Award News

Independent Bank is offering a sweet $350 bonus for new checking account customers in Michigan! To snag the bonus, you'll need to open a new checking account and set up direct deposits totaling $500 or more within 90 days. Once you meet the requirements, the bonus will be deposited into your account within 60 days. The offer is valid until March 31, 2027. Why does this matter to you, the savvy award traveler? Well, it's basically free money! Bank account bonuses are an easy way to pad your travel fund. Just make sure you can meet the direct deposit requirement and keep the account open for at least 60 days to avoid a small $10 early closure fee. Plus, there are no monthly fees if you opt for eStatements, making this a pretty hassle-free way to boost your travel budget. Remember that the bonus will be reported as income, so you'll need to pay taxes on it.

HSBC is once again offering a hefty bonus for new Premier checking account customers, up to $2,500! This is a pretty sweet deal if you have the cash to deposit. To snag the bonus, you'll need to deposit or invest either $100,000 to get $1,500, or $250,000 to get the full $2,500. You'll need to keep that money parked there for three consecutive months after the month you open the account. The offer is valid from January 8, 2024, through March 27, 2024. Now, before you jump in, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, this is only for NEW HSBC customers – if you've had an account with them before, you're out of luck. Also, like all bank bonuses, this one is taxable, so Uncle Sam will want his cut. The account does have a $50 monthly fee, but you can avoid it by maintaining a combined balance of $75,000 across your HSBC accounts, setting up recurring direct deposits of at least $5,000 per month, or having an HSBC mortgage of at least $500,000. If you close the account within 180 days, you'll be hit with a $25 early termination fee. So, why should you care? Well, if you have a large chunk of cash sitting around, this is a great way to earn some extra money. The lowest tier bonus ($1,500 for $100,000 deposit) works out to about a 6% return, which is far better than most savings accounts right now. You can also invest the funds in options like money market accounts to potentially earn even more. Just make sure you can meet the requirements to waive the monthly fee, or the bonus might not be worth it!

E*TRADE is offering a pretty sweet deal for anyone looking to stash some cash! If you're a new customer, you can snag a bonus of up to $2,000 by opening a Premium Savings Account. Just deposit the required amount within 30 days and keep it there for another 45. Make sure to use the promo code SAVE26 when you sign up! The bonus tiers are: $300 for $20k, $750 for $50k, $1,000 for $75k, $1,500 for $100k, and the big one, $2,000 for depositing $200k. The offer is valid until February 28, 2026. This matters because it's essentially free money, boosting your savings return beyond just the account's interest rate (which is already at a competitive 3.50%!). It's like getting a 1% bonus on top of that, making it a great place to park some funds you aren't immediately using. Plus, there's no monthly fee to worry about. Even better, if you've been eyeing the Morgan Stanley AmEx Platinum card, opening this E*TRADE savings account might help you qualify. One small caveat: you need to be a new E*TRADE savings account customer and a U.S. resident. Also, remember that the bonus will be reported to the IRS as income, so you'll get a 1099 form. But hey, a little tax on a big bonus is a price most of us are willing to pay! Check it out if you have some savings sitting around – it's definitely worth considering.

Heads up, JetBlue flyers! Citi Offers is back with a sweet deal: Spend $250 or more on a JetBlue flight, and you'll get a cool $50 back. This offer is valid through June 30, 2025, so if you've been eyeing a getaway, now might be the time to book. This is the latest iteration of this offer, and previously the spending requirement was higher, so if you've been holding out, now may be the time to jump. Why does this matter to you? Well, who doesn't love saving money on flights? Whether you're planning a summer vacation or a quick weekend escape, this Citi Offer can help you stretch your travel budget further. Just make sure to check your Citi Offers to see if you're targeted and remember you can only use the offer once. Happy travels!

Amazon's running a sweet deal for Kindle Unlimited: you can snag your first three months for just 99 cents! That's right, less than a buck for access to tons of ebooks and audiobooks. After that, it jumps to the regular price of $11.99/month, so mark your calendar if you don't want to keep it. Why should you care? Well, if you're like me and always looking for something to read on those long flights or during airport layovers, this is a no-brainer. It's a ridiculously cheap way to load up your Kindle (or phone/tablet with the Kindle app) with entertainment. Just make sure to double-check the offer details when you sign up, and set a reminder to cancel if you don't want to continue at the regular price. Happy reading, awardtrail buddies!