Where do I start?

I’m a huge financial nerd, and have spent an embarrassing amount of time talking to people about their money habits.

Here are the biggest mistakes people are making and how to fix them:

Not having a separate high interest savings account

Having a separate account allows you to see the results of all your hard work and keep your money separate so you're less tempted to spend it.

Plus with rates above 5.00%, the interest you can earn compared to most banks really adds up.

Here is a list of the top savings accounts available today. Deposit $5 before moving on because this is one of the biggest mistakes and easiest ones to fix.

Overpaying on car insurance

You’ve heard it a million times before, but the average American family still overspends by $417/year on car insurance.

If you’ve been with the same insurer for years, chances are you are one of them.

Pull up Coverage.com, a free site that will compare prices for you, answer the questions on the page, and it will show you how much you could be saving.

That’s it. You’ll likely be saving a bunch of money. Here’s a link to give it a try.

Consistently being in debt

If you’ve got $10K+ in debt (credit cards…medical bills…anything really) you could use a debt relief program and potentially reduce by over 20%.

Here’s how to see if you qualify:

Head over to this Debt Relief comparison website here, then simply answer the questions to see if you qualify.

It’s as simple as that. You’ll likely end up paying less than you owed before and you could be debt free in as little as 2 years.

Missing out on free money to invest

It’s no secret that millionaires love investing, but for the rest of us, it can seem out of reach.

Times have changed. There are a number of investing platforms that will give you a bonus to open an account and get started. All you have to do is open the account and invest at least $25, and you could get up to $1000 in bonus.

Pretty sweet deal right? Here is a link to some of the best options.

Having bad credit

A low credit score can come back to bite you in so many ways in the future.

From that next rental application to getting approved for any type of loan or credit card, if you have a bad history with credit, the good news is you can fix it.

Head over to BankRate.com and answer a few questions to see if you qualify. It only takes a few minutes and could save you from a major upset down the line.

How to get started

Hope this helps! Here are the links to get started:

Have a separate savings account
Stop overpaying for car insurance
Finally get out of debt
Start investing with a free bonus
Fix your credit

1. Overpaying on Auto Insurance

Believe it or not, the average American family still overspends by $461/year¹ on car insurance.

Sometimes it’s even worse: I switched carriers last year and saved literally $1,300/year.

Here’s how to quickly see how much you’re being overcharged (takes maybe a couple of minutes):

• Pull up Coverage.com – it’s a free site that will compare offers for you
• Answer the questions on the page
• It’ll spit out a bunch of insurance offers for you.

That’s literally it. You’ll likely save yourself a bunch of money.

2. Overlook how much you can save when shopping online

Many people overpay when shopping online simply because price-checking across sites is time-consuming. Here is a free browser extension that can help you save money by automatically finding the better deals.

• Auto-apply coupon codes – This friendly browser add-on instantly applies any available valid coupon codes at checkout, helping you find better discounts without searching for codes.
• Compare prices across stores – If a better deal is found, it alerts you before you spend more than necessary.

Capital One Shopping users saved over $800 million in the past year, check out here if you are interested.

Disclosure: Capital One Shopping compensates us when you get the browser extension through our links.

3. Not Investing in Real Estate (Starting at Just $20)

Real estate has long been a favorite investment of the wealthy, but owning property has often felt out of reach for many—until now.

With platforms like Ark7, you can start investing in rental properties with as little as $20 per share.

• Hands-off management – Ark7 takes care of everything, from property upkeep to rent collection.
• Seamless experience – Their award-winning app makes investing easy and efficient.
• Consistent passive income – Rental profits are automatically deposited into your account every month.

Now, you can build your own real estate portfolio without needing a fortune. Ready to get started? Explore Ark7’s properties today.

4. Wasting Time on Unproductive Habits

As a rule of thumb, I’d ignore most sites that claim to pay for surveys, but a few legitimate ones actually offer decent payouts.

I usually use Survey Junkie. You basically just get paid to give your opinions on different products/services, etc. Perfect for multitasking while watching TV!

• Earn $100+ monthly – Complete just three surveys a day to reach $100 per month, or four or more to boost your earnings to $130.
• Millions Paid Out – Survey Junkie members earn over $55,000 daily, with total payouts exceeding $76 million.
• Join 20M+ Members – Be part of a thriving community of over 20 million people earning extra cash through surveys.

With over $1.6 million paid out monthly, Survey Junkie lets you turn spare time into extra cash. Sign up today and start earning from your opinions!

5. Paying off credit card debt on your own

If you have over $10,000 in credit cards - a debt relief program could help you lower your total debt by an average of 23%.

• Lower your total debt – National Debt Relief works with creditors to negotiate and settle your debt for less than you owe.
• One affordable monthly payment – Instead of managing multiple bills, consolidate your payments into one simple, structured plan.
• No upfront fees – You only pay once your debt is successfully reduced and settled, ensuring a risk-free way to tackle financial burdens.

Simple as that. You’ll likely end up paying less than you owed and could be debt free in 12-24 months. Here’s a link to National Debt Relief.

6. Overspending on Mortgages

Overpaying on your mortgage can cost you, but securing the best rate is easy with Bankrate’s Mortgage Comparison Tool.

• Compare Competitive Rates – Access top mortgage offers from trusted lenders.
• Personalized results – Get tailored recommendations based on your financial profile.
• Expert resources – Use calculators to estimate monthly payments and long-term savings.

Don’t let high rates limit your financial flexibility. Explore Bankrate’s Mortgage Comparison Tool today and find the right mortgage for your dream home!

7. Ignoring Home Equity

Your home can be one of your most valuable financial assets, yet many homeowners miss out on opportunities to leverage its equity. Bankrate’s Best Home Equity Options helps you find the right loan for renovations, debt consolidation, or unexpected expenses.

• Discover top home equity loans and HELOCs – Access competitive rates and terms tailored to your needs.
• Expert tools – Use calculators to estimate equity and project monthly payments.
• Guided decision-making – Get insights to maximize your home’s value while maintaining financial stability.

Don’t let your home’s value go untapped. Explore Bankrate’s Best Home Equity Options today and make your equity work for you!

8. Missing Out on Smart Investing

With countless options available, navigating investments can feel overwhelming. Bankrate’s Best Investing Options curates top-rated opportunities to help you grow your wealth with confidence.

• Compare investments – Explore stocks, ETFs, bonds, and more to build a diversified portfolio.
• Tailored insights – Get tailored advice to match your financial goals and risk tolerance.
• Maximize returns – Learn strategies to optimize investments and minimize risks.

Take control of your financial future. Explore Bankrate’s Best Investing Options today and start building a stronger portfolio today!

Disclaimer:

Found is a financial technology company, not a bank. Business banking services are provided by Piermont Bank, Member FDIC. The funds in your account are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor for each account ownership category. Advanced, optional add-on bookkeeping software available with a Found Plus subscription. There are no monthly account maintenance fees, but transactional fees for wires, instant transfers, and ATM apply. Read more here: Fee Schedule

Here’s the thing: I wish I had known these money secrets sooner. They’ve helped many people save hundreds, secure their family’s future, and grow their bank accounts—myself included.

And honestly? Putting them to use was way easier than I expected. I bet you can knock out at least three or four of these right now—yes, even from your phone.

Don’t wait like I did. Go ahead and start using these money secrets today!

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 $996 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.

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. Ask This Company to Get a Big Chunk of Your Debt Forgiven

A company called National Debt Relief could convince your lenders to simply get rid of a big chunk of what you owe. No bankruptcy, no loans — you don’t even need to have good credit.

If you owe at least $10,000 in unsecured debt (credit card debt, personal loans, medical bills, etc.), National Debt Relief’s experts will build you a monthly payment plan. As your payments add up, they negotiate with your creditors to reduce the amount you owe. You then pay off the rest in a lump sum.

On average, you could become debt-free within 24 to 48 months. It takes less than a minute to sign up and see how much debt you could get rid of.

3. You Can Become a Real Estate Investor for as Little as $10

Take a look at some of the world’s wealthiest people. What do they have in common? Many invest in large private real estate deals. And here’s the thing: There’s no reason you can’t, too — for as little as $10.

An investment called the Fundrise Flagship Fund lets you get started in the world of real estate by giving you access to a low-cost, diversified portfolio of private real estate. The best part? You don’t have to be the landlord. The Flagship Fund does all the heavy lifting.

With an initial investment as low as $10, your money will be invested in the Fund, which already owns more than $1 billion worth of real estate around the country, from apartment complexes to the thriving housing rental market to larger last-mile e-commerce logistics centers.

Want to invest more? Many investors choose to invest $1,000 or more. This is a Fund that can fit any type of investor’s needs. Once invested, you can track your performance from your phone and watch as properties are acquired, improved, and operated. As properties generate cash flow, you could earn money through quarterly dividend payments. And over time, you could earn money off the potential appreciation of the properties.

So if you want to get started in the world of real-estate investing, it takes just a few minutes to sign up and create an account with the Fundrise Flagship Fund.

This is a paid advertisement. Carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fundrise Real Estate Fund before investing. This and other information can be found in the Fund’s prospectus. Read them carefully before investing.

4. Get Up to $50,000 From This Company

Need a little extra cash to pay off credit card debt, remodel your house or to buy a big purchase?

We found a company willing to help.

Here’s how it works: If your credit score is at least 620, AmONE can help you borrow up to $50,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 6.40% and terms from 6 to 144 months.

AmONE won’t make you stand in line or call a bank. And if you’re worried you won’t qualify, it’s free to check online. It takes just two minutes, and it could save you thousands of dollars.

Totally worth it.

5. Get Up to $300 Just for Setting Up Direct Deposit With This Account

If you bank at a traditional brick-and-mortar bank, your money probably isn’t growing much (c’mon, 0.40% is basically nothing).

But there’s good news: With SoFi Checking and Savings (member FDIC), you stand to gain up to a hefty 3.80% APY on savings when you set up a direct deposit or have $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits and 0.50% APY on checking balances — savings APY is 10 times more than the national average.

Right now, a direct deposit of at least $1K not only sets you up for higher returns but also brings you closer to earning up to a $300 welcome bonus (terms apply).

You can easily deposit checks via your phone’s camera, transfer funds, and get customer service via chat or phone call. There are no account fees, no monthly fees and no overdraft fees. And your money is FDIC insured (up to $3M of additional FDIC insurance through the SoFi Insured Deposit Program).

It’s quick and easy to open an account with SoFi Checking and Savings (member FDIC) and watch your money grow faster than ever.

Read Disclaimer

6. Earn Up to $50 this Month By Answering Survey Questions About the News — It’s Anonymous

The news is a heated subject these days. It’s hard not to have an opinion on it.

Good news: A website called YouGov will pay you up to $50 or more this month just to answer survey questions about politics, the economy, and other hot news topics.

Plus, it’s totally anonymous, so no one will judge you for that hot take.

When you take a quick survey (some are less than three minutes), you’ll earn points you can exchange for up to $50 in cash or gift cards to places like Walmart and Amazon. Plus, Penny Hoarder readers will get an extra 500 points for registering and another 1,000 points after completing their first survey.

It takes just a few minutes to sign up and take your first survey, and you’ll receive your points immediately.

7. Earn $1000/Month by Reviewing Games and Products You Love

Okay, real talk—everything is crazy expensive right now, and let’s be honest, we could all use a little extra cash. But who has time for a second job?

Here’s the good news. You’re already playing games on your phone to kill time, relax, or just zone out. So why not make some extra cash while you’re at it?

With KashKick, you can actually get paid to play. No weird surveys, no endless ads, just real money for playing games you’d probably be playing anyway. Some people are even making over $1,000 a month just doing this!

Oh, and here’s a little pro tip: If you wanna cash out even faster, spending $2 on an in-app purchase to skip levels can help you hit your first $50+ payout way quicker.

Once you’ve got $10, you can cash out instantly through PayPal—no waiting around, just straight-up money in your account.

Seriously, you’re already playing—might as well make some money while you’re at it. Sign up for KashKick and start earning now!