Disclosure: We’re letting you know that this post contains sponsored links which The Smart Wallet receives compensation for, which may impact their order of appearance because talking about money should always be an honest discussion.

Let’s face it, everyone can use a little help on their finances. Regardless of what gets shared on your friend’s and family’s social media, no one knows the whole picture but themselves. Some may even be afraid to admit it.

It doesn’t have to get overwhelming though! When you’re ready to buckle down and tackle your finances, we can help.

Especially if you’re currently making less than $60,000 a year.

After taxes, that salary goes down quick but just start small with the money moves below to get back in control.

1. Affordable Car Insurance Exists – Here’s How You Could Save $516

You’re sharing the same roads with a lot of different people. Distracted people, oblivious people, road-rage people, etc. It’s best to cover yourself with insurance when everyone is operating a giant motor vehicle.

And chances are, you’re probably overpaying on your current insurance premium. I know it’s convenient to stick with the same provider because it’s a hassle to deal with finding another. I definitely get it.

However, you can search for quotes easily on EverQuote. They help match you among dozens of regional agencies and insurance carriers to filter the best matches to save on your car insurance.

It takes less than 4 minutes to fill out the form and you’ll see a list of matches that show online quotes, email, and potential phone quotes.

EverQuote can save drivers up to $516 a year compared to their current insurance premiums. Once you see your list of potential matches, choose the online ones you want or wait for more information via email or phone.

It’s a pretty simple process, so try it out to see how much you could be saving on the road!

Average savings in a month: $43

What it could add up to in a year: $516

Save on Car Insurance with EverQuote

2. Fun Times in 3 Minute Increments – Blackjack for $

3 minutes.

Make as many 21s as you can within that time or until you run out of moves.

That’s the basic gist of 21 Blitz, a modern take on Blackjack where you’re no longer just playing against the dealer but with actual people around the world.

It’s fast-paced and it basically does all of the math for you. This game is great for killing time and earning cash all at once.

You can play for free against real people for prizes or switch over to cash games to win…well, cash!Cash game winners can win up to $7,000 or more in the mini-tournament.

Stanley from The Smart Wallet deposited $25 into 21 Blitz and won $120 for his matches!

Not available in AZ, AR, CT, DE, FL, LA, ME, MD, MT, SC, SD, TN, IN

Make 21s to Win Benjamins with 21 Blitz

3. Like a Real Life Daily Quest, Just Leave This App On & Get Paid

This is like a daily quest but you get paid in real life.

Panel App is a loyalty incentive app that will give you points just by leaving the app running in the background.

Because it gives you points on location, go ahead and enable location services. Then just turn the app on before you go about your day and head to school, work, gym wherever.

After testing it we think it’s a great (lazy) app that rewards you for doing almost nothing. If you’re still skeptical, know this:

You don’t have to complete offers

You don’t have to watch ads

You don’t have to buy anything

You don’t have to do anything but leave the app running

We snagged a $5 Amazon gift card via email after a few weeks of just leaving the app on and forgetting about it. You can also choose VISA gift cards, MasterCard gift cards or sweepstakes entries.

Overall, a solid choice for earning a bit of spending money for literally just leaving the app running on your phone!

Get Free Gift Cards with Panel App

4. Free Gift Cards Just for Going Shopping? Yes, please. (Up to $302/Yr)

Go on your normal grocery shopping trips. Scan your receipt after. Get points towards gift cards.

No extra fuss. No digital coupons to pre-select or specific stores to go to.

It’s perfect for the lazy but smart saver.

And it’s called Fetch Rewards, an app where you can scan ANY grocery receipt to get rewards.

Scan receipts from supermarkets, neighborhood corner shops, wholesale clubs, drugstores, convenience stores, and even liquor stores. Unlike other apps, you’re not restricted to specific stores. As long as your receipt has any of the thousands of participating products, you’ll earn points to redeem for gift cards.

You can start redeeming points for rewards with as little as 3,000 points ($3). Grab a 2,000 points bonus ($2!) when you enter this referral code: REWARD before you scan your first receipt.

Welcome bonus: $2

Average savings a month (depends on purchases): $25

What it could add up to in a year: $302

Additional referral earnings: $2 per referral

Scan Grocery Receipts & Save with Fetch

5. Grow Your Savings 2.12% A Year Without Fees

Traditional banks seem to take every opportunity they can to squeeze more money out of you. With everything from a monthly service fee to various hidden fees nibbling away at your account balance.

Enter Varo which was founded to provide a fee-free banking service2. That’s right, Varo has no monthly service fees, no foreign transaction fees, and no ATM withdrawal fees.

On top of having no fees, Varo lets you make more money on your money. Start earning 2.12% Annual Percentage Yield (APY)¹ on your savings and then move up to 2.80% APY¹ based on qualifying activity. To put this into perspective, the average APY of the 5 biggest national banks is 0.09%.*

Varo has a few sweet extra features that are the icing on the cake:

Get your paycheck up to 2 days earlier 4

No minimum balance requirement

Over 55,000+ AllPoint ® ATMs worldwide to use your Varo Visa ® debit card

ATMs worldwide to use your Varo Visa debit card Offers personal loans to pre-qualified customers who want to consolidate debt

Varo will send any paper check to anyone in the U.S. on your behalf

Varo Personal Forecast tracks your spending to manage your cash flow

“Save the Change” rounds up your purchases to the nearest dollar and saves the difference to your Varo savings account

If you’re sick of being charged banking fees and want to make more out of your money, check out Varo. It takes less than 5 minutes to learn more and apply for free.

Start Banking Fee-Free With Varo

6. Protect Your Family – Get $1 Million in Life Insurance for as Little as $8/Month

When you hear “life insurance” the first 2 things that might come to mind are death and finances. Ultimately it’s “I love you” money to your family after you’ve passed away.So for most people, life insurance is logical but the long process could be deterring. Some life insurance companies can take up to 2.5 months for the approval process to complete, including lots of paperwork and a comprehensive medical exam which may not always be necessary. But one company is trying to change all that. Bestow’s mission is to offer affordable term life insurance in under 5 minutes without you having to talk to anyone. No exam needed either. You can get up to $1 million in coverage and they offer 2 years, 10 years and 20 years term options. All of Bestow’s policies are underwritten by North American Company for Life and Health Insurance, who’s been around for over 100 years and holds an A+ (Superior) rating with A.M. Best,a global credit rating agency for insurance companies. In plain English terms, it means your policy is backed by dependable insurance giants who have been serving customers for many years. So if you’re between the ages of 21-55, here’s what they’ll ask: Your basic information (Name, Email, Address, SSN etc)

Some Life questions (medical history, hobbies, lifestyle)

Beneficiaries (who would receive the money after insured’s death)

Policy and payment details (If approved, you choose the monthly payment and enter credit card info) Each policy has a “free look” period (usually 30 days) which means you can cancel if it’s not right for you and get a full refund. And you can easily change your policy at any time based on life events like marriage, job loss, divorce etc. Life insurance talk isn’t fun but Bestow is attempting to make it as easy as possible for people to get covered quickly. Go ahead and see what your rates are in just under 5 minutes. It’s the biggest “I love you” you can give to your loved ones. Get an Affordable Life Insurance Policy with Bestow

7. Compare Prices While Shopping Online (& Get Money Back if You Forget To)

Forgetting to compare prices while shopping online can leave a lot of deals left behind. But there’s an easier way to get compensation if the price every drops. A free tool called Paribus gets you money back on select online purchases even after you’ve bought them. Price changes happen all the time after checkout. And now you can get a refund of the price difference back at online stores that Paribus monitors! (For example, Target, Kohl’s, GAP, Best Buy, Walmart and more.) They do this by checking your inbox for email receipts. (Don’t worry, they don’t open any other email and their tech logic only identifies emails that are receipts.) Once they’ve found a receipt that has at least a $3 price drop, they’ll alert you then contact the retailer on your behalf to get the money or tell you how to get the refund back. Also? If your guaranteed shipment is late from Amazon Prime or Walmart, they’ll help you get compensated! Perfect for the upcoming holiday season when gifts in hand are important. Your savings mileage will vary but Paribus is 100% free to use and all the savings are yours to keep. Your pair of shoes dropped $7? You get $7 back. Check Your Inbox for Free Savings with Paribus

8. You Gotta Eat! Get Up to $240 Cash Back in Grocery Savings

If you’re following nutrition gurus or meal planners on Instagram, you know that your shopping list gets a little longer with each inspiration. I know mine does.

But I don’t feel too guilty though because my shiny things syndrome and basically everything I buy normally, give me a chance of getting cash back.

It’s simple. All you have to do is take a picture of your grocery receipt and Ibotta will pay you cash.

Here’s how it works:

Before you go to the store, search for your shopping list items in the Ibotta app. After your store visit, take a photo of your receipt to get cash back.

Ibotta is free to download and you’ll also get up to $20 in Welcome Bonuses when you sign up!

Some offers we found:

25 cents back on any item

$3 – $5 back on various wine

$2 back on KIND Protein Bars

25 cents – $4 back on ice cream

$2 back on Herbal Essence Haircare

Popular stores are Walmart and Target, but Ibotta also works at restaurants, online shopping sites, and at the bar! On average, active Ibotta users save up to $240 a year or more. What would you do with that extra money?

Welcome Bonus: Up to $20

Average savings a month: $20

What it could add up to in a year: $240

Additional Referral Earnings: $5 per referral

Get Up to $20 Welcome Bonus with Ibotta

9. Save an Extra $840 This Year to Put Towards Debt

Your mountain of debt may seem daunting and unscalable, but the first step is to just chip away at it. Consistently, as well as automating it.

Qoins can help you pay off your debt with just pocket change. (Interesting spelling but it’s an easy pronunciation of “coins” in case you’re wondering!)

Get started on your debt payoff journey:

Connect your account(s) with Qoins (all data is encrypted) Let them know who to pay (they’ll send payments for you) Round Up: All purchases will be rounded up to the nearest dollar and excess change moved into your Qoins account to pay off your debt Smart Savings: Set your Smart Savings level for their algorithm to auto-save for you at a pace you’re comfortable with

Once a month, Qoins will use your auto-savings to send an additional payment on your behalf. On average, members save an extra $70 each month to pay down debt!

You literally set it and forget it. After spending five minutes setting up your Qoins account, the rest is automated.

Qoins is free to try for the first month and then it just costs $1.99 per month after as it’s an invaluable tool to help you pay off debt quicker. If you have a high-interest loan, it can save you serious money over time.

Get Out of Debt with Help from Qoins

10. Forget Donating Your Stuff, Make Money Back Instead

“Does it spark joy?”

If you’ve never read Marie Kondo’s best seller book, perhaps you’ve heard of her Netflix show “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.”

It’s the cause of all those clothes drawer pictures your friends are posting online with captions like “this show changed my life.” Since its release date, it’s sparked a cleaning frenzy with people donating bags and bags to their local center.

The donations have been so abundant that centers like Goodwill are having trouble accepting them due to lack of space!

So if you’re doing a bit of decluttering too, skip dropping off your unwanted items for free, and sell it to make money on the letgo app instead.

letgo lets sellers like you post your items for free. You can sell anything from furniture, electronics, clothing, to even cars and handyman services based on your zip code.

If you’re feeling really generous, there is a free items section too.

Since sellers and buyers are local, there’s no need to waste money on shipping. Just use the platform to securely communicate and meet up at public places to make the transaction!

So while your home is getting tidied up, recoup some of that money back to your wallet by selling your stuff!

Sell Your Stuff For Free with letgo

11. Take a Break – School Competitors in Solitaire and Ca$h In

When you want to take a break from life, check out Solitaire Cube, which is like regular Solitaire, except you get to play for real cash.

Is there a catch? Yes but not really. I tried playing for free when I first started but I realized it would take me forever to get the tickets I need to play for real cash. I gave up and deposited $25 last week and I’ve already won $120.

The game matches you with players of the same skill level, so you have a solid chance of winning. If you’re a good Solitaire player, you could win some serious cash, like Katie Nguyen who took home $380,984 last year as one of the Top 10 Solitaire Cube players!

So if you think you can handle playing some Solitaire Cube to win legit cash, definitely download this game for free. It’s a nice but potentially profitable break from life.

Not available in AZ, AR, CT, DE, FL, LA, ME, MD, MT, SC, SD, TN, IN

Win Real Money with Solitaire Cube

12. Get Lower Interest Rates When You Boost Your Credit Score

Did you know that 1 in 5 consumers* will have an error on their credit report from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion?

Lower credit scores can cause you to pay more in credit card interest so fixing any potential errors is an easy way to give it a boost. That’s why it’s important to check your reports regularly!

You can keep tabs on your credit report by using a free site like Credit Sesame.

They’ll provide a credit report card that shows any unpaid debts or delinquencies so you can easily see the big picture. And, they’ll give you custom recommendations on how to improve your score too.

13. Automate Your Current Savings and Save an Average $1,720 a Year

If you’re part of the 80% of Americans that have some sort of savings but could use a little more help, you’re definitely not alone. The key to saving is automation.

You won’t even notice it but Digit will make it happen.

Just link a checking account and their smart algorithm will determine small but safe amounts to withdraw into your separate FDIC-Insured Digit savings account.

Regular savers will get a 1% bonus every three months, netting you some free money!

It’s the perfect set-it-and-forget-it app where the AI will watch your savings back.

You can withdraw your money at any time you need and it’s free to use for the first 30 days. After, it’s just $2.99 a month.

Average savings in a month (varies): $144 or more

What it could add up to in a year: $1,728 or more

Quarterly bonus: 1% on your total savings amount

Additional Referral Earnings: $5 per referral

Let AI Digit Do The Hard Savings Work for You

14. Earn Money Back for Your Purchases (Here’s $10 to Start)

Everyone buys stuff.

Whether you’re a retail therapy or just-the-basics kinda shopper, feel good about your purchases because you can earn some useful money back for them, no matter what you buy.

So who’s been around for 20 years and have over 12 million members because they know what they’re doing?

Ebates.

We love this cash back site for its simplicity and for the fact that you get cash back for the things you’re already purchasing. It’s pretty close to getting free money!

In fact, they’re giving our readers a $10 welcome bonus to anyone that signs up to be a member.

Membership is free and you earn up to 25% cash back at over 2,500+ stores including Amazon, Walmart, Kohl’s, and Sephora. Plus, you’ll find coupons, free shipping codes, and awesome sales.

No need to fill out any rebate forms or redeem points to get your money. You just earn cash and get paid by check or Paypal.

Ebates has pretty sweet sales that will be hard to find anywhere else too. Be sure to sign up now and grab that $10 welcome bonus. Easy!

Grab a $10 Welcome Bonus Now

15. Grow Your Money in a High-Yield Savings Account that’s 20x Higher than National Average

Over the past year, plain savings accounts have outperformed both the S&P 500 yield and the 10-year US Treasury Bond yield.*

While the average interest rate for savings accounts in the US is fairly low at 0.09%, there are high-yield savings accounts that offer more than 20x higher than the national average!

Just enter your zip code below to see some of the highest yielding saving accounts in the nation right now. Since you’ve figured out how to save money, put it somewhere safe to grow!

16. Most People Forget They Have a Recurring Subscription. Are You Losing Money Too? (Save up to $720/Yr)

They say that 84% of people forget they have a recurring subscription still charging them. In this case, auto-pay isn’t so great.

When you download Truebill, the money management app will display all your current subscriptions (in 2 minutes or less) so you can see it all in one place. Then you can decide which to cancel, and the app will do it for you! Even that pesky gym membership that’s typically so hard to get out of.

With the app, I realized I still had a very niche streaming service that I haven’t touched in about 7 months. (Thanks, free trial subscription…) I immediately canceled it through Truebill and saved $70 from that sub.

Other things that Truebill can help out on? Their team of experts can help lower your monthly bills by negotiating down rates and even getting you back credit on internet or cable outages.

Average savings a month: $60

What it could add up to in a year: $720

Save Money on Unwanted Subs Through Truebill

17. Figure Out What You’re Wasting Money on with This App

Money management can get overwhelming if you’re not used to staying on top of it.

That’s why you need to step back and look at the big picture of things.

You know setting a budget is responsible, but where to even start?

That’s where Clarity Money steps in. As the name implies, it’ll help you see your finances more clearly.

Rather than focusing on the past, (yea I spent 3% more money on dining out last month, now what?), it wants to give users the ability to improve their money spending for the future and make it more meaningful.

It’ll help manage your budget and expenses, cancel unwanted monthly subscriptions, open an online savings account, and also keep you updated on your credit score.

Even better, it’s free to use, so you can stay on top of your budget without having to consult with anyone. Check it out if you want help managing your budget clearly!

Get Free Budget Insights with Clarity Money

18. $20 Sign Up Bonus + Up to 15% Cash Back Stores = Happy Online Shopper (You)

If you don’t buy anything online, then you can skip reading this.

But if you do, you need to know about Affinityy, an online shopping portal, that gives you up to 15% cash back on purchases at thousands of major brands.

You’re basically getting free money since you’re earning cash back to buy things you were already going to buy. Offers include cash back at Target, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Walmart, and much more!

Here’s how it works:

Sign up for free with just your name and email Earn $3 when you download the app and another $3 when you install the browser extension Get a $20 bonus after your first purchase (limited-time offer! Earn $5, $10, and $20 cash bonuses when you shop frequently

As you accrue cash back from purchases, you’ll be able to cash out via PayPal or check.

Affinityy also has one of the best referral programs we’ve seen on their user-friendly site. For every friend you refer, you can earn up to $10!

Earn Cash Back with Affinityy Now

19. Play Games & Boost Your Savings at the Same Time. Win-Win.

It’s okay if you prefer to play video games all day instead of thinking about money since we’ve got the perfect app for you.

Go ahead and download Long Game Savings a savings app that turns saving into a game.

Just play 1 game a day, and you could win cash daily.

Yes, it’s safe. Your money is FDIC-insured up to $250,000 and you can withdraw money at any time.

After setting up your savings account, you’ll be able to play quick games like Spin to Win, Flip Cards, Slot Machines, and more for chances to win money to increase your savings. Eons better than 0.01% interest rate.

It’s like you’re getting paid to save and it only takes less than a minute of your day to play. And there’s no judgment on playing too many games this new year.

Get Paid to Save with Long Game Savings

Bonus: How to Make Sure Your Next Credit Card is Right For You

There’s no magic number to how many credit cards you should have as it depends on how you handle them by keeping up with timely payments.

But if you’re curious, TransUnion and Postconsumers.com reported that the average American carries 3.5 credit cards.

You may have less or more than the average American, but at the very least you should have 2 credit cards. One as your main, and the other for backup.

If it’s time to re-evaluate the cards in your wallet, or if your credit score has changed, the choices could get a little overwhelming as there are around 1 billion credit cards in circulation in the U.S.!*

Make it easier on yourself by using the free resource directory, CreditCards.org that compares credit cards for you.

Where to start? The simplest way is to browse by what’s best for your credit score.

If you have Good Credit (700 and above), you can check out these cards with great sign-up bonuses.

Those with Fair Credit (650-699) can take a look at these popular cards to continue building credit with perks.

And for those with Poor Credit (649 and below), there are plenty of options to help you build up a positive credit history to get you back on track.

You’ll most likely stick with your credit card(s) for a while, so take the time to make sure you like what you’re swiping and fits your needs. A free resource like CreditCards.org will make it easier for you to decide.

*0.09% national average APY: FDIC- https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/resources/rates/#one

*1 in 5 consumers credit report error source: Federal Trade Commission 2013 study

*Paribus compensates us when you sign up for Paribus using the links we provided.

*Clarity Money compensates us when you sign up using the links we provide.

*1 billion credit cards statistic source: CreditCards.org

*Fundrise Disclosure: Redemptions are subject to certain restrictions. See Full Disclosures for more information. The publicly filed offering circulars of the issuers sponsored by Rise Companies Corp. (parent company of Fundrise), not all of which may be currently qualified by the Securities and Exchange Commission, may be found at fundrise.com/oc.