June 12, 2026 · 9 min read
Chase announced a Sapphire Preferred refresh on June 10, 2026, and the changes land June 15: new 3x categories, a doubled hotel credit, and a quiet 25% cut to Hyatt transfers. Here is every change with exact dates, what our algorithm says the card is worth, and what we built so your numbers stay right the moment it goes live.
chase · sapphire-preferred · ultimate-rewards
May 28, 2026 · 8 min read
Bank of America rebranded Preferred Rewards to BofA Rewards on May 27, 2026. The tier table is leaner, the top tier requires more, and existing members are grandfathered into a phased transition. Here's the math, the cardholder impact, and what we shipped today in PointBagel so your earn rates stay accurate.
bofa · bofa-rewards · preferred-rewards
May 17, 2026 · 10 min read
Most people evaluate annual fees wrong - they either panic at the sticker price or blindly count theoretical credits. Here's the 4-step framework that gives you an actual answer.
annual-fee · framework · roi
May 10, 2026 · 11 min read
A full breakdown of the best credit card for every spending category in 2026 - dining, groceries, travel, gas, streaming, and the crucial "everything else" bucket - with exact rates, caps, and the math behind real annual value.
categories · earning-rates · optimization
May 5, 2026 · 9 min read
Most credit card bonus categories have spending caps that drop your earning rate to 1x after a threshold. Here's the math on how caps affect the Amex Gold, Citi Custom Cash, Freedom Flex, and more - and why families should pay extra attention.
earning-caps · amex-gold · citi-custom-cash
April 29, 2026 · 11 min read
Most people either keep cards they should cancel or cancel cards they should keep. Here's the four-step framework for making the right call every time.
annual-fees · strategy · retention-offers
April 24, 2026 · 9 min read
A step-by-step process to evaluate your current credit cards: are you earning enough, paying too much in fees, or sitting on unused benefits? Thirty minutes, five steps, zero guesswork.
portfolio · audit · annual-review
April 19, 2026 · 9 min read
You don't need five cards to earn serious rewards. These four 2-card combos cover the most common spending patterns at rates that rival much more complex setups.
portfolio · card-combos · two-card
April 15, 2026 · 11 min read
A single credit card caps your earning potential. A thoughtful portfolio of 2-4 cards can cover every spending category at 3x or better - here's exactly how to build one.
portfolio · strategy · 2026
April 10, 2026 · 9 min read
Hyatt points are worth 2.1¢ each. Marriott: 0.7¢. Hilton: 0.5¢. IHG: 0.6¢. The gap is enormous, and it comes down to portfolio size, award pricing models, and how aggressively each chain dilutes its currency.
hotels · hyatt · marriott
April 6, 2026 · 11 min read
The Chase Trifecta costs $95/year. The Amex Trifecta costs $1,220 before credits. Both are elite setups - but they serve fundamentally different types of spenders.
chase · amex · trifecta
April 2, 2026 · 11 min read
Both cards are the most popular mid-tier travel cards on the market, but they're built for different spenders. Here's the math at three different spending profiles.
chase · amex · sapphire-preferred
