5 Things to Do Instead of Borrowing Money from Family

Say what you want about credit card companies, but at least you don’t have to see them at family gatherings. And it doesn’t get weird if you stop communicating with them regularly.

Sure, family members probably won’t charge you interest if you borrow money from them. But things can get awkward quickly — and the person you borrow from will probably want their money back soon, rather than letting you pay a minimum payment every month.

Borrowing money from family and friends is never fun. There are other options. Here’s how to get the money you need without having to borrow it from people you know:

1. Ask This Website to Help Pay Your Credit Card Bills This Month

If you have credit card debt, you know. The anxiety, the interest rates, the fear you’re never going to escape…

And the truth is, your credit card company doesn’t really care. It’s just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates — some up to 36%. But a website called AmOne wants to help.

If you owe your credit card companies $100,000 or less, AmOne will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.

The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmOne rates start at 6.40% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month.

AmOne keeps your information confidential and secure, which is probably why after 20 years in business, it still has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

It takes two minutes to see if you qualify for up to $50,000 online. You do need to give AmOne a real phone number in order to qualify, but don’t worry — they won’t spam you with phone calls.

2. Get Paid Up to $83 Every Time You Win Playing Bingo

We all have our go-to time-killers on our phones. But this one actually gives you the chance to win up to $83 every time you play.

It’s a free app called Bingo Cash, and right now, you could octuple your money — as in 8x — when you play. When you add $10 to your account, Bingo Cash will give you a $5 bonus to use toward tournaments, where you could win up to $83.

You’ll compete against other players at your skill level, all using the same board, and the top three players can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $83.

And no, this isn’t one of those spammy apps. There aren’t even any annoying ads. Over on the App Store, it has over a million downloads and over 15,000 ratings, averaging 4.7 stars (out of 5).

Want to see if you could turn your $10 deposit into $83 in winnings? Just download the free app and start playing your first game immediately.

3. Cancel Your Car Insurance

Here’s the thing: your current car insurance company is probably overcharging you. But don’t waste your time hopping around to different insurance companies looking for a better deal.

Use a website called EverQuote to see all your options at once.

EverQuote is the largest online marketplace for insurance in the US, so you’ll get the top options from more than 175 different carriers handed right to you.

Take a couple of minutes to answer some questions about yourself and your driving record. With this information, EverQuote will be able to give you the top recommendations for car insurance. In just a few minutes, you could save up to $610 a year.

4. Let This Free App Save You $50/Month on Dining Out and Groceries

It’s no secret that things are getting more expensive these days — including food.

But an app called Upside can help you save money every time you dine out or buy groceries. They keep it simple: Spend money at a participating grocery store or restaurant and earn an average of 13% cashback on groceries, or 17% at restaurants. Oh, and that’s real cash, not points.

Here’s how it works: Just download the Upside app and create a free account, then browse the map to find participating restaurants and stores in your area and claim an offer.

Pay for your groceries or meal with a card that’s stored in your Upside wallet, then tap “Check In” or take a picture of your grocery receipt — this will confirm you actually bought groceries or food (dine-in or takeout) at a participating location.

Upside will tally up your cashback earnings. And when you’re ready, you can transfer your funds to a bank account, PayPal account or exchange them for a gift card from brands like Starbucks and Amazon. You’ll get your money in two days or less.

People who use the app regularly save an average of $240 a year on groceries and $160 on dining out. Download the Upside app to get started — it’s completely free, and it works at more than 50,000 businesses, including gas stations.

5. Add $225 to Your Wallet While Watching the News 

If family and money are a volatile mix, politics is an accelerant that could make the whole thing go boom.

Instead of keeping your opinions on the news to yourself, you could make some money and preserve the peace in your family.

You could add up to $225 a month to your pocket by signing up for a free account with Swagbucks. They’ll present you with short surveys to choose from every day, which you can fill out while you watch tonight’s broadcast.

You just have to answer honestly, and Swagbucks will continue to pay you every month. This might sound too good to be true, but it’s already paid its users more than $429 million. We talked to one user in Pennsylvania, 52-year-old Carolinda Hendrickson, who earned $1,200 in a year.

It takes about one minute to sign up, and start getting paid while you watch the news.