8 Ways Seniors Are Throwing Away Money

Last updated Feb. 6, 2023 | By FinanceBuzz Editors
senior couple piggy bank counting money

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If you're a senior, you could be throwing money out the window without even knowing it... and just a few small mistakes might be to blame. 

These mistakes — like not getting a home warranty or overpaying for car insurance — can go under the radar for months or years, drying up your savings like summer rain on a scorching sidewalk. 

But what if you could fix these problems easily, once and for all? It's possible, and most of these fixes can be started in minutes. It's time to stop throwing your money out the window!

Not Pausing interest until December 2024

Imagine getting 18 months with 0% interest on a balance transfer or a big purchase. Sounds great — right? What if you could also extend the intro APR by an additional 3 months by making on-time minimum monthly payments? It's possible with this industry-leading card — the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card.

If you want to kick high-interest credit card debt to the curb, this is one of the best get-out-of-debt cards available. Transfer your high interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR for up to 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers. 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!

It doesn't just stop with balance transfers though. Cardholders also get a generous intro APR of 0% for up to 21 months from account opening on purchases. After the intro period for purchases and balance transfers, then APR is 17.49% - 29.49% variable.

The best part? There's no annual fee.

Click here to Apply Now

Not canceling your car insurance

We’ve got bad news. You could be wasting $500 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 $500 or more per year when they save! 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 $500. To find out if you’re losing up to $500 or more a year, just enter your zip code here, answer a few questions and see if you’re overpaying. It takes less than 2 minutes.

See if you’re overpaying

Not taking this quiz to see if you can retire early

Do you know if you can retire early? One of the best ways to find out is by speaking with a financial advisor. With the right moves and a little work, you could potentially retire years earlier.

But there’s one problem.

Where do you even find a financial advisor? And how do you know you can trust them?

Our advice: Take this quiz from SmartAsset. In just a few short questions, it can help you find qualified vetted financial advisors who serve your area based on their cost and specialty.

You even earn 3 free consultations with each of your matches, so you can compare them 1 and be fully prepared to pick a financial advisor that’s right for you.

Take the quiz

Not getting a home warranty

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.

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

Not asking this company to settle your 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 $10,000 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 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!

Try National Debt Relief

Turning 50 and not taking 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 things like travel, meal deliveries, 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

Extra Long Intro APR on Purchases & Balance Transfers

Current Offer

Benefit from a long introductory APR period that could be extended by making the minimum payments on time each month

Annual Fee

$0

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

  • 0% intro APR on qualifying balance transfers and purchases for up to 21 months from account opening, then 17.49% - 29.49% variable APR
  • Cell phone protection
  • $0 annual fee

Drawbacks

  • No rewards for spending
Card Details
  • 0% intro APR for 18 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. Intro APR extension for 3 months with on-time minimum payments during the intro period. 17.49% to 29.49% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min $5.
  • $0 Annual Fee
  • Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible).
  • Through My Wells Fargo Deals, you can get access to personalized deals from a variety of merchants. It's an easy way to earn cash back as an account credit when you shop, dine, or enjoy an experience simply by using an eligible Wells Fargo credit card.
  • Select "Apply Now" to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions


Choice Home Warranty Benefits

  • First month free
  • Protection for unexpected expense
  • 24/7 claims hotline
  • Network of over 15,000 technicians