How to maximize cash back with rotating bonus categories
Earn as much cash back as possible from your rotating bonus category credit cards.
6 min read
Nov 25, 2021
About the author
Expertise
Personal finance, habit formation
Education
Miami University (Oxford, Ohio), Illinois State University
Highlights
- Ten years of personal finance writing experience, with stories published on Vox, The Simple Dollar, The Penny Hoarder, Lifehacker and more
- Five years writing and editing The Billfold, a personal finance blog where people had honest conversations about money
- Author of Frugal and the Beast: And Other Financial Fairy Tales
Experience
Nicole Dieker has been a full-time freelance writer since 2012—and a personal finance enthusiast since 2004, when she graduated from college and, looking for financial guidance, found a battered copy of Your Money or Your Life at the public library.
In addition to writing for Bankrate, her work has appeared on CreditCards.com, Vox, Lifehacker, Popular Science, The Penny Hoarder, The Simple Dollar and NBC News. Dieker spent five years as writer and editor for The Billfold, a personal finance blog where people had honest conversations about money. Dieker also teaches writing, freelancing and publishing classes and works one-on-one with authors as a developmental editor and copyeditor.
Nicole Dieker’s debut novel, The Biographies of Ordinary People, is a Millennial-era Little Women that follows three sisters from childhood to adulthood. Dieker is also the author of Frugal and the Beast: And Other Financial Fairy Tales, in which she reworks classic fairy tales to highlight their hidden financial lessons.
"I never knew I needed Rumpelstiltskin to involve Bitcoin or a parable about instant pots, but I’m so much happier now that I’ve read both. These stories will both delight and get you thinking about money." — Lillian Karabaic, author of Get Your Money Together and host of Oh My Dollar!
Education
- MFA in Theatre, Illinois State University, 2008
- BA in Music, Theatre Minor, Miami University, 2004
Publications
- Frugal and the Beast: And Other Financial Fairy Tales (The Billfold, 2018)
- Earn More Money as a Freelance Writer (The Write Life, 2016)
- Start Here: 40 Freelance Writers Share How They Find Clients, Stay Motivated & Earn Well
- Today (contributor, Make a Living Writing, 2015)
Nicole's Latest Articles
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Are rewards credit cards worth it?
Most major credit cards offer rewards—but are rewards credit cards worth it?
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Which debt should you pay off first?
There are benefits to tackling your smallest debt first and working your way up.
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How to get TSA PreCheck using your credit card
If you’re tired of taking off your shoes every time you go through airport security, it’s time to enroll in TSA PreCheck. This trusted traveler program allows people to access a separate security line [...]
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Why I opened 24 credit cards
How many credit cards is too many? For this responsible credit user, opening 24 cards helped him achieve his travel goals—without going into credit card debt.
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Everything you need to know about balance transfer checks
This check allows you to borrow cash or credit from your credit line — but is it worth it?
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How long does a balance transfer take?
Balance transfers can take several days, or even weeks, to be processed. Here’s what to expect.
4 min read Oct 29, 2021 -
How to check and change your billing address
Here’s what you need to know about updating your billing address.
4 min read Oct 28, 2021