Personal Finance
The 5 Dumbest Things We Keep Spending Too Much Money On
You've cut spending, but those monthly bills won't budge. Ready to lower them? Follow these moves…
You’ve done what you can to cut back your spending.
You brew coffee at home, you don’t walk into Target and you refuse to order avocado toast. (Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
But no matter how cognizant you are of your spending habits, you’re still stuck with those inescapable monthly bills. You know which ones we’re talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
So if you’re ready to stop paying them, follow these moves…
1. Cancel Your Car Insurance
You might not even realize it, but your car insurance company is probably overcharging you. In fact, they’re kind of counting on you not noticing. Luckily, this problem is easy to fix.
Don’t waste your time browsing insurance sites for a better deal. A company called Insurify shows you all your options at once — people who do this save up to $900 per year.
If you tell them a bit about yourself and your vehicle, they’ll send you personalized quotes so you can compare them and find the best one for you. No phone calls. No spam. Just happy customers (4.7 rating on Trustpilot).
Tired of overpaying for car insurance? It takes just five minutes to compare your options with Insurify and see how much you could save on car insurance.
2. Time: Get Paid Up to $140/Month Just for Sharing Your Honest Opinion
It sounds strange, but brands want to hear your opinion. It helps them make business decisions, so they’re willing to pay you for it — up to $140 a month.
A free site called Branded Surveys will pay you up to $5 per survey for sharing your thoughts with their brand partners. Taking three quick surveys a day could earn up to $140 each month.
It takes just a minute to create a free account and start getting paid to speak your mind. Most surveys take five to 15 minutes, and you can check how long they’ll take ahead of time.
And you don’t need to build up tons of money to cash out, either — once you earn $5, you can cash out via PayPal, your bank account, a gift card or Amazon. You’ll get paid within 48 hours of your payout being processed, just for sharing your opinions.
They’ve already paid users more than $20 million since 2012, and the most active users can earn a few hundred dollars a month. Plus, they’ve got an “excellent” rating on Trustpilot.
It takes just a minute to set up your account and start getting paid to take surveys. Plus, right now, you’ll get a free 100-point welcome bonus just for becoming part of the community.
3. Interest: Stop Paying Your Credit Card Company
If you have credit card debt, you know. The anxiety, the interest rates, the fear you’re never going to escape…
And the truth is, your credit card company doesn’t really care. It’s just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates — some up to 36%. But a website called AmONE wants to help.
If you owe your credit card companies $100,000 or less, AmONE will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.
The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmONE rates start at 6.40% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month.
You don’t need a perfect credit score to get a loan — and comparing your options won’t affect your score at all. Plus, AmONE keeps your information confidential and secure, which is probably why after 20 years in business, it still has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
It takes less than a minute and just 10 questions to see what loans you qualify for — you don’t even need to enter your Social Security number. You do need to give AmONE a real phone number in order to qualify, but don’t worry — they won’t spam you with phone calls.
4. Banking: Get 4.00% APY and a $30 Bonus With This High-Yield Cash Account
It’s hard not to cringe when you see a bank statement full of fees. And let’s be real: When every dollar matters, why are we paying to keep money in our accounts in the first place?
It’s time for something better.
With Wealthfront, you can forget those annoying bank fees and earn a whopping 4.00% APY through partner banks on your cash — nearly 10x the national average savings rate. Enjoy unlimited transfers, same-day withdrawals, zero account fees, and no minimum balance requirements to earn 4.00% APY¹. You can use Wealthfront with your favorite payment apps like Apple Pay, Venmo, and Google Pay.
They’ll also give you access to a customizable investment portal so you can start building wealth while focusing on your short- and long-term goals.
Wealthfront isn’t quite a bank, but it works with several FDIC-insured partner banks to give you the convenience and flexibility you expect, minus the sneaky fees and account requirements. The best part? You can get started with Wealthfront with only a $1 opening deposit or snag a $30 bonus² when you deposit $500 or more (terms and conditions apply).³
Join Wealthfront today and make your money work for you— not your bank.
5. Debt: Ask This Company to Get a Big Chunk of Your Debt Forgiven
Life gets expensive, and sometimes credit cards become a lifeline. If you’re feeling weighed down by debt, National Debt Relief can help lighten the load for you.
If you have $10,000 or more in unsecured debt, their team of Certified Debt Specialists will work with your creditors to lower what you owe and set up a plan that fits your budget. No stress, no guesswork—just a clear path forward.
Most clients wrap up their debt in just 12 to 48 months. A free consultation is all it takes to start taking control of your financial future. Why wait? Get started today.
1. Based on the national average interest rate for savings accounts as posted on FDIC.gov, as of December 16, 2024). FDIC coverage will remain at up to $8 million for individual Cash Accounts ($16M for joint accounts) through partner banks.
2. Client must maintain $500 by the 30 day mark. See website for details.
3. Checking features for the Cash Account are subject to identity verification by Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC. Cash account is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC (“Wealthfront Brokerage”;), a Member of FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. We convey funds to partner banks who accept and maintain deposits, provide the interest rate, and provide FDIC insurance. The APY rate listed is as of 09/19/2024 and is subject to change at any time. Fees and Eligibility requirements may apply to certain checking features, please see the Deposit Account Agreement for details. Limits, fees, and exclusions apply. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of money you invest.
Apple, the Apple logo, and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google, Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Please note, Real-Time Payments (RTP) transfers may be limited by destination institutions,daily transaction caps, and by participating entities such as Wells Fargo and the RTP® Network. New Cash Account deposits are subject to a 2-4 day holding period before becoming available for transfer. Wealthfront doesn’t charge for transfers, but receiving institutions may impose an RTP fee.
The Penny Hoarder receives compensation when a reader clicks on the referral link that redirects them to Wealthfront, which creates a conflict of interest. Penny Hoarder’s opinions in this article are their own and are not tied directly to such compensation. The Penny Hoarder and Wealthfront Brokerage, LLC are not associated with one another and have no formal relationship outside of this arrangement.
