When you’re broke, it feels like you’re always going to be broke. It’s a never-ending cycle. You don’t have money, so you miss a bill and rack up a late charge — that you can’t pay. Because you’re broke.
The first step toward getting yourself out of this cycle is to build up a little financial cushion. Let’s call it your emergency fund. How’s $1,000 sound?
Even if you feel like you’re stuck, we’ve got some tips to help you out. And if you follow them all, you could have an extra $1,000 (or more!) in two months’ time. It’ll be worth it — and it doesn’t have to be hard.
We’ll break it down for you week by week:
Week 1: Get Up to $50,000 Through This Site
Could you use a few extra thousand dollars, like, right now? Whether you’re consolidating debt, funding a big purchase, or covering unexpected expenses, you need money fast and a place to find and compare rates without the hassle.
LendingTree makes it easy.
With LendingTree, you can quickly compare offers from various lenders all in one place. LendingTree isn’t a direct lender, so they can’t guarantee approvals, but they partner with reliable institutions to help you find the best rates available. Loan amounts range up to $50,000 with APRs as low as 5.99%. Just remember each loan’s interest rate may vary based on your credit profile.
When you’re shopping for a loan, it’s important to compare rates before you commit to any offer. Many LendingTree customers find significant savings just by exploring their options first.
Ready to get paid? Discover the best loan rates for you Through LendingTree today!
Week 2: 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.
Week 3: Earn Up to $360 a Year* With This No Fuss Cash Back Debit Card
Let’s cut to the chase: If you don’t get cash back on every purchase, you’re overpaying. And who doesn’t like cash back?
We do. The Discover® Cashback Debit account will pay you 1% cash back on up to $3,000 monthly (that’s potentially an extra $360 annually).* There’s no impact on your credit score for signing up and no minimum balance requirements ever.
Need groceries? Tap your card for cash back. This card has no fees, access to over 60,000 ATMs, and the Early Pay direct deposit feature allows you to get paid up to 2 days earlier. The app lets you handle your banking needs and connect a virtual wallet like Apple Pay to amplify your rewards. Checking account deposits are FDIC-insured up to the maximum amount allowed by law.
Does your bank do all that? If not, open a free Discover checking account to get special treatment from a bank that will actually put money back into your account.
*See Deposit Account Agreement for details on transaction eligibility, limitations, and terms.
Week 4: Get Paid $225/Month While Watching Movie Previews
If we told you that you could get paid while watching videos on your computer, you’d probably laugh.
It’s too good to be true, right?
But we’re serious. By signing up for a free account with InboxDollars, you could add up to $225 a month to your pocket. They’ll send you short surveys every day, which you can fill out while you watch someone bake brownies or catch up on the latest Kardashian drama.
No, InboxDollars won’t replace your full-time job, but it’s something easy you can do while you’re already on the couch tonight, wasting time on your phone.
Unlike other sites, InboxDollars pays you in cash — no points or gift cards. It’s already paid its users more than $56 million.
Signing up takes about one minute, and you’ll immediately receive a $5 bonus to get you started.
Week 5: Skip the Interest Until 2026 With This Balance Transfer Card
Aiming to ditch high-interest payments and score cash back on everything you buy? Who isn’t, right?
This card makes a balance transfer easy and affordable, plus you can save money on interest while you earn rewards. With a lengthy 0% intro APR on balance transfers until 2026, you’ll get some well-deserved breathing room to pay down balances interest-free. Plus, a $200 cash bonus is waiting for you, and you’ll enjoy 2% cash back on everything you buy — helping you make the most of your everyday spending.
Here’s what makes this card a win-win:
- $200 cash back bonus
- Unlimited 2% cash back
- $0 annual fee
- 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months
Get the most out of your spending. Learn more about this balance transfer card today.
Week 6: Get 4.25% 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 4.25% APY through partner banks on your cash — about 9x the national average savings rate.1
Enjoy unlimited transfers, same-day withdrawals, zero account fees, and no minimum balance requirements to earn 4.25% APY. 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.
1. Based on the national average interest rate for savings accounts as posted on FDIC.gov, as of September 15, 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.
Rest assured, the perspectives and opinions presented on our site are strictly those of the author. They do not represent the official views of any banks, credit card issuers, hotels, airlines, or other mentioned entities. Additionally, the content you find here has not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by any of these parties. Our aim is to deliver unbiased insights and advice to assist you in making informed financial decisions.