Make Money

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

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Last updated Sept. 18, 2025 | 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:

Ohio Driver? Cancel your car insurance

Driving without car insurance is illegal, but if you do this, you’re not actually breaking the law.

This tool can help you see if you’re overpaying for car insurance in just a few clicks. You’d be shocked by the difference. $159 per month is what they wanted to charge me. I thought that was the best price, don’t even look anywhere else. Right? Wrong.

I used this tool and now I’m able to pay just $47 a month for two cars.1Too many insurance companies do this. They push up our rates and make us pay even more. But if you want to try this tool and compare and potentially score same-day savings, here’s what to do:

  1. Click the link below and enter your zip code, date of birth, and phone number.
  2. Answer a few questions about your car’s make and model to get matched with top offers.
  3. Choose the best quote for you and lock it in before rates go up.

Compare rates now and see if you could score same-day savings today!

I can hardly believe I waited so long to do this, but I’m glad I finally did. It only took me two minutes. Super fast. You have to trust me on this. Just try it out.

Ask this company to pay off your 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.

National Debt Relief is designed specifically to help you get out of credit card debt faster, without having to make drastic life changes. With National Debt Relief, you could pay off your credit card debt (with potentially way less interest) in one simple monthly payment.2

How to get National Debt Relief to pay off your debt: Sign up for a free debt assessment here. (Do not skip this step!) By signing up for a free assessment, National Debt Relief can immediately assist you in paying off your debt, but only if you schedule the assessment.

Try it

Set up direct deposit - pocket $300

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

Earn a bonus of $50 or $3003when you open a SoFi Checking and Savings account and make an eligible direct deposit within the first 25 calendar days of the promotional period. Eligible direct deposits totaling $5,000 or more can unlock the $300 bonus.3Easy.

This is practically passive income and 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 could earn up to an insane 4.50% APY4on savings (3.80% APY standard + 0.70% APY boost for six months) on top of the bonus.

Open your account and earn up to a $300 bonus

Access up to $500 without interest or late fees

If you need a few dollars in between paychecks, a little daily cushion can go a long way.

The Cleo app lets you access up to $5005 — and won’t charge you any interest fees to do so. You’ll need to pay it back, but you get to set your own repayment date, giving you up to four weeks to use the cash for whatever you need.

Download Cleo to get started. Then link your bank account and get instant access to features like budgeting and automatic saving.

Now, you do need a paid subscription to use the cash advance feature, which starts at $5.99 a month. But if Cleo can help you avoid costly overdraft fees, it's more than worth it. The best news? There is no credit check, no interest, and no late fees.

Get started with Cleo here

O&O Auto Insurance
  • 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