Make Money

6 Things To Do If You’re Barely Scraping By Financially

Last updated April 8, 2026 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

You've got just enough money in your bank account to last until Friday … but then Monday rolls around, and you're in the same situation. Again.

Food. Bills. Rent. Gas. They dry up every bit of your take-home pay. 

But it doesn't have to be this hard. With a few smart moves, you could supplement your income — without doing much extra "work," or even getting a side job!

Here's what to do:

Get out of $20,000 or more in credit card debt

If you have lots of debt, fixing it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). And the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix … adding years of stress to your life. But what if there was a way to get out of debt for less than you owe?

TurboDebt1could help. If you have $20,000+ in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives might be able to assist you in reducing your debt with one simple monthly program payment.

Best of all? There are zero upfront fees, and you could be debt-free in as little as 24-48 months. Get started by answering a few basic questions. Then you’ll be connected with a human agent via chat, who will help you schedule a call with their team.

After the call, you’ll have a plan to get out of debt for good. Get started today and free yourself of the burden of debt.

Try TurboDebt and chat with their team

Don’t pay a CENT to contractors for home repairs until you do this

Sounds crazy. And maybe you’re not even sure if this is real. But … you’re probably curious anyway. Choice Home Warranty makes it so you might be able to save $100s in home repairs!

They’ve been around since 2008 (so you know they’re legit) and they offer affordable plans to cover appliances and systems in your home that could break down from routine wear and tear.

Think of it like this: Say your furnace breaks down during a cold snap. Instead of paying up to $3,000 for repairs, you may only need to pay a $100 service fee with Choice Home Warranty, and the tech comes over and fixes it right away. This could save you up to $2,900 almost instantly!

Choose a plan here and you can still lock in their ultra-low 2026 rates (for a limited time). Then, whenever a covered system in your home breaks down, all you have to do is make your claim online or give them a call. Their team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.2

Choose a plan from Choice Home Warranty here and lock in 2026 rates

P.S. Use the links above and you’ll get $50 off and 1 month free. We don’t know how long this will last, so take advantage of it today before it disappears.

Set up direct deposit and complete qualifying activities - pocket $400

If you aren't banking with Truist, you're missing out on a boost of extra cash just by following a few simple steps.

Earn a bonus of $400 after you open a new Truist One Checking account online between March 26, 2026 and July 9, 2026 using promo code AFL400TR1Q226.3To earn the $400 bonus, your account needs to receive at least 2 qualifying direct deposits totaling $2,000 or more and complete 20 qualifying debit card purchase transactions within 120 days of account opening. The reward will be deposited to the new checking account within 4 weeks after the qualification requirements have been met and verified. Terms apply.

This is a great way to supercharge your earnings. It basically takes no extra work at all other than following the steps above. Plus, your new account offers benefits like no overdraft fee and options to avoid a monthly maintenance fee on top of the bonus.

Open your account and earn a $400 bonus

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

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

That's right. According to a recent report, American adults lost $47 billion to scams and identity fraud in 2024.

But you can safeguard your identity with NordProtect — an all-in-one protection service designed by cybersecurity experts. NordProtect includes up to $1,000,000 in identity theft recovery coverage, helping reimburse you for eligible recovery expenses if needed.

Plans start as low as $7.49 per month (when charged annually) and include 24/7 dark web monitoring, credit score tracking, and real-time security alerts to notify you about potential threats, from compromised accounts to suspicious credit activity.

Before you make your next online purchase or open your next email, protect what you’ve built — for a fraction of what identity theft could cost you.

Get the 1-year plan now for 50% off

National Debt Relief
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National Debt Relief Benefits
  • No upfront fees4
  • One-on-one evaluation with a Certified Debt Specialist
  • For people with $30,000 in unsecured debts and up
Visit National Debt Relief