If You Have More Than $1,000 in Your Checking Account, Make These 7 Moves

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. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Get Paid $300 Just for Shopping Like You Already Do

Ready to earn more on every purchase? 

With the Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card, you’ll get an extra 1.5% cash back on all purchases in your first year—up to your first $20,000 spent. That’s up to $300 in bonus cash back just for doing what you already do: shop, dine, travel, and shop some more.

You’ll also earn 6.5% cash back on travel through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstore purchases, and 3% on everything else. And with no annual fee, this card is designed to put more money back in your wallet.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® also has a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers* (regular APR of 19.49%–28.24% applies). It’s the perfect way to pay down debt or make larger purchases without extra pressure.

With millions of satisfied cardmembers and a lineup of benefits like Purchase Protection, Zero Liability, and even Trip Cancellation Insurance, this card is built for both everyday convenience and ultimate peace of mind.

Turn Everyday Spending Into $300 Bonus Cash with Chase Freedom Unlimited®.

**A balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account during the first 15 months that your account is open applies, either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening.

5. Get Paid Up to $140/Month Just for Sharing Your Honest Opinion

If you’re turning blue in the face waiting for a raise at work, it might be time to quit holding your breath and start speaking your mind to someone who wants to listen.

Brands want to hear your opinion to help inform their business decisions on everything from products and services to logos and ads — and they’re willing to pay you up to $140 a month for it.

A free site called Branded Surveys will pay you up to $5 per survey for sharing your thoughts with their brand partners. Taking three quick surveys a day could earn up to $140 each month.

It takes just a minute to create a free account and start getting paid to speak your mind. Most surveys take five to 15 minutes, and you can check how long they’ll take ahead of time. 

And you don’t need to build up tons of money to cash out, either — once you earn $5, you can cash out via PayPal, your bank account, a gift card or Amazon. You’ll get paid within 48 hours of your payout being processed, just for sharing your opinions.

They’ve already paid users more than $20 million since 2012, and the most active users can earn a few hundred dollars a month. Plus, they’ve got an “excellent” rating on Trustpilot.

It takes just a minute to set up your account and start getting paid to take surveys. Plus, right now, you’ll get a free 100-point welcome bonus just for becoming part of the community.

6. 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.

7. Earn Up To 5% Cash Back With This Card

Stop letting your credit card rewards fall flat. If you’re not earning cash back on the purchases you make every day, it’s time for an upgrade.

This card could be the game-changer you’ve been looking for. You’ll earn up to 5% cash back in top categories like groceries, gas, and dining — plus unlimited cash back on everything else. And here’s the kicker: you’ll get an unlimited rewards match your first year. That means every reward you earn gets doubled.

Need some breathing room? This card also comes with a 0% intro APR for 15 months (until 2026), giving you time to manage your finances without getting hit by interest.

Earn more on what you’re already spending and save while you do it. It’s a simple way to take back control of your wallet.

Get rid of your high-interest payments. Learn more about this card today.

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.