Your Weekend Reads — The Financial Edition

It has been a week! We saw major news — not good — from Southwest Airlines, the biggest stock selloff in months and ongoing tariff thefts. But the good news is that spring is right around the corner!

I managed to finish listening to “The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed and Happiness” by Morgan Housel, one of the 12 best investing books for beginners recommended by my Bankrate colleague Brian Baker, CFA . I enjoyed it, but I feel it's targeted to those who are closer to the beginning of their financial journey. BookHub on Medium gives a good summary, but still consider buying the book. (https://medium.com/@book.hub/book-review-of-the-psychology-of-money-acb2074059ec)

This weekend I'm in Boston for my monthly book club meeting, where we'll discuss "A Very Bad Thing," a twisty murder mystery by J. T. Ellison that will leave you gasping until the bitter end. My bestie and I finished binging season two of "Tulsa Kings," starring Sylvester Stallone (two thumbs up) and will look for something new to watch.

Here are my favorite stories of the week. Enjoy!

1. I knew about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), created in July 2011, before coming to Bankrate, but I didn't understand how it worked. After writing my first Bankrate story — The Equal Credit Opportunity Act became law 50 years ago. Here are 6 ways it makes America better today — and subsequent stories, I realize just how influential and important the agency is. Ted Rossman , Bankrate's senior industry analyst for credit cards, writes about why you should care about the CFPB and highlights five ways the bureau has sought to reshape the credit industry. (https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/news/ways-the-cfpb-has-advocated-for-consumers-in-the-credit-industry/)
2. Generational wealth has always been important in the Wilson family and Black families in general. I thank my great grandparents, my grandparents and my parents for the hard work they put in to ensure that my sister and I have money to pass down to our children. "Almost any way you slice it, white households have amassed more riches than Black and Hispanic households, leading to a racial wealth gap," writes Sarah Foster , Bankrate's principal U.S. economy and Federal Reserve reporter. She explained the causes of this gap and spoke with Black experts on how to combat it. She also offered some great tips on how to battle the gap. (https://www.bankrate.com/personal-finance/closing-the-racial-wealth-gap/#How-the-wealth-gap-affects-homeownership-rates)
3. When I worked at The Points Guy , I was an anomaly because I only had two credit cards (I now have five). Some of my former colleagues had 20-plus cards. Bankrate contributors Holly Johnson and Eric Rosenberg asked the question "How many credit cards is too many?" It all depends on "your unique financial needs and preferences," they write. They also share what you need to know about having multiple credit cards and offer tips for pairing them to maximize your rewards most effectively. (https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/advice/how-many-credit-cards-is-too-many/)
4. One of the worst things that can happen to credit card holders is identity theft. It's distressing and can wreck havoc on your accounts. Ana Staples , Bankrate's principle writer for credit cards, shares five sneaky signs your identity might be stolen, and how your credit report can provide clues. (https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/advice/signs-your-identity-might-be-stolen/)
5. Speaking of The Points Guy , one of the things it does very well is show the best ways to use points and miles to book luxury trips. One of my favorite colleagues, Ben Smithson , writes about how he used his Capital One Venture X card (a favorite of the Bankrate credit cards team) to get almost $800 in value from a recent Caribbean winter getaway to Grenada.