Money Management

If you haven’t linked your Delta SkyMiles and Starbucks Rewards accounts, you’re missing out. Find out what you need to do to boost your rewards balance. 

If you fly with Delta Air Lines and are a fan of caffeine, then this article is for you. In the fall of 2022, Delta and Starbucks announced a partnership. The two companies began allowing customers to link their Delta SkyMiles and Starbucks Rewards accounts to earn more rewards. If you haven’t yet linked your loyalty accounts, you’re missing out on the chance to boost your Delta SkyMiles account balance every time you stop at Starbucks for your favorite coffee treat.

Get rewarded with miles when you order from Starbucks

If you fly with Delta and are a regular Starbucks customer, you don’t want to miss this easy way to earn more rewards. Once you link your accounts, you can earn one mile per $1 on eligible purchases made at Starbucks. Your miles will be automatically added to your Delta SkyMiles account. Miles may take up to 10 business days to post to your SkyMiles.

But that’s not your only opportunity to earn bonus rewards. You can earn double Starbucks stars on eligible purchases made at participating Starbucks stores on days you fly with Delta. Bonus stars will automatically be added to your Starbucks Rewards account as long as your SkyMiles number is included in your Delta flight itinerary.

These bonus rewards opportunities are in addition to the rewards you already earn through the Delta SkyMiles and Starbucks Rewards programs. Thanks to these opportunities to earn more rewards, you may reach your Starbucks and Delta reward redemption goals sooner.

Do this to connect your rewards accounts

You can link both rewards program accounts in a matter of moments. Here’s what to do to connect your Starbucks Rewards and Delta SkyMiles accounts:

Visit DeltaStarbucks.com.Enter your first and last name and Delta SkyMiles account number.Check the box to agree to the terms and conditions and select “Link Accounts.”After validating your account, you’ll be asked to sign into your Starbucks Rewards account to complete the linking process.After logging in, you’ll be asked to grant permission to share your Starbucks Rewards account details with Delta.You’ll receive a final confirmation screen when your accounts have been linked.

Rewards programs can prove valuable

You may want to use rewards programs as part of your personal finance strategy. Many companies have free loyalty programs available. Some brands will dish out rewards when you spend money with them, to encourage repeat business. Restaurant, coffee shop, and eatery rewards programs can earn you discounts and free food and drinks. Not having to dip into your checking account for your next cup of coffee can feel like a win.

Airline rewards programs are other loyalty programs worth joining. You can earn free rewards when you spend money on travel expenses, like flights. If you fly often, these programs can be even more valuable. You can earn miles faster using airline credit cards for everyday purchases. If you’re a Delta loyalist, check out our list of the best Delta credit cards.

Once you have enough rewards earned, you can redeem them for nearly-free flights, making your next vacation more affordable. That means you can stretch your vacation budget further and have more money for other trip expenses like food and activities.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Natasha Gabrielle has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Starbucks. The Motley Fool recommends Delta Air Lines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Secondhand items can offer the same benefits as new items at a fraction of the cost. Here are some of my favorite secondhand purchases. 

I’m not a big shopper. I often go months without buying anything other than essentials, and most of my hobbies are pretty cheap. When I do need to spend money, I want to get as much bang for my buck as possible. I shop around to make sure I’m getting the best deal, but I don’t just focus on new items. I’m more than happy to buy things secondhand if I can find a great value. Here are four of my favorite secondhand purchases so far.

1. My car

I bought my first car at 22. It was already used at that point and 10 years later, it’s still on the road. It’s a little bit banged up and it’s missing some of the bells and whistles newer cars have, but it still drives just fine. I haven’t felt any incentive to shop for a new one because I own this car outright and haven’t had a car payment in years. The fact that it’s not new has also helped keep my auto insurance premiums reasonable.

Even though I have had to spend money on maintenance over the years, I’ve still paid a lot less than I would have to upgrade my car every few years. I know it won’t last forever, but I intend to drive it until I can’t anymore, and then I’ll shop around for another used car.

2. My wedding dress

My dream wedding involved a quick trip to the courthouse and maybe a casual dinner. But my husband had other plans, so I found myself in need of a wedding dress. There was no way I could stomach the $1,900 average wedding dress cost, though. So I improvised.

I got online and shopped a few used clothing sites until I found a simple, white dress for $25. I realize that’s not an approach everyone would find appealing, but I was happy with it. It enabled us to hold onto more of our hard-earned cash that we could put toward our other long-term goals, like remodeling our home.

3. Books

When I was a kid, relatives would often give me $100 gift cards to bookstores for my birthday or holidays. And I considered myself lucky if I could buy more than 10 books with that amount.

Then, one day, I wandered into a Goodwill and realized just how many books they have for less than half the retail price and I’ve never looked back. It’s become a fun treasure hunt for me when I travel to other towns too. I check out what used book stores are in the area and see what they have. I even found a first edition of a classic novel that way.

I know I could do things even cheaper and opt for a free library card instead. But since I prefer to have my own books, this is my best option. And if I’m ever in the market for anything in particular, I look at used book stores online.

4. Kids’ clothes

I’m about to welcome my second child and I know that means we’ll be going through a lot of clothes over the next few years. I do get a few new things for my kids since there aren’t a ton of used clothing stores where I live. But I always make sure to check out what I can get at garage sales or Goodwill, especially since I know they’ll only fit into it for a few months.

This is far from an exhaustive list of secondhand shopping deals, but it hopefully gives you some ideas of your own. See if you can brainstorm additional savings opportunities and then try them out. Track how much you can put into your savings account over a few months and then decide if it’s something you want to continue.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Auto insurance is something you need when you drive a car. Period. Read on to see why. 

When you own a car, there are numerous expenses you have to cover on top of your auto loan payments. You have to maintain your vehicle and, in some cases, pay for a safe place to park it. You also have to cover the cost of auto insurance.

A 2023 Policygenius survey, however, reveals something pretty disturbing. A good 56% of drivers aged 18 to 34 surveyed have considered driving around without auto insurance because of the high costs involved. And 26% of all drivers have contemplated going the same route.

The problem, though, is that driving around without auto insurance could lead to a host of negative consequences. So before you make plans to ditch your car insurance, consider what might happen if you let your policy lapse and don’t put another one in place.

You could face costly fines

Most states generally require drivers to obtain a minimum amount of auto insurance coverage. Now, the specifics there can vary based on where you live. But in a nutshell, if you go without auto insurance completely and get caught, you could face expensive fines for not having insurance.

And in some cases, you could face worse consequences than that, like having your license suspended. That could put your job at risk if you rely on your ability to drive to get to work.

You could face costly damages

The whole point of having auto insurance is to protect yourself financially when your car sustains damage, or when another car sustains damage as a result of your actions. If you don’t maintain auto insurance coverage, you might face an extremely expensive car repair bill if you cause an accident and your vehicle gets damaged.

Worse yet, if you cause an accident and are uninsured, the driver of the car you hit won’t be able to file a claim against your auto insurance policy if you don’t have one. That means they might try to sue you personally for damages.

What if you don’t drive your car?

It’s generally illegal to drive without auto insurance. But what if your car isn’t being driven?

Let’s say you keep your car parked in your driveway at all times because you no longer need it for work, and you’re not quite ready to sell it. In that case, you may not be doing anything illegal by not having coverage. But without auto insurance, you won’t have protection in case your car gets stolen or damaged in an accident or storm while it’s parked. And that’s not a good thing at all.

Clearly, ditching your auto insurance policy could lead to a host of negative consequences. So rather than go that route, try to find ways to make your coverage more affordable. You may be able to lower your costs by shopping around with different auto insurance companies or raising your deductible.

In the latter scenario, you’ll end up having to shell out more money when you file an insurance claim. But you might also manage to lower your premium costs significantly.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 Read More