Tag Archives: Wells Fargo Bank

a close up of stamps

My Top 10 Most Read Blog Posts of 2020

Posted on by . 2 Replies

Good afternoon everyone, I hope your week is going well.  Every year, I like to check out my stats from Google Analytics to see which blog posts were the most popular.  I created 2 lists by looking at all blog posts written in 2020 and then I looked at which posts were read the most in 2020, but written in a previous year (#stayingpower).  I will list the blog posts from top to bottom based on pageviews, share the original published date, and provide a short summary of each blog post.  If you are curious, here were the most popular posts from 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016.

2020’s Most Read Posts (Written in 2020)

Continue reading →

a horse drawn carriage with horses

Wells Fargo Discontinues Instant Issue Debit Cards (Effective November 30)

Posted on by . 17 Replies

Good morning everyone, I hope your weekend is going well.  I just reviewed my recent Wells Fargo checking account statement and noticed this “Important Account Information” section at the bottom of my statement.  “Effective on or after November 30, 2020” (strange way of wording this change), you will no longer be able to request Wells Fargo Instant Issue Debit Cards or Wells Fargo Business Instant Issue Debit Cards.  After November 30, if you need a replacement debit card (if your current debit card was lost or stolen), you can no longer get a temporary debit card at a Wells Fargo branch – you will need to use the Wells Fargo app or call Wells Fargo (1-800-869-3557) to request a replacement debit card.  Once your request is submitted, your replacement debit card will arrive via mail in 5-7 days.

I don’t usually use or carry my Wells Fargo debit card (but I do have it saved in my ApplePay Wallet), but this is obviously a negative change if your Wells Fargo debit card is you only form of payment.  If your debit card is lost or stolen, you will need to wait 5-7 days (or however long it takes for your replacement debit card to arrive in the mail) which could be an eternity if you need your debit card to pay for items.

I haven’t tried this in years or at Wells Fargo, but I think if you show up at a branch with your driver’s license and provide verification information, you should be able to withdraw cash from a bank teller (YMMV with this tip).

a screen shot of a credit card

Continue reading →

a close-up of a logo

My Experience Using Experian Boost to Increase my Credit Score (Mixed Results)

Posted on by . 6 Replies

Good morning everyone, happy Friday!  I’m sure most of you have seen the Experian Boost commercials on TV or online, but how many of you have actually checked to see if it would boost your Experian credit score?  According to the Experian Boost small print, the average credit score increase is 13 points (which is not a lot), but it’s better than nothing.  Speaking of nothing, some customers may not see any score increase at all (which is what happened to me).  The last thing to keep in mind is that this will not improve your Equifax or TransUnion credit scores and some financial institutions may use a different FICO score or model.  Your credit score will not increase 100 points with Experian Boost, so keep your expectations in check.

The entire process took about 10 minutes and involved logging into my Experian account and linking my financial institutions that I use to pay recurring bills (like Netflix, phone and utilities).  After you link your financial accounts to Experian, Experian Boost will scan your accounts and recent statements to find recurring bills.  Once they find recurring bills, you will be asked if you want to add those recurring bills to your credit report, which may or may not increase your credit score.  In this post, I will walk you through all the steps.  To get started, go to the Experian Boost page and sign in or create an account by clicking the Start Your Boost button.

a woman smiling at her phone

Continue reading →

a red and orange logo

How to Redeem Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards Points to Pay for Purchases

Posted on by . 2 Replies

Good afternoon everyone, I hope your week is going well.  Earlier this month, the $175 annual fee posted to my Wells Fargo Propel World American Express Credit Card.  I made sure to max out the $50 statement credit from the Small Business AMEX Offer and used up the $100 airline reimbursement.  I was hoping to downgrade my credit card to the no annual fee Wells Fargo Propel American Express, but when I called Wells Fargo, I was told that the department that handles product changes is closed temporarily due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Since I couldn’t product change to a no annual fee and I didn’t want to pay the $175 annual fee, I asked the rep to close my account.  During the closure process, the rep said I had 365 Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards Points in my account and asked me if I wanted to redeem the points for purchases before they closed the account.  In this post, I will show you how to redeem your Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards Points to pay for purchases.  Sign into your Wells Fargo online account and click on your credit card, not your Go Far Rewards account.

a screenshot of a credit card

Continue reading →