9 Dumbest Things Smart People Waste Money On

Last updated Dec. 26, 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.

Our new tool 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 Interest: Pay no interest until 2026

Imagine getting an introductory 15 months with 0% intro APR on a big purchase or balance transfer (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® Cash Back(Rates and fees).

Cardholders get a generous intro APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases (APR then 18.49% - 27.49% Variable *Rates as of December 12, 2024) — that means you can cover bills, large purchases, or whatever you need to charge and not pay interest until 2026! 

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 your high interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR for 15 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® Cash Back card is accepted by 99% of merchants, boasts an exceptional cash back rewards rate, and there's no annual fee.

Click here to Apply Now

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

High-Interest Debt: Ask this company to pay off your credit card debt

If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?

National Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $20,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives might be able to assist you in consolidating your debt into one low monthly program payment.

Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in 12-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!1

Try National Debt Relief

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 October 31, 2024 and April 30, 2025 using promo code AFL2425TR1400. Terms apply.2

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,3 and automatic upgrades for access to growing perks.

Open your new Truist One Checking account here

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

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.4

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 Equity: Pay off credit card debt with your home’s equity

If you have a credit score of 620 or more, a cash-out refinance from Rocket Mortgage5could help you consolidate your debt. You could pull money out of your home without a second mortgage or HELOC … meaning you could tackle your debt head-on while eliminating multiple monthly payments.

For example, let's say you're able to take out $50,000 with a cash-out refinance. You use $20,000 to pay off high-interest debt and $30,000 for home renovations, lowering your total monthly payments and increasing your home's value. That's a win-win.

See how much could be available to you: Visit Rocket Mortgage and click “Take cash out.” Then use the simple calculator to estimate how much cash you could get out of your home.

See how much cash you could get