11 Dumbest Things Smart People Waste Money On

Last updated May 23, 2025 | By Team FBZ

You're not dumb. You do the normal money-saving things …

You're a regular at the clearance rack. You don't eat lunch out too much. And you meticulously selected the perfect combo of streaming services to watch your favs for as cheap as possible.

But there are some tips you may not know (yet) — and that's a good thing! Because once you see some of the areas where you can cut your costs, you could find some extra cash in your pocket sooner than you think.

Car Insurance: Cancel your car insurance

Driving without car insurance is illegal, but if you do this, you’re not actually breaking the law.

This tool can help you see if you’re overpaying for car insurance in just a few clicks. You’d be shocked by the difference. $159 per month is what they wanted to charge me. I thought that was the best price, don’t even look anywhere else. Right? Wrong.

I used Insurify and now I’m able to pay just $51 a month for two cars.¹ Actual savings and coverage options vary based on factors such as driving history, location, and insurer policies. The rates shown in this example may not reflect what every user will qualify for. Too many insurance companies do this. They push up our rates and make us pay even more. But if you want to try this tool and compare and potentially score same-day savings, here’s what to do:

Click the link below and enter your zip code, date of birth, and phone number.
Answer a few questions about your car’s make and model to get matched with top offers.
Choose the best quote for you and lock it in before rates go up.

Compare rates now and see if you could score same-day savings today!

I can hardly believe I waited so long to do this, but I’m glad I finally did. It only took me two minutes. Super fast. You have to trust me on this. Just try it out.

Credit Card Debt: Transfer your balance and pay no interest for 18 months (yes, it is kind of remarkable)

Imagine getting 18 months with 0% intro APR on balance transfers (APR then 18.24% - 27.24% Variable). Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with one of the industry-leading low-interest cards - the Discover it^® Chrome (Rates and fees) - and pay no interest until nearly 2027 on balance transfers!

If you want to kick high-interest credit card debt to the curb, this is one of the leading get-out-of-debt cards available. Transfer high-interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers (APR then 18.24% - 27.24% Variable). Your payments can go directly to paying down your balance without incurring a pile of additional charges. That could save you hundreds of dollars in interest!

The best part? The Discover it^® Chrome is accepted by 99% of merchants, boasts an exceptional cash back rewards rate, and has no annual fee.

Click here to apply now for the Discover it^® Chrome

Home Equity: Access a credit limit from $5,000-$250,000 (without touching your mortgage)

If you need cash, you do not need a cash advance or personal loan — get a HELOC instead.

Access the equity in your home with Aven for a fraction of the time and cost of a traditional HELOC. With a 100% online process, you could get approved in as fast as 15 minutes and access funds as soon as 3 business days after closing!

The best part? The Aven HELOC gives you options. Access cash upfront with a full draw at a low fixed rate APR or use a standard revolving credit line with a variable APR.² The annual percentage rate (“APR”) is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and does not include costs other than interest. The APR is a variable rate based on the Wall Street Journal prime rate (“Index”) published by the Wall Street Journal in its Money Rates section. The WSJ Prime Rate as of Jan 10th, 2025 is 7.50%. Your variable APR is based on the Index plus a margin that takes into account your creditworthiness, collateral value, etc. Your APR is subject to change as allowed by applicable law. Best rates available only to the highest-qualified borrowers. The maximum APR will not exceed 18% during the life of your account. Cash Out (draw to bank account) fee and Balance Transfer fee is 0% of amount transferred. This fee is subject to change. The county where your property is located may charge recording fees. If your line is greater than $25,000, you are responsible for paying these costs. These costs will be placed in a 12-month interest free, fixed term loan and be part of your Minimum Payment Due. Cash back available to those who enroll in AutoPay, refer to <a href="https://www.aven.com/docs/AutoPayAgreement.pdf">AutoPay Terms & Conditions</a>. Cash back applies to valid purchases (not on refunds or returns) made using the Aven card, and does not apply to non-card transactions, including balance transfers, cash-outs, or reward redemptions. Cash back is accumulated as points and redeemable as statement credit. Refer to <a href="https://www.aven.com/public/docs/CashbackTerms/post2025MarFixedTermWithFirstDrawFeeAndPRPPAndShadowLimit">Rewards Terms & Conditions</a>. If you have an existing second lien (“Second Lien”) on your subject property, you acknowledge and agree that we may transfer your application to our refinance product (subject in all cases to credit approval). The refinance product may have different terms and conditions than the initial product you applied for. Please review the Early HELOC Disclosure for more information. Our APR is 6.99-15.49% for primary residences. The average for other cards in the US for people with good credit is over 24% APR. Source: "Average Credit Card Interest Rates" <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/cc/average-credit-card-interest-rate/50841">wallethub.com</a> on Jan 15, 2024 showing the average rate for credit cards in the US for people with good credit is 24.10% APR. If you have an active HELOC agreement or offer within the last 30 days that demonstrates a lower cost than ours, we’ll beat the offer or send you $250. Introductory, temporary, and promotional offers do not apply toward our guarantee. Only valid for new customers who received this specific offer. We reserve the right to change the terms of the guarantee at any time. <a href="https://www.aven.com/public/docs/HelocGuaranteedLowestCost/post2025MarFixedTermWithFirstDrawFeeAndPRPPAndShadowLimit">Guarantee Terms and Conditions</a>. Our fixed monthly payment option (Aven Simple Loan) is available based on your Var APR plus fees not exceeding the High Cost Mortgage threshold set by law. Your rate will not increase while the Aven Simple Loan plan is open. If you opened a HELOC within the last 30 days or received a fully underwritten HELOC offer within the last 30 days, we’ll beat your APR or give you $250. Offer subject to verification and approval. Terms apply. <a href="https://www.aven.com/public/docs/HelocGuaranteedLowestCost/post2025MarFixedTermWithFirstDrawFeeAndPRPPAndShadowLimit">Guarantee Terms and Conditions</a>. Subject to Credit Approval, including use of data reports from Experian, Equifax and Transunion. Limit of one Account per property. Certain terms and conditions may apply. Terms may vary by applicant and are subject to change. Availability limited to certain states. See <a href="https://www.aven.com/licenses">aven.com/licenses</a> for more details. Not available for multi-unit homes. Requires a lien on your property. Flood insurance may be required if your property is located in a flood zone. Not available for home purchase. If you have an existing second lien (“Second Lien”) on your subject property, you acknowledge and agree that we may transfer your application to our refinance product (subject in all cases to credit approval). The refinance product may have different terms and conditions than the initial product you applied for. Please review the Early HELOC Disclosure for more information. Note for customers in AK, AL, IA, KS, KY, LA, MN, MS, NE, OK, OR, PA, UT, WI and WY: We currently only offer lines up to $100,000. Check back soon for higher line sizes. <a href="https://www.aven.com/docs/SpanishDisclosure.pdf">Notice to Consumers about all Languages. Para Español, consulte este documento</a>. Aven cards are arranged by Aven Financial, Inc., dba "Aven" or "AvenCard" (in AR, ID, and PA). NMLS #2042345. See <a href="https://www.aven.com/licenses">aven.com/licenses</a> for state specific details. Aven reserves the right to modify or discontinue its products or offerings at any time without notice. Aven Visa Credit Cards are issued by Coastal Community Bank, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A., Inc. Aven accounts are made by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS #462289 (<a href="https://nmlsconsumeraccess.org/EntityDetails.aspx/COMPANY/462289">NMLS Consumer Access Page</a>). For additional information or complaints to Coastal Community Bank, visit <a href="https://www.federalreserveconsumerhelp.gov">www.federalreserveconsumerhelp.gov</a>. Repay that full draw with a fixed monthly payment that works for your budget.

How to get started:

Visit Aven and provide a few pieces of information.
Check your offer with no impact on your credit score.
Accept your personalized rate.
Close 100% online with a digital notarization flow.

700+ Credit Score: Check your offer for $0

Home Repairs: Don't let home repairs drain your bank account

Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more. Not being able to make repairs could leave you in a bad situation — but a home warranty could protect you against surprise expenses.³ Limitations and Exclusions Apply

Whether you’re a brand-new homeowner or you’ve owned your home for years, a plan from Choice Home Warranty could pick up the slack where homeowner’s insurance falls short.

If a covered system in your home breaks down, you can call their hotline 24/7 for assistance to get it repaired. They have a network of over 15,000 technicians that can assist you, making sure any issue can be taken care of swiftly — without breaking the bank.

Not sure if it’s for you? Rest easy: they were named one of the "Best Home Warranty Companies" by US News 360 Reviews and were awarded Best Company's 2020 Consumer's Choice Award. For a limited time, you can get your first month free when you sign up for a Single Payment home warranty plan.

Get a free quote

Home Insurance: Save potentially $1,000 or more on home insurance in Columbus

We have some unfortunate news: You might be throwing away $1,000s on expensive home insurance for no reason.

If you want better or more affordable home insurance, there is ONE thing you should never skip in the process of finding a policy: Getting multiple options from a variety of home insurance providers with our new home savings tool.

Too many homeowners skip this step — not realizing that they could save potentially $1,000s over the lifetime of owning their house just by switching. And yes, you can switch your home insurance at any time starting today.

The best part is it's free to check! Just answer a few questions and enter your zip, email, and phone number to see if a lower rate is in your future.

Enter your zip code to see if paying too much

Advisor Fees: You could be overpaying for your retirement planning

Fees matter. High fees can cut into your returns and affect your overall nest egg. But the ways fees are levied vary. Some are “fee only,” charging a flat rate regardless of usage. Others take a percentage of all assets under management. Some earn commissions directly from mutual funds or other financial products, which presents a significant conflict of interest.

This free matching quiz helps Americans get matched with up to three fiduciary advisors who serve their area so they can compare and decide which advisor to work with.

Paid Non-Client Promotion

Restaurants & Meal Delivery: Take advantage of massive discounts at restaurants (you don’t even have to be 50 to join!)

Over 50? Join AARP today — because if you’re not a member you could be missing out on huge perks. When you start your membership today, you can get discounts on:

Restaurants (save up to $450 per year!)
Meal deliveries
Airfare, Hotels, Cruises and Rental Cars
Eyeglasses and even prescriptions that aren’t covered by insurance

Plus you’ll also get insider info on social security, job listings, caregiving, and retirement planning.

How to become a member today:

Click the link below, select your free gift, and click “Join Today”
Create your account (important!) by answering a few simple questions
Start enjoying your discounts and perks!

Get 25% off your AARP membership, making it just $15 the first year with auto-renewal

Leaving Cash on the Table: Earn a $400 bonus with this checking account

We hate to tell you this, really. But if you aren’t banking with Truist Bank, you’re missing out on extra cash. Don’t worry though … it’s easy to fix.

New checking clients can earn a $400 bonus when you open a new Truist One Checking account online between May 1, 2025 and October 29, 2025 using promo code TRUIST25AFL400. Terms apply.⁴ Terms and Conditions for Truist One Checking $400 Affiliate Offer 2025: TRUIST25AFL400 Offer Information: Open a new Truist One Checking account online from 5/1/25 through 10/29/25, receive at least 2 qualifying Direct Deposits* totaling $1,000 or more within 120 days of account opening and earn $400.  Account must be opened online. Enrollment in the promotion is required at the time of account opening using promo code TRUIST25AFL400. Please refer to the Account Opening and Enrollment section below for full instructions.  *A qualifying Direct Deposit is an electronic credit (greater than $5.00) of your salary, pension, Social Security or other regular monthly income deposited into your new checking account by your employer or outside agency via ACH. Person to person payments (such as Zelle®) or deposits made via a branch, ATM, online transfer, mobile device, debit/prepaid card number or the mail are not eligible direct deposits.  Offer Eligibility: Clients that are the primary account holder on an existing personal checking account with Truist or who have closed a personal checking account with Truist on or after 5/1/24 are not eligible to participate. Offer valid for Truist One Checking accounts only. Primary account holder must be 18 or older at the time of account opening. Truist employees, Directors, Officers, and Local Boards/Advisors are not eligible. Offer available only to US residents with a valid US taxpayer identification number. The qualifying checking account must be opened online and have a mailing address in: AL, AR, FL, GA, IN, KY, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV or DC. Reward Processing: The reward will be deposited to the new checking account within 4 weeks after the qualification requirements have been met and verified. In order to receive the reward, the new checking account must be open, not restricted, and in good standing with a balance of at least $0.01 at the time of Truist verification and at the time of payout. An account is considered restricted if it has a temporary or permanent block that prevents credits from posting to the account. Truist verification will occur one time after the qualification requirements are initially met. Promotion is only applicable once per client and for one new qualifying checking account. Truist may report the value of any offer reward received to the IRS as required by law. Any applicable taxes are the responsibility of the recipient. Reward Forfeiture: Reward forfeiture will occur if: (1) the new checking account is changed to an account type not included in this client offer prior to payout, (2) the new checking account has a $0.00 or negative available balance or is restricted at the time Truist verifies the qualification requirements have been met or (3) the new checking account is closed or restricted at the time of payout. Other Terms: Minimum opening deposit is $50. The offer is non-transferable, may not be combined with any other checking offers, is subject to change, and may be discontinued at any time. Truist reserves the right, in its sole discretion: 1) to prohibit a reward payout for any offers claimed through third-party websites with no affiliation or prior authorization from Truist; and 2) to disqualify any account if Truist suspects accounts are being opened for the purpose of exploiting this promotional offer. All promotional payouts will be processed no later than 7/31/26 at which point this promotion (and any related disbursements) will be considered final, and no further disbursements will be made. Account Opening & Enrollment Instructions: To open and enroll your new account in the promotion, visit the offer website and click on “Open an account online.” Enter TRUIST25AFL400 into the promo code field provided, review the offer Terms and Conditions, and then select “Accept Offer”. Accounts opened without the promo code applied will not be eligible to participate in the offer. Once enrolled in the promotion, clients may receive promotional updates via the email address provided or by calling 800.709.8700. Version 2 03262025 TRUIST25AFL400 Truist Bank, Member FDIC. ©2025, Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, Truist Purple and the Truist Logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation.

To earn the $400 bonus, your account needs to receive at least 2 qualifying direct deposits totaling $1,000 or more within 120 days of account opening.

This is practically passive income and a great way to supercharge your earnings.

Plus, you can enjoy other benefits like no overdraft fee, a $100 negative balance buffer,⁵ The $100 Negative Balance Buffer is only available with Truist One Checking and allows eligible clients to overdraw their account up to $100. All eligibility requirements below must be met to initially qualify for the $100 Negative Balance Buffer: <ul> <li>Account must be opened for a minimum of 35 calendar days</li> <li>Account must be funded and have a positive balance</li> <li>A single direct deposit of at least $100 per month must be made for 2 consecutive months</li> </ul> To remain qualified for the $100 Negative Balance Buffer, the requirement below must be met: <ul> <li>A recurring direct deposit of at least $100 per month</li> </ul> For accounts that qualify for the $100 Negative Balance Buffer and also have Overdraft Protection, Truist will use the $100 Negative Balance Buffer first. If the account has neither, transactions that exceed the account balance will typically be declined or returned. and automatic upgrades for access to growing perks.

Open your new Truist One Checking account here

Scams and Fraud: People lost over $3 billion to scams that started online in 2024

That’s right. If you thought the internet was safer than ever before, you should know that people still lost over $3 billion to scams that started online in 2024 alone.

But you can safeguard your digital world and identity with this powerful browser extension + mobile app from Guardio. Fake sites that mimic trusted ones are more common than you think, especially when making online purchases. Guardio predicts, detects, and blocks them.

Plans start at $9.99 per month. Sign up, install the extension and mobile app, and Guardio will monitor the dark web 24/7 for exposed data. It sends clear and actionable insights in real time to safeguard your accounts, protect your sensitive data, and secure your SSN. And it works across all your devices.

Before you make your next online purchase, join over 2 million users on any device and protect what you’ve built for a fraction of what it could cost you if your data were compromised.

Get a free trial + 30% off when you install Guaridio today!

Paying High Prices on Windows: You could save a fortune with this service if you live in these zip codes

This matching service is 100% free and could save you a substantial amount of money when you replace your old windows with energy efficient ones. And if your windows are more than 5 years old, it could save you $1,000s in the long run.

WindowsUSA is actively helping homeowners get energy-optimized windows without spending a fortune. They bring top local vendors into a bidding war for your business, providing the best deals without sacrificing quality. This can drive the cost down on windows for you by orders of magnitude.

Slash the cost of new windows by tapping into hidden rebates, unlisted discounts, and local incentives most homeowners don’t even know exist.

You might be eligible if you check these 3 boxes:

You own your home.
Your windows are 6+ years old.
Your ZIP code qualifies.

See if you're eligible here

Overpaying for Healthcare: Stop paying all of your out of pocket healthcare costs with Medicare Supplement Insurance

You might think you have most health bills covered with Original Medicare. But then you get hit with a medical deductible for a short hospital stay — and you have to pay out of pocket. That’s where a Medicare Supplement plan may help.⁶ PLEASE NOTE: Medicare Supplement insurance is available to those age 65 and older enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B and, in some states, to those under age 65 eligible for Medicare due to disability or End-Stage Renal disease. The purpose of this communication is the solicitation of insurance. Contact will be made by an insurance agent/producer or insurance company. Medicare Supplement insurance plans are not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. Medicare Supplement plans may require underwriting and enrollment is not guaranteed.

Most Medicare-eligible individuals don’t realize that Original Medicare only covers about 80% of your medical expenses. That remaining 20%? It can add up fast. Especially with a hospital deductible, Part B coinsurance, or excess charges.

Use Healthcare.com’s online tool to find a plan that may cover nearly all your out-of-pocket costs. You’ll pay just a monthly premium. Too many seniors pay more than they should, but if you want to save, here’s how to get started:

Click the link below and enter your ZIP code.
Answer a few questions about your current Medicare plan coverage (takes about 60 seconds).
Get matched with top-rated plans and enroll online or over the phone.

Learn more here and save on out-of-pocket Original Medicare costs

BONUS: Travel more in 2025 with this incredible travel credit card and pay no interest into 2026!

2025 could be the year you finally travel to the exotic destinations you've long dreamed of. And you could do it all without paying interest for a long time, thanks to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (Rates and fees).

This card is a powerhouse that supercharges your hard-earned spending. Become a Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card cardholder, and you can earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening ... all with a $0 annual fee.

This card also offers an additional benefit of an extended intro APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers (then 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable), balance transfer fee applies). Apply, spend, travel, and enjoy the extended intro APR.

Smart Drivers, Smarter Savings

Ohio: Say Goodbye to High Auto Insurance Rates if You Live in These Zip Codes

See if you qualify for a lower rate in less than 2 minutes

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