🎁 My Holiday Gift Guide and Top Ways to Save
The holidays are here, and I’ve rounded up over 80 gift ideas across tech, kitchen, clothing, healthcare, games, and more to help you find the perfect gift for everyone on your list. I'll also share tips on how I save 5–25% on almost all my shopping.
🛫 Travel, Points & Miles
🇮🇸 Check Out Our All the Hacks Iceland Trip!
Our trip to Iceland this year was so incredible that we’re going to plan another trip (or maybe 2) in the Fall of 2025. We've put together this page with everything you need to know about the trip, including dates, planned itinerary, FAQ's and more.
💳 U.S. Bank's 4% Cash Back Card is Out
The U.S. Bank Smartly Card, which offers up to 4% cash back, is finally open to applications. You earn 2% cash back on all purchases, with an extra 2% if you have ≥$100k in a U.S. Bank Checking, Savings or Investment account. The main downsides are that the card does have foreign transaction fees and offers no sign-up bonus.
🤑 Latest Deals
🛍️ Latest Gift Cards Deals
Discounted gift cards are an easy way to save on holiday shopping. I've recently been finding some amazing gift card deals in the Pepper Rewards app (e.g. 12–20% off Amazon, Sam’s Club, Nike, etc.) Plus, new customers earn $20 back after spending $200 in the first 15 days with a referral code—mine is 612342.
Also, don't forget to check out these two great apps:
- CardPointers Pro to automatically activate your card-linked offers and always pick the right card. Use this link for 50% off.
- Savewise to find the best offers from 20+ different shopping portals. Use this link for 20% off.
💰 Easy $40 from Rakuten
My default shopping portal is Rakuten, which also lets you convert cash back to points. Right now, Rakuten is offering $40 for new members after you spend at least $40.
🕵️ Great Finds
🧾 Are Credit Card Rewards Taxable?
Jasmine DiLucci was recently on Ep #200 to debunk tax myths, and one of the things we couldn't dive deep on was whether credit card rewards are taxable. Thankfully she put together this video that you might enjoy.
📝 Farewell From Morningstar Research VP
I really enjoy John Rekenthaler's writing, so I was sad to see him announce his retirement with this farewell letter. That said it was a great reflection on the U.S. stock market’s strong track record of growth and compounding. While John doesn’t think future returns will be as impressive, he remains optimistic about the U.S. economy’s strengths driving continued growth.
🍔 Shake Shack on Delta Flights
I'm excited to see that Shake Shack has partnered with Delta to offer their cheeseburgers as a first-class meal. I don't fly Delta much, but I'm very curious to see how the in-flight version compares.
Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
