8.2.19 Should you eat expired food?; Clark Stinks

8.2.19 Should you eat expired food?; Clark Stinks

Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can

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Food company CEO Scott Nash spent a year eating food past its expiration date, tortillas a year past, yogurt months past and heavy cream 2.5 months past its expiration date. Truth: Most expirations dates on medicine and food don't mean ingestion will be dangerous past that date. Meds can be fine years out of date, perhaps less effective but most are not harmful. Expirations dates should be honored on certain foods, including deli meats, unpasteurized cheeses & milk. And tossing picnic foods that have been unrefrigerated too long is still the best advice. Implementing a voluntary system, 2 years ago the food industry came up with a compromise of 2 labels: Best if Used By and Use By - to reduce confusion. Nearly 90% of us toss expired foods. But that's not necessary with most food items. Scott Nash was just fine!Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Read more

6 things to know about Costco’s return policy

When it comes to being able to take back something you’ve bought, it doesn’t get much better in the world of retail than the Costco return policy.

The warehouse club has a near-legendary return policy that is so generous it is sometimes abused by customers.

(Ever tried returning a dead Christmas tree in January? Costco will apparently take it.)

We know you’ve got questions, particularly about the Costco electronics return policy for TVs, laptops and more. Here’s what you need to know before you head to the store with your merchandise in hand…

Costco return policy: Know before you go

The ground rules when it comes to Costco’s refund policy is you can basically return anything, at any time, no questions asked — with some limited exceptions.

That extends to both merchandise like computers, mattresses, TVs and your membership. So, yes, in theory you could cancel your membership and get a full refund on your annual dues if you’re not happy at any time.

Now, let’s take a deeper dive into Costco’s return policy.

Table of contents

1. What if I don’t have my receipt?

Costco’s refund policy is very lenient when it comes to this common scenario.

“It helps if you have the receipt or original product packaging, but it may not be necessary to process your return,” the warehouse club says online.

2. A special 90-day policy applies to electronics and appliances

In order to keep offering its great refund policy, Costco has to put some limits in somewhere — and it’s mainly in these two product categories.

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Here’s a list of electronics and appliances that you can only return within 90 days after purchasing the item:

• Televisions
• Tuner-free displays
• Projectors
• Computers
• Tablets
• Smart watches
• Cameras
• Aerial cameras (drones)
• Camcorders
• MP3 players
• Cellular phones
• Refrigerators above 10 cu. ft.
• Freezers
• Ranges
• Cooktops
• Over-the-range microwaves
• Dishwashers
• Washers and dryers

3. Returning a diamond? Check the weight first

There are some extra hoops to jump through if you’re returning a diamond that is 1.00 carat or larger.

“Members returning a diamond over 1.00ct must also present all original paperwork (IGI and/or GIA certificates),” Costco notes online.

Diamond solitaire rings and jewelry items that weigh more than 1.00 carat have to go through Costco’s fulfillment center for verification before you can get a refund. This process can take up to five business days.

Can’t make it out to the store to return your diamond? No worries. Costco also has a procedure to do it from home via UPS pickup.

4. Can I return cigarettes and alcohol?

The ability to return wine, beer and spirits varies by state law. Ditto for cigarettes. So be sure to check with your local club for specifics.

5. Special considerations for tires and batteries

Some items you buy with the understanding they won’t last forever. Case in point: Tires and batteries.

Items like these “may be sold with a product-specific limited warranty,” according to Costco.

So does that mean you can’t return them? Not necessarily, but things get a little gray here.

It may depend on how persuasive you are face-to-face. As with all returns, it’s up to the manager to make a final decision about whether or not to accept your return.

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This is particularly true with tires.

“If you’re not completely satisfied with your order, please speak with the staff at your local Costco Tire Center,” the company says online.

Now let’s be perfectly clear: We’re not advocating that you buy tires from Costco, use them up and then return them to get your money back. Nor should you do that with batteries.

But the nice thing is that Costco has a consumer-friendly safeguard in place so it doesn’t have to come to that. Their five-year Road Hazard Warranty protects your wallet from tread wear damage and tire failure for 60 months after purchase.

Read more about buying tires at Costco here.

6. Custom products can’t be returned

As a general rule, items purchased through special order kiosks or that are customized in some way can’t be returned.

For example, Costco Photo Center offers a wide range of photo gifts. Beyond just custom cards, there are things like mugs, banners, calendars, throw rugs and more that you can put a picture on to personalize them.

Items like this can’t be returned. The only exception would for warranty repair/replacement due to failure to meet specifications.

You can read more about Costco Photo services here.

Final thought

Costco has an extremely generous return policy, notwithstanding the exceptions outlined above.

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So whatever it is you’ve got — food, clothing, even a mattress — can probably be returned without the receipt or original packaging.

Should a dispute arise when you try to return something, remember that all returns are processed at the manager’s discretion — and returning things too often could lead to your membership being cancelled!

More Costco stories on Clark.com: 

YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now: 7 things to consider before you sign up

If you’re feeling stuck with a $100 a month cable package, YouTube TV and DirecTV Now are two streaming services that can cut your bill in half.

For $50 a month, the cable and satellite TV alternatives offer local news, sports and dozens of the most popular networks like ESPN, Disney, TBS, USA, CNN and more.

But before you sign up for either service, you need to know about some key differences…

RELATED: How to cut the cord and never pay for cable TV again

YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now: Which live TV streaming service is best?

Clark.com has reviewed all of the leading live TV streaming services for cord-cutters right now. Through our research, we’ve identified seven deciding factors to help you choose between DirecTV Now and YouTube TV:

1. Monthly price 

YouTube TV increased the price of its 70+ channel streaming TV bundle to $50/month in April 2019.

After revising its plans in March 2019, DirecTV Now’s most affordable plan has more than 40 channels for $50 a month. However, its bundles now come with HBO included.

Both of the providers offer free trials and there are no contracts or cancellation penalties.

Monthly price: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now

• $50/month for 70+ channels

• DirecTV Now Plus: $50/month for 40+ channels
• DirecTV Now Max: $70/month for 50+ channels

2. Channel lineup

Before DirecTV Now changed up its plans, many people thought it had the best channel lineup of the major streaming TV services.

The new $50 per month DirecTV Now Plus package has only 40+ channels, including local stations. Many popular entertainment networks that were in its previous bundles are no longer available.

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The addition of HBO is really what makes DirecTV Now different from its streaming competitors.

Meanwhile, the strength in YouTube TV’s channel lineup is with sports networks like ESPN, Fox Sports 1 & 2, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, MLB Network, NBCSN, SEC Network, NBA TV and more.

DirecTV Now Plus has only a few of those networks, but you can get more of them with its $70/month Max plan.

Channel lineups: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now Plus

YouTube TV: $50/monthDirecTV Now: "Plus" plan, $50/month ABCABC AccuWeather AMC Animal Planet Audience BBC America BBC World News BET Big Ten Network (BTN) Boomerang BravoBravo Cartoon NetworkCartoon Network CBSCBS CBS Sports Network CheddarCheddar Cheddar Big News CNBCCNBC CNBC World CNBC World CNNCNN Comedy Central Comet Cozi TV CWCW Discovery Channel Disney ChannelDisney Channel Disney JuniorDisney Junior Disney XDDisney XD E!E! ESPNESPN ESPN2ESPN2 ESPNews ESPNU Food Network FOXFOX Fox Business NetworkFox Business Network Fox News ChannelFox News Channel Fox Sports 1 (FS1)Fox Sports 1 (FS1) Fox Sports 2 (FS2) FreeformFreeform FXFX FXMFXM FXXFXX Golf Channel Hallmark Channel HBO
HBO Family
HBO Latino HGTV HLNHLN IFC Investigation Discovery (ID) Local Now MLB Network MotorTrend MSNBCMSNBC MTV National GeographicNational Geographic Nat Geo WildNat Geo Wild NBA TV NBCNBC NBCSNNBCSN Newsy Nickelodeon Nick Jr. Olympic Channel Ovation OxygenOxygen Pop Revolt SEC Network Smithsonian Channel Start TV Sundance TV SYFYSYFY Tastemade TBSTBS TCM (Turner Classic Movies)TCM (Turner Classic Movies) TelemundoTelemundo Tennis Channel TLC TNTTNT Travel Channel truTVtruTV Universal KidsUniversal Kids Universo USAUSA WE tv

3. Cloud DVR

DirecTV Now only recently added 20 hours of free cloud DVR storage to its plans, while YouTube TV has offered unlimited cloud DVR storage from the very start.

Cloud DVR: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now

• Unlimited cloud DVR storage
• Recordings kept for 9 months

• 20 free hours of cloud DVR storage
• Recordings kept for 30 days

In October 2018, YouTube TV addressed one of the biggest complaints about its service, which involves the DVR.

When users went to view the content they recorded, they were sometimes forced to watch a video on-demand (VOD) version with unskippable advertisements — not the DVR version that lets you fast-forward through the ads.

In a tweet, YouTube TV announced a deal that makes a lot more content immediately available for DVR playback:

You asked, we listened. Enjoy more of your favorite recorded shows with full control to pause, rewind, & fast forward anytime during playback. Thanks to our partners @AMC_TV, @Disney, @FOXTV, @NBCUniversal & @Turner for making their content immediately available for DVR playback!

— YouTube TV (@YouTubeTV) October 4, 2018

4. Multiple streams

With most live TV streaming services, you can use the same account to stream on multiple devices at the same time.

For example, a service that allows two simultaneous streams would let you watch your favorite show on the living room TV and the kids can watch something else in the basement.

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You can stream on two screens at once with DirecTV Now and three with YouTube TV.

Multiple streams: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now

•  Stream on up to three devices at the same time

• Stream on up to two devices at the same time
• $5/month for a third stream

5. Minimum internet speed

Like other live TV streaming services, a high-speed internet connection is required for YouTube TV and DirecTV Now. To avoid any buffering issues, most services recommend a minimum internet download speed of more than 10 Mbps.

If you don’t know your download speed, you can test it for free at SpeedTest.net or SpeedOf.Me.

Not getting what you’re paying for? When I called my internet service provider and gave them the results from SpeedTest.net, a technician came out to troubleshoot my internet problems free of charge.

Here’s a list of the minimum internet speeds for YouTube TV, DirecTV Now, Sling TV and more!

Minimum internet download speed: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now

• 13 Mbps or more: Reliably stream HD video, even with other devices using the same network
• 7 Mbps: Stream one HD video; may experience buffering issues if using multiple devices
• 3 Mbps: Stream standard definition video
• Under 3 Mbps: YouTube TV may load slowly or rebuffer

• 12 Mbps: Minimum recommended download speed for broadband connections to the home

6. Supported devices

You can stream on your phone, computer or to your TV using a supported device. YouTube TV and DirecTV Now both support popular affordable streaming devices like Google Chromecast and Roku Express.

However, you should know that Amazon Fire TV is NOT an option if you decide to go with YouTube TV.

Supported devices: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now

• Google Chromecast
• Roku
• Apple TV
• Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X
• Select smart TVs

• Google Chromecast
• Roku
• Apple TV
• Amazon Fire TV
• Samsung Smart TV (2017 and 2018 models)

7. Overall performance and reliability

Several members of Team Clark have extensively tested DirecTV Now and YouTube TV since the services first launched.

YouTube TV has a stronger performance track record overall because DirecTV Now got off to a rough start, though it has made significant improvements to reduce buffering and error messages.

Money expert Clark Howard says that if YouTube TV’s channel lineup meets your needs, the choice is clear:

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“My favorite of all the streaming products is YouTube TV. It has a pretty wide array of television programming, but what’s really neat is that multiple people could be watching different things at the same time and everybody has an unlimited DVR,” Clark says.

Of course, YouTube TV and DirecTV Now aren’t your only options to consider. Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV and PlayStation Vue also have streaming plans for about $50 a month.

More Clark.com stories you may like: 

The best live TV streaming services for NFL and college football season

If you want to give up traditional cable or satellite TV, you don’t have to wait until football season is over to cut the cord.

I’ve been reviewing live TV streaming plans and deals for a while and have a few suggestions for NFL and college football fans that may help cut your pay-TV bill in half.

Let’s start with five ways NFL fans can save money for the 2018-2019 football season:

How to watch NFL football on YouTube TV, DirecTV Now and Sling TV for the 2018-2019 season

1. You can pick up lots of Sunday games with an antenna! 

It may seem obvious, but most NFL games don’t require a subscription to a live TV streaming service at all. Games broadcast on CBS, FOX and NBC can be picked up with a $20 to $40 digital antenna.

AntennaWeb.org is a great resource to help you find the best antenna for your needs based on location.

2. Monday Night Football 

If your team is playing on Monday Night Football this season, you’ll need to get ESPN. YouTube TV, DirecTV Now, PlayStation Vue, Hulu with Live TV and Sling TV all include the network in their base packages.

The cheapest way to get ESPN is with Sling TV’s Orange bundle, which costs $25 per month. See our review here.

3. Thursday Night Football 

NFL Network, FOX and Amazon Prime Video are three ways to watch all the Thursday night action for the 2018-2019 season, according to an NFL news release:

Amazon Prime will stream the 11 Thursday Night Football games broadcast by FOX, which will also be simulcast on NFL Network and distributed in Spanish on FOX Deportes, once again securing the league’s “Tri-Cast” model of broadcast (FOX), cable (NFL Network, FOX Deportes), and digital (Amazon Prime Video) distribution.

If you don’t have an Amazon Prime membership, the TNF games will also be available to Twitch viewers.

Most live TV streaming services don’t include NFL Network with their cheapest plans, but the Sling TV’s Orange + Blue bundle has the channel included for $40 a month.

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4. NFL Sunday Ticket 

Don’t want to miss those out-of-market games? NFL Sunday Ticket isn’t cheap, but there’s a deal for students that will lower the cost to about $100 for the season — roughly $200 off.

Click here for a coupon code from our Clark Deals team that makes the student deal even better!

5. Take advantage of the free trials 

Once you’ve identified the networks that your team is playing on (see this list), you can use our channel comparison chart below to see which streaming service is the best fit.

If it’s just a game or two that you can’t get with an antenna, remember they all have free trial periods — usually a week.

Unlike traditional cable and satellite TV, streaming services don’t have contracts. You can try one for a month and switch to another one. Try them all if you want!

A note for college football fans… 

Like the NFL, many NCAA college football games air on broadcast networks that you can pick up with an antenna.

ESPN, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network and SEC Network are just a handful of the cable channels that will carry other games, so it’s best to find your team’s schedule and make a plan based on that information.

Regional sports networks may be available with your live TV streaming service. Here’s how to learn more:

Team Clark pulled the channel lineups for popular live TV streaming services that cost around $40 a month. You may be able to get more of the networks you want for a higher monthly price.

These cable networks are among those airing football games, highlights and analysis for the 2018-2019 season:

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Football channels by streaming service 

YouTube TV: $40/month DirecTV Now “Live a Little” plan: $40/month PlayStation Vue “Access” plan: $44.99/month Hulu with Live TV: $39.99/month Sling TV “Orange + Blue” plan: $40/month ACC Network Extra Big Ten Network (BTN) Big Ten Network (BTN) CBS Sports Network CBS Sports Network ESPN ESPN ESPN ESPN ESPN ESPN2 ESPN2 ESPN2 ESPN2 ESPN2 ESPN3 ESPNU ESPNU ESPNews ESPNews ESPN Goal Line Fox Sports Fox Sports Fox Sports (select markets) FS1 FS1 FS1 FS1 FS1 FS2 FS2 FS2 FS2 NBCSN NBCSN NBCSN NBCSN NBCSN NESN NFL Network SEC Network SEC Network SportsTime Ohio SNY

These streaming services offer plenty of other channels besides networks that carry NFL and college football. Click here to see our full channel comparison and read about Clark’s #1 favorite streaming service.

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Sling TV just added 9 new channels to its lineup: See the list!

If you’re a fan of channels like Discovery, Investigation Discovery and TLC, you can now stream them on Sling TV.

The popular live TV streaming service has launched nine Discovery networks on its domestic and Spanish-language services without raising prices.

Here’s a breakdown of the new Sling TV channels by package…

“We are thrilled to add Discovery networks to Sling TV’s lineup as they bring highly-requested channels that offer immersive programs for any age group,” said Warren Schlichting, president of Sling TV. “With the addition of some Discovery channels in our base service and others in our genre-based add-on Extras, we continue to deliver on our consumer promise of providing the most choice and flexibility in programming options.”

DirecTV Now, Sling TV and PlayStation Vue are raising prices on streaming bundles

Ditching cable or satellite TV service for an internet-based streaming bundle can save you a lot of money, but you may not be able to avoid these price hikes!

Programming fees are on the way up, so DirecTV Now, Sling TV and PlayStation Vue are passing those costs along to consumers.

DirecTV Now, Sling TV and PlayStation Vue are raising prices on their streaming plans

RELATED: Which live TV streaming service has the best channel lineup? 

Last week, Sling TV announced that its Sling Orange plan was increasing from $20 to $25 a month. The package includes more than 30 live TV channels like ESPN, CNN, HGTV, AMC, Comedy Central and the History Channel.

Even with the price hike, $25 is still the cheapest way to switch to a live TV streaming service and get ESPN.

This is the only rate change that Sling TV has made. Its Sling Blue package remains $25 a month and you can still get Sling Orange + Sling Blue for $40 a month.

The new $25 price for Sling Orange takes effect immediately for new customers and in August for existing ones.

On the same day that Sling TV made its announcement, AT&T launched a skinny streaming bundle called AT&T WatchTV. It features many of the Turner networks that the company acquired after merging with Time Warner.

AT&T WatchTV costs $15 as a standalone service, but it’s free if you have an unlimited wireless plan with AT&T. 

RELATED: AT&T WatchTV Review: The $15/month live TV streaming service

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The news doesn’t stop there! AT&T has confirmed to Clark.com that it’s increasing the price of DirecTV Now by $5 on all base packages, so the $35 a month plan for 60+ channels will be $40 a month.

“In the 18 months since our launch, we have continued to evolve our DIRECTV NOW products to serve our new customer set and compare favorably with our competitors. To continue delivering the best possible streaming experience for both new and existing customers, we’re bringing the cost of this service in line with the market — which starts at a $40 price point.”

AT&T says the change is effective July 26 for new customers and will vary for existing customers based on their billing date.

Finally, PlayStation Vue is also going to be charging customers more. In a blog post, the company said all plans will increase by $5 a month starting on July 24.

Some of the price hikes… 

Streaming TV bundle Old price New price Sling Orange $20/month $25/month DirecTV Now Live a Little $35/month $40/month PlayStation Vue Access $39.99/month $44.99/month

Final thought

The price changes from Sling TV, DirecTV Now and PlayStation Vue come after YouTube TV increased the price of its bundle from $35 to $40 a month after adding several additional networks. That was back in March.

If you’re a current customer and don’t want to pay more, just cancel! There are no contracts with streaming services.

To find out which live TV streaming service is best for you, consult our channel lineup comparison chart. It will help you choose between DirecTV Now, Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV, PlayStation Vue, YouTube TV and others.

The chart isolates streaming plans that cost around $40 or less, though most providers have more expensive bundles.

One final tip: Since you’re going to need to pay for internet service (Ask Clark: How do I get the cheapest internet service?) with any of these streaming plans, try to avoid expensive add-on channels and features.

More Clark.com stories you may like: 

Chase Ink Business Preferred Card review

In 2016 Chase made quite a few updates to their credit card lineup. They introduced the extremely popular Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Freedom Unlimited cards during the first eight months of the year. Then to wrap things up, they released a new small business card, the Chase Ink Business Preferred card.

There are a lot of small business credit cards available to choose from, but Chase has done a good job making this card stand out. Between having a generous signup bonus and bonus category rewards, this quickly became one of the most sought after cards on the market.

Within this Chase Ink Business Preferred review we are going to dig into the features and costs. This will help you determine if this rewards credit card has a place in your wallet.

Chase Ink Business Preferred rewards

One of the best parts of the Chase Ink Business Preferred card is the massive signup bonus. You’re going to receive 80,000 Chase Ultimate Reward points after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account.

You will then earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, cable and phone services, internet and on advertising made on select social media and search engine websites.

Being able to earn bonus reward points for social media and search engine advertising is a game-changer for many small business owners. This has given them the ability to scale their business through digital marketing and earn up to 450,000 points per year doing so.

All other purchases made with the card that don’t fall within one of the bonus categories will earn 1 point per $1 spent.

Redeeming Chase Ultimate Reward points

So what are all these Chase Ultimate Reward points worth? It depends on how you want to redeem them. The baseline value is one cent per point. However, you have the choice to use them to book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. This will give you a 25% bonus, making each point worth 1.25 cents.

Another option is to transfer your points to one of the many transfer partners. These include the following:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• British Airways Executive Club
• Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
• Iberia Plus
• Korean Air SkyPass
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• IHG Rewards Club
• Marriott Rewards
• Ritz-Carlton Rewards
• World of Hyatt

The value you get from your points when you transfer to a loyalty program will depend on the itinerary itself. It’s not uncommon to book a really expensive hotel or flight and receive anywhere from five to 10 cents per point in value.

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Chase Ink Business Preferred Card perks

If the earning potential of the Chase Ink Business Preferred isn’t enough for you, there are several perks you can take advantage of:

Trip Cancellation / Trip Interruption Insurance – One of them is trip cancellation/Interruption insurance. If your trip is cancelled or cut short because of a covered reason, you could receive compensation of up to $5,000 for any non-refundable expenses you might have.

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver – If you are renting a car for business purposes, you can decline the rental company’s collision insurance. With the Chase Ink Business Preferred card, you will receive primary car insurance. This means if you are in an accident, you would file a claim through Chase without being required to notify your primary insurance company.

Cell Phone Insurance – If you or your employees’ cell phones are stolen or damaged and you pay your bill with a Chase Ink Business Preferred card, you can receive up to $600 in compensation per claim. There is a $100 deductible and you can only file three claims per 12 month period.

Extended Warranty Protection – This will extend any manufacturers warranty of three years or less by an additional year.

Purchase Protection – If an eligible purchase is damaged or stolen within the first 120 days, you will receive compensation of up to $10,000 per claim ($50,000 per credit card account).

Chase Ink Business Preferred pricing

The Chase Ink Business Preferred card comes with a $95 annual fee, which is pretty minimal considering the earning potential. Plus, if you are planning to travel outside the United States, this card can make the trip with you. With no foreign transaction fees, you won’t need to worry about purchases costing you more than they should.

Chase Ink Business Preferred: Does it make sense for you?

If you’re a small business owner, then the Chase Ink Business Preferred card is tough to pass up. Not only does it offer a very generous sign up bonus, but you also have the ability to earn 3x points on business purchases, including social media and search engine advertising.

However, just like any other credit card, you need to be able to pay your credit card balance in full each month. If not, the interest accrued will wipe out the value of the rewards you earn.

More Clark.com Credit Card stories you might enjoy:

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