Personal Finance News Round-Up: December 2023
Personal Finance News - December 2023

Personal Finance News Round-Up: December 2023

Each month, the Money@30 YouTube channel rounds up the top personal finance, credit card, and travel news. Now, we here at Fioney are pleased to present these quick and to-the-point video digests with our readers. Dive into the December 2023 round-up video and go even deeper into the stories below.

Discover Announces First Quarter 2024 5% Bonus Categories

The new year is now just around the corner, which also means that it’s time for a new 5% rotating bonus category from Discover. From January 1st to March 31st of 2024, Discover It cardholders will be able to earn up to 5% back in two categories: Restaurants and Drug Stores.

Universal Studios and FNBO Debut a Pair of New Rewards Card

Universal Studios recently rolled out two new rewards credit cards — one with no annual fee and one with a $99 a year fee. In addition to rewards that can be used at Universal destinations, the cards also include some theme park perks. But… are they actually worth it?

New Streaming Deals from Verizon, Instacart, and More

Given the popularity of streaming services, it’s no surprise that new deals and bundles for these platforms keep emerging. For example, Verizon has introduced a new $ 10-a-month add-on that will give customers access to ad-support Netflix and ad-supported Max. Meanwhile, Instacart+ now includes a subscription to Peacock. Finally, for a limited time, Disney+ subscribers can save $40 on an annual membership for Walmart+ — which happens to also include Paramount+ access.

Spotify Adds Audiobook Listening Feature for Premium Members

Even though the hype surrounding Spotify’s annual Wrapped offering has seemingly died down, one recent feature from the service deserves some more attention. Now, Premium users (with some exceptions) can enjoy up to 15 hours a month listening to audiobook content for free. Could this addition be an Audible killer?

Bilt Adds Marriott Bonvoy as a Transfer Partner

The Bilt platform is expanding once again as Marriott Bonvoy has joined as a transfer partner. Now, customers can move Bilt Points to Bonvoy at a rate of 1:1. Actually, for every 20,000 points customers transfer in one transaction, they’ll receive a bonus 5,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Also, in a last-minute update, Avianca Lifemiles has also joined Bilt’s stable of partners.

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines Plan Merger

In case you didn’t hear, the airlines (which happen to be named after the 49th and 50th states in the union) have announced plans to merge. Although the combined airline would operate using a single system and loyalty currency, both brands will remain intact. Of course, regulators will need to sign off on the deal before it becomes official.

HMBradley and Ness Credit Card Shut Down (on the Same Day)

November was not a great month for FinTech as two services announced they were closing down. Neobank HMBradley revealed that it was ending its consumer services, but plans to pivot to being a behind-the-scenes firm. As for the Ness Card — which only had its official launch in April — the company says it simply ran out of money. In fact, the site is seemingly already gone.

Author

Kyle Burbank

Head Writer ~ Fioney
Kyle is the head writer for Fioney. He is a personal finance nerd, constantly looking for new apps and services to test and incorporate into his own financial game plan. In addition to his role at Fioney, he's written for other publications including Born2Invest, Lifehack, and Laughing Place, as well as his own site Money@30. He also creates personal finance and travel-related videos for Fioney's YouTube channel, which has garnered more than 2 million views. Currently, Kyle resides in Springfield, Missouri with his wife of 10 years. Together, they enjoy traveling (including visiting Disney Parks around the world), dining, and playing with their dog Rigby.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

NerdWallet Introduces Monthly "Financial Resilience Index"

The popular personal finance site NerdWallet has premiered a new monthly index meant to highlight how prepared American consumers are for economic uncertainty. About the Financial Resilience Index: This week, NerdWallet introduced the Financial Resilience Index. For this index, the site commissioned Harris Poll to survey 2,072 adults in the United States. These respondents were asked questions across three different categories: financial security, financial strength, and economic outlook. Specifically, the...

Fanatics to Launch Rewards Credit Card with American Express

American Express and Fanatics have announced a partnership that will not only result in a new rewards credit card but will also lead to a new option for other cardholders. About the Fanatics American Express Card: This week, Amex revealed that it was teaming up with the sports merchandise site Fanatics. As part of this partnership, the two will create the Fanatics American Express Card. According to a press release,...

Bilt Partners with Flying Blue for Rewards on Rent for Cardholders

Those with the Air France/KLM rewards credit card can now earn bonus miles when paying rent via the Bilt platform. About the Bilt/Flying Blue Rent Payment Offer: Bilt is expanding its rent payment platform to give those with the Air France KLM Visa Signature Credit Card greater mileage rewards. Now, those cardholders can earn a total of 3 Flying Blue miles per $1 spent on rent payments made using Bilt....
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