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CEO & Co-founder
Andrew started his career at a Chicago hedge fund and quickly noticed a problem: the people who most needed financial guidance weren’t getting any. He co-founded Money Crashers in 2009 to fix that with free, plain-language money education. He’s been interviewed by MSNBC, CBS News, NBC News, and Fox News, and featured in Forbes and US News & World Report. Off the clock he plays ice hockey and tennis, and meditates. Andrew holds a bachelor’s in economics from Brown University.
A 3% credit card surcharge outweighs 2% cash back, leaving you about 1% behind. Before you pay, look for the surcharge notice at the register or a fee line on your bill. If you find one, pay with debit, which card networks bar merchants from surcharging. Save the card for big jobs paid up front, where its dispute rights matter.
If you borrow to soothe stress or put off facing a shortfall, and keep sliding back into debt, stop relying on willpower and get help. Debtors Anonymous runs free 12-step meetings for compulsive debtors, and a nonprofit credit counselor can build a plan to repay what you owe.
A charge card has no preset spending limit, but unlike a credit card, it expects the full balance every month instead of a minimum payment. No preset limit doesn’t mean unlimited, so confirm a big purchase first and set autopay to pay your full statement balance.
A refundable hotel rate usually costs more than a prepaid one, but it lets you rebook the same room for less if the price drops before your stay. Book one early, set a price alert for your dates, and when the rate falls, reserve the cheaper room first and cancel the original second.
On a joint credit card, each of you owes the entire balance, not half, and a breakup or divorce doesn’t change that. Open one only with someone whose spending you’d be willing to pay off alone. Otherwise, keep each card in one person’s name, so only its owner owes the bill.
Freeze your child’s credit at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A child’s Social Security number usually has no credit history and nobody watching it, so a thief can use it for years before anyone notices. The freeze is free, makes new accounts in their name harder to open, and stays until you or your child removes it.
A credit card refund doesn’t lower what you owe until it posts, and it doesn’t count as a payment. Until the credit appears on your account, pay as if you never made the return. Skipping or shorting the payment while you wait can cost you a late fee, interest, and a late mark on your credit report.
Save in a 401(k) or IRA on a modest income, and you can get back up to half of your first $2,000. Claim the Saver’s Credit on your return through tax year 2026. From tax year 2027, claim the Saver’s Match instead, and the money goes into your retirement account whether or not you owe tax.
If your credit card statement shows a negative balance, that’s your own money, and it earns nothing while the card issuer holds it. Ask the issuer to send it to your bank account or mail you a check. Put the request in writing, and federal rules give the issuer seven business days to pay.
Most big card issuers will show you which cards you’re likely to get before you apply, and their check is a soft inquiry that doesn’t affect your credit score. Check the issuer’s pre-approval page first, and apply only for a card it offers you, because the application itself is a hard inquiry that can lower your score.
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