Citi Strata Premier's 60,000-point offer needs $4,000 in 3 months and a $95 fee. Who's excluded, what the card earns, what points are worth, how to plan.
Nov 5, 2026 · 5 min read
Guides
Plain-English guides to bank bonuses and credit card sign-up bonuses: issuer rules like Chase 5/24, deadlines, and how to plan.
BMO pays $100 a month for up to 6 months of $1,000 direct deposits. The promo code, states, what counts, when each $100 posts and how to plan the months.
Nov 2, 2026 · 7 min read
Bank bonus payouts range from 7 business days to 135 days after opening. Payout wording from 18 real offers, how to find your date and what to do if it's late.
Oct 29, 2026 · 7 min read
Santander Simply Right Checking pays up to $500. The balance and direct deposit rules, the promo code, who's excluded, the fee and when you're paid.
Oct 26, 2026 · 7 min read
Business checking bonuses pay $200 to $825. What banks ask for, whether sole proprietors can open one, the limits that follow the owner, and current offers.
Oct 22, 2026 · 7 min read
Do Chase Ink cards add to your 5/24 count, and does 5/24 apply when you apply for one? Both answered, plus the September 2026 reports about sole proprietors.
Oct 19, 2026 · 6 min read
Which bank and brokerage bonuses pay without a direct deposit, what each asks for instead, and how to work out whether the money you tie up is worth it.
Oct 15, 2026 · 7 min read
The five dates that decide whether a bank bonus pays, what to record for every account, the mistakes that cost bonuses, and a simple signup-to-payout routine.
Oct 9, 2026 · 8 min read
Bank account bonuses are usually taxable interest. How they're reported (1099-INT or 1099-MISC), how card bonuses differ, and what a bonus is worth after tax.
Oct 6, 2026 · 5 min read
What ChexSystems and Early Warning Services are, why banks check them, how bonus hunters get denied, and how to get your free reports and avoid surprises.
Oct 5, 2026 · 5 min read
How credit card minimum spend requirements work, what purchases count, when the deadline is, and how to reach the spend with money you'd spend anyway.
Oct 3, 2026 · 4 min read
October 2026's best bank account bonuses, from $300 for two direct deposits to $900 at Chase, with what each one requires, its fees, and when it ends.
Oct 1, 2026 · 8 min read
How long to keep a bank account open after the bonus: holds run from 90 days to over a year, and some banks claw back. Find your safe close date.
Oct 30, 2026 · 5 min read
What banks count as a direct deposit for a checking bonus, what usually doesn't (Zelle, transfers, mobile checks), and how to check yours counts in time.
Oct 7, 2026 · 9 min read
What the Chase 5/24 rule is, which cards count (personal, authorized user, some business), when each drops off, and how to check your own count free.
Sep 26, 2026 · 9 min read