If You Have More Than $1,000 in Your Checking Account, Make These 8 Moves

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You’ve done it. You’ve built up a little cushion in your bank account — $1,000! It feels good, right? Those days of checking your account balance in a panic are behind you.

Congrats! You’re on the right path. Now it’s time to think about some longer-term goals. What do you want to accomplish next with your money? Do you need to save more? Do you want to buy a home someday? Invest?

What’s the next step to take? What are some specific things you can do to elevate your finances?

We’ve got some ideas for you:

1. Cancel Your Car Insurance

You might not even realize it, but your car insurance company is probably overcharging you. In fact, they’re kind of counting on you not noticing. Luckily, this problem is easy to fix.

Don’t waste your time browsing insurance sites for a better deal. A company called Insurify shows you all your options at once — people who do this save up to $996 per year.

If you tell them a bit about yourself and your vehicle, they’ll send you personalized quotes so you can compare them and find the best one for you.

Tired of overpaying for car insurance? It takes just five minutes to compare your options with Insurify and see how much you could save on car insurance.

2. You Can Become a Real Estate Investor for as Little as $10

Take a look at some of the world’s wealthiest people. What do they have in common? Many invest in large private real estate deals. And here’s the thing: There’s no reason you can’t, too — for as little as $10. 

An investment called the Fundrise Flagship Fund lets you get started in the world of real estate by giving you access to a low-cost, diversified portfolio of private real estate. The best part? You don’t have to be the landlord. The Flagship Fund does all the heavy lifting.

With an initial investment as low as $10, your money will be invested in the Fund, which already owns more than $1 billion worth of real estate around the country, from apartment complexes to the thriving housing rental market to larger last-mile e-commerce logistics centers.

Want to invest more? Many investors choose to invest $1,000 or more. This is a Fund that can fit any type of investor’s needs. Once invested, you can track your performance from your phone and watch as properties are acquired, improved, and operated. As properties generate cash flow, you could earn money through quarterly dividend payments. And over time, you could earn money off the potential appreciation of the properties. 

So if you want to get started in the world of real-estate investing, it takes just a few minutes to sign up and create an account with the Fundrise Flagship Fund.

This is a paid advertisement. Carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fundrise Flagship Fund before investing. This and other information can be found in the Fund’s prospectus. Read them carefully before investing.

3. Invest in Real Estate Without the Volatility — You Only Need $500

You’re not the only one who daydreams about making money in your sleep. Investing in real estate is one of the best ways to earn passive income. The only problem? You need to have lots of money.

Well, you used to…

With a company called Connect Invest, you can get your foot in the door for just $500, investing in what are called short notes. And, if you make your first investment within 40 days of signing up, you can earn a $50 bonus.

Basically, you’re buying the debt that wealthy developers take on to fund their real estate projects — and they have to pay you back, with up to 9% (annualized rate) in interest… while you sleep. 

With Connect Invest, you’ll invest for terms of 6, 12, or 24 months, during which you’ll receive monthly fixed-interest payments between 7.5% and 9% (annualized rate). You could earn a legit passive income with those rates — and it’s way higher than what you’d earn with your savings account!

Connect Invest carefully vets each real estate project and borrower. And don’t worry, all loans are backed by real estate collateral. In the rare event of a default, Connect Invest’s sister company will foreclose on the property with the investors’ approval and sell it to recover your investment. 

It’s super easy to set up your free account and start investing. To earn your $50 bonus, select “Penny Hoarder” as a referral source and apply promo code “PH50.” 

4. This Balance Transfer Card Offers 0% APR For 18 Months

Aiming to ditch high-interest payments and score cash back on everything you buy? Who isn’t, right?

This card makes a balance transfer easy and affordable, plus you can save money on interest while you earn rewards. With a lengthy 0% intro APR on balance transfers until 2026, you’ll get some well-deserved breathing room to pay down balances interest-free. Plus, a $200 cash bonus is waiting for you, and you’ll enjoy 2% cash back on everything you buy — helping you make the most of your everyday spending. 

Here’s what makes this card a win-win:

  • $200 cash back bonus
  • Unlimited 2% cash back 
  • $0 annual fee
  • 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months

5. Get to Work on Your Credit Score

Are you ready for a big purchase but can’t seem to get your credit sorted? Do you know if your payment history is accurate? How about your account balances? Not knowing is probably costing you. If you haven’t looked into identifying and fixing issues on your credit report, you could be literally paying for someone else’s mistakes.

Lexington Law Firm can review your credit report with you and begin the fight if any issues are found. Their attorneys and paralegals can send communications on your behalf to protect you against shady credit reporting processes. 

But don’t take our word for it. Carlos R. from Indiana said working with Lexington Law was a “great and painless experience.” Isn’t it time to ask Lexington Law Firm to review your credit report and fight for you?

Find out what’s going on with your credit with a free credit assessment today.

Get the most out of your spending. Learn more about this balance transfer card today. 

6. Get 4.00% APY and a $30 Bonus With This High-Yield Cash Account

It’s hard not to cringe when you see a bank statement full of fees. And let’s be real: When every dollar matters, why are we paying to keep money in our accounts in the first place?

It’s time for something better.

With Wealthfront, you can forget those annoying bank fees and earn a whopping 4.00% APY through partner banks on your cash — about 10x the national average savings rate. Enjoy unlimited transfers, same-day withdrawals, zero account fees, and no minimum balance requirements to earn 4.00% APY¹. You can use Wealthfront with your favorite payment apps like Apple Pay, Venmo, and Google Pay.

They’ll also give you access to a customizable investment portal so you can start building wealth while focusing on your short- and long-term goals.

Wealthfront isn’t quite a bank, but it works with several FDIC-insured partner banks to give you the convenience and flexibility you expect, minus the sneaky fees and account requirements. The best part? You can get started with Wealthfront with only a $1 opening deposit or snag a $30 bonus² when you deposit $500 or more (terms and conditions apply).³

Join Wealthfront today and make your money work for you— not your bank.

7. Get $25 When You Invest Just $5 With Stash

We all have bills to pay and things to buy. Whether it’s groceries, gas, or your favorite streaming service, wouldn’t it be nice to turn everyday spending into investments?

With Stash, you can. The Stash Stock-Back® Card1 automatically rewards you with stock in the companies you shop with — like Netflix, Amazon, Costco, and McDonald’s. And when you shop at local or privately owned businesses, you’ll earn stock in a default investment of your choice.

Here’s the kicker: Right now, The Penny Hoarder users get $25 in cash when they make their first $5 investment. That’s easy money to jumpstart your portfolio.

Stash has also introduced new tools to make investing even easier. With features like Auto-Stash, you can set aside as little as $1 per day to grow your investments automatically. Plus, Stash Learn gives you access to helpful tips on trending topics like AI-driven stocks and Swift Mania (yes, you can invest in that!).

It only takes a few minutes to sign up, make your first $5 investment, and claim your $25 reward. Start building your future with Stash today.

8. Can You Protect Your Family for Less Than $1 a Day? Yep

Look, no one wants to think about life insurance. But if you’ve been putting it off because it feels overwhelming or expensive, Ladder is here to prove you wrong in the best way possible.

You can apply for term life insurance in just five minutes — seriously. No medical exams*, no messy paperwork, no stress. It’s completely online, so you can handle it from pretty much anywhere that works for you.

The best part? Ladder makes it super flexible. You can tweak your coverage anytime, whether you’re saving money by scaling back or upping your protection when life changes**. And since they use bank-level security, you don’t have to worry about your personal info.

So, what’s stopping you? It’s free to get a price estimate, and Ladder even has an insurance calculator to help you figure out exactly how much coverage you need. Get covered through Ladder today — your future self will thank you.

*Users must meet certain suitability standards pursuant to the Connect Invest II Offering Circular, users must complete their first investment within 40 days of signing up in order to be eligible for the incentive will receive their $50 bonus with their first interest earnings. Past performance does not guarantee future results or success. The material contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to purchase these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

1. Based on the national average interest rate for savings accounts as posted on FDIC.gov, as of July 15, 2024.

2.  Client must maintain $500 by the 30 day mark. See website for details. 

3. Checking features for the Cash Account are subject to identity verification by Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC. Cash account is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC (“Wealthfront Brokerage”;), a Member of FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. We convey funds to partner banks who accept and maintain deposits, provide the interest rate, and provide FDIC insurance. The APY rate listed is as of 09/19/2024 and is subject to change at any time. Fees and Eligibility requirements may apply to certain checking features, please see the Deposit Account Agreement for details. Limits, fees, and exclusions apply. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of money you invest.

Apple, the Apple logo, and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google, Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Please note, Real-Time Payments (RTP) transfers may be limited by destination institutions,daily transaction caps, and by participating entities such as Wells Fargo and the RTP® Network. New Cash Account deposits are subject to a 2-4 day holding period before becoming available for transfer. Wealthfront doesn’t charge for transfers, but receiving institutions may impose an RTP fee.

The Penny Hoarder receives compensation when a reader clicks on the referral link that redirects them to Wealthfront, which creates a conflict of interest. Penny Hoarder’s opinions in this article are their own and are not tied directly to such compensation. The Penny Hoarder and Wealthfront Brokerage, LLC are not associated with one another and have no formal relationship outside of this arrangement.

Paid non-client endorsement. See Apple App Store and Google Play reviews. View important disclosures.

Nothing in this material should be construed as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any security. All investments are subject to risk and may lose value. All product and company names are trademarks ™ or registered ® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

1 Stash Banking services provided by Stride Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. The Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard® is issued by Stride Bank pursuant to license from Mastercard International. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated. Any earned stock rewards will be held in your Stash Invest account. Investment products and services provided by Stash Investments LLC and are Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value. All rewards earned through use of the Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard® will be fulfilled by Stash Investments LLC and are subject to Terms and Conditions. You will bear the standard fees and expenses reflected in the pricing of the investments that you earn, plus fees for various ancillary services charged by Stash. In order to earn stock in the program, the Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard must be used to make a qualifying purchase. Stock rewards that are paid to participating customers via the Stash Stock Back program, are Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value.

*While medical exams are not required for coverage up to $3M, certain health information is required as part of the application to determine eligibility for coverage.

**Coverage can be decreased immediately. Applications to add coverage are subject to underwriting approval.

Ladder Insurance Services, LLC (CA license # OK22568; AR license # 3000140372) distributes term life insurance products issued by multiple insurers – for further details see ladderlife.com. All insurance products are governed by the terms set forth in the applicable insurance policy. Each insurer has financial responsibility for its own products. 250109-4144322 

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