It's getting harder to stick to a budget these days. The good news? You don't have to clip coupons or bounce between a bunch of stores to save.
Whether you're doing a big haul or grabbing a few essentials, these simple strategies can help you spend less, earn rewards, and keep more money in your pocket.
- Most grocery chains offer free loyalty programs with member-only pricing — no paid membership required. Simply signing up at stores like Kroger, Safeway, or Publix can shave off your total at checkout.
- Store-brand products can help you save significantly compared to name brands, and the quality is often just as good. Aldi, Trader Joe's, and Costco's Kirkland line are all worth trying if you haven't already.
- Many stores will match a competitor's lower price if you ask. Target, Walmart, and Best Buy all have price-matching policies. Just show the ad or pull it up on your phone at the register.
- Timing your shopping around seasonal markdowns can make a big difference. Buying grills in September, winter coats in March, or patio furniture in October can help you score because stores need to clear space for the next season.
- TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross get new shipments during the week, so saving your shopping trip during the weekdays can give you a better selection at already-discounted prices.
- Stacking your store's rewards program with a cash-back credit card means you save twice on the same purchase. A card that earns cash back on groceries adds up quickly over a year.
- Warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's Club can be worth the membership fee, especially for household staples, paper goods, gas, and pharmacy items where the per-unit savings really add up.
- Senior discount days are more common than you'd think. Stores like Kohl's, Ross, Goodwill, and many local grocery chains offer senior discounts on specific days of the week.
Knowing about these hacks could help you save even more money on your weekly grocery haul or next shopping trip. And since you’re already thinking about how to maximize your money, check out these offers from our partners below.
Pay no interest into 2027 with this no annual fee card
If you're struggling to pay down high interest debt (or you're planning a major purchase this year), this might be the exact thing you need. There's a card that allows you to completely pause credit card interest into 2027 ... and the best part is that it could be easier than you think.
Discover it® Cash Back (Rates and fees) is an extremely powerful card that gives you 0% intro APR for an astounding 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. (Then APR is 17.49% - 26.49% Variable.) That's right — you can now finance large purchases you've been sitting on without paying massive interest. Or, transfer crippling high interest debt to this card and let your payments go directly to paying down your balance, without piling on additional interest charges — all with no annual fee.
But it doesn't end there. The Discover it® Cash Back card also lets you earn 5% on cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. This practically doubles its value at the end of your first year.
Earn a $200 bonus with this incredible cash back card
The Chase Freedom Unlimited®(Rates and fees) lets you earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
In addition to this welcome offer, this card lets you earn cash back on everything you buy. Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
And it gets better (really): This card also gives you 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. That means you could finance large purchases or pay down high-interest debt for over a year. After the intro period, the APR is 18.24% - 27.74% Variable. Oh, and the annual fee is $0.
It's almost a no-brainer to apply.
Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.
Earn as much as $1K doing simple online tasks
Is there such a thing as easy money? If you know your way around the web, there certainly is.
That’s because data is currency these days, and many companies are willing to pay cash for it — up to $1,000.
Finding these companies can be time-consuming on your own. But a company called Freecash has compiled all sorts of quick cash tasks from about a dozen advertisers and market research companies thirsty for more data. Freecash has paid out over $100 million to users since 2019, and has over 100,000 five-star reviews on Trustpilot.
You can pick and choose your tasks and complete them at your convenience. The coins you earn from each completed task can be converted directly into things like Visa gift cards, Amazon gift cards, cryptocurrency or cold-hard PayPal cash.
Signing up for a Freecash account is easy and if you’ve got enough free time on your hands, you can join the ranks of Freecash users making more than $1,000 in extra cash.
Sign up here to see how much you could earn.
Turn your home’s value into extra cash
If you want to pay a large expense now, like a home improvement project or credit card debt, you may have considered using your home equity as leverage to borrow a large sum of money.
But with interest rates rising in recent years, a cash-out refinance or home equity loan may not make financial sense.
Here’s a potential solution: Get a home equity line of credit (HELOC) instead.
Using LendingTree’s simple HELOC matching tool1 <p>LendingTree, LLC is a Marketing Lead Generator and is a Duly Licensed Mortgage Broker, as required by law, with its main office located at 1415 Vantage Park Drive, Suite 700, Charlotte, NC 28203, NMLS Unique Identifier #1136. LendingTree, LLC is known as LT Technologies in lieu of true name LendingTree, LLC in NY. LendingTree technology and processes are patented under U.S. Patent Nos. 6,385,594 and 6,611,816 and licensed under U.S. Patent Nos. 5,995,947 and 5,758,328. © 2026 LendingTree, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This site is directed at, and made available to, persons in the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii only. Terms and Conditions may apply. </p> (yes, the company from the commercials), you can compare rates and see what works for you.
How a home equity line of credit is different: Your line of credit acts similar to a credit card, where you can withdraw funds when you need them, and you’re only responsible for minimum monthly payments for what’s called the “draw period,” which is usually 10 years. After this borrowing period ends, you pay off the rest of your balance during an extended repayment period, which is usually 20 years.
Plus, as a revolving line of credit, rates are usually variable, so you won’t be locked into a fixed rate if they ever go lower.
To get started:
- Check out LendingTree’s HELOC matching tool.
- Answer a few questions.
- Be matched with personalized offers for you.
Get out of $20,000 or more in 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?
TurboDebt2 <p>IMPORTANT ADVERTISER DISCLAIMERS: Programs range from 24-48 months. Clients who are able to stay with the program and get all their debt settled realize approximate savings of 46% before fees, or 25% including program fees, over 24 to 48 months. All claims are based on enrolled debts. Not all debts are eligible for enrollment. Not all clients complete the program for various reasons, including their ability to save sufficient funds. Estimates based on prior results, which will vary based on specific circumstances. Programs do not guarantee that your debts will be lowered by a specific amount or percentage or that you will be debt-free within a specific period of time. Programs do not assume consumer debt, make monthly payments to creditors or provide tax, bankruptcy, accounting or legal advice or credit repair services. Programs are not available in all states, and fees may vary by state. Please contact a tax professional to discuss tax consequences of settlement. Please consult with a bankruptcy attorney for more information on bankruptcy. Depending on your state, programs may be available to recommend a local tax professional and/or bankruptcy attorney. You may be subject to collections or lawsuits by creditors or collectors. Your outstanding debt may increase from the accrual of fees and interest. Read and understand all program materials prior to enrollment, including potential adverse impact on credit rating.</p> <p>Certain types of debts are not eligible for enrollment. Some creditors are not eligible for enrollment because they do not negotiate with debt relief companies. </p> <p>The company and its affiliates are not lenders, creditors, or debt collectors. This is not a loan. Our representatives have helped thousands of consumers throughout their careers.</p><p class="">Turbo debt is a debt relief program and does not provide any direct ways to earn cash or make money online.</p> can 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 payment.
Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in as little as 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!
This plan helps protect select Ohio homes from many expensive appliance and home repairs (see if you qualify)
Everyone talks about home insurance, but hardly anyone talks about this. If you live in Ohio and own your home, you could save $1,000s on home repairs without much work at all.
American Home Shield is currently helping homeowners slash appliance repair bills. Instead of paying $1,000s, you pay for a monthly plan and a simple one-time service fee per covered repair.
Getting a monthly plan could help you tap into immense savings for nearly any system or appliance in your home that’s covered.
Not everyone is eligible for this plan so here’s how to check:- Click the link below and enter your name, address, phone number and email.
- Hit the “Get Free Quote” button.
- If you qualify, select a plan.
Complete this short form to see if you qualify
P.S. Use the link above, and you'll get 50% off your first year on select plans!3 <p>Discounts for individual consumers may vary between 30-50%. Pricing available to new members for first-year ShieldGold™ and ShieldSilver™️base plans only.</p>
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.
If you’re over 50, take advantage of massive discounts and financial resources
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!
For a limited time, get 30% off your AARP membership, making it just $11/year with a 5-year plan.
Set up qualifying direct deposit - pocket up to $350
If you aren't banking4 <p class="">Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC. <br></p> through Chime®, you're missing out on a huge boost of extra cash just by following a few simple steps.
Earn a bonus up to $350:5 <p>Limited time only. Terms apply, must open the new account and complete qualifying activities to earn up to $350.00 in rewards. Link to full terms can be found at <a href="https://www.chime.com/join/promos/intro-offer-v2b/#terms">https://www.chime.com/join/promos/intro-offer-v2b/#terms</a></p> To qualify, open a new Chime Checking Account here. Earn $100 with a $200+ direct deposit in your first 30 days. Receive a $200+ direct deposit in the next calendar month to get an additional $100. In your third calendar month, receive a $200+ direct deposit and get the final $150. Full bonus earned!
This is a great way to supercharge your earnings, and basically takes no extra work other than following the steps above. Even better, Chime Checking offers no monthly fees, no overdraft fees, no minimum balance requirement, and no foreign transaction fees.
You can also get paid up to 2 days early6 <p>Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the submission of the payment file from the payer. We generally make these funds available on the day the payment file is received, which may be up to 2 days earlier than the scheduled payment date.</p> with direct deposit, access over 47,000 fee-free ATMs,7 <p>Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and over the counter advance fees may apply except at FCTI® ATMs in a 7-Eleven® or Speedway, or any Allpoint® or Visa® Plus Alliance ATM participating in the Allpoint network.</p> enjoy fee-free overdraft up to $200,8 <p>SpotMe® on Credit is an optional, no interest/no fee overdraft line of credit tied to the Secured Deposit Account. SpotMe on Debit is an optional, no fee service attached to your Chime Checking Account (individually or collectively, "SpotMe"). Eligibility for SpotMe requires $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your Chime Checking Account each month.</p><p>Qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their Chime Checking Account and/or their Secured Deposit Account up to $20 in total, but may be later eligible for a higher combined limit of up to $200 or more based on member’s Chime account history, direct deposit frequency and amount, spending activity and other risk-based factors. Your SpotMe Limit will be displayed to you within the Chime mobile app. You will receive notice of any changes to your SpotMe Limit. SpotMe for Credit and SpotMe on Debit share a single SpotMe limit. Your SpotMe Limit may change at any time, at Chime or its banking partners’ discretion. Although there are no overdraft fees, there may be out-of-network or third-party fees associated with ATM transactions or OTC cash withdrawal fees at retailers. SpotMe won’t cover non-card transactions, including ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, or Chime Checkbook transactions. <a href="https://www.chime.com/policies/">SpotMe terms and conditions</a>.</p> and 24/7 live support, with a real human.
Open your account and set up direct deposit to earn a $350 bonus
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