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

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Last updated Oct. 6, 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:

Ask this company to pay off your 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?

National Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $30,000 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 program payment.

Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is settled, 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!1

Try National Debt Relief


Did You Know?
On average, debt settlement saves clients around 32% of their enrolled debt after fees, according to a 2023 study by the Association for Consumer Debt Relief. The consultation costs nothing. People who enroll and complete the program could be debt-free in 24 to 48 months.
Sources: Association for Consumer Debt Relief (2023)

Set up direct deposit - pocket up to $500

If you aren't banking with Bank of America, you could be missing out on a huge boost of extra cash just by following a few simple steps.

New checking customers only: Get a cash offer up to $500 when you open a new eligible Bank of America Advantage Banking account through this page and set up and receive Qualifying Direct Deposits into your new account within 90 days of account opening. Your cash bonus amount will be based on the total amount of your qualifying direct deposits received in the first 90 days. Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking® for Family Banking accounts are not eligible for this offer. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.

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.

Open your account and get a cash offer up to $500

Access up to $150 per day of your paycheck

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

With the EarnIn app you can access up to $150 per day of your paycheck and with a max of $1,000 per pay period.2

Yes, you read that correctly. You have the option to access your pay as you work and not have EarnIn charge you at all.

You even have the option to access the money within minutes for a small fee.3

The best news? There is no credit check, no interest, no late fees – ever.

How to get started:

  1. Visit EarnIn and create an account.
  2. Link your bank and employment info.
  3. EarnIn will verify your paycheck and you’re all set!

Get started with EarnIn here

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