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12 Dumbest Things Smart People Waste Money On

Last updated Dec. 21, 2024 | 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

We’ve got bad news. You could be wasting $600 every year on overpriced, second-rate car insurance. And you should probably cancel your existing insurance right now, because there’s something much better.

This new tool from FinanceBuzz can tell you if you’re overpaying for your car insurance in just a few clicks. We match drivers with companies that report saving drivers up to $600 or more per year when they switch! Each driver’s savings will vary by driving history and how many discounts you’re eligible for. And once you try it out, you’ll never have to look for affordable insurance again because we find you the lowest rates that other companies can’t match.

Oh, and it’s also free. And come on — you can’t tell us you don’t want to save up to $600. To find out if you're losing up to $600 or more a year, just answer a few questions, and then make sure to enter your zip, dob, and email, to see if you qualify for a lower rate. It takes less than 2 minutes.

See if you’re overpaying

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 18.49% - 27.49% Variable *Rates as of December 12, 2024). Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with one of the industry-leading no-interest cards - the Discover it® Chrome(Rates and fees) - and pay no interest until 2026 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 18.49% - 27.49% Variable *Rates as of December 12, 2024). 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 here for the Discover it® Chrome

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.1

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

Internet & Cell Phone Bills: Use This App to Automatically See if You Can Lower Your Bills

Ever look at your bank account and wonder where your paycheck went? *Poof,* it's gone … and you have NO idea how you spent it all so quickly.

An app like Albert could end this problem for you. With Albert, you get an automatic analysis of your transactions to help you maximize your money and savings.2

Yes, Albert *is* free for the first 30 days … but the real money-saving power is found once you join their $11.99/month premium subscription. It unlocks suggestions on where you could be saving even more money and the ability to cancel unwanted subscriptions.

You’ll even get timely alerts to monthly fees or bill increases, so you can act on those increases as soon as possible — and save yourself even more extra cash.

Download Albert

Home Insurance: Switch your home insurance and you could save a ton of money

If you have home insurance, you need to see the recent rates available to you. There’s a good chance you’ll want to switch your policy if you see a better rate.

The best way to check for up-to-date rates: Get multiple policy quotes from a variety of home insurance providers. Too many homeowners skip this step — not realizing that they could save potentially $1,000s over the lifetime of owning their house.

Provide Home Insurance is a company that matches you with a variety of home insurance options to meet your home insurance needs … including lower overall cost or better overall coverage.

Just answer a few questions, and they will find options that are right for you.

Enter your zip code to get started

Identify Theft: In 2023 Americans lost over $10 billion to identity theft and fraud

That's right. According to the FTC, Americans lost over $10 Billion to fraud and identity theft in 2023.

But you can safeguard your data with all-in-one identity theft protection services from Aura which comes with $1M identity theft insurance3per adult, to cover you should you have eligible identity theft-related losses.

An individual plan starts at $9 per month, and you can choose a family plan that outmatches most others. Defend your young ones from attacks with child social security number monitoring, child 3-bureau credit freezes, and parental controls like mobile device monitoring and Safe Gaming.

Before you make your next online purchase, protect what you’ve built for a fraction of what it could cost you if your data were compromised.

Get protected now

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.

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 things like restaurants (save up to $450 per year!), meal deliveries, travel, eyeglasses, prescriptions that aren’t covered by insurance and more.

How to become a member today:

  • Go here, select your free gift, and click “Join Today”
  • Create your account (important!) by answering a few simple questions
  • Start enjoying your discounts and perks!

You’ll also get insider info on social security, job listings, caregiving, and retirement planning. And you’ll get access to AARP’s Fraud Watch Network to help you protect your money, as well as tools to help you plan for retirement.

Important: Start your membership by creating an account here and filling in all of the information (Do not skip this step!) Doing so will allow you to take up 25% off your AARP membership, making it just $12 per year with auto-renewal.

Become an AARP member now

Artificial Intelligence: Get a Handle on All Your Other Bills

Monarch could help you keep more money in your pocket — even if you don’t have extra time on your hands. That means more opportunities to save and grow your bank account.

With the help of AI, Monarch gives you an eagle-eye view of your money so you can track your cash flow, tackle your debt, analyze your investments, and more. That means you’ll be set up to take control of your finances and build your wealth and savings faster.

Enter your email here to get started. The free trial is 7-days, then costs as little as $5.83 per month on an annual subscription. That cost could be easily offset with the potential $100s of dollars or more Monarch could help you keep in your pocket.

Sign up for Monarch

Home Equity: Tap your home equity before you ever get a loan

If you need cash, you do not need to get a personal or payday loan. If you’re a smart homeowner, use this tool instead before you do anything else. It finds companies offering homeowners reliable access to extra cash.

LendingTree's network of lenders specialize in HELOCs (home equity line of credit). A HELOC is like a credit card that lets you access cash from your home, possibly without crazy interest rates. No, it’s not for everyone. But it’s a 100% legit way to leverage the value of your home to get extra cash, with few downsides.

Get started by using LendingTree’s free simple HELOC matching tool. The key to making a HELOC work is comparing rates and terms, and this tool does that for you. Answer a few questions and you can compare options in a few minutes.4

Getting quotes and checking rates doesn't affect your credit. You could qualify as long as your credit score is 620 or higher and you have equity in your home.

See how much cash you could get