TessMore Finance Blog

Credit card reward programs can get pretty complicated. It’s easy to under how you earn the points, but how do you spend them? You don’t want to spend them the wrong way and leave money on the table. When we got the Amazon.com credit card, I was happy to earn 5% on my purchases at Amazon but I wasn’t entirely sure how to spend the points. What was the best way? Fortunately, Amazon and Chase have made it very simple once you understand the program. So, what is the best way to use these Amazon credit card points? Table of Contents Ways to Use Amazon.com Credit Card Points 💸 Cash Back is the Best Way Not All Rewards Are Like This Ways to Use Amazon.com Credit Card Points The Amazon.com credit card has a few options but they’re all valued at 1 penny per point. You can use them: for purchases at Amazon.com – 1 penny per point for Travel – 1 penny per point for Cash Back – 1 penny per point for Gift Cards – 1 penny per point Unfortunately for your rewards (but fortuna...

Treasury bonds and bills are among the safest investments you can make . And with interest rates currently at their highest levels in years, it makes even more sense to hold these securities in your portfolio. But you need to know how to buy treasury bonds and bills to make it happen. For example, is it better to buy T-Bills and bonds directly from the U.S. Treasury, from your bank, or through another means? This article covers everything you need to know about buying Treasury bonds and bills. Table of Contents What are Treasury Bonds and Bills? Treasury Bills Competitive vs. Non-Competitive Bids Treasury Notes Treasury Bonds Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) Why Invest in Treasury Bonds and Bills? The Risks of Investing in Treasury Bonds and Bills How to Buy Treasury Bonds and Bills U.S. Treasury Direct Through a Bank or Broker Treasury Funds Should You Buy Treasury Bonds and Bills? What are Treasury Bonds and Bills? Treasury bonds and bills rep...

Paid streaming services satisfy our cravings for everything from classic movies to the latest episodes of our favorite TV shows. But while most streaming services are certainly cheaper than cable , the price adds up quickly if you sign up for multiple platforms, which many of us do. If you’re trying to stick to a budget or want more variety, you’ll be happy to know there are many free TV apps available as well.  While all TV apps differ in features and program selection, the 15 free apps I cover in this article offer something special, making them top choices for this list.  Table of Contents Best Free TV Apps and Streaming Services 1. Tubi 2. Crackle 3. Popcornflix 4. Sling Freestream 5. The Roku Channel 6. Pluto TV 7. DistroTV 8. Crunchyroll 9. Twitch 10. NewsON 11. FreeVee 12. Vudu 13. YouTube 14. Redbox Free Live TV 15. Xumo Play Final Thoughts Best Free TV Apps and Streaming Services The following list of free TV apps and online streaming ser...

How much do you need when you retire? Ask the experts and the numbers are all over the place. Some say look at your current budget and take 70%. Others suggest you predict what you want to spend and base it on that. Others suggest that you protect your nest egg and budget to use 4% each year. Or, work with a financial planner to help you arrive at what you can spend (fee only!!!). The reality is that no one truly knows… except retirees that are in retirement. So why not ask them? Fortunately, you don’t have to ask them. The U.S. Census already does! And then those surveys get piped over to the Bureau of Labor Statistics where they put it together into nice consumer reports that explain how much retirees are earning and spending. From that, you can decide whether you, with your nest egg and future government benefits, will have a good retirement income to enjoy your golden years. Table of Contents Where We Got Our Data Average Spending of Retirees Average Income of Retir...

TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in the world, challenging Facebook, Instagram, and other social media giants. So it’s only natural that investors would want to get in on the action. But to do that, you would need to buy TikTok stock. Unfortunately, investing in TikTok is not as easy as using the platform, though there may be ways to participate financially in the company’s growth without going through the usual channels. Table of Contents About TikTok Why All the Buzz Over TikTok? Can You Buy TikTok Stock? How to Invest in TikTok Indirectly Will TikTok Go Public? Should You Invest in KKR? Will the US Government Ban TikTok? The Bottom Line About TikTok Based in China, TikTok is a short-form video hosting service that’s become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. It’s done this in near-record time, having only been founded in 2016. TikTok is available as a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices, where it’s been ...

A t the heart of your small service business success is your ability to schedule meetings with customers efficiently. Today’s modern software solutions aim to help you quickly streamline the scheduling process and book meetings. But do they? The best appointment scheduling software will allow you to book multiple employees, take payments, and perform more marketing tasks. But which one is best? We’ve tried all of the top appointment scheduling software apps and software available today, and we brought all of the information back here to help you make an informed decision. Let’s get you back to making appointments. Best Overall – Square Appointments Best for Payment Integration – Square Appointments Best for Multiple Employees – Zoho Bookings Best for Customization – Acuity Scheduling The Best Appointment Scheduling Software for Small Business Here’s a quick comparison of five appointment software solutions: Square Appointments, Zoho Bookings, Acuity Scheduling, Calendly...

Do you love getting credit card bonuses but don’t like the high spending requirements that come with many credit card bonus offers? Perhaps you want to earn rewards but don’t spend enough money monthly to justify the high annual fee. Just because you don’t spend thousands every month on your credit card doesn’t mean you should be pushed out of the credit card rewards game. In this article, we’re sharing the best credit cards for low spenders. The cards we’ve selected offer welcome bonuses and attractive rewards programs, and some of them also appear on our list of the best cash back credit cards . Table of Contents Best Credit Cards for Low Spenders 1. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express 2. Capital One VentureOne Rewards 3. Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card 4. Chase Freedom Unlimited 5. Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card 6. Discover it Cash Back Card 7. U.S. Bank Cash Plus Card 8. Chase Freedom Flex 9. Citi Custom Cash Card 10....

When it comes to game changing developments in finances, the advent of low-cost index funds has to be up there. Jack Bogle of Vanguard is largely credited with being the creator of index investing and he’s on the Mount Rushmore of personal finance, as far as I’m concerned. Index funds offer a very compelling sales pitch: Instant investment in the stock market (whatever the fund represents) Exceptionally low fees (often less than 0.05%) Low maintenance But are there risks to index funds? Are there any reasons why we shouldn’t be using index funds? Today, I want to play a little Devil’s Advocate and point out some of the potential risks of index investing: Table of Contents Index funds do not replace financial planning High concentration in technology You can’t beat the market You lose some control on taxes You may get lazy Not all index funds are created equal Index funds could get TOO big Are index funds worth it? Index funds do not replace financial planning Wh...