Category: Finance

There are many different credit cards out there, and consumers have a seemingly infinite array of payment choices. Banks know this, and so many banks offer rewards for using their credit cards. Banks and other financial institutions want their card to be at the top of your wallet, and they offer incentives to keep it there.

The world of credit card rewards

There are three main types of credit card rewards that you might take advantage of when using a card to make purchases.

• Signup bonus — Many cards offer an initial welcome offer for opening and being approved for a new card. You might get 60,000 airline miles after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days of having the card.
• Rewards for ongoing purchases — In addition, you’ll earn rewards for each of your purchases. Some cards offer a specific amount for all purchases, while others give higher rewards

Entertainment mogul Tyler Perry is flexing his financial muscle into Florida politics to help target Black voters in the battleground state ahead of the upcoming Nov. 3 presidential election, according to BET.

Perry is helping to fund a $500,000 mobilization effort in Florida that will be targeting Black voters in the key battleground state. The philanthropist has partnered with a nonpartisan Florida organization, the Equal Ground Education Fund, to help it increase engagement among Black voters in the southern state. The initiative, “Park & Praise,” will target 25 counties and around 250,000 Black residents in urban areas that will include Broward and Miami-Dade County.

They’ve made an announcement on their Facebook page about the initiative.

“Equal Ground is excited about our partnership with many partners, Florida Churches, and civic organizations who are making intentional strides and contributions to turn Black voters out ahead of the election. Our top [priority] … Read the rest

Depending on the time period in which you were raised, many young children and adolescents had differing opinions (and ideals) about what credit was and how it should or shouldn’t be utilized. While some were privileged enough to understand the complexities and importance of credit, others had to learn at the expense of their own mistakes along the way. No matter where you were or where you are currently, luckily there are always actionable steps that can be taken to clean up, improve, and get smart about your credit – let’s explore. 

Become familiar with what can impact your credit 

There are five key components that are factored into your credit score. 

Payment history 

Your ability to make timely payments plays a huge role in your credit score. Lenders want to have the confidence that you as the borrower are capable of paying back any debts on time. … Read the rest

Social media giant Twitter has removed a select group of fake accounts that were pretending to be owned by Black supporters of President Donald Trump, according to The Hill.

As we get closer to the presidential election, the attempt to sway Black people to vote for Donald Trump has been ramped up as the support among Blacks is very low. Darren Linvill posted on his Twitter account that he helped work on the piece that revealed the fake Black Twitter accounts.

Pleased to have worked on this great piece with @craigtimberg & @isaacstanbecker. This network really points to the difficulty the platforms have playing whack-a-mole with disinformation accounts. 1/5 https://t.co/YrX1aIGHH3

— Darren Linvill (@DarrenLinvill) October 13, 2020

Most of these accounts were using “digital black face” and pretended to be Black American #MAGA supporters. They used images of real Americans in their profiles. Several had tens of thousands

Interest rates, especially on mortgage loans, have gotten a lot of buzz this year and with good reason. They’ve reached historically low levels leaving homebuyers and homeowners alike wondering the best way to capitalize on these low rates. Let’s face it, buying a home is an exciting and draining process which explains why we might cringe a little when we think of going through it all again to refinance. It conjures up images of digging through old tax returns, trying to find statements for accounts we forgot we had, and signing a million forms at closing before we’re finally handed the keys.

What if there was a better way to refinance and save money? What if you could review your options and lock in a lower rate in 20 minutes or less? Now you can! Mint is known for it’s easy to use automatic budgeting tools. They’ve made the tedious … Read the rest

An 18-year-old Black hockey player has made history in a sport that has very few Blacks!

Quinton Byfield, who played the center position for the Ontario Hockey League’s Sudbury Wolves, was drafted No.2 overall by the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday night. That makes him the highest-drafted Black player in National Hockey League (NHL) history, according to ESPN.

Byfield is a native of Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. His father, Clinton, is originally from Jamaica.

Previously, the highest selection for a Black player was the fourth pick, which was achieved two times. San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane (2009, Atlanta Thrashers) and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones (2013, Nashville Predators) were the previously highest-drafted Black players in the NHL, at No. 4.

“Being in the record books for anything is definitely super special, but that especially,” Byfield said. “My dad and mom didn’t play hockey or didn’t have too much knowledge … Read the rest

Individual investors — often called “retail” investors — are wielding more power in the public markets than ever before.

A flurry of innovation from the past couple of decades (low-fee index funds, no-fee trading, gamified mobile investing apps, etc.) has given millions of new investors a firm foothold in a world previously dominated by massive institutions, often literally moving the market in the process.

There’s just one problem: the stock market isn’t where institutional investor portfolios have had the biggest advantage over individual investor portfolios.

It’s the world of private market assets (think: private equity, venture capital, commercial real estate, etc.) where pension funds, endowments, and sovereign wealth funds have continued to sow billions of dollars annually while individual investors are left on the sidelines.

The No. 1 sports fan of the United States made sure to acknowledge the championships that were won by the current NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the current WNBA champions, the Seattle Storm. He also made mention of the racial justice stance that many professional basketball players of both leagues have taken with all the civil unrest due to the protesting of police brutality and racism against people of color. Former President Barack Obama took to Twitter to state how proud he is of the players for encouraging civic participation.

Congrats to the @Lakers and @Seattlestorm on their championship wins! Proud of all the NBA and WNBA teams and players who’ve been using their platforms to take a stand for racial justice and encourage civic participation this season.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 12, 2020

Obama also touted his friendship with the current NBA Finals MVP, LeBron James, … Read the rest

Fall is here, the time where our collective attention usually shifts to the holidays. Whether it’s making travel accommodations, planning for parties, or shopping for gifts, October usually marks the start of a holiday marathon that doesn’t end until New Year’s Day. 

This year, we have bigger issues on our plate. 

With COVID-19 and the November election dominating almost everybody’s attention, it’s entirely possible that you haven’t started budgeting for the holidays. It’s also possible that this year, you have a lot less money to budget. That’s why we’ve put together some tips to help you get through the rest of the year in one piece. 

Talk about the Holidays Beforehand  

If you’ve never had to discuss your gift plan before, now is a perfect time to start. Financial insecurity is more common than ever before, and other people are likely in the same boat. 

#RealMoneyTalk: talk to the people … Read the rest

The beer industry is increasingly becoming more diverse as more entrepreneurs establish brands dedicated to cultivating space for Black people and other people of color to talk about their love of the beverage. Anheuser-Busch is the world’s largest beer company in the world compromising notable names including Budweiser and Bud Light. Now the company is making moves to diversify its workforce and making history by appointing its first Black female brewmaster.

Natalie Johnson made history recently when she became the first Black female brewmaster for the beer giant. In a Q&A with BLACK ENTERPRISE, Johnson discusses how she became interested in beer brewing,  entering the market as a STEM graduate, and promoting diversity within the beer industry.

BE: How did you get your start in brewing beer?

Johnson: Being from St. Louis, the Anheuser-Busch name and its ties within the community are known by everyone! The summer prior to … Read the rest