Money Tips: A New Actionable Money Tip Every Day!

Save on flights with the “Hidden City” hack

Date: September 26, 2025| Category: Save Money

Say you’re flying from Chicago to Los Angeles and the price is ridiculous because everyone wants that route. Instead of booking LA directly, book a flight through LA to a smaller city, like San Jose. Airlines sometimes charge less for the whole trip, even though you only want the layover city. This is called the “hidden city” trick. You just get off at your layover and skip the final stop. Feels a little sneaky, but it works. One big catch: you can’t check a bag, because your bag will end up at the ticket’s final destination. You can use Skiplagged which will find these hidden city flights for you automatically. Done right, this move can save you hundreds of dollars.

Use Your Library Card for Power Tools

Date: September 25, 2025| Category: Save Money

That DIY project always looks simple enough on YouTube… until you find out you need a $150 tile saw you’ll probably use once. Before you blow cash at Home Depot, check if your city has a tool library. Most people have no idea these even exist. They work just like a regular library, except instead of books, you can borrow drills, pressure washers, saws…you name it. Some are totally free, others just charge a small annual membership fee. I once borrowed a commercial floor sander (the kind that costs over a grand to buy) for sixty bucks a year. That single rental paid for itself ten times over. If you want to see if there’s one near you, check the Local Tools directory here: localtools.org/find.

The Free “Energy Audit” Your Utility Company Doesn’t Want You to Know About

Date: September 24, 2025| Category: Save Money

Most people have no clue their utility company already offers a service that can slash those costs. Many utilities want you to use less power during peak hours, so they offer a free (or really cheap) professional home energy assessment. You just call, and a specialist will come to your house to hunt down all the “energy leaks” quietly draining your wallet. They’ll use thermal cameras to spot bad insulation, check for air leaks around doors and windows, and even look at your old appliances. When they’re done, you get a custom report with exact fixes that will save you the most money. Some audits uncover issues that save hundreds of dollars a year, and the best part? It’s free. You can learn more about it on the official website of U.S. Department of Energy.

The Hidden “Cosmetic Damage” Discount Stores Don’t Advertise

Date: September 23, 2025| Category: Save Money

Most people see a dented box or ripped packaging and instantly put it back on the shelf. Big mistake. That ugly box is actually your ticket to a discount. Stores like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy don’t want the hassle of sending a perfectly fine product back to the warehouse just because the packaging looks rough. They’d rather move it fast. All you have to do is flag down an employee (or better yet, the department manager) and say something like: “I’d like to buy this, but the box is damaged. Could you offer a discount on it as-is?” I’ve personally seen 10–20% come off instantly just for asking. It works on everything from small kitchen gadgets to big-ticket items like TVs.

The FSA Deadline “Time-Travel” Hack

Date: September 22, 2025| Category: Investment

I get it, the “use-it-or-lose-it” rule on your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is designed to make you panic-buy a truckload of band-aids in December. But you don’t have to waste that money. The insider move is to “time-travel” your spending. You can use this year’s FSA funds to pre-pay for medical services you know you’ll need next year. Think bigger than just glasses. Call your dentist or orthodontist in November and ask to pay upfront for your kid’s braces adjustment appointments for the first half of the upcoming year. Many providers are happy to take payment early. You get to use your expiring funds for a definite future expense, saving your future cash for something else. To see a huge list of eligible (and sometimes surprising) expenses you can pay for, check out the official FSA Store.

Turn Your Stock Market Losses into a Tax Refund

Date: September 21, 2025| Category: Investment

If you are an investor, seeing a stock or ETF drop in value feels terrible. It feels like you’ve lost money, and the instinct is to wait for it to recover. But savvy investors know a loss isn’t a total loss, it’s a tool. This is called “tax-loss harvesting.” You sell that losing investment, which officially “realizes” the loss on paper. Then, you can use that loss to wipe out the taxes you’d owe on any investment gains you have. Even better, if your losses are greater than your gains, you can use up to $3,000 of it each year to directly lower your taxable ordinary income, which could mean getting a bigger tax refund. You just have to be careful to avoid the “wash sale” rule by not buying a substantially identical investment 30 days before or after the sale. It’s the closest thing to turning a market lemon into lemonade. Fidelity has a great, clear guide on the tax-loss harvesting here.

The “Zombie Subscription” Killer Card

Date: September 20, 2025| Category: Save Money

We’ve all been there. You sign up for a “free trial,” enter your credit card, and then completely forget about it. Next thing you know, you’re looking at your statement and realize you’ve been paying a “zombie subscription” for the last four months. Here’s how you put a stop to that for good. Use a service that creates virtual, single-use credit card numbers. The most well-known and trusted one is called Privacy.com. When you sign up for a trial, you give them a new, unique card number from this service instead of your real one. Then, you can set a spending limit on that virtual card (even as low as $1) or simply “pause” it with one click after you sign up. When the company tries to bill you, the charge is automatically declined. It puts you back in complete control and makes it impossible for companies to sneak charges past you.

The “SKU Glitch” That Unlocks Hidden Clearance Deals

Date: September 19, 2025| Category: Save Money

You know how annoying it is when you hear about a crazy clearance deal at Target or Walmart, but your store is still charging full price? Here’s the trick most shoppers don’t know: clearance pricing isn’t the same everywhere, it’s based on each store’s inventory.

The hack is using an online inventory checker like BrickSeek. Just grab the product’s SKU or UPC number (it’s on the tag or you can look it up online), type it into BrickSeek, and it’ll show you the exact price and stock at every store near you.

I’ve used this myself. Once, I scored a $300 grill for just $75 because one Walmart nearby was overstocked. Other stores had it full price, but thanks to BrickSeek I knew where the hidden deal was waiting.

How to Turn a credit Card Denial into an Approval

Date: September 18, 2025| Category: Save Money

A credit card denial isn’t always the end. Most banks have a reconsideration line which is a direct number where you can talk to a real underwriter. A quick, polite call can flip a “no” into a “yes.” Mention your good payment history, clear up any issues on your credit report, or offer to shift credit from another card with that bank. I’ve seen plenty of people approved this way in just minutes. Grab the full list of reconsideration phone numbers here.

The “Backdoor Roth” Tax-Free Retirement Trick

Date: September 17, 2025| Category: Investment

You work hard, make a good living, and then the government tells you that you earn too much to contribute to a tax-free Roth IRA. It feels like you’re being penalized for success. But many high-earners use a completely legal method to get around this income limit. It’s called the “Backdoor Roth IRA.” Here’s how to set yours up: First contribute to a traditional IRA, which has no income limits for making a contribution. Then, a day or two later, you simply convert that traditional IRA into a Roth IRA. Because the money was only in the traditional account for a short time, there are no investment gains, making the conversion virtually tax-free. You’ve just legally sidestepped the income caps and can now grow your money tax-free for retirement

The “Rent-Your-Own-House” Tax Loophole You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Date: September 16, 2025| Category: Save Money

Finding real tax write-offs feels like searching for coins under the couch cushions. Most of the obvious ones are already gone. But there’s one little-known tax break that even plenty of accountants don’t mention: the Augusta Rule. Here’s how it works. The IRS lets you rent out your personal home for up to 14 days a year without reporting a dime of that income. Now, if you run a small business or have an S-Corp/LLC, you can actually rent your own house to your business for legit purposes (think annual meetings, planning sessions, or strategy days.) The business writes it off as a rental expense, and you pocket that money totally tax-free. It’s a rare loophole that legally shifts cash from your business account to your personal pocket, no strings attached. You can find the rule on IRS’s official website here.

“Fire” Your Zero-Interest Checking Account

Date: September 15, 2025| Category: Save Money

Still using a big bank checking account that pays 0.01%? You’re leaving money on the table. Look for high-yield rewards checking accounts (usually at community banks or credit unions). Many pay 2%–3% on your balance if you meet simple requirements like a few debit card swipes each month. That’s hundreds of dollars a year just for moving where your paycheck lands. It’s basically free passive income.

Get Next Year’s Products for Free

Date: September 14, 2025| Category: Save Money

Big brands like Nike, McCormick, and Procter & Gamble give out free stuff before it even hits the shelves. Why? Because they need regular people to test it and give feedback. These aren’t scams, it’s all through official “consumer advisory panels” or “product testing programs.” Go to the corporate website of your favorite brands and search for “product testing” or “consumer panel.” You sign up, they send you free products (everything from shoes to food to cleaning supplies), you use them, and you give them your honest feedback. I’ve done this for years, and it’s one of the easiest ways to cut your household budget without changing a thing.

Price Tags Are Lying To You. Here’s the Real Price

Date: September 13, 2025| Category: Save Money

That $500 TV? It’s not really $500. The real price is the hours of your life you’ve got to trade to pay for it. Here’s how to see it: take your actual paycheck after taxes, divide it by the hours you work, and boom, you’ve got your real hourly wage. If you bring home $25 an hour, that TV is actually 20 hours of your life. So ask yourself, “Is this thing worth 20 hours of me sitting in an office?” For me, that one question has stopped a ton of impulse buys. Once you start looking at stuff this way, you’ll only spend on things that are truly worth your time on this planet.

Use a 401(k) Loan as a Secret Emergency Fund

Date: September 12, 2025| Category: Investment

I know this sounds crazy, but hear me out. Everyone tells you to have a 3-6 month cash emergency fund, but letting that much cash sit in a savings account means you’re losing big to inflation. If you have a stable job, you can use a 401(k) loan as a super-charged emergency fund instead. Unlike a regular withdrawal, you’re borrowing from yourself and paying the interest back to your own account. It’s faster than getting a bank loan, the interest rate is often lower than a home equity line, and the “interest” is just you paying yourself back. It’s not for everyone, but I’ve seen this move help people avoid selling stocks at a bad time or taking on high-interest debt when a real emergency strikes.

Ask for a “Payoff Letter” Before Clearing a Loan

Date: September 11, 2025| Category: Save Money

If you’re about to pay off a loan (car, personal, even mortgage), don’t just send the money. Always request a payoff letter from the lender first. Why? Because lenders often tack on extra interest, insurance add-ons, or small fees that aren’t obvious in your statement. A payoff letter is a legally binding document that locks in the exact amount you owe to close the loan. I’ve seen people save hundreds by avoiding surprise “trailing interest” charges that show up after they thought they were done paying. It’s a simple step that most borrowers never take.

Turn a Health Savings Account into a Secret Retirement Fund

Date: September 10, 2025| Category: Investment

Most people with an HSA (Health Savings Account) treat it like a medical piggy bank, but here’s the insider play: don’t spend it now, invest it. HSAs are triple tax-advantaged, which means money goes in tax-free, grows tax-free, and comes out tax-free for medical expenses. But here’s the kicker: once you hit 65, you can withdraw the money for anything (not just medical bills) and it’s taxed just like a 401(k). If you pay current medical expenses out of pocket and let the HSA grow, you’re basically building a hidden retirement account that beats traditional IRAs on tax savings. Hardly anyone uses it this way.

Get “Unclaimed Refunds” Hiding in Class Action Settlements

Date: September 9, 2025| Category: Save Money

Every year, companies quietly settle lawsuits and set aside millions for customer refunds. The thing is, you don’t need to have receipts or proof most of the time, you just fill out a simple online form. Sites like TopClassActions.com list active settlements where everyday people can claim $10, $50, sometimes hundreds. I’ve personally seen payouts for things like cereal, batteries, and even bank fees. Most people never hear about them, but it’s basically free money for stuff you already bought.

Turn Library Cards into Free Streaming & Subscriptions

Date: September 8, 2025| Category: Save Money

Your local library card is worth way more than books. Many libraries give free access to paid services like Kanopy (movies), Hoopla (TV, audiobooks, comics), and even The New York Times or Wall Street Journal online. Some also cover pricey learning platforms like LinkedIn Learning or Coursera. You don’t need to set foot in the library, just use your card number to log in through their site. It’s basically hundreds of dollars in free subscriptions sitting in your wallet, and almost nobody uses it.

The “Free Night Refund” Hotel Hack

Date: September 7, 2025| Category: Save Money

If you ever check into a hotel and something’s wrong (dirty room, broken A/C, loud construction) don’t just ask for a fix. Ask the front desk for a “service recovery credit.” Hotels, especially big chains like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt, have budgets set aside to keep guests happy. That can mean a free night, big points credited to your loyalty account, or a hefty discount off your stay. The key is to calmly document the issue (a quick photo on your phone helps) and politely escalate it to a manager. Most travelers never bother, but it’s one of the easiest ways to turn a bad stay into free money or free nights.

Use “Bill Pay Overdraft Padding” to Avoid Bank Fees

Date: September 6, 2025| Category: Save Money

Here’s a sneaky bank hack most people don’t know: if you pay bills directly through your bank’s online bill pay system (instead of mailing a check or paying on the company’s site), many banks quietly cover overdrafts or timing issues without charging you a fee. Why? Because they don’t want to risk a bounced bill payment to a utility or lender, it makes them look unreliable. I’ve seen people avoid $35 overdraft fees just by routing payments through bill pay instead of their debit card. It’s like built-in insurance against bad timing.

Get Paid for Broken or Delayed Packages with “Delivery Guarantees”

Date: September 5, 2025| Category: Save Money

Most people don’t know this, but if a UPS or FedEx delivery shows up late (even just a day) you can actually get the shipping cost refunded. It’s part of their “money-back guarantee.” The catch? They’re not going to hand it over unless you ask. Same deal if your box shows up banged up. You just hop online, file a quick claim, and in many cases the carrier (not the store you ordered from) eats the cost. Even Amazon packages that come through UPS or FedEx can qualify if you push for it. Takes five minutes, and it can put $20, $40, even $80 back in your pocket. Most people never bother, which is why it’s such an easy win.

Use the “Package Intercept” Trick to Dodge Return Fees

Date: September 4, 2025| Category: Save Money

Ever bought something online, regretted it instantly, and then dreaded paying return shipping? Here’s the move: if your order hasn’t been delivered yet, many carriers (like USPS, UPS, and FedEx) let you use a little-known service called Package Intercept or Delivery Manager. You can redirect the package back to the seller before it even hits your doorstep. Since it’s technically an “undeliverable return,” a lot of retailers will refund you in full without charging their usual return fee. It’s a clean way to undo an impulse buy and keep your money from slipping away.

Turn Leftover Gift Cards into Cash with a Little-Known Law

Date: September 3, 2025| Category: Save Money

Got a few bucks left on an old gift card? Don’t let it rot. In some states, you can actually turn that leftover balance into real cash. For example, in California, retailers have to give you cash back if the balance is under $10. In Colorado and Maine, the cutoff is $5 (with Maine adding a twist, the card had to originally be worth more than $5). That means your $4.37 Target card isn’t worthless, it’s basically free money. Just ask the cashier to cash it out. Hardly anyone knows this, but it works. And here’s the kicker: the rule applies no matter where the gift card was originally purchased, as long as you’re redeeming it in one of those states.

Slash Your Insurance Bill with the “Telematics Test Drive” Hack

Date: September 2, 2025| Category: Save Money

Most shoppers swipe their store card and hope they get a deal, but they’re leaving money behind. Stores like Kroger, Safeway, and Publix have digital coupons that load straight onto your loyalty account. These can stack with manufacturer coupons or cash-back apps like Ibotta and Fetch, no clipping required. Just link your account, check the weekly offers, and you’re looking at an easy 10–30% off groceries on top of sale prices. It’s free money most people never bother to grab.

Hack Grocery Rewards with Automatic Digital Coupons

Date: September 1, 2025| Category: Save Money

Most shoppers swipe their store card and hope they get a deal, but they’re leaving money behind. Stores like Kroger, Safeway, and Publix have digital coupons that load straight onto your loyalty account. These can stack with manufacturer coupons or cash-back apps like Ibotta and Fetch, no clipping required. Just link your account, check the weekly offers, and you’re looking at an easy 10–30% off groceries on top of sale prices. It’s free money most people never bother to grab.

Get a Refund for Bank Mistakes You Didn’t Even Notice

Date: August 31, 2025| Category: Save Money

Most people never check their bank statements closely enough. Banks make tiny errors all the time (accidentally or not!) like double charges, small fee miscalculations, or misposted ATM withdrawals. Call your bank and ask for a correction. Even $5–$20 here and there adds up over a year. Most banks will refund without question if you catch it quickly, and most people never bother, leaving free money on the table.

Turn Your Utility Bills into a Hidden Cash Back Machine

Date: August 30, 2025| Category: Make Money

Most people just pay their utility, insurance, or even rent bills and move on. Here’s a secret: put those payments on a card that gives 2% cash back (like the Citi Double Cash or Wells Fargo Active Cash.) You’re basically getting a discount on bills you’d pay anyway. Just watch out for third-party fees if you use a service like Plastiq.

Your Medical Bill is a Negotiation, Not a Demand

Date: August 29, 2025| Category: Debt & Credit

A huge medical bill feels like a punch to the gut. But don’t just pay it. Hospitals and clinics use thousands of billing codes for procedures, and errors are incredibly common. Before you do anything else, call the provider’s billing department and politely say, “Could you please conduct a line-by-line coding review of my statement for accuracy?” This is the insider way of asking them to audit the bill. You’re not being aggressive; you’re just asking for a professional review. I’ve personally seen this single question find duplicate charges or incorrect codes that have wiped hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars off a bill.

Debt Stacking Method: The Best Way to Pay Off Debt Faster and Save on Interest

Date: August 28, 2025| Category: Debt & Credit

Most people follow the “Debt Snowball” method (paying off the smallest balance first) or the “Debt Avalanche” (tackling the highest-interest debt). The problem? Snowball is motivating but expensive, Avalanche saves you money but feels like a grind. Here’s a smarter hybrid: the Debt Stacking payoff method. Pay the minimum on all your balances, then throw every extra dollar at the second-highest interest debt first. Once that’s gone, stack that payment onto the highest-interest debt. This way, you get a quicker win than Avalanche while still saving way more money on credit card interest than the Snowball method ever could.

The “Goodwill Saturation” Credit Report Hack

Date: August 27, 2025| Category: Debt & Credit

If you have a single late payment mark on your credit report from an otherwise good account, a standard goodwill letter to customer service might work. But to get real results, you need to go higher. The “Goodwill Saturation” technique involves sending a short, polite letter explaining the one-time mistake not just to the general customer service address, but to the publicly listed corporate mailing addresses of the company’s CEO, CFO, and VPs. These executive offices often have special customer relations teams empowered to fix problems and retain good customers. Your request gets escalated and has a much higher chance of being granted.

Amazon Subscribe and Cancel Hack: How to Save 15% Instantly on Amazon Purchases

Date: August 26, 2025| Category: Save Money

You don’t have to wait for Prime Day or coupons to save money on Amazon. Here’s the trick: if a product has the Subscribe & Save option, you can snag an automatic 5–15% discount even if you only want it once. Just choose “Subscribe & Save” at checkout, let the order ship, then hop into your account’s Subscribe & Save section and cancel the subscription. There’s no penalty, no fee, just an easy, legit way to create your own discount on thousands of everyday items.

Never Cancel a Credit Card with an Annual Fee

Date: August 25, 2025| Category: Debt & Credit

When a credit card’s annual fee hits, most people think they have two choices: pay it or cancel the card. But canceling can hurt your credit score. Here’s the insider option: Call the bank and ask for a “product change” or a “downgrade” to a no-annual-fee card in the same family. This is a simple request they almost always grant. You keep your account history and credit line (which protects your credit score), but you eliminate the fee.

The Chat Box Trick for Instant Online Discounts

Date: August 24, 2025| Category: Save Money

Next time you’re about to buy something online, before checking out, open the customer service chat box on the site and ask a simple, polite question: “Hi, I’m ready to buy this, but I was wondering if there are any active promo codes I could use?” Many companies let their support agents to give out a 10% or 15% discount on the spot just to secure the sale. It’s a two-minute action that can save you real money they don’t advertise.

Amazon Price Drop Alert Hack: How to Make Amazon Tell You When Prices Go Down

Date: August 23, 2025| Category: Save Money

Don’t buy that item on Amazon right away. Instead, add it to your cart and hit “Save for later.” Here’s why: Amazon hates leaving sales on the table, so it tracks those items and will often show you a little “price dropped” alert the next time you check your cart. It’s like turning your wish list into a free Amazon price tracker. Simple, automatic, and the easiest way to make sure you never overpay.

Credit Card Retention Offer Hack: How to Waive Your Annual Fee or Get Bonus Points

Date: August 22, 2025| Category: Debt & Credit

When your credit card’s annual fee shows up, don’t just pay it. Banks literally set aside money to keep good customers from canceling. Here’s the move: call the number on the back of your card and say you’re thinking of closing the account to avoid the annual fee—then ask if there are any “retention offers” available (use that exact phrase). You’d be surprised how often they’ll waive the fee, give you a statement credit, or even throw in thousands of bonus points just to keep you.

Car Lease MSD Hack: How Multiple Security Deposits Can Save You Thousands

Date: August 21, 2025| Category: Save Money

Here’s a car leasing trick dealers rarely talk about: some brands offer a Multiple Security Deposit (MSD) program. Instead of just putting down one deposit, you can pay several upfront (all fully refundable) and in return, the dealer lowers your lease interest rate—aka the money factor—for the entire term. It’s basically one of the only guaranteed returns on cash in personal finance. Just ask the finance manager, “Does this brand offer an MSD program?” and you could save thousands over the life of your lease.

Costco Price Tag Secrets: How to Spot Clearance Deals and Discontinued Items

Date: August 20, 2025| Category: Save Money

Next time you’re at Costco (or another warehouse club), pay attention to the price tags. They speak a secret language. Two things to look for: an asterisk (*) in the top-right corner means the item is being discontinued and won’t be restocked. That’s usually the lowest price you’ll ever see it at. And if you spot a price ending in .97, that’s almost always a manager’s markdown, basically a clearance deal hiding in plain sight. Learn these two codes, and you’ve got a built-in cheat sheet for the best Costco deals.

Hidden Credit Score Boost Trick Before a Big Loan

Date: August 19, 2025| Category: Debt & Credit

Credit scoring models ding you for having balances on too many cards, even small ones. The month before a major loan, like a mortgage, try the All Zero Except One method, or AZEO. Pay all your credit cards to $0 before the statement closes, but leave a tiny $5-$10 balance on one card. This tells the system you’re low-risk and responsible, and it can give your credit score a quick boost right when you need it.

Hidden Grocery Discount Hack: How to Save Money on Produce

Date: August 18, 2025| Category: Saving Money

See a black marker line through the barcode on produce? That usually means it’s marked down. Don’t wait. Ask an employee if they can ring it up at the discounted price now. It’s an easy way to save money on groceries, grab grocery markdowns, and get perfectly good food for less before it disappears into the back.

Extended Warranty Negotiation Hack: How to Get a Lower Price at the Dealership

Date: August 17, 2025| Category: Saving Money

Extended warranties are a huge profit center for car dealerships, and the first price they give you is almost never the real price. Treat it like a negotiation. Tell them it’s too high and that you’ll skip it. Most of the time, they’ll lower the price to avoid losing the upsell completely. It’s an easy way to save money on car warranties without giving up coverage you might actually want.

Bakery Discount Hack: How to Score End-of-Day Deals

Date: August 16, 2025| Category: Saving Money

Most bakeries and grocery stores need to clear out unsold bread and pastries at the end of the night. Staff usually can’t advertise it, but if you show up about 30 minutes before closing and ask what’s left, you can often get these items at a big discount. It’s a simple way to save money on baked goods without waiting for a sale.

Best Day to Find Walmart Toy and Clothing Markdowns

Date: August 15, 2025| Category: Saving Money

Looking for the best deals at Walmart? Plan your trip for a Tuesday or Wednesday. That’s when managers often mark down seasonal items like toys, clothes, and outdoor gear to make room for new inventory. For the best selection, ask a manager if they can check upcoming markdowns, you might score items for up to 50% off before they even hit the clearance aisle. It’s an easy way to save money on Walmart toys and clothes.

Unlock Free Premium Subscriptions with Your Library Card

Date: August 14, 2025| Category: Saving Money

Your library card isn’t just for books. Check your library’s website for “Digital Resources” or “Online Learning” and you’ll often get free access to expensive services like Kanopy (tons of movies) or LinkedIn Learning (thousands of professional courses). Using your library card this way is a simple hack to save money on premium subscriptions without paying a dime.

72-Hour Cooling-Off Rule to Stop Impulse Spending

Date: August 13, 2025| Category: Saving Money

If you’re tempted by an unplanned purchase over $50, don’t buy it right away. Add it to a 72-hour list on your phone or a notepad. If you still really want it after three days, then consider buying it. Most of the time, that “urgent need” will disappear, saving you money without feeling deprived. This is a simple hack to avoid impulse spending.

Find Your Lost Money on State Websites (It’s Real)

Date: August 12, 2025| Category: Saving Money

This is not a gimmick. State governments are holding billions of dollars in unclaimed property from old bank accounts, insurance policies, and final paychecks. I once found $68 from an old utility deposit I forgot about. Go to unclaimed.org (a safe site run by states, not a private company) and search your name in every state you’ve ever lived in. It’s a 5-minute search that could put real money back in your pocket.

Find and Rescue Your ‘Orphaned’ 401(k)s

Date: August 11, 2025 | Category: Investing

If you’ve had past jobs, you might have “orphaned” 401(k) accounts that are slowly losing money to fees. Search for your old employer on Capitalize or the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits. Rolling those accounts into your current 401(k) or an IRA saves you fees and gets your money back to work. A practical hack to maximize retirement savings.

Your House Might Be Over-Assessed for Taxes (Here’s How to Check)

Date: August 10, 2025 | Category: Saving Money

Many homeowners are overpaying property taxes because their home’s assessed value is too high. Don’t just accept the number. Go to Zillow or Redfin, look up the recent sale prices of 3-4 houses very similar to yours in your immediate neighborhood. If your home’s official assessed value is higher than what these homes actually sold for, you have a strong case to appeal. Most local governments have a simple form you can fill out. This can save you hundreds, even thousands, a year.

Get a Refund on a Purchase After You’ve Already Bought It

Date: August 9, 2025 | Category: Saving Money

Most major credit cards like Chase and Capital One have price protection. If the price of something you bought drops within 30-90 days, you can file a claim and get the difference back. Check your card’s benefit guide first. It’s like a retroactive coupon that saves you money without hunting for deals.

Call Your Bank to Waive Monthly Checking Fees

Date: August 8, 2025 | Category: Saving Money

Paying a $5 or $10 monthly maintenance fee on your checking account? Call your bank and ask, “What do I need to do to have the monthly fee waived?” Usually it’s simple, like setting up direct deposit or keeping a minimum balance. Most banks just assume you won’t ask. It’s an easy hack to stop paying bank fees.

Focus on Your Savings Rate, Not Just Your Paycheck

Date: August 7, 2025 | Category: Saving Money

We all want to earn more, but what really builds wealth is the percentage of your money you actually keep. This is your “savings rate.” I’ve seen people who make $50,000 a year but save 30% of it get rich faster than people who make $100,000 and save only 5%. Figure out your savings rate this month (Total Saved ÷ Total Income). The real secret is turning the act of increasing it into a habit.

Hunt for Big Savings, Not Tiny Coupons

Date: August 6, 2025 | Category: Saving Money

It’s easy to get obsessed with clipping coupons to save 50 cents, but your time is valuable. A single 20-minute phone call to lower your car insurance has a much bigger impact. Instead of chasing tiny savings, focus on your 3-5 biggest expenses (rent, insurance, loans) and ask for a better deal once a year. That’s how you find thousands in savings, not just pocket change.

Use the “Thinking of Leaving” Script to Lower Bills

Date: August 5, 2025 | Category: Saving Money

Your internet, cable, and phone providers have a secret budget just for keeping customers from canceling. Your job is to make them use it on you. Simply call and say, “My bill is too high and I need to review my options.” Be polite, and then wait. They’ll usually transfer you to a retention department that can offer an unadvertised discount. It’s an easy way to lower monthly bills without switching providers.

Buy Prescriptions at Costco or Sam’s Club Without a Membership

Date: August 4, 2025 | Category: Saving Money

Here’s a little-known secret: by law, warehouse club pharmacies like Costco and Sam’s Club must sell to the public. You do not need a membership to buy prescriptions there. Before you fill a prescription, especially if your insurance co-pay is high, call the pharmacy at a local warehouse club and ask for the cash price. You could save hundreds on prescriptions without ever buying a membership. It’s a simple drugstore savings hack.