This 12-Day Savings Challenge Is Going Viral By Making People Richer

Not all of us are born to be organizational wizards, but if you want to get ahead with your money, you’ve got to get it under your control. It’s the only way you’ll get any of the big stuff done, such as paying off debt, taking a real vacation, buying a house, or saving for retirement.

We get it, though. Not all of us keep everything neatly filed, color-coded, alphabetized, and prioritized. And you don’t have to be.

Here are some simple things you can do — in less than two weeks — to get your finances under control:

Day 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.

Day 2: The Home Equity Credit Card that Traditional Lenders Don’t Want You to Know About

As a homeowner, sometimes it feels like your options aren’t great when it comes to borrowing credit.

You can either use credit cards that are quick and easy to qualify for but that usually have sky-high interest rates, or, you can go through the long and costly process to originate a lower-interest Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC).

Or, there’s a brand new third option: The Aven Visa® Credit Card is the first card of its kind to offer you a home equity line of credit in the form of a credit card.¹

This cash back rewards card taps into your home equity in exchange for up to 50% lower interest rates compared to traditional credit cards. It takes as fast as 15 minutes to apply and get approved.

Here are some features that set Aven apart from your traditional credit cards and HELOCs:

• 7.99% to 15.49% variable APR²
• 2% unlimited cashback¹
• 7X Points on Hotels and 2X Points on Flights¹: Book stays at the Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, and more through the Aven Travel Portal.
• Access of up to $250,000
• Starting at $0 to get a card, plus no annual fees

So, if you’re a homeowner looking for lower-interest credit payments with cashback rewards, apply and get approved in as fast as 15 minutes for the Aven card — at zero cost to you.

You’ll need to own a property and have a FICO score of at least 640. They recommend FICO > 700 to have the best chance to qualify.¹

Day 3: This Online Bank Account Grows Your Money 10x Faster Than Your Traditional Bank

If you bank at a traditional brick-and-mortar bank, your money probably isn’t growing much (c’mon, 0.40% is basically nothing).¹

But there’s good news: With SoFi Checking and Savings (member FDIC), you stand to gain up to a hefty 4.30% APY on savings when you set up a direct deposit or have $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits and 0.50% APY on checking balances² — savings APY is 10 times more than the national average.¹

Right now, a direct deposit of at least $1K not only sets you up for higher returns but also brings you closer to earning up to a $300 welcome bonus (terms apply).³

You can easily deposit checks via your phone’s camera, transfer funds, and get customer service via chat or phone call. There are no account fees, no monthly fees and no overdraft fees.* And your money is FDIC insured (up to $2M of additional FDIC insurance through the SoFi Insured Deposit Program).⁴

It’s quick and easy to open an account with SoFi Checking and Savings (member FDIC) and watch your money grow faster than ever.

Day 4: Get One Month of Free High-Speed Internet (and Pay as Little as $40/Month After That)

There are some bills you just can’t avoid. For most of us, that includes our internet bill. Your provider knows it’s pretty hard to go without it these days — that’s why so many of us are overpaying.

But with Metro by T-Mobile, you can get high-speed, 5G home internet for as little as *$40 a month. No credit check, no deposit, and they won’t lock you into a contract that hikes up your price after your first year, either.

You’re probably thinking there’s some catch, but they’ll let you try it out for 14 days to see if you like it. If not, you’ll get your money back. You don’t even have to worry about breaking up with your current provider — T-Mobile will pay up to $750 in termination fees.

Even better? When you switch now, get one month free after the rebate and purchase your equipment for just $24.99 (usually $49.99).

Switch to Metro by T-Mobile and get 5G Home Internet from Metro for $40/mo with AutoPay. Just enter your address and phone number here to see if you qualify.

*$40 per month prospective pricing available for new-to-file Metro wireless customers. Both voice and Metro Home Internet plans are required to qualify.

Day 5: See If You’ve Been Paying for Someone Else’s Mistakes

Be generous, but not this generous. If you haven’t looked into spotting and fixing issues on your credit report, you’ve been paying for someone else’s mistake.

Is your payment history accurate? Is your account balance accurate?

Lexington Law Firm can review your credit report with you and help fix most mistakes they find

Their attorneys and paralegals can file disputes on your behalf and protect you against shady credit reporting processes. 

You only need to put a card on file to see how they can help you.

So, if you’re tired of paying for mistakes you don’t even know about, ask Lexington Law Firm to review your credit report and fight for you.

Day 6: Protect Your Household from System & Appliance Breakdowns — and Save BIG!

It’s possible your fridge or HVAC system could turn on you at any moment, and there’s nothing your homeowner’s insurance would do to protect you.

Besides, would you really want to wait on insurance to get around to begrudgingly sending out help?

Choice Home Warranty’s plans deliver rapid response times for household repairs. Service is available 24 hours a day via their app, website, or phone.

A small monthly fee protects your washer, dryer, HVAC system, stove, fridge, and more—things your insurance company won’t. 

And not to keep bashing your awesome homeowner’s insurance, but these home warranty plans cost way less and could save you much more money than insurance.

Choice Home Warranty has protected more than 2 million homes from having to cancel plans or lean on credit cards. With a network of over 25,000 insured technicians, help is never far away.

Learn how you can get a Free Quote. Just take this 30-second quiz to learn how much coverage you need to protect your finances from appliance repairs.

Day 7: Get Paid up to $360/Year With This Free Debit Card

Let’s cut to the chase: If you don’t get cash back on every purchase, you’re overpaying. And who doesn’t like cash back?

We do. The Discover® Cashback Debit account will pay you 1% cash back on up to $3,000 monthly (that’s potentially an extra $360 annually).* There’s no impact on your credit score for signing up and no minimum balance requirements ever.

Need groceries? Tap your card for cash back. Early Pay direct deposit allows you to get paid sooner, protect against overdrafts, and access over 60,000 ATMs without fees. The app allows you to handle all of your banking needs and connect a virtual wallet like Apple Pay to amplify your rewards. Checking account deposits are FDIC-insured up to the maximum amount allowed by law.

Does your bank do all that? If not, open a free Discover checking account to get special treatment from a bank that will actually put money back into your account.

*See website for details.

Day 8: 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.

Day 9: Need a Loan? Get Up to 35K With This Solution

Need a little extra cash? We get it. Home repairs, credit card debt, medical bills — life expenses can really sneak up on you.

But we found a company that can help.

My Lending Wallet offers personal loans from $500 to $35,000, with no minimum credit requirement. You read that right… you don’t need perfect credit to get a loan. But you will be given an APR rate ranging from 5.99% to 35.99% based on your credit history.

While the company will work with any qualifying borrower, its policy of keeping APRs under 36% can help consumers with lower credit scores.

You can choose a repayment period between 61 days and 72 months — whatever works for you. Then, just wait for your confirmation email. Keep in mind that some loan requests require a final confirmation by phone before you’re funded.

My Lending Wallet won’t make you wait in line at the bank, either. If you’re worried you won’t qualify, relax—it’s free to check online and only takes five minutes. You could be on your way to financial relief in no time.

Day 10: Access Up to $750 of Your Paycheck Before Payday

You’re putting in the hours at your job, but waiting to get paid every two weeks means you can’t pay the bills until your paycheck hits. It’s infuriating.

Wouldn’t it be easier if you could get paid as soon as you earned your money? You’d have the financial flexibility to pay bills on time, have gas money for work, and even build an emergency fund.

You can! With an app called EarnIn, you can get early access to your pay. You don’t pay interest and there aren’t any mandatory fees — you can access up to $750 per pay period*.

To get started, simply link your bank account to verify you’re employed with a consistent paycheck, and then you’re good to go. You can transfer up to $100 a day (or up to $750 per pay period) to your linked bank account. When your payday comes, whatever you transferred from EarnIn is automatically repaid, plus optional tips and fees. You won’t be charged any interest, and there are no mandatory fees**.

Over $15 billion in earned wages have been accessed through EarnIn, helping countless hard-working people bridge the gap between pay periods without resorting to debt.

End the paycheck-to-paycheck grind. Download the EarnIn app today and access your hard-earned money when you need it the most.

Day 11: Homeowners: Get Cash In as Little as 3 Weeks — Without Selling or Taking Out a Loan

So you’re a homeowner, and you need money — maybe a lot of money. Many of us are in that same boat these days.

Here’s the thing: If you’ve owned your home, apartment or condo for a while, it’s probably gone up in value. And a company called Hometap can help you tap into it — without selling your home or taking out a loan.

It invests between $15,000 and $600,000 in your home — and gives you a lump sum of money in exchange for a cut of its future value. This can be your primary home, a rental property or vacation home.

You’re not taking out a loan, so there’s no monthly payments. Instead, when you settle your investment, Hometap gets an agreed-upon percentage of the new home value.

You have 10 years to settle, and you can do whatever you want with the money — pay off debt, fix your roof or go back to school. You can have money in-hand in as little as three weeks. After you close on the investment, your funds are wired within a matter of days.

To get started, request a quick online investment estimate to find out if this is a good fit for you and your property. You’ll need a credit score of at least 500 to qualify.

Day 12: Leave Your Family $250K or Much More

We never seem to have enough savings or investments. But there’s one particular way to make up for that shortfall: life insurance.

None of us like to think about what happens to our family if we pass, but this is a smart way to free them from a burden – and give them peace of mind.

With NerdWallet, you can get multiple life insurance quotes all in one place and find a plan that’s probably far more affordable than you think.

You can choose whole life plans if you want to do it once, forget about it, and have coverage for the rest of your life. Or you can pick from term life plans to get even lower rates with coverage that can last a few decades.*

Is it finally time to get covered? It’s easy to get life insurance quotes from NerdWallet to see just how affordable a good policy could be for you.

Disclosures:

*¹Other banks have used access/debit cards as a means of withdrawing money from a home equity line, Aven’s card is unique in that the credit card is the primary source of funds and function. It is the first credit card backed by home equity to publicly launch into the market.

The Aven Card is issued by Coastal Community Bank, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A., Inc. Aven accounts are made by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS #462289 (NMLS Consumer Access Page) For additional information or complaints to Coastal Community Bank, visit www.federalreserveconsumerhelp.gov.

This post was sponsored by Aven. See aven.com/#disclosures for more information.

* SoFi® Checking and Savings (member FDIC):

1. Up to $300 Bonus Tiered Disclosure

New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus when they set up Direct Deposit of at least $1,000 during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period. Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 12/31/24. Full terms at sofi.com/banking. SoFi Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. SoFi members with Direct Deposit can earn 4.30% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the 4.30% APY for savings (including Vaults). Members without Direct Deposit will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 10/8/2024. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.

2. APY disclosures

SoFi members with Direct Deposit or $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 4.30% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Only SoFi members with direct deposit are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 10/8/2024. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.

3. Fee Policy

SoFi’s account fee policy is subject to change at any time.

4. Additional FDIC Insurance

SoFi Bank, N.A. is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $2M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/terms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/receivingbanks.

5. ATM Access

We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.

6. Early Access to Direct Deposit Funds

Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which SoFi receives notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.

7. Overdraft Coverage

Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with direct deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting e(i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage

*EarnIn is a financial technology company, not a bank. Subject to your available earnings, Daily Max and Pay Period Max.Restrictions and/or third-party fees may apply, see EarnIn.com/TOS for details.

**EarnIn does not charge hidden fees for use of its services. EarnIn does not charge interest on Cash Outs. Restrictions and/or third-party fees may apply, see EarnIn.com/TOS for details.

*NerdWallet believes everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And, while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward – and free. 

Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services.