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We’ve stayed in more than a dozen Airbnbs over the years with zero issues—until Paris. Buckle up. We checked into our cute little apartment in a great neighborhood—safe, clean, neatly decorated, perfect for our family of five. My daughter hopped in the shower while one of my sons brushed his teeth. He turned on the bathroom sink, and suddenly—disaster. The faucet shot out scalding hot water fast , and the lever jammed in the “on” position. The sink started filling up like a m

Sometimes, after the first year, people decide the benefits of a credit card no longer justify the annual fee. That’s totally understandable — and you’ve got a couple of solid options. Option 1: Cancel the Card You can call and close the card completely . In some cases, the bank may offer you a retention bonus  to keep it open (worth asking!). But keep in mind: closing a personal credit card  can cause a small dip in your credit score. If your credit is already well-establish

A lot of people assume they can’t open business credit cards because they’re not self-employed, don’t have an LLC, or don’t run a “real” business. But here’s the truth: if you’ve got a side hustle of any  kind, banks often see you as a sole proprietor —and that means you may qualify. Here are a few super common examples of side hustles that can get you approved: Selling on Facebook Marketplace or eBay  (this is actually how my husband and I got our very first business cards w

If you’ve been curious about opening credit cards to earn points and miles, you’re probably wondering: is this actually for me?  The truth is, this little “travel points” hobby works best for people who already have certain money habits in place. Here’s the quick gut check: You always pay off your credit cards in full. If you’re carrying balances month to month, the sky-high interest rates will wipe out any free travel you earn. Rule number one: points only make sense if you

Short answer? Nope — not if you play it smart. My husband and I have been opening 3–4 new cards a year for the past five years, and guess what? Our credit scores are still hanging out in the 800s. 🎉 So yes, it’s totally possible to rack up those sweet points without wrecking your credit. Here’s how we keep things in the safe zone: Give it some breathing room. Don’t go wild and apply for five cards in one weekend. We try to wait at least 90 days between new applications. If w

I’ll be talking about Chase a lot, and for good reason — their cards and welcome bonuses are some of the best out there. But before you jump in, there’s one big rule you need to know. The “5/24 rule”  is Chase’s not-so-secret way of gatekeeping their best credit cards. Here’s how it works: if you’ve opened 5 or more personal credit cards (from any bank!) in the past 24 months , Chase will usually deny you for a new card—personal or business. What does  count toward 5/24? All