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10 Ways To Supplement Your Income If You’re Barely Scraping By Financially

MAKE MONEY
Last updated Oct. 15, 2024 | By FinanceBuzz Editors
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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:

Ohio Driver? 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.

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 $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

Unlock up to $1,070 value over the next year with this incredible card

There's a credit card that's making waves with its amazing bonus and benefits. The Discover it® Cash Back(Rates and fees) card has no annual fee, and Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. This generous welcome offer and the top-notch cash back rewards provides an estimated $1,070 value in the first year!

The excellent $1,070 first-year value is estimated through the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model based on spending, the welcome bonus, and the annual fee. The actual value will be determined by how much and in which categories you spend, but this card makes racking up valuable rewards easy! Earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate, including gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants. Plus, you'll earn 1% cash back on all other purchases automatically. The welcome offer combined with the up to 5% cash back reward rate could be worth up to 10% cash back!

This card also offers an intro APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then APR 17.74% - 27.74% Variable. To top it all off, the Discover it® Cash Back is accepted by 99% of merchants, and there's no annual fee.

Click here to apply now for the Discover it® Cash Back.

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

Credit card debt is suffocating. It constantly weighs on your mind and controls every choice you make. You can end up emotionally and even physically drained from it. And even though you make regular payments, it feels like you can never make any progress because of the interest.

Accredited Debt Relief is designed specifically to help you get out of credit card debt faster (and for less), without having to make drastic life changes. With Accredited Debt Relief, you could pay off your credit card debt (with potentially way less interest) in one simple monthly payment.

How to get Accredited Debt Relief to lower your debt: Sign up for a free quote here. (Do not skip this step!) By getting a free, no-obligation quote and speaking with a consolidation specialist, they can immediately assist you in paying off your debt and calculating reduced monthly payments. They’ll let you know right away how much you might be able to save … but only if you request a quote.

Try it

Pay no interest until 2026

Imagine getting an introductory 15 months with 0% intro APR on a big purchase or balance transfer (APR then 17.74% - 27.74% 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).

Cardholders get a generous intro APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases (APR then 17.74% - 27.74% Variable) — that means you can cover bills, large purchases, or whatever you need to charge and not pay interest until 2026! 

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 your high interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (APR then 17.74% - 27.74% 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 card is accepted by 99% of merchants, boasts an exceptional cash back rewards rate, and there's no annual fee.

Click here to Apply Now

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 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

Cover your household appliances with 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

Earn $250 toward travel with this incredible card

If you're someone who loves to travel, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card is the perfect companion for your adventures. New cardholders 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.

But that's not all. Every time you use the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card, you can earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases.

The points you earn with this card can be redeemed for statement credits to pay for travel and dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants – including takeout. This means that your dream vacation could be closer than you think, thanks to the rewards you earn from everyday purchases!

So if you're gearing up for your next adventure, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card should be at the top of your wallet.

Annual fee: $0

Click here to apply for the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card now.

Resolve $10,000 or more in 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. It’s even worse when the IRS sends letters threatening wage garnishment and huge fines.

Community 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, Community Tax talks to the IRS directly. They can help you pay off your tax debt faster while potentially reducing what you owe.

See if you can reduce your tax debt

  • You could save up to $600 with some companies
  • Compare dozens of providers in under 5 minutes
  • Fast, free and easy way to shop for insurance
  • Quickly find the perfect rate for you