Make Money

10 Weird Things To Do If You’re Barely Scraping By Financially

Last updated Dec. 30, 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:

Get out of $25,000+ in high interest credit card debt

If you have $25,000+ in credit card debt, paying the bill each month is anxiety-inducing, and sometimes close to impossible.

The problem is the interest you pay: $25,000 in credit card debt at 25% APR might cost you $520.83 every single month in interest alone. But if that rate was just 6.74% APR (possible through this lender network we found), you’d only pay $140.42 in interest.

That’s over $350 a month you’d get to keep for yourself in this scenario! This company can match you with options just like this that could help you pay off high interest debt quickly. You don’t even need a perfect credit score and checking options won’t affect your credit.

They have a 4.5/5 rating on TrustPilot with 15,000+ reviews, and you can see your options in minutes. If you’re feeling suffocated by debt, click below and find a match today.

See if your $25,000+ credit card debt is eligible for options with LendingTree

Lock in up to an 90% discount on weight loss meds today

If you’re finally ready to lose weight, a personalized GLP program could help you reach your goal faster — and this company we found called FuturHealth gets them to you 90% cheaper!1 That means you could save $1,000s on this life-changing medication.

It might sound crazy, but MyStart is a trusted company that operates on a cash-only basis and does NOT accept insurance. (You can still pay via credit card.) It’s how they can slash up to 90% off the typical cost of popular GLP-1 medications.

Here’s how you could save $1,000s on weight loss meds starting today:
  1. Answer a few questions here to see if you’re eligible.
  2. Meet a U.S.-based clinician to discuss your prescription options.
  3. Receive your authorized prescription with free 2-day delivery.

The price of GLP-1s can be as high as $1,349 per month. But with FuturHealth, the cost of medication and ongoing care can be as low as $125 per month when paid in full.

Get started here for just over $4 per day

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.2Too 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.

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 2025 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.3

Choose a plan from Choice Home Warranty here and lock in 2025 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.

Pay no interest into 2027

Imagine getting an introductory 15 months with 0% intro APR on a big purchase or balance transfer (APR then 17.74% - 26.74% Variable *Rates as of December 15, 2025). Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with one of the industry-leading low-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% - 26.74% Variable *Rates as of December 15, 2025) — that means you can cover bills, large purchases, or whatever you need to charge and not pay interest into 2027! 

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% - 26.74% Variable *Rates as of December 15, 2025). 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 (according to the February 2025 issue of the Nilson Report), boasts an exceptional cash back rewards rate, and there's no annual fee.

Click here to Apply Now

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.4

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 could immediately assist you in paying off your debt, but only if you schedule the assessment.

Try it

Amazon Prime members: get a $250 Amazon Gift Card!

If you're an Amazon Prime member, apply for the Prime Visa(Rates and fees) credit card here and you can get a $250 Amazon Gift Card instantly loaded into your Amazon account's Gift Card Balance upon approval (get an instant decision within 15 seconds).5

There is no extra work or spending requirement and no annual fee! 

The Prime Visa credit card also lets you earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.

If you spend a good amount on Amazon this card could be worth $100s in cash back every year.  Don't delay — apply today! 

Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.

Click here to apply for the Prime Visa credit card today and get an instant decision in 15 seconds

Turn your home’s value into extra cash

If you want to pay a large expense now, like a home improvement project or credit card debt, you may have considered using your home equity as leverage to borrow a large sum of money.

But with interest rates rising in recent years, a cash-out refinance or home equity loan may not make financial sense.

Here’s a potential solution: Get a home equity line of credit (HELOC) instead.

Using LendingTree’s simple HELOC matching tool6 (yes, the company from the commercials), you can compare rates and see what works for you.

How a home equity line of credit is different: Your line of credit acts similar to a credit card, where you can withdraw funds when you need them, and you’re only responsible for minimum monthly payments for what’s called the “draw period,” which is usually 10 years. After this borrowing period ends, you pay off the rest of your balance during an extended repayment period, which is usually 20 years.

Plus, as a revolving line of credit, rates are usually variable, so you won’t be locked into a fixed rate if they ever go lower.

To get started:

  1. Check out LendingTree’s HELOC matching tool.
  2. Answer a few questions.
  3. Be matched with personalized offers for you.

Visit LendingTree

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:

  • Restaurants (save up to $450 per year!)
  • Meal deliveries
  • Airfare, Hotels, Cruises and Rental Cars
  • Eyeglasses and even prescriptions that aren’t covered by insurance

Plus you’ll also get insider info on social security, job listings, caregiving, and retirement planning.

How to become a member today:

  • Click the link below, select your free gift, and click “Join Today”
  • Create your account (important!) by answering a few simple questions
  • Start enjoying your discounts and perks!

Get 25% off your AARP membership, making it just $15 the first year with auto-renewal

Get up to $600,000 from your home (no monthly payments ever)

This is really cool. If you own a home and want to take equity out (to pay down debt or fund home renovations, for example) you can — but usually, you have to make payments each month. This company gets rid of that.

It sounds crazy, but it’s called Point, and it lets you take money out of your home right now without making monthly payments.7It's called a home equity investment (HEI), and it’s a partnership with you and Point where you get money now in return for a portion of your home’s future appreciation in value.

Point can give you access to up to $600,000, but you can take what you need based on what you qualify for. You can also leave the partnership at any time by buying back your equity. To get started, go to their website, enter your address, and put in the amount you need. It’s incredible.

Enter your address here to get started

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