% APY, a division of First Entertainment Credit Union. OnPath FCU is at 4.40% APY with $25,000 minimum balance. CIT Platinum Savings is now at 3.75% APY with $5,000+ balance. There are many banks in between.
  • SoFi Bank is at 3.30% APY (new customers can get up to 4.00% APY for 6 months + $325 bonus with qualifying direct deposit. You must maintain a direct deposit of any amount (even $1) each month for the higher ongoing APY. SoFi has historically competitive rates and full banking features.
  • Here is a limited survey of high-yield savings accounts. They aren’t the top rates, but a group that have historically kept it relatively competitive such that I like to track their history. This month they start at 3.30% APY on up.

Short-term guaranteed rates (1 year and under)
A common question is what to do with a big pile of cash that you’re waiting to deploy shortly (plan to buy a house soon, just sold your house, just sold your business, legal settlement, inheritance). My usual advice is to keep things simple and take your time. If not a savings account, then put it in a flexible short-term CD under the FDIC limits until you have a plan.

  • No Penalty CDs offer a fixed interest rate that can never go down, but you can still take out your money (once) without any fees if you want to use it elsewhere. Marcus has a 13-month No Penalty CD at 3.95% APY ($500 minimum deposit). Farmer’s Insurance FCU has a 9-month No Penalty CD at 4.00% APY ($1,000 minimum deposit). USALLIANCE Financial CU has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 3.90% APY ($500 minimum deposit). CIT Bank has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 3.75% APY ($1,000 minimum deposit).
  • Genisys CU has a 13-month certificate at 4.16% APY ($500 min). Early withdrawal penalty is a clearly-disclosed 90 days of interest (many places hide this info now). Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization Arthritis Foundation or Paint Creek Center for the Arts (one-time $5 fee).
  • Farmer’s Insurance FCU has a 12-month CD at 4.25% APY with new money required. $1,000 minimum to open. Early withdrawal penalty is 90 days of interest.

Money market mutual funds
Many brokerage firms that pay out very little interest on their default cash sweep funds (and keep the difference for themselves). Note: Money market mutual funds are highly-regulated, but ultimately not FDIC-insured, so I would still stick with highly reputable firms.

  • Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX) is the default sweep option for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has a 7-day SEC yield of 3.59% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 3.65%, which is better for comparing against APY). Odds are this is much higher than your own broker’s default cash sweep interest rate.
  • Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund (VUSXX) is an alternative money market fund which you must manually purchase, but the interest will be mostly (100% for 2025 tax year) exempt from state and local income taxes because it comes from qualifying US government obligations. Current 7-day SEC yield of 3.64% (compound yield of 3.70%).

Treasury Bills and Ultra-short Treasury ETFs
Another option is to buy individual Treasury bills which come in a variety of maturities from 4-weeks to 52-weeks and are fully backed by the US government. You can also invest in ETFs that hold a rotating basket of short-term Treasury Bills for you, while charging a small management fee for doing so. T-bill interest is exempt from state and local income taxes, which can make a significant difference in your effective yield.

  • You can build your own T-Bill ladder at TreasuryDirect.gov or via a brokerage account with a bond desk like Vanguard and Fidelity. Here are the current Treasury Bill rates. As of 2/11/26, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 3.69% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 3.47% annualized interest.
  • The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 3.55% 30-day SEC yield (0.09% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years. The Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) has a 3.55% 30-day SEC yield (0.06% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years.

US Savings Bonds
Series I Savings Bonds offer rates that are linked to inflation and backed by the US government. You must hold them for at least a year. If you redeem them within 5 years there is a penalty of the last 3 months of interest. The annual purchase limit for electronic I bonds is $10,000 per Social Security Number, available online at TreasuryDirect.gov.

  • “I Bonds” bought between November 2025 and April 2026 will earn a 4.03% rate for the first six months. The rate of the subsequent 6-month period will be based on inflation again. More on Savings Bonds here.
  • In mid-April 2026, the CPI will be announced and you will have a short period where you will have a very close estimate of the rate for the next 12 months. I will post another update at that time.

Rewards checking accounts
These unique checking accounts pay above-average interest rates, but with unique risks. You have to jump through certain hoops which usually involve 10+ debit card purchases each cycle, a certain number of ACH/direct deposits, and/or a certain number of logins per month. If you make a mistake (or they judge that you did) you risk earning zero interest for that month. Some folks don’t mind the extra work and attention required, while others would rather not bother. Rates can also drop suddenly, leaving a “bait-and-switch” feeling.

  • La Capitol Federal Credit Union pays 6.50% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases of at least $5 each per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization, Louisiana Association for Personal Financial Achievement ($20).
  • OnPath Federal Credit Union (my review) pays 6.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and login to online or mobile banking once per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization. You can also get a $150 Visa Reward card when you open a new account and make qualifying transactions.
  • Genisys Credit Union pays 6.75% APY on up to $7,500 if you make 10 debit card purchases of $5+ each per statement cycle, and opt into online statements. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • Oklahoma Central Credit Union pays 6.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases (non-ATM) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union if they are “affiliated with another credit union”.
  • First Southern Bank pays 5.50% APY on up to $25,000 if you make at least 15 debit card purchases, 1 ACH credit or payment transaction, and enroll in online statements.
  • Credit Union of New Jersey pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make 12 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit, online bill payment, or automatic payment (ACH) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • Andrews Federal Credit Union pays 5.25% APY (decreased) on up to $25,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization.
  • Capitol Credit Union pays 6.00% APY on up to $15,000 if you make 12 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization ($5 to Wild Basin Wilderness).
  • Find a locally-restricted rewards checking account at DepositAccounts.

Certificates of deposit (greater than 1 year)
CDs offer higher rates, but come with an early withdrawal penalty. By finding a bank CD with a reasonable early withdrawal penalty, you can enjoy higher rates but maintain access in a true emergency. Alternatively, consider building a CD ladder of different maturity lengths (ex. 1/2/3/4/5-years) such that you have access to part of the ladder each year, but your blended interest rate is higher than a savings account. When one CD matures, use that money to buy another 5-year CD to keep the ladder going. Some CDs also offer “add-ons” where you can deposit more funds if rates drop.

  • United Fidelity Bank has a 5-year certificate at 4.15% APY ($1,000 minimum), 4-year at 4.10% APY, 3-year at 4.10% APY, 2-year at 4.15% APY, and 1.5-year at 4.05% APY. Early withdrawal penalties are not disclosed clearly online.
  • Mountain America Credit Union (MACU) has a 5-year certificate at 4.00% APY ($500 minimum), 4-year at 4.00% APY, 3-year at 4.05% APY, 2-year at 4.20% APY, and 1-year at 3.80% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 4-year and 5-year is 365 days of interest. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization American Consumer Council (use promo code “consumer” when joining).
  • You can buy certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. You may need an account to see the rates. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance and easy laddering, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. Right now, I see a 5-year non-callable brokered CD at 3.95% APY (callable: no, call protection: yes). Be warned that both Vanguard and Fidelity will list higher rates from callable CDs, which importantly means they can (and will!) call back your CD if rates drop significantly later.

Longer-term Instruments
I’d use these with caution due to increased interest rate risk (tbh, I don’t use them at all), but I still track them to see the rest of the current yield curve.

  • Willing to lock up your money for 10 years? You can buy long-term certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. You might find something that pays more than your other brokerage cash and Treasury options. Right now, I see a 10-year CDs at [none available] (non-callable) vs. 4.16% for a 10-year Treasury. Watch out for higher rates from callable CDs where they can call your CD back if interest rates drop.

All rates were checked as of 2/11/26.

* I no longer recommend fintech companies due to the possibility of significant loss due to poor recordkeeping and the lack of government protection in such scenarios. The point of cash is absolute safety of principal.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers, Investing // Tagged:

JetBlue Plus Card Review: 75,000 Bonus Points

Posted on February 9, 2026 // 20 Comments

Limited-time 75k offer with $1,000 spending hurdle. The JetBlue Plus Mastercard is a rewards credit card that earns TrueBlue points for purchases and includes special perks for JetBlue customers. Right now, there is an increased offer above the common prior 50k and 60k offer levels, this time with a low spending requirement but without a first-year annual fee waiver. This is a limited-time inflight offer, where you can enter a 5-digit promo code to credit the flight crew. I have read that the code is 6+Flight number (ex. Flight 214 is 60214), but it seems that any 5-digit code will work. I’ve used 00000 on a similar Barclaycard app and it still worked fine. Here are the highlights:

  • 75,000 bonus TrueBlue points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.
  • First checked bag is free for the primary cardmember and up to 3 companions when you use your JetBlue Plus Card on JetBlue-operated flights.
  • 6X points on JetBlue purchases, 2 points per $1 at restaurants and grocery stores and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
  • No blackout dates on JetBlue-operated flights & redeem for any seat, any time on JetBlue flights. Points required for an Award Flight will vary based on the published base fare at the time of booking.
  • Annual $100 statement credit after you purchase a JetBlue Vacations package of $100 or more.
  • Points awarded in your TrueBlue account don’t expire.
  • Earn and share points together with Family Pooling.
  • 50% savings on eligible inflight purchases including cocktails, food and movies.
  • Points Payback option allows you to redeem points for a statement credit – up to $1,000 per year.
  • Get 10% of your points back every time you redeem to use toward your next redemption.
  • 5,000 TrueBlue bonus points annually after your account anniversary.
  • $99 annual fee.

First checked bags on JetBlue usually cost at least $35 each-way ($35 off-peak and $40 peak), per person (technically $35 if prepaid or $45 if paid at the airport). The free checked bag perk applies to you and up to 3 travel companions on the same reservation when (1) the ticket is purchased with your JetBlue Plus card, (2) the primary cardmember’s TrueBlue member number must be entered at the time of booking. That works out great for a family traveling together. If you buy higher fare classes, a certain number of complimentary bags may already be included.

How does redeeming TrueBlue points work? TrueBlue works on a “dynamic” revenue-based system, where the points required depends on the current cash cost of the flight (with no blackout dates). If they sell it for cash, you can book it with points. This is different than traditional chart-based systems that charge a fixed point balance but imposes blackout dates and limited seat availability.

TrueBlue points are best redeemed for JetBlue flights. There are some other options like newspaper or magazine subscriptions, but I won’t cover them here.

TrueBlue points can be estimated at 1 points = 1.3 cents. Ex. 30,000 points would cover roughly $390 in JetBlue airfare. The exact value may vary, but 1.3 cents is a conservative average of what I found across Blue and Blue Extra fares. You can test it out yourself by pricing out the same flight on JetBlue.com using points or cash (you don’t need to sign-in or have an account). Here is an example of a randomly-chosen flight between SFO and JFK. Below are both the cash price and points required.

That means the $333 net cost ($339-$6 in taxes) was offset by 23,000 points, or a value of 1.43 cents per TrueBlue point. 1.3 cents per TrueBlue point is a conservative average estimate.

Upon the renewal of your $99 annual fee, you get another 5,000 TrueBlue points ($65 of airfare value at 1.3 cents/point). If you can take advantage of the free checked bag perk, there is definitely ongoing value for regular JetBlue fliers. I haven’t investigated the $100 off a JetBlue Vacations package, but it could be worth a look.

Redemption for cash. As a minimum baseline value, you can redeem TrueBlue points for a flat statement credit. Details from the website are below, and so the value is roughly 0.75 cents per point (10,000 points = $75). Max redemption is $1,000 in statement credits per year. You can nearly always get more value redeeming for a JetBlue flight, but I know some people may just want to cash out.

JetBlue’s Points Payback program allows JetBlue Plus Card holders to redeem TrueBlue points for statement credits on their eligible JetBlue-affiliated credit card. The program starts at 3,333 points for a $25 statement credit, which is worth 75 cents per point. Card holders can redeem up to $1,000 annually in statement credits.

Bottom line. The JetBlue Plus card from Barclaycard offers several perks for regular JetBlue customers such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions. Right now, the sign-up bonus is slightly higher than usual. 75,000 points are worth roughly $975 in JetBlue airfare at Blue/Blue Extra levels, minus the $99 annual fee is still $875 in first-year value.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

There is also a JetBlue Business card that currently offers up to 60,000 bonus points. Also see: Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //
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