PennyWise: Personal Finance & Travel Tips

<p dir="ltr">In this episode of PennyWise, host John Kiernan and guest Dr. Jessica G. Zeiss from Ball State University discuss the best ways to go about getting a credit card. It might seem like a simple topic, but there&rsquo;s a lot more that goes into choosing the right credit card and actually getting approved than most people realize. John and Dr. Zeiss cover the process of getting a credit card from start to finish, highlighting money-saving strategies to use as well as costly pitfalls to avoid. They also talk about why getting a credit card is so important to achieving overall financial success and how many credit cards you should have. John answers some of your questions, too.</p> <p dir="ltr">More on this episode from WalletHub:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/cc/what-credit-card-should-i-get/41761">How to Choose a Credit Card</a></p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/cc/how-to-apply-for-a-credit-card/25512">How to Apply for a Credit Card</a>&nbsp;</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/cc/how-to-get-a-credit-card/19573">How to Get Approved for a Credit Card</a></p> </li> </ul> <p>You can <a href="https://wallethub.com/credit-cards/compare">compare credit card offers</a> on WalletHub to find the best card for your needs. You can also reference WalletHub&rsquo;s editors&rsquo; picks for the best credit cards for <a href="https://wallethub.com/best-credit-cards-to-build-credit">building credit</a>, <a href="https://wallethub.com/best-rewards-credit-cards">rewards</a>, <a href="https://wallethub.com/credit-cards/0-apr/">0% APR</a> and more.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">In this episode of PennyWise, host John Kiernan and guest Luke Powers discuss the latest trends in charitable giving, how listeners can make the biggest impact with their contributions, and strategies for avoiding scams. With the burden of inflation, high debt levels, and an uncertain job market, many people feel like they can&rsquo;t afford to give back, and charitable organizations are struggling to get enough funding. But if you make the right moves, you can still make the world a better place, even with limited funds. We&rsquo;ll help with that by covering the best charities by category, organizations to avoid and much more. John answers some of your questions, too.</p> <p dir="ltr">More on this episode from WalletHub: <a href="https://wallethub.com/credit-cards/charity/">Best Charity Credit Cards</a> &amp; <a href="https://wallethub.com/charity-calculator/">Charity Calculator</a>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong id="docs-internal-guid-d0053f77-7fff-3b87-0cb5-2cfa58bfb681">To find the best charities overall and by category, check out SmileHub's picks for the year&rsquo;s <a href="https://smilehub.org/blog/best-charities/97">best charities to donate to</a>.</strong></p>

<p dir="ltr">In this episode of PennyWise, host John Kiernan and guest Adam McCann discuss the dangers of so-called &ldquo;deferred interest&rdquo; and how to avoid becoming a victim this holiday shopping season and beyond. John and Adam explain what deferred interest is and how it works, detail when you&rsquo;re likely to encounter it, and provide tips for how to deal with it, plus ideas for safer alternatives. This financing trick is a lot more common and costly than most people realize, so it could really pay off to learn the ins and outs of this scheme. In addition, John answers some of your questions.</p> <p dir="ltr">More on this episode from WalletHub: <a href="https://wallethub.com/credit-cards/0-apr/">Best 0% APR Credit Cards</a> &amp; <a href="https://wallethub.com/best-budget-apps">Best Budget Apps</a>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong id="docs-internal-guid-5c662c44-7fff-c5c2-7457-2070d6b65dce">To find the best way to pay for your shopping trips, both during the holidays and throughout the year, check out WalletHub's picks for the <a href="https://wallethub.com/best-credit-cards-for-shopping">best credit cards for shopping</a>.</strong></p>

<p dir="ltr">In this episode of PennyWise, host John Kiernan discusses the importance of having an emergency fund and how to build one with Adam McCann, a personal finance writer with WalletHub who is an expert on credit cards and budgeting. John and Adam define what an emergency fund actually is, explore the risks that come with not having one, and provide practical tips for saving more, funding different savings goals, and keeping everything straight. Budgets are tight these days, and you never know when an emergency expense will crop up, so you&rsquo;ll be glad you listened! John also answers listener questions.</p> <p dir="ltr">More on this episode from WalletHub: <a href="https://wallethub.com/best-budget-apps">Best Budget Apps</a> &amp; <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/b/how-to-save-money/88886">How to Save More Money</a></p> <p><strong id="docs-internal-guid-e43e30a2-7fff-9af1-eca8-b4d7814c629a">To find the best home for your emergency fund, check out <a href="https://wallethub.com/best-savings-accounts">WalletHub's picks for the best savings accounts</a>.</strong></p>

<p dir="ltr">In this episode of PennyWise, host John Kiernan discusses money-saving holiday shopping tips with Chip Lupo, a personal finance writer with WalletHub who is an expert on credit cards and budgeting. They discuss the holiday shopping forecast and the things people can do to maximize their merriment without putting their financial plan in jeopardy. You can even get a few pointers for whipping up holiday cookies on the cheap from a state fair winner! Plus, John answers a listener question and more.</p> <p dir="ltr">More on this episode from WalletHub: <a href="https://wallethub.com/best-credit-cards-for-shopping">Best Credit Cards for Holiday Shopping</a> &amp;<a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/free-gift-ideas/28663"> Low-Cost Gift Ideas</a></p> <p>To start budgeting for the holidays, check out <a href="https://wallethub.com/premium/budgeting">WalletHub's budgeting tools</a>.</p>