You’ve done it. You’ve built up a little cushion in your bank account — $1,000! It feels good, right? Those days of checking your account balance in a panic are behind you.
Congrats! You’re on the right path. Now it’s time to think about some longer-term goals. What do you want to accomplish next with your money? Do you need to save more? Do you want to buy a home someday? Invest?
What’s the next step you should take? What are some specific things you can do to take your finances to the next level?
We’ve got some ideas for you:
1. Stop Overpaying at Amazon
Wouldn’t it be nice if you got an alert when you’re shopping online at Amazon or Target and are about to overpay?
That’s exactly what Capital One Shopping does.
Just add it to your browser for free, and before you check out, it’ll check other websites, including Walmart, eBay and others to see if your item is available for cheaper. Plus, you can get coupon codes, set up price-drop alerts and even see the item’s price history.
Let’s say you’re shopping for a new TV, and you assume you’ve found the best price. Here’s when you’ll get a pop up letting you know if that exact TV is available elsewhere for cheaper. If there are any available coupon codes, they’ll also automatically be applied to your order.
In the last year, this has saved people $160 million.
You can get started in just a few clicks to see if you’re overpaying online.
2. Invest in Famous Art (Even if You’re Not a Millionaire)
Here’s the deal: If you’re not investing in contemporary art, you might be missing out on an asset whose prices have historically outpaced the S&P by 131% in the last 26 years. (FYI, the S&P tracks 500 of the largest companies in the stock market).
You’re probably thinking you need at least a few more zeros in your checking account before you can even start thinking about that, right?
But a company called Masterworks lets normal people like us invest in multimillion-dollar works of art — something normally only available to the super rich.
But you don’t need hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy a masterpiece outright; with Masterworks, you can buy shares representing an investment in art.
It takes less than a minute to sign up for a free account.
Investing in contemporary art is a long-term strategy, so patience pays off here — literally. But once your piece of art sells, you get your share of the potential profits.
3. Cancel Your Car Insurance
When was the last time you compared car insurance rates? Chances are you’re seriously overpaying with your current policy.
If it’s been more than six months since your last car insurance quote, you should look again.
And if you look through a website called CheapRatesOnline, you could save yourself up to $500 a year.
It takes just two minutes to answer some questions, and their smart matching technology will show you the insurance providers that are the best fit for you. And don’t worry — they uses advanced data security and encryption technology, so all your details are safe.
They’ve already helped millions of people find affordable car insurance. See how much money you could save with a new policy.
4. Ask This Website to Help Pay Off Your Credit Cards
No, like… the whole bill. All of it.
While you’re stressing out over your debt, your credit card company is getting rich off those insane interest rates. But a website called Fiona could help you pay off that bill as soon as tomorrow.
Here’s how it works: Fiona can match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every credit card balance you have. The benefit? You’re left with just one bill to pay every month, and because the interest rate is so much lower, you can get out of debt so much faster. Plus, no credit card payment this month.
Fiona can help you borrow up to $250,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 2.49%.
Fiona 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.
All that credit card debt — and the anxiety that comes with it — could be gone by tomorrow.
5. 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.
6. Watch Out For These Corporate America Tricks
From inflation to smaller packaging, corporate America is famous for finding new ways to get you to spend more money.
But here’s a way to fight back.
A website called Rakuten will give you a refund from just about every store you shop at online. Which means it can give you up to a 15% cash back every time you buy toilet paper on Target or book that flight home for Thanksgiving.
We talked to Denver resident Colleen Rice, who’s earned more than $526.44 in refunds since she started using Rakuten. For doing nothing. She just uses Rakuten for things she already has to buy, like rental cars and flights.
Enter your email address here to get started with Rakuten. They’ll pay you with a check in the mail every few months or deposit it to your PayPal account.
Plus, if you use Rakuten to earn money back within the first 90 days of signing up, it’ll give you an extra $10 on the first check it sends you.
*Financial investment involves the risk of loss
*Results may vary and some may not see savings.