Personal Finance
6 Dumb Things Smart People Don't Even Realize They're Wasting Money On
Discover easy ways to cut bills, ditch debt, earn cash back and stop wasting money with these smart financial moves!
You're not dumb. You do the normal money-saving things …
You're a regular at the clearance rack. You don't eat lunch out too much. And you meticulously selected the perfect combo of streaming services to watch your favs for as cheap as possible.
But there are some tips you may not know (yet) — and that's a good thing! Because once you see some of the areas where you can cut your costs, you could find some extra cash in your pocket sooner than you think.
1. Credit Card Debt: Transfer your balance and pay no interest for up to 21 months (yes, it is kind of remarkable)
Imagine getting 21 months with 0% intro APR on balance transfers (APR then 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable)). Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with one of the industry-leading no-interest cards - this card - and pay no interest until nearly 2027 on balance transfers!
If you want to kick high-interest credit card debt to the curb, these are some of the leading get-out-of-debt cards available. Transfer high-interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR for up to 21 months on balance transfers (APR then 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable); balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening). Your payments can go directly to paying down your balance without incurring a pile of additional charges. That could save you hundreds of dollars in interest!
The best part? These cards are accepted by 99% of merchants, boast no late fees, and have no annual fee.
Click here to learn how to apply
2. Home Repairs: Don't let home repairs drain your bank account
Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more. Not being able to make repairs could leave you in a bad situation — but a home warranty could protect you against surprise expenses.
Whether you’re a brand-new homeowner or you’ve owned your home for years, a plan from Choice Home Warranty could pick up the slack where homeowner’s insurance falls short.
If a covered system in your home breaks down, you can call their hotline 24/7 for assistance to get it repaired. They have a network of over 15,000 technicians that can assist you, making sure any issue can be taken care of swiftly — without breaking the bank.
Not sure if it’s for you? Rest easy: they were named one of the "Best Home Warranty Companies" by US News 360 Reviews and were awarded Best Company's 2020 Consumer's Choice Award. For a limited time, you can get your first month free when you sign up for a Single Payment home warranty plan.
3. High-Interest Debt: Ask this company to pay off your credit card debt
If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?
National Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $10,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives might be able to assist you in consolidating your debt into one low monthly program payment.
Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in 12-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify
4. Leaving Cash on the Table: This powerful checking account could help you earn up to $360 every year
Want to earn cash back on your everyday purchases without using a credit card? With the Discover®️️ Cashback Debit Checking account (member FDIC), you can earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month!
With no credit check to apply and no monthly fees to worry about, you can earn nearly passive income on purchases you’re making anyway — up to an extra $360 a year!
This rare checking account has other great perks too, like access to your paycheck up to 2 days early with Early Pay, no minimum deposit or monthly balance requirements, over 60K fee-free ATMs, and the ability to add cash to your account at Walmart stores nationwide.
Don’t leave money on the table — it only takes minutes to apply and it won’t impact your credit score.
Apply for a Discover® Cashback Checking account today
5. Online Shopping: Stop overpaying when you shop online (yes, even Amazon!)
Shopping online has its perks. It's super convenient, but it can be time consuming to find the best deals. Instead of hunting for coupon codes (that don't always work!) and opening tons of browser tabs comparing prices, you can try Capital One Shopping.
Capital One Shopping makes saving money effortless. Just add the browser extension and when you check out, it'll scour the internet for coupon codes to help you save cash. And before you check out at 25+ major retailers, Capital One Shopping will notify you with a friendly pop-up if the item you're buying is available cheaper somewhere else.
Capital One Shopping is free to use and won't show you ads. Add it today and stop overpaying!
Get Capital One Shopping now
6. Phone Games: Earn up to $243 every time you win this viral game
Up to $243?! Sounds great, but maybe you're not sure if it's worth the effort … or if it's even legit.
The truth is that playing games on your phone is a real way to earn money, and you can do it with Solitaire Smash. It's a viral, solitaire-style iPhone game currently paying up to $243 per win.
To be fair, it's not something you can get "rich" from. But … it could be worth playing whenever you're just chilling on the couch or laying in bed. Every bit of extra cash is worth it, right? So stop wasting time with games that don't pay, and get paid to win games instead!
Download the app here to get started (it's free). Then play whenever you have free time, and you can earn up to an extra $243 with each win. Cash out using PayPal & Apple Pay any time you want.
