11 Dumbest Things Smart People Waste Money On

Last updated May 9, 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.

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

Weight Loss: Save as much as 80% on weight loss meds

If you’re finally ready to lose weight, FDA-approved GLP-1s — like Semaglutide & Tirzepatide — burn fat fast. And this company we found called MyStart gets them to you 80% cheaper!

It might sound crazy, but MyStart operates on a cash-only basis and does not accept insurance. This is how they’re able to provide up to 80% off the typical cost of weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Zepbound. (You can pay via credit cards, including Visa and Mastercard.)

Skip the surgeries, diets, and expensive costs of weight loss. Get real results with GLP-1s at 80% less than name brands! Plus, get access to U.S.-based doctors 24/7 when you go through MyStart. No insurance is required and there are no hidden fees.

Dr. Ritu Chopra (from the show "The Doctors") says this is the future of weight loss. Join now before prices go up! You could qualify in 5-minutes or less.

Take the quiz to get up to 80% off weight loss medications

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

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.

Credit Card Debt: Transfer your balance and pay no interest for 15 months (yes, it is kind of remarkable)

Imagine getting 15 months with 0% intro APR on purchases and 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 no-interest cards - the Discover it^® Cash Back (Rates and fees) - and pay no interest until 2026 on purchases and 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 15 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^® Cash Back 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^® Cash Back

Born before 1989? Credit card holders could get $30K+ settled for less than they owe

If you owe $30,000+ in debt and were born before 1989, nobody can really stop you from doing this. And right now, it might be the #1 rule we think of to potentially resolve outstanding debt.

So … what is this rule?

If you owe $30,000+, it’s time to check if you qualify for this debt relief program. It’s called Accredited Debt Relief, and it’s 100% free to check eligibility. And with credit card rates skyrocketing, Americans are taking advantage of it.

With the savings you could get, you could take a vacation, fund a business, pay for home renovations — almost anything. Too many people think debt relief programs are too good to be true, but Accredited Debt Relief is one of the most effective and well-loved programs we’ve found.

They have an A+ with the Better Business Bureau, 4.8/5 on Google, and 4.8/5 on Trustpilot, and have had 700,000+ enrolled clients. In fact, for those who stay with the program and make all monthly program payments, their average client saves 45% on their total enrolled debt before fees.¹ © 2021 Accredited Debt Relief. Please note that all calls may be recorded or monitored for quality assurance and training purposes.Accredited Debt Relief is a DBA of Beyond Finance, LLC. Beyond Finance, LLC provides debt consolidation services. Our clients who make all monthly program payments pay approximately 55% of their enrolled debt upon successful program completion, before program fees. Fees are based on a percentage of your enrolled debt at the time of starting the program and range from 15%-25% of your enrolled debt. Programs range from 24-48 months. On average, clients must save approximately 40%-50% of each debt due to an enrolled creditor before a bona fide settlement offer will be made. On average, clients receive their first settlement within 4-6 months of enrollment and approximately every 3-6 months thereafter from when the prior debt was settled. Not all Clients complete the program. Estimates are based on prior results and may not match your results. We cannot guarantee that your debts will be resolved for a specific amount or percentage or within a specific timeframe. We do not assume your debts, make monthly payments to creditors or provide tax, bankruptcy, accounting, legal advice or credit repair services. Program is not available in all states; fees may vary by state. The use of debt consolidation services will likely adversely affect your credit. You may be subject to collections or lawsuits by creditors or collectors. Your outstanding debt may increase from the accrual of fees and interest. Clients may withdraw from the program at any time without penalty and receive all funds from their dedicated account, other than funds earned by the company or fees paid to third-party service providers, as may be applicable. Read and understand all program materials prior to enrolling. Certain types of debts are not eligible for enrollment. Some creditors are not eligible for enrollment because they do not negotiate with debt consolidation companies.Testimonials reflect the individuals' opinions and may not be illustrative of all individual experiences. That’s like cutting your debt almost in half!

Answer a few questions at the link below to check your eligibility for free. If you’re eligible, claim your spot for this debt relief program immediately.

$30,000+ in debt and born before 1989: See if you qualify for this debt relief program

Scams and Fraud: American adults lost $47 billion to scams and fraud in 2024

That's right. According to a new report, American adults lost $47 billion to scams and identity fraud in 2024.² <a href="https://javelinstrategy.com/research/2025-identity-fraud-study-breaking-barriers-innovation">Source</a>

But you can help safeguard your identity and data with powerful scam and fraud protection services from Iris Identity Protection, which comes with up to $2,000,000 in identity theft insurance³ Identity Fraud - Expense Reimbursement, Cash Recovery Aggregate, and Investment & HSA Cash Recovery benefits are underwritten and administered by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, an Assurant® company, under group or blanket policies issued to Iris® Powered by Generali for the benefit of its Members. Please refer to the actual policies for terms, conditions, and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions. Review the Summary of Benefits at <a href="https://www.irisidentityprotection.com/terms-conditions">https://www.irisidentityprotection.com/terms-conditions</a>. to cover potential losses.

Plans start at $18.75 per month, and you can choose a family plan that outmatches most others — including advanced dark web monitoring to scour data breaches and leaks for your sensitive personal data — such as Social Security numbers (SSN), Medicare information, and phone numbers.

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

Not Taking Advantage of This Cash Out Initiative: Get up to $185,000 to use however you like

HELOCs are surging in popularity for homeowners with great credit to pay down high-interest debt quickly or make home improvements.

This is because homeowners today hold an average of $185,000 in equity they could tap into, while maintaining a solid 20% equity in their homes. The best part is you can keep your current mortgage rate by getting a HELOC⁴ Better Mortgage's HELOC product is available in all states other than TX. Please note that you are required to draw at least $50,000 or 75% of your credit limit, whichever is greater, at the time of funding (ex. if your credit limit is $200,000, you must draw $150,000 or more at funding). If you would like to draw less at funding, you may lower your credit limit. <a href="https://better.com/b/heloc-terms">HELOC Important Terms</a> Better Mortgage’s home equity loan product is available in all states other than MN. with this genius program.

No hassle. Calculate your equity amount and see what you qualify for today.

How to get started:

Visit Better.com and provide a few pieces of information.⁵ Home lending products offered by Better Mortgage Corporation. Better Mortgage Corporation is a direct lender. NMLS #330511. 1 World Trade Center, 80th Floor, New York, NY 10007. Loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Finance Lenders Law License. Not available in all states. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS Consumer Access
Check your offer with no impact on your credit score.
Once you qualify, accept your personalized rate.

Alert: Roughly 815,400 burglaries were reported in the United States in 2023

Seems like nothing is safe these days. Even worse, the average home burglary loss has been estimated recently by the FBI to be around $2,661.

But now you can protect your home and everything in it with a smart security system from Vivint. Break-ins, package theft, and emergencies are extremely common — even in “safe” neighborhoods. Vivint detects threats, deters intruders, and connects you to help instantly.

Here’s how to protect your home:

Enter your information here, and wait for the call from Vivint. (Or, call them yourself if you need this ASAP.)
Customize a system that fits your home and lock in a free quote.
Schedule installation!

Plus, act now and get a FREE $50 Visa Gift Card + Professional Installation.⁶ With system purchase Just use the code BUZZFREE. Data suggests not having a system like this increases the chance of a burglary by 300%. Don’t delay — get protected today.

Get a FREE $50 Visa gift card + professional installation with a Vivint system

Car Insurance: Cancel your car insurance

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

Our new tool can help you see if you’re overpaying for car insurance in just a few clicks. You’d be shocked by the difference. $233 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 our new tool and now I’m able to pay just $50 a month for two cars.⁷ 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 new tool and compare and 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.
You will get a phone call from an agent and they’ll set it up for you right away.

Compare rates now and score same-day savings today!

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

Auto Insurance: This company could help put up to $1,025 back in your pocket

We could all use some extra cash these days. And with this company, getting it couldn’t be any easier. You hardly have to do any work.

Insurify is a company that could help you save up to $1,025⁸ Average potential savings based on initial quotes received by 183,234 customers seeking insurance through Insurify. Actual savings may vary depending on state of residence, individual circumstances, coverage selections, and insurance provider. Savings results are not guaranteed on your annual car insurance premiums. Their job is to connect you with insurance companies to beat your current rate or coverage. No catch, and no hidden fees.

It only takes about a minute or two. Enter a little bit of info like your zip code and year, make, and model, and then get as much as $1,025 back in your pocket.

They work with 100+ insurance companies so you know you’ll get a good rate. And they have 4.8/5 stars from 3,000 verified reviews. Even better, Insurify does not sell your information to spammers, and there are no annoying calls or texts.

Compare rates today and claim potentially instant savings of up to $1,025!

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.⁹ 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,¹⁰ 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

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

Tax Debt: Ask this company to help you pay off your late tax debt

Past-due tax debt is overwhelming.

It weighs on your mind and causes massive anxiety. You end up emotionally and physically drained. Even worse when the IRS starts sending letters threatening wage garnishment and huge fines.

Alleviate Tax is designed specifically to help you get out of tax debt faster and could reduce some of the debt you owe.

While most tax companies just put you on a payment plan and file your taxes for you, Alleviate Tax talks to the IRS directly. They can help you pay off your tax debt faster while potentially reducing what you owe.

Important: Not everyone will qualify. To take advantage of this special program you must owe more than $10,000 in past-due taxes.

Answer a few questions to get started

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.¹¹ 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