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☆ Delta curbs employee access to luxury airport lounges as it struggles with crowding
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Delta Air Lines plans to curb employee access to its plush and popular airport lounges next month, its latest attempt to ease crowding. "The employee discount on Delta Sky Club memberships also is discontinued," said the memo, which was seen by CNBC. Complimentary seats on planes are a major perk for airline staff, and they aren't just used for vacation. American and United say they aren't planning similar policy changes for their lounges, though carriers occasionally tweak employee travel policies. For example, those carriers paused certain employee travel perks to London over the summer due to congestion.

☆ 10 best credit cards for elite status travel benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Ariana Arghandewal | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +23 min

Best credit card for Delta SkyMiles elite status perksGetty ImagesElite status: No automatic elite status; however, you’ll earn up to 60,000 MQMs per year with Status Boost. Best credit card for United MileagePlus elite status perksGetty ImagesElite status: No automatic elite status; however, card holders can earn up to 8,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) per calendar year toward elite status. The best credit card for IHG One Rewards elite status perksIHGElite status: Complimentary Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a card holder. The best credit card for Hilton Honors elite status perksHiltonElite status: Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond elite status. Frequently asked questions about credit cards with elite status benefitsIf you travel frequently enough, elite status can be worth it.

☆ Twitter is scrapping employees' meal allowances, following rumors that lavish lunches would be scaled back — but office snacks and coffee will remain, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk's Twitter is ending meal allowances for staff, according to Platformer's Zoë Schiffer. Twitter will still provide coffee and snacks, per Schiffer's tweet, which cited an internal email. As Insider's Kali Hays reported on Thursday, Musk has most recently cut a major fertility benefit for Twitter employees. The food options available for Twitter staff are one of the employees' perks which has taken a hit. Two freebies that are expected to stay are snacks and coffee, per Schiffer, who cited the internal email.

☆ Starbucks will charge rewards members more stars for free items next year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Starbucks is making changes to its rewards program, requiring members to spend more to earn some popular freebies. Program members earn stars when they make purchases. In the three months ending on October 2, the number of active Starbucks rewards members jumped to 28.7 million, up 16% year-over-year. In October, the coffee chain started partnering with Delta (DAL) to let rewards members earn airline miles. While rewards members may be enthusiastic about benefits, they’re also quick to criticize companies for making changes.

☆ 8 people share how they use Facebook groups to score freebies and market their businesses
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Sonah Lee-Lassiter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Users turn to these groups for career advice, upcycling belongings, parenting tips, and even to market their small businesses. Learning new thingsCassier Weiner is in more than 50 mostly hobby-based Facebook groups. Sarah Dahan, an online community strategist, said the root of a thriving community online and offline is maintaining a consistent value system. Facebook doing its partJonathan Twombly runs a real-estate business through his Facebook group "Multifamily Investment Community," which has about 12,000 members. "Facebook groups are very underutilized by people my age," Kim said.

☆ Hydrow's compact, affordable rowing machine is perfect for holiday gifting
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Maria Cassano | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Designed by rowing experts, made for everyoneA Hydrow rowing machine has two main components. Then there’s the crystal-clear display, which immerses you in scenes of actual waterways from around the world and brings you rowing workouts led by world-class athletes and Olympians. This holiday season, there are plenty of sales and freebies to get either rowing machine in a loved one’s home (or your own) for less. Until Dec. 23, each Hydrow Wave comes with free Jaybird headphones, a free Polar heart rate monitor and free standard delivery (a $240 value). Check out the two Hydrow rowing machines below.

☆ If You Love Fire Pits and Wood-Fired Pizzas, Get Ready
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

By Leslie YazelWhen I first heard about the Solo Stove Pi Fire pizza oven, I scoffed. You use semolina or cornmeal on the oven’s pizza stone for easy sliding in and out, and in about 8 minutes, you have great tasting wood-fired pizza. It’s perfect for the crucial rotation of the pie and it’s sized exactly for the Pi oven. That tool, combined with the wide “mouth” of the oven, makes rotating the pie easier than with tabletop pizza ovens I’ve tried. If you’ve read this and you’re still thinking, eh, too much time commitment for me, then this wildly-popular, high-quality pizza oven may be a great fit for your needs.

Black Friday is just a few days away and one of the hottest beauty gifts this year is the Dyson Airwrap. While the Dyson Airwrap itself isn't discounted anywhere that we've found, there are a few promotions that will help you get discounted attachments or receive store credits when purchasing the Airwrap. If the Dyson Airwrap is still out of your budget, you can find solid deals on similar two-in-one hairstyling products. It's comparable to the expensive Dyson Airwrap, but for a fraction of the cost. Deal Hot Tools Professional 24K Gold One Step Blowout The Hot Tools Profesional 24K Gold One Step Blowout delivers professional results with one simple tool.

☆ Consumer Reports: Best (and Biggest) Portable Speakers for Tailgating
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Allen St. John | Consumer Reports | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

And what’s a party without great sound? SEE ALL Consumer Reports product reviewsTailgate speakers tend to be bulky and heavy, so they might not be ideal for a leisurely stroll about town. These standout speakers have been tested in Consumer Reports dedicated sound lab. But the XG300 is actually one of the better-sounding portable speakers we’ve tested, with bass that’s got a decent amount of sock and a clear, even midrange. By contrast, the bigger and more expensive XG500 fell short of its smaller sibling with bass that’s kind of boomy while that all-important midrange is muffled.

☆ Election Day deals: Donuts, pizza and cheap rides
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN Business —It’s Election Day in America, and some companies are offering deals and freebies to mark the occasion, while others are giving employees time off to vote. Election Day is not a national holiday, though it is a public holiday in some states, so some government offices may be closed. Here’s what you can expect from Corporate America on Election Day, including what you can get for free, or at a discount, on Tuesday. And this year, it’s sending food trucks to polling sites in Philadelphia on Election Day. Changes to schedulesAcross the country, some companies give workers flexibility on Election Day to go to the polls.

☆ National Sandwich Day has chains serving up sandwich deals today
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

November 3rd marks National Sandwich Day (yes, it’s a thing.) But even though National Sandwich Day is still not an actual holiday, plenty of restaurant chains are doling out deals and freebies on sandwich orders. Popeyes: Buy one Chicken Sandwich combo (classic or spicy) and get a second sandwich free through the chain’s app or website. Jersey Mike’s Sub: Customers can get free delivery on their sandwich order through the app. McAlister’s Deli: The restaurant chain is offering a buy one, get one free sandwich promotion today for its reward program members.

☆ From Chipotle to Wendy’s, here are 7 places to score Halloween freebies and discounts
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Americans are expected to spend a record $10.6 billion on Halloween this year, surpassing last year's record of $10.1 billion, according to the National Retail Federation's annual Halloween Consumer survey. On average, people are expected to spend about $100.45 each on Halloween staples, such as candy, costumes and decorations, the agency found. Halloween celebration rates are predicted to return to pre-pandemic levels also, according to the agency. And as holiday revelers seek out treats, many stores and restaurants are offering freebies and discounts through Oct. 31. Here are seven places to check out:

☆ Luxury hotel booking programs from Amex, Capital One, Visa, and more can get you free elite benefits like room upgrades and on-property credits — here's how
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Eric Rosen | Tessa Campbell | Read More | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +39 min

David Slotnick/Business InsiderMany travel rewards cards offer elite-like hotel benefits when you book with their online portals. The prices through credit card travel portals are often on par with booking directly through hotels. However, it's only available to Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Spark Travel Elite cardholders. Bottom lineYou might not have a premium hotel credit card or elite status with one of the major loyalty programs. However, that doesn't mean you can't take advantage of credit card booking portals to enjoy perks like room upgrades, free breakfast, and on-property credits.

☆ Some Dunkin' Donuts customers say they're bailing from the company's new rewards program after it raised the threshold for a free drink
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Dunkin' Donuts just unveiled a new rewards program last week. Customers are dissatisfied about the new free drink threshold and are taking to social media to complain about the program. Before the change, customers received 5 points for every dollar they spent, and rewards started at 200 points. According to this tweet by Magdelene J. Taylor highlighting several complaints on the DunkinDonuts' subreddit thread, one user wrote, "I find that my free drink goes from 200 points to 700 points. Of course, we all know this new rewards program was done to cut costs."

During the Prime Early Access Sale on Oct 11-12, you'll also get 20% off a Grubhub order. Grubhub is a food delivery app that allows you to order food from local and chain restaurants in your area. How to claim 20% off your Grubhub order during Prime DayOn the day of the event simply enter the code PRIME20 at checkout to save 20% on your order. How to claim a year of Grubhub+ with PrimeNew and existing members can visit Amazon's Grubhub+ page and click the "Activate free Grubhub+" button. All Prime members are eligible, including Prime Student members.

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). More Information Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

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One of the best Prime membership benefits is a year of Grubhub+, which you can still claim ahead of the October event. Grubhub is a food delivery app that allows you to order food from local and chain restaurants in your area. With Amazon's new offer, a year of Grubhub+ is now included with a $14.99 per month Prime membership fee — a savings of nearly $120. How to claim a year of Grubhub+ with PrimeNew and existing members can visit Amazon's Grubhub+ page and click the "Activate free Grubhub+" button. All Prime members are eligible, including Prime Student members.

☆ Why wireless carriers are able to give out iPhone 14s for free
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-11 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN Business —The unveiling of the latest iPhone 14 lineup earlier this week has already spurred a flurry of new promotions from wireless giants including AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. AT&T and T-Mobile, for example, are both offering up to $1,000 credits, after trade-ins, for buying the iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro. Verizon is offering up to an $800 credit after a trade-in for the iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro, per some of the offers rounded up and touted by Apple. Meanwhile, the higher-end 14 Pro model starts at $999 and the 14 Pro Max at $1,099. The latest iPhone 14 lineup, in the United States at least, has also ditched the SIM card tray and gone entirely eSIM.

My 'poverty mentality' was holding me back, but getting rid of those items freed up mental and physical space. But I hadn't dealt with one of the most significant factors underlying my hoarding instincts: poverty mentality. What is 'poverty mentality'? But my poverty mentality kept me living as though I were barely employed and living paycheck to paycheck. The opposite of my poverty mentality isn't to act like I'm rich (I'm not) or spend every dime I make.

Persons: I'd, it's, Laura McCamy, I've, It's, isn't Organizations: Service Locations: Wall, Silicon

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). Credit card points, free night certificates, and hotel promotions kept my costs very low. Thanks to credit card rewards, I was able to use points, promotions, and free night certificates to save thousands on lodging. AdvertisementAdvertisementHotel points saved me thousands of dollarsIHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card Apply now lock icon An icon in the shape of lock. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.

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The prices through credit card travel portals are often on par with booking directly through hotels. Depending on the issuer and type of credit card you carry, you might have access to special online booking portals where reservations include these sorts of freebies, too. Although you won't earn hotel points or credit toward elite status by booking through this portal, the $100 credit will likely make up for it. More Information Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.

☆ Meet Afghanistan's fearless Gen Z influencers, who are blowing up on TikTok and have more Instagram followers than the president
▼ + stars: | 2021-03-05 | by ( Ali Latifi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

A group of women in Afghanistan are breaking through as Gen Z influencers on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. More Afghans are online, and dozens of Afghan women have 50,000 or more followers on at least one social platform. A generation of Afghan women in their 20s have mastered the art of living their lives on social media. The 26-year-old posts several times a day, and she has more followers on Instagram than the country's president, Ashraf Ghani. Ayeda Shadab photographed at the ancient Citadel in Herat, Afghanistan.

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). Because I don't gamble enough to warrant any freebies at a high-end establishment, I turn to one of my favorite premium credit card perks: access to discounted luxury resorts. More Information Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. More travel benefits than you'll find on any other business credit card Check mark icon A check mark. All told, access to FHR and LHRC alone may not be worth springing for a new credit card, but it's worth taking the time to examine the full breadth of your current travel credit card perks.

Credit card companies may be targeting consumers with great credit with a host of new perks recently, but CreditCards.com warns against falling for 0% balance transfer fee offers. In a study looking at offers from 37 lenders, the site found offers to waive these fees for as many as 21 months on balance transfer cards. "After the CARD Act, we thought zero percent balance transfer offers would just go away," Linda Sherry, director of national priorities for Consumer Action, told the site. Another way they've compensated for keeping the waiver alive is by nixing the usual $50-$75 balance transfer fee caps. CreditCards.com's survey found 12 cards offer the fee waiver for six months, three for a year and seven for 15 months.

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