11 Dumbest Things Smart People Waste Money On

SAVING & SPENDING
Last updated Feb. 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.

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 Debt: Transfer your balance and pay no interest for 21 months (yes, it is kind of remarkable)

Imagine getting 21 months with 0% intro APR on balance transfers (APR then 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable)). Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with one of the industry-leading no-interest cards - the Citi Simplicity® Card - 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 21 months on balance transfers (APR then 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable); balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening). 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 Citi Simplicity® Card is accepted by 99% of merchants, boasts no late fees, and has no annual fee.

Click here to apply here for the Citi Simplicity® Card(Rates and fees)

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

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

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 $15 the first year with auto-renewal.

Become an AARP member now

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

Home Equity: Virginia Homeowners borrow from your home’s equity to pay down high-interest debt

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

The best part is you can actually keep your current mortgage rate by getting a home equity loan with this genius program!

No hassle. No expensive fees.

Calculate your equity amount and lock in your rate today!

How to get started:

  1. Check out LendingTree’s Home Equity matching tool.4
  2. Answer a few questions about your home.
  3. Lock in your personalized rate and payment.

700+ Credit Score: Compare real offers for $0

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 $1,000,000.00 in identity theft insurance5per 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 - includes 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, protect what you’ve built for a fraction of what it could cost you if your data were compromised.

Save up to 68% when you sign up for protection today!

Diversified Portfolio: Lock in a 6% or higher yield before rates drop again

Tired of watching your savings account rate bounce up and down? Then you should check out Public's new Bond Account that lets you lock in an impressive 6% or higher yield6— even when rates drop elsewhere.

Here’s how it works: Your money is invested in 10 investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds, all wrapped up in one simple account. Think of it like giving companies an "IOU" in exchange for regular interest payments.7And unlike other platforms that demand huge deposits, you can start with just $1,000.

👉Important: Rates could change soon and this 6% or higher yield may not last forever.8Lock it in now and enjoy regular interest payments hitting your account.9

Lock in your 6% or higher yield by opening a Public Bond Account today

Not Tracking Your Spending: Get the budgeting app that truly does it all

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.

The personal finance app Monarch can help end that problem for you.

The Monarch app is like your personal finance guardian. It gives you an eagle-eye view of your money so you can track your cash flow, tackle your debt, and more.

The best part? It’s designed for real people (not spreadsheet lovers). Flexible budgeting tools help you stay on track, and simple diagrams help you visualize your patterns.

Enter your email to get started. Then, set up your free 7-day trial and link your accounts easily and securely.

Pricing: Monarch is a paid subscription, but you could easily offset that cost by improving your budgeting and savings. And there’s a zero-risk trial to test-drive it.

Sign up for Monarch

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 Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

This card is a powerhouse that supercharges your hard-earned spending. Become a Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card cardholder, and you can earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases ... all with a $0 annual fee. 

This card also offers an additional benefit of a 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and qualifying balance transfers made in the first 60 days (then 18.24% - 28.24% Variable for APR details). Apply, spend, travel, and enjoy the extended intro APR. 

Recommended Credit 670+: Click here to apply now for the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

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

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