Sure thing! Here’s a sassy, SEO-minded version carrying a dab of **personal touch**. However, it does respect the initial structure, message, and details.
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Let’s Find the Silver Lining in Recessions – Americans Squirreling Away Their Moolah!
Chin up, folks! If we had to offer a silver lining in this cloud of economic downturn, it’s that Americans are getting more serious about their piggy banks [http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/15/news/rainy.day.fortune/index.htm]. (By the way, the bigger impact on the economy? That’s a story for another day.) Truth be told, most people could still do better when it comes to saving. We all know it. During these hard times, socking away some rainy day funds requires breaking out the big guns. Just the other day, I was having a chinwag with the Undercover Economist [http://timharford.com/undercovereconomist/], and guess what? He says, saving dough, minus autopilot tricks like 401(k) payroll deductions, is tougher than solving a Rubik’s cube blindfolded.
Credit Card Whizzes Bring a Ray of Hope – Automated Savings.
Lately, credit card companies have been playing clever by introducing shiny new cards. Their goal? Help people save more or slice down their debt mountain. Have you heard of the Wells Fargo Home Rebait Card [https://www.wellsfargo.com/credit_cards/home_rebate/]? Check this out: With each transaction, you earn a fat 1% back – no restrictions. But hold on, they don’t hand it over to you in cash. They add it in $25 bundles directly to most Wells Fargo mortgages. And while we’re at it, let’s not forget the Fidelity Retirement Rewards and 529 College Rewards American Express Cards [http://personal.fidelity.com/products/checking/content/amex_rewards_card.shtml.cvsr] which sheepishly award 2% cash back but push that money into a Fidelity IRA or 529 college savings fund. (You can swap points for a trip or goodies through their WorldPoints rewards program though, if you fancy.)
The Schwab Bank Invest First Visa – A Cut Above the Rest.
Among these, my heart swings toward the Schwab Bank Invest First Visa Credit Card [http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/banking_lending/credit_card]. Listen to this: This card hooks you up with an attractive 2% cash back on all purchases—with no hoops to jump through—and dishes out the rewards at every moon’s end. The catch? Your cashback earmarks a Schwab One brokerage account. But the brighter side? The account is a steal. Connect it to your card, and voila – no monthly fees or minimum balance calls. And, cherry on the cake? No penalty if you withdraw your rewards from the brokerage account. This nugget is especially useful to those with Schwab’s High Yield Investor Checking account [http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/banking_lending/checking?cmsid=P-990750&lvl1=banking_lending&lvl2=checking], a darling among Money magazine readers.
Choosing the Best Rewards Card for Savers- Not All Cards Are Created Equal
Among all the contenders, the Schwab card takes the cake if you fancy the freedom of unlimited 2% cash back on every dime spent. However, don’t let these perks make you punch-drunk. Be clever. Interest rates can spike anywhere between 10% and 22%. If you carry a balance regularly, your awards would barely patch up those charges. But, if you can keep your spending habits in check and pay off your balance every month, that 2% back can stack up into a pretty penny.
Ta-ta for now,
Ismat Sarah Mangla