I’m a big believer in using sinking funds to pay for holiday expenses, but things don’t always go as planned. An expensive 2025 and some unexpected household costs meant that in September, I realized I wasn’t financially prepared for the most wonderful time of the year. What’s a Nerd to do to avoid going into debt or raiding her emergency fund for Christmas costs? Improvise.

While I’m no stranger to getting a credit card purely for a signup bonus, I had never pursued bank bonuses. Bank bonuses are cash incentives offered by some banks when you open a new checking and/or savings account and meet certain requirements. And this year, I decided that’s how I was going to pay for the holidays.

Here’s what I did and what you might do if you find yourself in want of some relatively quick cash,

See Full Page