When you log into your bank account, how do your savings look? Probably not as good as you’d like. It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
We’re not judging — we don’t roll like that. We’re here to help. We just don’t want you to have to sell those Elvis-Presley-signed velvet pants you inherited just to pay some lousy plumbing bill. Those pants are sweet.
Try these tips to get the ball rolling, and start building up your savings so you can breathe a little easier.
1. Stop Overpaying at Amazon
Wouldn’t it be nice if you got an alert when you’re shopping online at Amazon and are about to overpay?
That’s exactly what this free service does.
Just add it to your browser for free, and before you check out, it’ll check other websites to see if your item is available for cheaper. Let’s say you’re shopping for a new smart vacuum, and you assume you’ve found the best price. Here’s when you’ll get a pop up letting you know if that exact vacuum 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. 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. Ask This Website to Help Pay Your Credit Card Bills This Month
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.
If your credit score is at least 620, Fiona can help you borrow up to $250,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 5.99% and terms from 6 to 144 months.
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.
4. Get Paid $225/Month While Watching Movie Previews
We’ve all been there. You sit down at the end of the day to unwind on your phone, and suddenly it’s two hours later and you’re in the weird part of YouTube again. How did I even get here?
But you don’t need to feel guilty about it anymore. Research companies will actually pay you to go down these video rabbit holes.
You could add up to $225 a month to your pocket by signing up for a free account with InboxDollars. They’ll present you with short video clips to choose from every day, then ask you a few questions about them.
You just have to answer honestly, and InboxDollars will continue to pay you every month. This might sound too good to be true, but it’s already paid its users more than $60 million.
It takes about one minute to sign up and start getting paid for your nightly zone-out.
5. Ask This Company to Reduce a Big Chunk of Your Credit Card Debt
Not trying to be dramatic, but card debt is like a dark, suffocating abyss that swallows your finances and leaves you feeling trapped and helpless.
So, what if you could just… get rid of credit card debt that’s weighing you down?
A company called Freedom Debt Relief could help you do just that. Its negotiators could work directly with your credit card companies to reduce your overall credit card debt.
It’s free to talk with a Freedom Debt Relief debt consultant to determine the best strategy for your situation. You’ll need to show why you’re struggling to make your payments and tell them a little bit about your finances.
Then, Freedom Debt Relief will work out just how much of your debt they could reduce — they’ve already helped over 850,000 people settle over $15 billion in debt.
Once enrolled in the program, Freedom Debt Relief will negotiate a settlement with your creditor, and if you approve the offer they come back with, you’ll pay off that reduced balance through a monthly program deposit. It’s free to see just how much of your debt you can get rid of.
6. Copy This Strategy To Get a $526 Refund
Chances are you do a lot of your shopping online. Whether it’s pet food, toilet paper or even gifts, you’re probably leaving money on the table.
A free website called Rakuten has the hookup with just about every online store you shop, including Walmart and Target, which means it can give you a kickback every time you buy.
In fact, since Denver resident Colleen Rice started using Rakuten, it’s sent her checks in the mail totaling $526.44. For doing nothing. Seriously. Rice says she uses Rakuten for things she already has to buy, like rental cars and flights.
It takes less than 60 seconds to create a Rakuten account and start shopping. All you need is an email address, then you can immediately start shopping your go-to stores through the site.