US Mobile Current Promo Code and Deals ($100 Off with code 100OFF)

Posted on February 8, 2026 // 8 Comments

US Mobile is an MVNO offering service from all three major networks, Verizon (Warp), AT&T (Dark Star), and T-Mobile (Light Speed). I wrote previously about balancing saving money on MVNOs with high data speed priority, and their “Unlimited Premium” plan on Warp (Verizon) was my personal choice.

US Mobile is always offering new promos and/or extended old promos, so it’s hard to keep up. Here are some links to help you find the best current, live promo.

  • Current US Mobile Warp promos (Verizon). Reminder: Warp is Verizon. Scroll down and you might see an Apple Watch promo, since they only offer it on Warp.
  • Current US Mobile Plan Promos. This is their generic landing page, but note that some promos are only on a specific network..
  • Additional $25 prepaid card if you use my referral link first. Stacks with the promos above. See details below.
  • Remember the promo code you used, and you can find a history of past promo deals at Usmobile.com/promo-archive. Handy link for looking up the old fine print.

Reasons why I chose their Annual Unlimited Premium plan on Warp (Verizon), switching from Mint Mobile:

  • The Unlimited Premium plan comes with 5G Priority data level QCI 8 with Verizon, which is equal in priority to the official Verizon postpaid plans. I just went to another crowded event and having high data priority made life easier. Plus, with Premium the “Unlimited Data” actually means unlimited. No speed throttling after 30 GB or 50 GB, for example. 50 GB Hotspot bucket is useful for WiFi while in cafes/traveling in US. When traveling internationally, you 20 GB data, 200 mins, 250 texts in 125+ countries.
  • The initial year can be very cheap, usually around $300 for the first year upfront on their top-tier Unlimited Premium, which works out to about $25 a month. Renewal is $390/year. After the first year, I can downgrade to a cheaper plan, but I will probably stay because…
  • The Warp network comes with a free smartwatch plan, so I can use my Apple Watch cellular without paying the usual $5 to $10 extra per month with other carriers. I like to swim/run/exercise with just a watch, and my previous provider Mint Mobile and many other MVNOs don’t support smartwatches at all.

$25 referral discount details. You can stack the current promo with my referral link to get an additional $25 off. Click on my referral link first, and then make sure to enter the promo code before checking out. You will get sent a $25 prepaid card after 6 months of service and spending $100. Full fine print:

To qualify for the $25 referral bonus, you must maintain active paid service in good standing for 6 months, port in a new line, and spend a total of $100 on Unlimited, By the Gig, or Smartwatch plans — Other plans, top-ups, devices, add-ons, roaming, and certain promotions (listed at usmobile.com/promo-archive) are excluded. Annual plans will be prorated monthly (e.g. $228 equals $114 after 6 months).

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Delta SkyMiles American Express Gold Card – New Limited-Time Offer w/ $900+ First-Year Value

Posted on February 5, 2026 // 12 Comments

New limited-time offers. Delta Airlines American Express cards offer various special perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and the ability to earn Delta SkyMiles with card purchases. As you can only get the welcome offers once per specific card name per person per lifetime (a Gold and Platinum card are considered different), I recommend waiting until a limited-time offer to maximize your benefit. I recommend the Gold card as the first sweet spot for many casual travelers, as it currently offers a $900 potential first-year value with no annual fee the first year, along with a free checked bag benefit. Details:

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

  • Up to 90,000 Bonus Skymiles. 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months, starting from the date your account is opened. Offer Ends 4/1/2026.
  • $200 Delta Flight Credit. Get a $200 Delta Flight credit to use toward future Delta travel after $10,000 in purchases on your card within a calendar year.
  • $100 Delta Stays Credit. Get up to $100 back annually as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles(R) Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • First checked bag free (worth $70 roundtrip, per person) on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $280 per round trip for a family of four ($35 each way, per person).
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • Zone 5 Priority Boarding.
  • 2X miles at Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • Simplified Pay with Miles option. Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
  • 20% back on eligible Delta in-flight purchases with this card in the form of a statement credit .
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.

90,000 Skymiles is worth at least $900 in Delta airfare. Delta offers a minimum value out of your Skymiles via the “Pay with Miles” option. For example, that means 50,000 Skymiles can reduce the price of your Delta ticket(s) by $500 at the very least. (5,000 mile = $50 minimum redemption.) You can still search and book traditional award tickets and possibly get better value.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

  • Limited-time offer: Up to 100,000 Bonus Miles 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months, starting from the date your account is opened. Offer Ends 4/1/2026.
  • $2,500 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $20 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
  • $150 Delta Stays Credit. Get up to $150 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • $120 Resy Credit. Get up to $10 in statement credits each month after you pay with your enrolled Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Rideshare Credit. Up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers using your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card. Enrollment is required.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • Up to $120 Global Entry Fee Credit. You can get either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck(R) (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Companion Certificate benefit. Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta Main round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
  • First checked bag free (worth $70 roundtrip, per person) on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $280 per round trip for a family of four ($35 each way, per person).
  • Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
  • 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $350 annual fee.

The Platinum version can be a worthy upgrade from the Gold version if you can take advantage of the added perks including Resy/Rideshare credits and especially the annual Main Cabin Companion Certificate (i.e. you plan to book two tickets together on Delta at least once a year). I’ve used it several times in the past and it is easy to use while booking tickets online at Delta.com. My savings from using the Companion Certificate for Delta Main has exceeded $500.

100,000 Skymiles is worth at least $1,000 in Delta airfare. Delta offers a minimum value out of your Skymiles via the “Pay with Miles” option. For example, that means 50,000 Skymiles can reduce the price of your Delta ticket(s) by $500 at the very least. (5,000 mile = $50 minimum redemption.) You can still search and book traditional award tickets and possibly get better value.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Fidelity Money Market Funds: Claim Your State Income Tax Exemption (Updated 2026)

Posted on February 2, 2026 // 26 Comments

Updated for 2026. As the brokerage 1099 forms for the 2025 Tax Year are coming out, here is a quick reminder for those subject to state and/or local income taxes. If you earned interest from a money market fund, a significant portion of this interest may have come from “US Government Obligations” like Treasury bills and bonds, which are generally exempt from state and local income taxes. However, in order to claim this exemption, you’ll likely have to manually enter it on your tax return after digging up a few extra details.

(Note: California, Connecticut, and New York exempt dividend income only when the mutual fund has met certain minimum investments in U.S. government securities. They require that 50% of a mutual fund’s assets at each quarter-end within the tax year consist of U.S. government obligations.)

Fidelity has released 2025 Percentage of Income from U.S. Government Securities [pdf]. Here are the results for the most popular core Fidelity money market funds:

  • Fidelity® Treasury Only Money Market Fund (FDLXX, CUSIP 31617H300) – 98.67%.
  • Fidelity® Government Money Market Fund (SPAXX, CUSIP 31617H102) – 50.90%. *Did not meet the minimum investment in U.S. Government securities required to exempt the distribution from tax in California, Connecticut, and New York.
  • Fidelity® Government Cash Reserves (FDRXX, CUSIP 316067107) – 52.17%. *Did not meet the minimum investment in U.S. Government securities required to exempt the distribution from tax in California, Connecticut, and New York.
  • Fidelity® Treasury Money Market Fund* (FZFXX, CUSIP 316341304) – 61.52%. *Did not meet the minimum investment in U.S. Government securities required to exempt the distribution from tax in California, Connecticut, and New York.

It is disappointing that SPAXX as a default cash sweep did not meet the requirements to exempt any of their interest from state income tax in California, Connecticut, and New York. They must have missed the 50% minimum cut-off in one of the four quarters of 2025.

This is why I mostly own FDLXX as my “pseudo-core” money market fund via automated recurring purchases. For more information on this “hack”, see my post Fidelity Treasury Only Money Market (FDLXX) as Fidelity Core Position Workaround.

To find the portion of Fidelity dividends that may be exempt from your state income tax, multiply the amount of “ordinary dividends” reported in Box 1a of your Form 1099-DIV by the percentage listed in the PDF. For example, if you earned $1,000 in total interest from Fidelity Treasury Only Money Market Fund (FDLXX) in 2025, then $986.70 could possibly be exempt from state and local income taxes. If your marginal state income tax rate was 10% that would be a ~$99 tax savings for every $1,000 in total interest earned.

On a net after-tax basis, folks with a ~10% state income tax rate will likely find that FDLXX earns more interest than the default core holdings of SPAXX/FZFXX, even though the gross yield of SPAXX/FZFXX is higher than that of FDLXX.

To obtain these tax savings, you’ll have to manually adjust your state/local income tax return. I don’t believe that TurboTax, H&R Block, and other tax software will do this automatically for you, as they won’t have the required information on their own. (I’m also not sure if they ask about it in their interview process.) If you use an accountant, you should also double-check to make sure they use this information. Here is some information on how to enter this into a previous version of TurboTax:

  • When you are entering the 1099-DIV Box 1a, 1b, and 2a – click the “My form has info in other boxes (this is uncommon)” checkbox.
  • Next, click on the option “A portion of these dividends is U.S. Government interest.”
  • On the next screen enter the Government interest amount. This will be subtracted from your state return.

Standard disclosure: Check with your state or local tax office or with your tax advisor to determine whether your state allows you to exclude some or all of the income you earn from mutual funds that invest in U.S. government obligations.

[Image credit – Tax Foundation]

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

Marcus Bank: $100 to $1,500 Deposit Bonus (New and Existing Customers)

Posted on January 30, 2026 // 18 Comments

Updated offer for 2026. May sure you enroll first! Marcus by Goldman Sachs is offering a up to a $1,500 deposit bonus (starting at $100 bonus on $10,000 in new funds) into their online savings account within 10 calendar days of enrollment at this special offer page. Valid for both new and existing customers. You must enroll first by 3/11/26 and maintain the new funds for 90 days (after the end of the 10-day funding period, so possibly up to 100 days total). You then get the bonus after another 14 days. No offer or promo code required. They have done a similar promotion in past years (and it’s nice that you can keep doing it). Here are the tiers:

After enrolling, you must deposit $10,000 or more in new funds from an external account into your Account within 10 calendar days of enrollment (the “Funding Period”). The Account balance plus a minimum of $10,000 in new funds (the “Required Dollar Amount”) must be maintained in your Account for 90 consecutive days from the end of the Funding Period. The Account balance is based on the starting current balance reflected on your account at 12 am ET the day you enroll. Once the Funding Period has ended, your Account balance may not drop below the Required Dollar Amount at any point until after the 90 consecutive days have passed. You may make multiple deposits within the Funding Period to reach the Required Dollar Amount. Internal transfers do not count for purposes of this Offer.

Important disclosures: Enroll your Online Savings Account in the Offer, then deposit (within 10 calendar days of enrollment) and maintain at least $10,000 (for $100 bonus), $50,000 (for $750 bonus), or $100,000 (for $1,500 bonus) of New Funds, plus your balances in your enrolled account and across all Marcus accounts as of 6:00 pm ET on 1/27/26, for 90 days after the 10-day Funding Period. Withdrawals made by you or a joint owner while enrolled, including CD maturities to non-Marcus accounts or CD early withdrawals, may result in a lower bonus or losing eligibility, depending on your balances.

New customer referral offer. If you don’t have a Marcus account yet, if you open with a Marcus referral link from an existing customer, you will a small 0.25% bonus (it keeps shrinking!). That’s my referral link, thanks if you use it! I’d open and get the referral offer first, and then later enroll in this $100 offer as an existing customer.

Bonus math. Here’s how it works out for each tier:

  • $100 is a 1% bonus on $10,000 if you keep it there for 90 days, which makes it the equivalent of ~4% APY annualized.
  • $750 is a 1.5% bonus on $50,000 if you keep it there for 90 days, which makes it the equivalent of ~6% APY annualized.
  • $1,500 is a 1.5% bonus on $100,000 if you keep it there for 90 days, which makes it the equivalent of ~6% APY annualized.

The bonus is on top of the standard interest rate, currently 3.65% APY as of 1/29/2026. Compare with my latest update of best interest rates. I have gotten a similar Marcus bonus in the past with no issues. Make sure you enroll at the link above first before transferring in your new funds.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

American Express Rewards Checking: $250 Bonus w/ Direct Deposit

Posted on January 29, 2026 // 4 Comments

Offer is back, updated details, expires soon. American Express is again promoting their Rewards Checking Account with a new $250 direct deposit bonus. The bonus requirements are pretty straightforward:

  • Open your first American Express Rewards Checking Account in your name by 1/31/2026,
  • Receive a total of $5,000 or more of Qualifying Direct Deposit(s) within 90 days of account opening.
  • After you have completed the above qualifying criteria, American Express will deposit the Welcome Bonus into your Rewards Checking Account within 8-12 weeks.

This bonus is targeted for existing consumer credit cardholders, and possibly savings accountholders:

Who is eligible to apply for an American Express® Rewards Checking account?

Applying for an American Express Rewards Checking account can be completed in minutes. We are currently accepting applications from Card Members with a U.S. Basic Consumer Card issued by American Express National Bank (AENB) with at least 5 days tenure. We may also accept applications from Additional Card Members on a U.S. Basic Consumer Card issued by AENB, Customers with an existing High Yield Savings Account and CD with at least 5 days of tenure who are not existing US Basic Card Members.

Submitted applications will be reviewed promptly with decisions that can be provided within minutes.

If you log into your personal credit card account, the application is mostly auto-filled and just takes a few clicks. There is no hard credit check.

Here are some quick highlights about the Rewards Checking account:

  • No monthly fees, and no minimum balance requirements.
  • 1.00% APY (as of 1/29/26)
  • Earn 1 Membership Rewards® point for every $2 of eligible Debit Card purchases. You can combine these points for redemption using your other AmEx cards.
  • Unlimited fee-free ATM withdrawals at over 37,000 MoneyPass® ATM locations nationwide.
  • Mobile check deposit is available.
  • Free paper checks are not included, but you can purchase them at additional cost.

From the full terms and conditions:

A Qualifying Direct Deposit is a single ACH transfer from an employer or the government for a paycheck, pension, government benefit (such as Social Security), or tax refund. Qualifying Direct Deposit(s) totaling at least $5,000 or more are required to qualify for this offer. The following are not Qualifying Direct Deposits: person to person transfers (P2P) such as money transfer apps, deposit account to deposit account transfers (for example, from a checking account to another checking account or from a savings account to a checking account), deposits or ACH transfers not from an employer or the government (for example, online transfers or bank transfers), internal transfers from your American Express® Savings account, deposits made via check, and Membership Rewards® points redemption for deposits.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

MVNO Cellular Data Priority Comparison (Why I Switched to US Mobile)

Posted on January 27, 2026 // 13 Comments

I haven’t paid “full price” for a cellular phone plan for decades, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been any trade-offs. Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) buy network capacity in bulk from major carriers (MNOs like T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T) and resell them to individual customers. For a while, the main trade-off for going with an MVNO (which buys bulk minutes and data from the major carriers) was slightly worse cellular coverage due to a lack of roaming agreements with other carriers. If you were on a AT&T MVNO, you could only use AT&T cell towers.

These days, the primary catch is data de-prioritization. To manage the demand, there are different Quality of Service Class Identifiers (QCI levels) that have different priorities on the network. In areas where there are a lot of people, especially things like concerts and sporting events, there is a lot of demand and those not at the front of the line will notice slow or no data.

This r/NoContract Reddit post provides an excellent collection of the data prioritization policies of the major carriers. It’s still a lot, so I have attempted to summarize everything below as much as possible.

For Verizon, QCI 8 is the highest priority level for consumers. Includes:

  • All Verizon Postpaid “Traditional” plans (except “Welcome”).
  • Visible+ and Visible+ Pro (owned by Verizon).
  • Total Wireless’ Total 5G Unlimited and Total 5G+ Unlimited (owned by Verizon).
  • Xfinity Mobile and Spectrum Mobile (owned by cable companies).
  • US Mobile Unlimited Premium “Warp” (*for 5G w/ Premium Only)

QCI 9 is a step lower, the base tier. Includes:

  • Verizon’s Unlimited Welcome plan (their most basic plan)
  • Visible Base plan
  • US Mobile Unlimited Starter “Warp” and other Warp plans.
  • All other Verizon prepaid MVNOs.

For AT&T, QCI 7 is the highest priority level for consumers. Includes:

  • Select AT&T Plans with special “Turbo” data.

QCI 8 is a step lower, but still considered higher priority. Includes:

  • Select AT&T Plans with “Extra/Premium/Max” data.
  • Cricket Supreme Unlimited, Cricket Sensible 10GB plans (*owned by AT&T)
  • H2o, Consumer Cellular, and PureTalk MVNOs.
  • US Mobile Unlimited Premium “Dark Star” (*Premium Only)

QCI 6 is another step lower, the base tier. Includes:

  • AT&T base Unlimited plans for both AT&T postpaid and AT&T Prepaid.
  • All other AT&T plans once the “Turbo/Premium” data is used up.
  • Cricket Select Unlimited, Cricket Smart Unlimited plans (*owned by AT&T)
  • US Mobile Unlimited Starter “Dark Star” and other Dark Star plans.
  • All other AT&T prepaid MVNOs.

For T-Mobile, QCI 6 is the highest priority level for consumers. Includes:

  • All T-Mobile Postpaid and Prepaid plans (except “Essentials”)
  • Google Fi

QCI 7 is a step lower, the base tier. Includes:

  • T-Mobile Essentials plans (their most basic plan)
  • All other T-Mobile prepaid MVNOs, including Metro and Mint Mobile (both owned by T-Mobile).

Long-time readers will know that I was with Mint Mobile for a long time. I didn’t need much data back then. But each year, I felt the low priority of Mint Mobile data became more and more noticeable. Anywhere crowded, even an airport, and things would slow down significantly. Oftentimes, I basically had no data at all, which was very frustrating when just trying to call up an Uber. T-Mobile sells a lot of data to MVNOs, so perhaps that’s another reason. I first tried to jump ship to Visible, but they messed up my number port so badly that I couldn’t get 2FA verification codes for days so I quickly switched back to Mint Mobile.

Late last year, after a positive experience with US Mobile’s customer service involving their Apple Watch plans, I decided to switch to US Mobile’s Unlimited Premium plan which offers “Priority Data” on their Warp (Verizon) and Dark Star (AT&T) plans. They run a lot of promotions (often extending them over and over) but I jumped on the Warp plan with Unlimited Premium because it also included a free Apple Watch cellular plan. I’m paying a bit more than I used to with Mint Mobile, but I’ve definitely noticed the improvement in data quality. My number port was nearly instant. With their Unlimited Premium plan, I can even switch between networks for free if one place has better coverage, allowing me access to AT&T and T-Mobile towers.

I am happy with US Mobile as I now have high data speeds, multi-network coverage, reasonable cost, and decent customer service.

The current US Winter Phone Deal is on Dark Star (AT&T). Unlimited Starter for $119/year prepaid upfront ($9.92/mo) for the first year (regular data priority) with promo code WINTER119 and Unlimited Premium for $149/year prepaid upfront ($12.42/mo) for the first year (which offers higher data priority and other perks) with promo code WINTER149. Port-in required. There are also some big discounts on the latest Google Pixel 10 phones and Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge if you scroll down. Limited-time offer.

You can stack the current promo with my referral link to get an additional $25 off:

To qualify for the $25 referral bonus, you must maintain active paid service in good standing for 6 months, port in a new line, and spend a total of $100 on Unlimited, By the Gig, or Smartwatch plans — Other plans, top-ups, devices, add-ons, roaming, and certain promotions (listed at usmobile.com/promo-archive) are excluded. Annual plans will be prorated monthly (e.g. $228 equals $114 after 6 months).

If you want a deal on Verizon (Warp), I’d just wait around for a bit. However, it probably won’t ever be as cheap as this Dark Star (AT&T) deal. I paid $299 for a year of Unlimited Premium (includes Priority Data and Apple Watch cellular plan) during a previous sale. Full price at renewal will be $390/year ($32.50/month), which is still much cheaper than any traditional major carrier plan after you add taxes/fees and $10/month for the Apple Watch add-on.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

IRS Identity Protection PIN Reminder: Prevent Tax Return Scams

Posted on January 20, 2026 // 13 Comments

Reminder for new tax season. Identity Protection PINs (IP PIN) have been updated for 2026 (they are updated every January).

An important “hardening” tactic against identity theft is to obtain an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) from the IRS. The common scam here is that someone with your name, address, and Social Security Number will file a tax return before you do, and then steal the resulting tax refund for themselves. In 2022, over 228,000 taxpayers filed IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, which asserts “I know or suspect that someone used my information to fraudulently file a federal tax return”.

Once you opt-in to the IP PIN program, the IRS will not accept any tax return filed during the current calendar year (even for prior years) without this unique six-digit number. Every calendar year in January, you’ll get assigned a new IP PIN. Getting one at any time will still prevent anyone from filing a fraudulent return during the rest of that calendar year.

To do it completely online, you’ll need an ID.me account, which is a third-party provider that the IRS trusts to verify your identity. From their page:

You can use either a self-service process that requires a photo of a government ID and selfie, or a live call with an ID.me video chat agent that doesn’t require biometric data.

I had already set up an ID.me account for another purpose years ago, but I do remember that the selfie method worked eventually for me but my wife had to go for the live video chat method. I’ve also had to deal with problems with rejected ID photos, too much glare, software crashes, etc.

If you forget your PIN, you can always sign back into your IRS.gov account and view it again under your Profile. This is another reason to take extra care with your ID.me/IRS.gov passwords and MFA methods. ID.me lets you set up a TOTP Authenticator app for MFA. Also set a reminder to use it when you eventually file taxes, so your return doesn’t get rejected.

More information at the IRS IP PIN FAQ page (that’s a lot of acronyms!).

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers, Taxes //

Apple Watch Standalone Phone on US Mobile Review

Posted on January 15, 2026 // 9 Comments

My older two kids do not have smartphones, but instead both have an Apple Watch SE w/ Cellular for basic calling and texting needs. (We like these Anxious Generation guidelines.) After a year on BetterRoaming service, which was the cheapest option at the time for those not on a major postpaid plan, I switched their Apple Watch plans over to the US Mobile Smartwatch Plan.

I’ve been on US Mobile for a few months now, and I wanted to provide an update that US Mobile is the clear winner for our Apple Watch service. US Mobile provides better cellular coverage (in my area) on the Verizon network, a cheaper ongoing price, and a better customer service experience. Here are the details, with direct comparisons to BetterRoaming where available.

Plan summary.

  • $78 for 12 months if paid upfront ($6.50/month), or $9.50 monthly.
  • Unlimited Talk & Text
  • Unlimited Data
  • WiFi Calling Enabled
  • Instant eSIM Activation (Actually true! Under 10 minutes to set up)
  • 24/7 Customer Support
  • Works with 4G LTE and 5G watches

Overall experience using Apple Watch as a standalone phone for a kid. A major takeaway is that the Apple Watch is a tiny phone with a tiny cellular antenna inside. Most people use Apple Watches as companions to their iPhone, so it’s just meant as a backup when you’re out running or swimming or something. As a primary phone, it has a hard time getting a signal in areas of weak coverage and inside buildings. Basically, a throwback to the early 2000s for us more “mature” folks.

Honestly, the most common failure point was a kid forgetting to charge the watch overnight. In other words, you can’t always depend on the watch to work, so you’ll need to work out backup plans (i.e. meet at this tree, or send me an e-mail via school Wifi). The setup is still convenient and useful, and over time they do figure out where you have service and form the habit of charging the darn thing.

Cellular network coverage uses Verizon towers. US Mobile currently only offers their standalone Apple Watch plan on “Warp”, which is their contractually-obligated alternative name for the Verizon network. BetterRoaming is a worldwide eSIM provider, and my best efforts indicate that they are now on the T-Mobile network (but used to be on AT&T?). After switching to the Verizon network, I found that our coverage issues definitely improved, but there are still times where they don’t have a signal, even next to a smartphone that works perfectly fine.

US Mobile lets you pick the area code for your phone number (if not porting-in). BetterRoaming just assigns you one and you don’t get to choose. This may or may not matter to you.

US Mobile has competitive pricing. At my annual renewal, US Mobile’s annual plan was $78 (works out to $6.50 per month) while BetterRoaming was at $99. BetterRoaming has since dropped the price to match, so both are now $78 for the first year if prepaid upfront. However, I don’t know if you can renew at $78 with BetterRoaming, as it says the savings are only for “New customers”. US Mobile lets you renew at $78/year and it’s month-to-month pricing is also lower ($9.50 vs. $10.99 per month).

US Mobile overall has solid customer support and user interface. After setting up Apple Watches with both companies and dealing with multiple MVNOs over the years, I have found that US Mobile has some of the best customer service across all the MVNOs. You can tell they invested some money into this part of the experience. Their videos are useful and their online chat is responsive – most importantly, the reps seem to know what they are doing! In fact, it was such a good experience that (in addition to other reasons), a few months afterward I also switched my personal smartphone line from Mint Mobile to their US Mobile Unlimited Plan*. That’s a separate post, but the customer service part held true, as the port-over and setup process with US Mobile was so much smoother than my stint with Visible.

* That is my US Mobile referral link, which offers a $25 credit after spending 6 months and $100 total at US Mobile w/ port-in. Works on both regular smartphone plans and the Smartwatch plans, but note the port-in part, as I didn’t port-in a number for our Apple Watches. Full fine print:

To qualify for the $25 referral bonus, you must maintain active paid service in good standing for 6 months, port in a new line, and spend a total of $100 on Unlimited, By the Gig, or Smartwatch plans — Other plans, top-ups, devices, add-ons, roaming, and certain promotions (listed at usmobile.com/promo-archive) are excluded. Annual plans will be prorated monthly (e.g. $228 equals $114 after 6 months).

Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Family //

Navy Federal CU Specials: 13-Month CD at 4.00% APY w/ Add-On Feature

Posted on January 14, 2026 // 12 Comments

Updated January 2026. Navy Federal Credit Union is the nation’s largest credit union, with a long history of serving active military members. More recently, they have expanded their field of membership to include veterans and family members of veterans. Here are some current noteworthy offers:

  • 13-month Special Certificate at 4.00% APY. Open with as little as $50, but make additional deposits any time up to the maximum of $250,000. Valid for taxable, IRAs, ESAs.
  • Credit card $250 bonus: Open a new cashRewards or cashRewards Plus credit card and get $250 when you spend $2,500 within 90 days of account opening. Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases with cashRewards Plus. No annual fee. 1.99% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on balance transfers made in your first 60 days, with no balance transfer fees.
  • Auto loan $200 bonus if your auto refinance loan is at least $5,000. Their rates are usually competitive as well, starting at under 4%.

NavyFed likes to offer these special add-on CDs regularly, and I usually always open one with the minimum $50 because I like the optionality. If rates drop drastically somehow, I’ll have the ability to add unlimited additional funds at 4.00% APY. If nothing big happens (most likely scenario), I’ll only have committed $50, which I can later roll over into the next special CD. Once you have joined NavyFed, it just takes a few clicks.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

Chase MyBonus 2026 Q1: Targeted 5X Points on Gas/Groceries/Restaurants

Posted on January 14, 2026 // 21 Comments

New quarter, new offers. A quick 2026 Q1 reminder that you can discover targeted offers for your Chase-issued credit card at Chase.com/mybonus. This includes both their in-house cards like Sapphire or Freedom Flex and their co-branded cards like United, IHG, Hyatt, Southwest, Amazon, etc. For some reason, these are often offers that they don’t tell you about otherwise by email or snail mail.

You might get 5X points or 5% cash back on up to $1,000 spent on Gas Stations, Groceries, and Restaurants:

You may also simply get a message that your card can’t be found or that you weren’t targeted:

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

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

Posted on January 11, 2026 // 3 Comments

Here’s my monthly survey of the best interest rates on cash as of January 2026, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Banks and brokerages love taking advantage of idle cash, and you can often earn more money 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 1/11/26.

TL;DR: Savings account interest rates have dropped slightly overall, moving with the Fed rate cut. You can still get 4.6% if you accept some 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?! 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 and is offering an up to $300 deposit bonus which increases your effective APY for a while. There are many banks in between.
  • SoFi Bank is at 3.30% APY + up to 4.00% APY for 6 months + $325 new account 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).

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 3.64% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 3.70%, 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 2024 tax year) exempt from state and local income taxes because it comes from qualifying US government obligations. Current 7-day SEC yield of 3.66% (compound yield of 3.72%).

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 1/9/26, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 3.62% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 3.51% annualized interest.
  • The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 3.70% 30-day SEC yield (0.09% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years. SPDR Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) has a 3.59% 30-day SEC yield (0.136% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.15 years. The new Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) has a 3.72% 30-day SEC yield (0.07% 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 (increased) 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.

  • ClearPath FCU has a limited-time 5-year “Flex” certificate at 4.25% APY ($5,000 minimum of new money), which has a unique feature of having no penalty after 12 months (must withdraw it all; partial withdrawals are subject to penalties). Available as regular or IRA. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization ($5.00 donation to Clear Giving Charitable Association). Hat tip to Deposit Quest.
  • 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 3.75% 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 3.65% (non-callable) vs. 4.15% 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 1/11/26.

* 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:

Webull ACAT Transfer Bonus: 3% to 4% of Assets ($2k/100k Minimum)

Posted on January 7, 2026 // 8 Comments

Updated with new offer. The Webull brokerage app is offering an updated ACAT Transfer bonus of up to 4% of assets transferred plus up to $100 in outgoing fee reimbursements on your first transfer of at least $2,000. This specific offer ends March 31, 2026. This is for individual taxable brokerage accounts. Joint, Crypto, and IRA accounts are excluded.

You must transfer at least $100,000 in assets to get a 4% match, with a minimum hold of 5 years to get the full payout (they break it up into installments with the last one being paid March 2031). Max funding is $2,000,000. You must transfer at least $2,000 in assets to get a 3% match, also with a minimum hold of 5 years. 4% is a very high bonus, but it is a long hold period. Be sure to read all the terms and conditions.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Investing //
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