Ben Luthi
Ben Luthi is a personal finance writer and a credit cards expert who loves helping consumers and business owners make better financial decisions. His work has been featured in Time, MarketWatch, Yahoo! Finance, U.S. News & World Report, CNBC, Success Magazine, USA Today, The Huffington Post and many more.
articles from Ben
119 posts
How Do Prepaid Debit Cards Work?
Published 06/26/2017 by Ben Luthi
Prepaid debit cards are becoming more popular as a payment method. More than 23 million people use them regularly (source). For many, they offer a simple money management system. For others, they’re an alternative to other payment methods they either can’t or don’t want to have.
How Do Tiny Home Loans Work?
Published 06/14/2017 by Ben Luthi
Homeownership is still part of the American Dream for 72% of Americans, according to Trulia. But with many Millennials leaving college with crushing student loan debt, owning a house comes off as more of a pipe dream than the American Dream.
How to Redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Published 05/30/2017 by Ben Luthi
There are several different rewards programs from which you can choose, but few are as versatile as Chase Ultimate Rewards. And, depending on how you use them, you can multiply the value beyond what you may get with another rewards program.
Should You Use a HELOC to Pay Off Credit Card Debt?
Published 05/26/2017 by Ben Luthi
Credit card debt is expensive. As of February 2017, the Federal Reserve lists the average credit card annual percentage rate (APR) at 13.86%. And depending on your credit situation and the kind of card you choose, your APR could be much higher. So, does it make sense to use HELOC to pay off your credit card?
The Most Common Mistakes of Home Buyers
Published 05/24/2017 by Ben Luthi
Almost three-fourths of Americans believe that homeownership is part of the American Dream, according to Trulia. But that dream can turn into a nightmare if you’re not careful during the mortgage process.
How to Redeem Capital One Venture Miles
Published 05/19/2017 by Ben Luthi
Travel credit cards can sometimes be frustrating when it comes to redeeming your rewards. Some restrict you to a certain hotel chain or airline, and others may require you to use their mediocre travel website to get good value.
5 Credit Score Myths You Can Stop Believing
Published 05/17/2017 by Ben Luthi
Your credit score can be something of an enigma. Credit scoring companies like FICO and VantageScore share approximations of how your credit score is calculated. But there are so many factors it can be hard to predict exactly how your actions affect your score.
How Much Should You Care About Your Credit Card’s APR?
Published 05/16/2017 by Ben Luthi
Credit cards are popular because of their convenience, but that convenience often comes at a high price. It’s not uncommon to see credit card APRs higher than 20%, and some cards charge upwards of 30%. But depending on how you use your credit card, the APR may not matter.
How Late Payments Affect Your Credit and 5 Ways to Avoid it
Published 05/16/2017 by Ben Luthi
Your payment history is the single most important factor in your credit score. Missing a payment, even by accident, can leave a negative mark on your credit report for seven years.
Should You Cosign a Credit Card For Friends or a Family Member?
Published 05/15/2017 by Ben Luthi
The desire to help a friend or a family member can be strong, especially when it’s your children. Maybe their credit history is down in the dumps, or they’re looking to start building their credit.