There are all sorts of reasons to take advantage of the many ways to get free baby stuff — especially with the recent high prices of just about everything and not to mention the recent baby formula shortage across the nation!

Whatever may be the case for you, here is our latest list of all the different ways to score free baby stuff.

1. Get Free Formula

With the recent news of a national baby formula shortage, we will start here.

Now, while breastfeeding of course offers the cheapest way to feed milk to your baby, it’s not always doable or desireable for everyone.

Here are some ways you can get free formula for your baby.

Similac Strong Moms Rewards

When you join Similac’s Strong Moms Rewards program, you can get up to $400 in gifts and savings. It’s free to join, and you’ll get access to an abundance of useful information for raising your baby.

And Similac customizes your free gifts and rewards to your individual needs and situation.

Enfamil Family Beginnings

The Enfamil Family Beginnings program also rewards you with up to $400 in free gifts. Some of those gifts and rewards include free formula samples, discount coupons and product offers.

When you sign up for the program, they’ll ask questions about you and your baby. Those questions help Enfamil to tailor their rewards to your individual situation. And yes; it’s free to join!

Nestle Baby Club

Nestle also has a baby formula product, and a club membership you can join for free. When you join you’ll get expert advice on child-rearing, and a welcome kit from Nestle.

2. Get Free Diapers

Anyone who’s ever used diapers or went shopping for diapers knows that they’re very expensive. The average family will spend $70 to $80 a month per child on diapers until they’re potty trained.

Fortunately, there are some ways to get free diapers for the babies in your life.

The Honest Company

The Honest Company is a company that focuses on selling chemical free, quality products. They sell baby products, beauty products, vitamins and more.

The company also offers a diaper subscription service, and you can get free and discounted diapers when you sign up.

Also, always check for a coupon code using the Honey app, a free app that will apply the best coupon at checkout.

The Huggies Rewards Program

The Huggies Rewards Program helps you earn free diapers by earning points that can help you save up to $100 in diapers. For each Huggies purchase you make, you get a certain number of points.

You can use those points to get free diapers or other items. When you go to redeem your points, just choose a gift card option. The rewards program has gift cards to Walmart, Target and other stores that sell diapers.

Note: Huggies partners with Fetch (using the Fetch app) for their rewards program.

The Pampers Gifts to Grow Rewards Program

The Pampers Gifts to Grow Rewards Program gives rewards points to members as well. For every Pampers purchase you make you earn rewards points.

You can use your rewards points to get coupons for discounts on diapers or other rewards too. Other rewards include charitable donations, gift cards to stores, and toys and other items.

The National Diaper Bank Network

The National Diaper Bank Network is an organization that distributes free diapers for needy parents. The NDBN ships the diapers to local charitable organizations around the country.

Those local organizations are then responsible for handing out the diapers as they see a need. To find free diapers for those in need in your area, go to the NDBN website.

3. Register for Baby Gifts

When you register for your baby at certain stores, they’ll often give you a welcome kit. The welcome kit will include a variety of free samples and free products. Many times you’ll get free money in the form of discount coupons for baby products as well.

Walmart, Target and Amazon are arguably the most popular places for registering for your baby. Here is some information about each of the “big three” baby registries.

Amazon

When you register on Amazon for your baby, you get a free welcome box full of baby stuff. You also get a chance to win $2,500 worth of baby items. That’s a lot of free stuff! Some of the other benefits of registering with Amazon include:

• A surprise box of items for parents and baby valued up to $35
• Enjoy a 10% completion discount on items left on your registry (Prime members receive 15% off)
• Universal registry that allows you to add registry items from other sites
• Free 365-day returns

And with the biggest selection of baby items, Amazon offers some great reasons to register.

Related: How to Earn Free Amazon Gift Cards

Walmart

Every person that registers with Walmart Baby Registry gets a free Welcome Box for their baby. Your welcome box might include diapers, formula or other stage-appropriate baby items.

Other benefits of registering your baby with Walmart include:

• Free returns on everything
• The Walmart Price Match Guarantee (if you find a lower price on a baby item on your registry, they’ll match it)
• Access to the Walmart registry app, which allows you to work your registry anywhere there’s Internet access available

One benefit to registering at a brick-and-mortar store like Walmart is that you can choose your items in person. Registering online is convenient, but some prefer to see items in person before they choose.

Also, stores like Walmart and Target have thousands of store locations throughout the U.S. If you’ve got loved ones that don’t like to shop online, this could be the way to go.

Target

The Target Baby Registry has one of the most popular baby registries around. Here’s what you can expect with the Target Registry:

• Free welcome kit valued at over $100
• A 15% discount on everything left on your registry after the big day
• One year of exclusive deals and coupons
• Group gifting capabilities for when people want to go in together on something

Also, Target has universal registry capabilities too. That means you can add items from other websites to your Target baby registry.

With all of the available benefits, why not register at all three places and potentially get three welcome kits?

Or, if the above “big three” aren’t enough, there are other stores you can register at as well. Some other places you can register for your baby include:

• Buy Buy Baby
• Pottery Barn Kids (free nursery design consultation)
• Crate and Barrel (no free stuff with this one, but you do get a 10% discount)

Baby registry programs are hugely beneficial to those who want free baby stuff. Check out websites or store locations near you for more information.

4. Register with Baby Care Companies

Many companies have membership programs that allow you to qualify for free samples of care items. The free samples they offer vary based on the company you sign up with. Here are a few suggestions.

Gerber

Gerber, the maker of Gerber baby foods and other items, has a program called My Gerber. When you register, you get free samples of baby foods, baby cereals and more.

Depending on the promos that are running when you sign up, you could get free bibs or other items too. Go to the MyGerber website to register; it’s free!

Johnson and Johnson

You know Johnson and Johnson, the makers of baby shampoos and more, right? When you sign up for their Care Club Rewards Program, they’ll send you discounts and coupons.

Bonus: You’ll also get trusted advice through parenting and baby articles they send.

5. Get Free Baby Shoes, Clothing and More

There are several companies that will send you free NEW baby clothing items when you use the Money Peach code. Here are some cool freebies.

Free Baby Leggings

If you go to the Baby Leggings website, you can get 5 free pairs of baby leggings! You’ll only need to pay for shipping.

Just go to the Baby Leggings website. Add five pairs of leggings to your cart (totaling $50). Enter the discount code Moneypeach1. You’ll get $50 off your order and pay for shipping only!

Free Nursing Pillow

Nursing pillows are wonderful for helping you keep comfy as you nurse your baby. With this special offer from Money Peach and the Nursing Pillow company, you can get $40 off at checkout.

Just shop and enter the discount code Moneypeach1, and your $40 discount will be applied at checkout.

Free Baby Moccasins

The Little Wanderers company sells the most adorable baby moccasins. And with your Money Peach discount code, you can get one $60 off at checkout!

Just enter Moneypeach1 at checkout and the discount will automatically be applied.

6. Get Free Baby Shower Supplies

Looking for free baby shower supplies? Here are some of the supplies you may have forgotten about.

Free Thank You Cards

If you’re having a baby shower, or just want thank you notes to have on hand to send, look no further. Homemade Gifts Made Easy has free printable thank you cards. 

Free Baby Shower Invitations

Greetings Island has a few free, downloadable, printable baby shower invitations on their site. Just go to the site via the link above, choose your design, customize it, download and print.

7. Get Other Free Baby Goodies

Here are some other freebies you may be able to take advantage of. Of course it depends on where you live, as each company resides in different areas. But they could be worth checking out!

Free Gymboree Class Pass

Gymboree, the cute kids’ clothing store, holds baby/parent classes at many locations. The classes are geared toward children aged 0 to 5.

They provide fun music and play interaction between babies (or toddlers) and their parents. Click here to get access to a free pass for one Gymboree class.

Free Baby Sign Language Chart

Interested in teaching your baby sign language? Many people swear by sign language as a great way to communicate with your baby.

The Tiny Signs website has this free printable chart that shows you how to do common baby signs. It also includes tips on getting started with signing, and online video instructions.

Free Product Coupons From Babyganics

Babyganics sells baby products that are made with wholesome ingredients. Some of the items they make include sunscreen, baby wash and detergent.

When you visit the customer service website, you can ask for free money-saving coupons for their products.

Babyganics products are sold at Amazon, Walgreens, Publix, Kroger, Target and more.

8. Check with Family and Friends

Another way to get free baby stuff is to check with family and friends whose babies are getting bigger. Lots of families that are done having babies are happy to give away clothes and other items.

Don’t feel comfortable asking? Be a bit passive and send out a note on Facebook asking if anyone has any baby items they’d like to give away.

Or, ask if they’d be willing to trade baby items for something you have at your house that you no longer want. You could also trade and get free baby stuff for services such as house cleaning or babysitting.

You might be surprised at how many people you know that will eagerly give you free baby stuff just so they can declutter a bit.

9. Check out Local Garage Sales

Garage sales that feature baby stuff often have a box or separate area designated for free stuff. The free stuff might be a little worn or have a stain or two (that can be removed with Shout).

Another option is to hit garage sales on their last day or within the last few hours. Sellers are usually super eager to get rid of stuff at that point. Therefore they’ll be more likely to give stuff away so they don’t have to haul it to the thrift store.

10. Check Craigslist

Craigslist (and other similar sites like Craigslist) have free sections on their websites. Those free sections often include listings for free baby stuff.

You might find smaller items such as baby clothes on the free page. I’ve also seen larger items such as cribs (in great shape, too) and toys on the Craigslist free page.

Why would someone give away such valuable items for free? Some people just want it gone. Others want to do good and be a blessing to others. Either way, you can benefit from these free baby items when you find a good deal.

Check the sites often because you never know what might pop up.

11.  Look on Facebook Marketplace for Baby Freebies

Have you ever shopped on your local Facebook Marketplace site? If so, you may have noticed that there’s a box on the left sidebar. It says “Only show free listings”.

If you check that box and then check “Family” under categories, you’ll see some subcategories. Check the “baby and kids” subcategory and you’ll get a list of all of the free baby stuff on Facebook.

When I checked in my large metropolitan area, there were dozens of baby items people were giving away. And many of the items were in great shape. Some of the things they had for free on my Facebook Marketplace site included:

• A stroller
• An infant swing
• Onesies
• Baby toys
• Baby shoes
• New, unopened infant formula
• Breast pump parts

And more. I’d highly recommend looking on your local Facebook Marketplace site to see what you can find.

12. Earn Money to Get Free Baby Stuff

If all else fails, you can always earn a little cash to get free baby stuff. There are several ways to earn money right from home that can get you free gift cards. You can use the gift cards to buy baby stuff such as diapers, formula, clothes and more.

Check out these options for earning rewards points that will get you cash or free gift cards.

Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a company that will give you free gift cards you can use to get baby stuff. After you join (it’s free) you might get asked to participate in some surveys if you qualify.

Or you might be asked to join a focus group to try out new products. For each survey, product test or focus group you participate in, you’ll earn rewards points.

You can redeem your points for e-gift cards or for a deposit to your Paypal account. Then you can use your gift cards or cash to get free baby stuff. And, you’re influencing tomorrow’s consumer products at the same time.

Inbox Dollars

Inbox Dollars pays people like you for giving their opinion on products and services. They’ll pay you for taking surveys, watching TV and videos, shopping and more.

If you sign up at the right time, they’ll even give you a sign-up bonus. After you’ve earned a certain number of points, you can trade your points in.

Payment options include merchant e-gift cards to stores like Amazon and Target. Or, you can request to be sent a check.

You can use the check or the e-gift card to get free baby stuff for your baby.

Swagbucks

Swagbucks pays you points for doing simple tasks such as playing video games, taking surveys and more.

You can also earn points by searching the Net or shopping online. One of the cool things about Swagbucks is that most activities only take a few minutes.

This means you can earn points while you’re sitting on the couch watching TV. Or while you’re at the dentist office waiting for your appointment.

With the points you earn you can get gift cards to Amazon, prepaid Visa cards or Paypal deposits. Then you can use your money to get free baby items. Too good to be true? Swagbucks has paid out over 260 million dollars in gift cards and  Paypal deposits to date.

As you can see, there are several ways you can get free stuff for your baby. And with the variety of free baby stuff out there, you could significantly cut your child-rearing costs.

Doing so means you can keep more of your money for other stuff such as early retirement or debt freedom.

Or, you could save it for your child’s college degree. I’m sure there are dozens of financial goals you have that could benefit from some extra cash.

Bonus: Renting Baby Gear?

Did you know there is an entire online marketplace that allows you to rent baby gear?

BabyQuip behaves just like Airbnb, except instead of renting out a room, it’s renting out baby equipment and gear.

In fact, right now BabyQuip is the #1 baby equipment rental service and marketplace serving over 900 cities across the United States and Canada!

So, whether you’re traveling and need to rent gear or maybe you would like to generate extra income each month, BabyQuip may be exactly what you are looking for.

Summary

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to get free baby stuff and save hundreds of dollars each month by just knowing where to look. Whether you’re looking for diapers, formula, or baby equipment — there are plenty of options out there to choose from.

Have you ever tried any of these above? Are we missing anything?

Drop us a comment below and let us know!

Need to cash a check quickly and you either don’t have a bank account or your bank is closed and you need to find somewhere that is open?

The good news is there is definitely a place near you where you can cash a check quickly. From 24-hour check cashing places, grocery stores, and local banks and credit unions, we have you covered.

Next time cash or deposit your check at the bank, earn 7x More than the National Average Rate when you open a CIT Savings Builder account and deposit $100 per month…or you can go to a mega bank and earn and earn 0.01% APR.

And whether you’re cashing a money order, tax refund checks, or maybe even a personal check from a recent side hustle, we will show you where to go, how to do it, and even the check cashing fees you can expect.

Let’s start with the places that are open 24/7.

24 Hour Check Cashing Stores

There are thousands of check cashing stores around the U.S. and the world. Most are not open 24 hours, however some are.

Here is a list of three check cashing stores that have some locations which are always open.

1. PLS Transportation Services and Check Cashing

PLS Transportation Services and Check Cashing offers checking cashing and other financial services.

They’re open 24 hours a day and have locations in 12 states, including:

• Arizona
• California
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Texas
• Wisconsin

If you live near a PLS location you can cash your checks any time; day or night. They’ll cash paychecks, a personal check, government checks and others.

Fees: The fee PLS will charge depends on the location. Most locations charge $1 plus 1 percent of the  check amount.

For example, if the check is for $500, then you can expect your check cashing fees to be $1 plus $5 (1 percent) for a total of $6 in fees.

Note: PLS also offers notary services and fax services too.

2. Speedy Cash

Speedy Cash is a check cashing and payday loan store that will cash nearly all types of checks. They’ll cash payroll checks, government checks, a personal check, and even student loan checks.

They also cash settlement checks, insurance checks, money orders and other checks.

Speedy Cash has locations throughout the United States. Most, but not all locations are open 24 hours.

Also, keep in mind check cashing stores like Speedy Cash are fine for check cashing but do not use them for anything else.

Payday loans, title loans, or any of these other type of places are known as predatory lenders. In fact, they are actually illegal in some states!

You can see the predatory lender rates across the United States and you will be shocked to see these lenders charge over 600% interest in states like Texas!

Compare that to credit cards with an average of 17% APR.

Fees: They charge you a minimum of $2 to cash your check.

3. Community Financial Service Center

Community Financial Service Center has over 187 locations in the U.S as of April 2022. They’ll cash a variety of check types, including:

• Payroll checks
• Checks issued from government
• Social security checks
• Benefit checks
• Income tax refund checks
• And others types of checks

Fees for check cashing vary by location.

Check limits also vary by location. Also, not all Community Financial Service Center locations are open 24 hours. Contact a location near you for their business hours.

Next, we’ll talk about some grocery store companies that offer check cashing.

Grocery Stores That Will Cash Personal Checks

There are a few grocery stores that will cash personal checks or any other type of checks 24 hours a day. Note that not all locations of all grocery stores are open 24 hours.

4. Walmart

Nearly all Walmart locations have check cashing counters. Many times the check cashing counters are open when the store is open. In other words, if the store is open 24 hours, so is the check cashing counter.

However, some Walmart stores close their check cashing service during overnight hours. If this is happens, simply ask if their cashiers do check cashing.

This is so the registers aren’t drained of funds needed for giving customers change.

Walmart will cash many different types of checks. They’ll often cash:

• Payroll checks
• Govt checks
• 401k checks
• Cashier’s checks
• Settlement checks
• And more

You can even cash money orders there if they were purchased at Walmart.

Fees: Most Walmart locations charge between $3 and $6 to cash a check. This fee may vary by location.

Note: There may be lower check cashing limits at the cash register.

5. WinCo Foods

WinCo Foods is a large grocery chain in the Western United States. You can find a WinCo Foods store in the western United States, in Oklahoma and in Texas.

However, WinCo will only cash payroll checks up to $1,000 per person. They will also accept up to two payroll checks within the same week. Your payroll checks must also be machine printed to be cashed at WinCo.

Fees: They’ll charge between $5 and $10 to cash a check depending on the amount. 

6. Tops Friendly Market

Tops Friendly Market has 150 locations in NY, PA and VT . They offer check cashing services for government checks and payroll checks only.

Fees for check cashing are minimal at Tops – only $1 per cashed check. However, they have lower check cashing limits too – often maxing out at $500. 

Note: Tops Friendly Markets are open 24 hours. Check with a location near you to make sure before going in.

Local Banks and Credit Unions

Sometimes the easiest place to cash a check is at a local bank or a credit union. Most often, the smaller banks and credit unions are willing to work with you when a larger national bank may not want to issue you a bank account.

7. Local Credit Union

Your local credit union will often be your best bet when it comes to cashing a check. They are much easier and flexible to work with. Since a credit union has members instead of customers, this translates to lower fees on things like check cashing services.

Also, if you are looking to open a checking account and have been turned down by one of the larger banks, visit a local credit union instead.

8. The Bank that Issued the Check

If you have your check in hand, look at the bottom left corner of the check and you should see the name of the issuing bank where the check orignated from.

If the bank has a local branch in your area, you should definitely go there and cash the the check.

One of the benefits of visiting the local bank that isused the check is they have the ability to verify the funds before cashing the check.

ATM Machines at Banks

If you need to cash a check after hours, you’ll have the best luck at a 24-hour ATM.  There are a few check cashing stores and grocery stores open 24 hours. However, there are many banks that have 24 hour access to ATMs.

Now, technically you don’t have the ability to cash checks when you use an ATM. However, you can still turn that check into cash while using the ATM.

Simply deposit the check into the ATM. Then, once the check is received you are simply making a withdrawal, which is a roundabout way to cash a personal check or any check for that matter.

Keep in mind, you will need an account at the bank that owns the ATM to use this method. If you don’t have a bank account there, your bank could also be a partner with the bank that owns the ATM.

If you don’t have a bank account there, you can open one to have access to 24 ATMs and get your checks cashed. Remember, you’ll pay much lower fees when using a local credit union or local bank verus a large national bank.

Note: Not all banks offer immediate withdrawals from ATM deposits.

9. Wells Fargo

If you would rather go with a larger national bank to cash checks, then Wells Fargo has branch locations throughout the United States. In fact, they’ve got over 8,000 branch locations and over 13,000 ATM machines worldwide.

As a Wells Fargo customer, you get instant access to cash checks with any of the following:

• Payroll checks
• Govt checks
• Personal checks
• Cashier’s checks

The amount you can withdraw right away may depend on the bank’s ATM settings. Contact your bank’s customer service center to adjust your ATM limits.

10. U.S. Bank

U.S. Bank is another big bank that has 24 hour ATM access at many locations. They have over 3,000 locations in the U.S.

Their ATMs typically allow customers to cash a personal check, govt check, payroll check, and cashier’s checks.

One added convenience with US Bank is the partnership they have with many local credit unions. This gives fee-free access for many credit union members at any US Bank ATM.

Note that U.S Bank ATM machines are set to only accept deposits of 30 checks at one time.

11. Bank of America

Bank of America has numerous of locations all over the world. In fact, they have over 4,000 branch locations and over 15,000 ATMs worldwide.

To cash a personal check at a Bank of America ATM, the check must be printed with magnetic ink. In other words, an ATM will not accept a check if printed from home.

Home-printed checks can only be cashed inside the bank, and they may put a hold on your check.

Note: You can deposit up to 10 checks at a time at Bank of America ATMs.

 12. Citibank

Citibank has bank ATM locations in the U.S. and around the world. There are over 700 branch locations in the U.S. and there are thousands of other locations around the world.

You can cash the following at Citibank:

• Govt checks
• Payroll checks
• Personal checks
• Cashier’s checks

Note: You must to have a Citibank account to use their ATMs to cash checks.

13. Chase Bank

Chase Bank was founded in 2000. Well, technically its parent companies have been around a lot longer than that. Chase Bank is actually the offspring of Chase Manhattan Bank and J.P Morgan & Co.  

Chase Bank has grown rapidly, with over 5,000 branches and 16,000 ATMs around the world. As far as choosing Chase Bank to cash checks, you can cash the following:

• Govt checks
• Payroll checks
• Personal checks
• Cashier’s checks there.

Their ATMs may let you cash other types of checks too. There is also a max of 30 checks that can be deposited via ATM at once.

Note: The amount you can withdraw will be based on your account settings.

14. Capital One 

Capital One has bank locations throughout the U.S. – over 700 in fact. The Capital One 360 account is a high-interest paying, no fee account. Capital One account holders get other special benefits too, like unique privelages when it comes time to cash checks.

If you’re an account owner you can cash personal checks, payroll, government, and more. For more information on the check cashing services along with the unique privelages, contact Capital One directly or visity their website.

15. TD Bank

There are over 1,100 TD Bank locations in the U.S. situated on the Eastern half of the country. They operate in 15 states and in Washington D.C. Their website tagline says they’re “America’s Most Convenient Bank”.

If you have an account at TD Bank you can cash a personal check, government checks, payroll checks and more. You can also deposit up to 30 checks at one time using a TD Bank ATM.

16. Citizens Bank

Citizens Bank operates over 1,000 branch locations and 3,100 ATMs in 11 U.S. states. You can find a Citizens Bank all over the northeastern U.S., Michigan and Ohio.

Whether you need to cash a personal check, a tax refund check or any other type of check, Citizens Bank will do it for you with a flat fee of $7 for non-customers.

17. Fifth Third Bank

If you live in the Southeastern U.S. or the Midwest, you may have heard of Fifth Third Bank. They have over 1,100 locations in states including Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee and more.

If you have an account there you can cash personal checks, government checks, payroll checks and others. Their are over 2,400 ATM machines might vary on settings for cash back amounts.

Fifth Third Bank charges 1% of the check amount with a $4 minimum and $25 maximum fee.

18. SunTrust Bank

SunTrust Bank was founded way back in 1891. They have over 1,200 bank locations and over 2,100 ATM machines in the U.S.

They operate primarily in the Southeastern U.S. including Washington D.C. If you’re a SunTrust account holder you can use the ATM to cash payroll checks, government checks and more.

Individual bank account rules apply when it comes to cashing checks at a SunTrust ATM.

19. M&T Bank

M&T Bank operates in eight U.S. States including New York, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia and more. They have branches in Washington D.C. as well.

There are over 1,000 branch locations in the U.S. If you’re an M&T customer you can cash government checks, payroll checks and more at their ATMs.

Fun fact: M&T Bank was founded in 1856. They must be doing something right.

20. Valley National Bank

Valley National Bank was founded in 1927 and serves New Jersey, New York, Florida and Alabama. If you have a Valley National Bank account, you can use their ATM to cash payroll, government and other checks.

Note: Check depositing and withdrawal limits can vary based on branch locations.

Open a Bank Account

As you know by now, your problem of looking for somewhere to cash a personal check near me is quickly solved by opening a bank account in your local area.

Your best bet is going to be a local credit union. If you’ve struggled opening an account in the past, a local credit union will be the most likely place to work with you to help you open an account.

Also, when you have access to a local credit union, you will have the ability to get cash immediately when cashing personal checks or any other type of check for that matter.

Local credit unions will also have very low monthly checking account fees and the ability for you to make a mobile check deposit..

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re looking to cash a personal check, money orders, a cashier’s check, or any other type of check, you have plenty of options.

If you need to cash checks and it’s after hours, than visit your local Walmart or any 24-hour check cashing store.

Your next best option will be to cash the check at the issuing bank where the bank can quickly verify funds and turn your check into cash.

Lastly, keep in mind whether you need cash now or you can wait until the next business day will determine where you go to cash a personal check and what kind a fee you will pay.

Starting with the most popular hobbies and then moving into different categories based on whether you want to indoor, outdoor, skilled, or even hobbies that can generate extra income each month — we have it all here.

But first, let’s head outdoors for the first nine fun inexpensive hobbies.

Fun Inexpensive Outdoor Hobbies

Let’s move our fun inexpensive hobbies away from the computer and out inside the fresh air. Here’s a list of the top (and often free) hobbies that get you outside.

1. Gardening

Depending on how you go about it, gardening can be a pretty inexpensive hobby to try. If you get good enough at it, you might even be able to lower your grocery bill by growing more of your own food.

2. Camping

Camping is another cheap hobby than doesn’t have to be as expensive as you may think. I truly enjoy camping and waking up to a brisk morning. It’s almost like a vacation, only cheaper. 

3. BBQ Master or Meat Smoker

Whether you’re looking to get better at barbeque or you want to take up meat smoking, this is a great hobby to get started with. There are thousands of blogs and videos on YouTube dedicated to teaching you the art of barbeque. As you are probably aware, the popularity of this hobby has created some great tools — and with that comes a lot of added expense. I would recommend starting with something simple like a Pit Barrel Smoker. You can buy one brand new, but I able to find one on OfferUp for $100!

4. Geocaching

Geocaching is basically a high-tech treasure hunt.

5. Rock Collecting

Pick up all those shiny things. If you call it a “collection” no one will judge you for bringing home random rocks anymore. 😉

6. Bird Watching

Just don’t become a crazy bird lady (or guy)!

7. Hunting

The equipment can be expensive if you don’t already own it, but you may also be able to borrow from a friend or family member to try out this hobby if you’re a beginner. Most hunters enjoy sharing their hobby with newbies to keep the sport alive.

8. Fishing

Same goes here! Most avid fishermen are more than willing to take along new people who don’t have their own equipment. Just don’t wear out your welcome if you fall in love with this hobby.

9. Target Shooting

Whether you own a pistol, rifle, or shotgun, target shooting is a fun activity you can do outdoors. Depending on where you live, you may look for safe area to shoot or lookup a nearby shooting range. The ammo can be a little expensive, however there are sites like Ammo Seek that will help you find the cheapest amm online.

The Indoor Hobbies

Here are the best hobbies on the cheap. Most of these literally don’t cost any money at all.

10. Reading

This is pretty much the ultimate frugal hobby. Almost every community has a library you can use for free as long as you follow the rules and return your books on time. You can also start a book club, or swap books with friends to find more reading material.

11. Running

Running is probably the cheapest form of exercise out there. All you need to get started is a decent pair of shoes.

12. Cooking

For some cooking is truly a hobby. Even if you don’t love to cook, it’s definitely a good skill to have because cooking and eating at home is way cheaper than going out to eat.

13. Home Brewing

There are lots of online resources that can teach you how to get started brewing your own beer, wine, or cider at home. It might a little equipment to get started, but if you regularly enjoy these beverages instead of buying them at the liquor store you’ll definitely save money in the long run.

14. Garage Sale-ing

I love this hobby because you get out of the house, you meet people, and you can make money. I have a friend who started with $30 and a few months later she was making $1,000 per month garage sale-ing. She would buy things for cheap at the garage sale and re-sell online and make a profit. Her first buy was buying a Little Tikes playhouse for $30 which she cleaned up and resold for $200!

15. Explore Your Genealogy

Ask your family members for help with this project, or start looking online. When I put together my family genealogy, I was surprised at how much information I could find online.

The Exercise Hobbies

First we started online, then we started making money with your hobby, then we moved outside and after that we started using our brain power for our hobbies. This next list is the best fun inexpensive hobbies that will also burn a few calories.

16. Hiking

Depending on where you live, you may have some amazing hiking trails near you. To find maps, pictures and trail reviews from people just like yourself, download free All Trails app. The app not only will tell you about the trail, but also will score the trail for you so you know whether it’s an easy, moderate, or difficult hike.

17. Biking

Most people have a bike sitting in their garage or storage shed. If you have an old unused bike, it won’t cost you much to give it a tune-up so you can start riding it again. Biking around your neighborhood is free.

18. Try Crossfit

Crossfit is a type of high intensity interval training. By combining strengthing and conditioning with functional movements we use everyday, Crossfit has exploded in popularity over the past 10 years. Whether you’re brand new, a veteran exerciser, in your 20s or in your 70s, Crossfit creates programming based on your skill level, age, and fitness capability.

You can find a Crossfit gym in your local area here.

19. Dance

I’m not talking about paying money and going to a dance studio – those things can be very expensive. Instead I’m talking about turning on your favorite music and using it to make up your own workout routine.

20. Country Line Dancing

Country line dancing is extremely popular in the United States and more and more dance studios are offering country line dancing lessons. Just search “country line dancing near me” online or you can also try taking online country line dancing lessons.

21. Swimming

If you live near a public beach, lake, etc. you can probably swim there for free. Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise and it’s fun!

22. Join a Club Sports Team

Most communities have a Recreation Department that hosts sports leagues for kids and adults. They’re usually fairly inexpensive to join and offer lots of different sports to choose from.

23. Try Yoga

There are lots of free yoga video on YouTube. All you need to get started is a mat.

24. Practice Meditation

Exercise for your brain.

The Online Hobbies

We start with online hobbies since you’re actually online right now. These are hobbies you can start today from the same device you are reading this right now.

25. Starting a Blog

Since my hobby was and still is blogging, I’m going to open up with blogging to start.

Do you happen to love writing? If so, wouldn’t it be cool to start your own blog where you are free to write about whatever you want and put it out there for the world to see?

Here’s the secret to blogging as a hobby: write about whatever makes you happy. 

Your mind is swirling with ideas and things you want to say, so say them through a blog.

Do you love being a mom? Then blog about it.

Do you love woodworking? Then you should blog about it.

Do you love coaching your kid’s sports? Then start a blog about it.

Or, do you love something no one has ever heard of? Then yes, you should definitely blog about that as well.

If you are ready (and I hope you are) to start you very own blog, I have personally put together a step-by-step guide so you can easily get started writing today for about $5 per month. I even included screenshots of the process to walk you through it step-by-step so you don’t have to worry about any of the tech issues.

In fact, if you can post something to social media or even ask Siri to call Grandma, then you can definitely start a blog.

26. Fill Out Online Surveys

There are dozens of these sites popping up that claim to pay you money for taking surveys online. Some of them are sketchy, however some of them are legitimate and will actually pay you in cash via PayPal or in gift cards. 

Survey Junkie has been around since 2005 and is the most trusted in the survey industry with a Trustpilot Rating of 4.4/5. 

If you’re going to spend your time on a free hobby, start out with Survey Junkie and they will send you cash to your PayPal, Amazon or Target gift card for taking surveys on your time!

27. Buy and Re-sell Things Online

There are so many re-selling websites to choose from these days, which can help you get the best prices for your “treasures”. OfferuUp, eBay, Craigslist, Facebook buy/sell/trade groups, Facebook Marketplace and Poshmark are just few of the best places to sell stuff online.

28. Listen to a New Podcast

There are podcasts about every topic under the sun. Surely you can find one that interests you.

You can start listening to the Money Peach Podcast in your car, at the gym, or on the go right here.

29. Watch Cat Videos

There are some pretty funny cat videos on YouTube that can keep you entertained for hours. (Or maybe that’s just me?)

30. Play Free Games Online

You may be surprised to learn that there are health benefits to be had from playing video games. There are so many websites where you can play games online and there are tons of different kinds of games to choose from too. There are even some sites that will actually pay you to play their online games.

The Financial Hobbies

What’s better than making money? How about a hobby that actually pays from extra pocket money all the way to full-time income.

31. Become a Landlord

You can start renting out a portion of your house on a site like Airbnb. If you find out you like being a landlord, you could always expand into owning rental properties.

31. Investing

Learning about investing and then actually doing it are two things that could almost be separate hobbies in and of themselves. Investing is a smart hobby to take up once you have a little extra income to put toward your investments. If you are already there and want to get started, here is our updated investing for dummies guide.

32. Thrift Shopping and Garage Sale-ing

When I lived in a bigger community I loved going to thrift stores and garage sales on the weekend. This is a fun activity, especially if you go with a friend. You can also save money as long as you avoid buying things you don’t really need.

33. Couponing

Again, couponing can be fun but you might end up spending more than you planned on if you aren’t careful with your purchases. One of our favorite couponing tricks is using the Honey browser extension. Instead of searching the internet for promo codes, Honey searches for you in real time and automatically applies the promo code for you at checkout.

34. Volunteering

That’s kind of financial since time is money, right? Give some of your time to your favorite charities, or join a group or board in your town to give back to civic organizations.

35. Start a Business

I’ve kind of touched on this before, but almost anything on this list can actually be turned into some kind of a money-making business or side hustle idea. Starting a business is fun and it’s a good way to make some extra money.

36. Budgeting Cash Flow Planning (that sounds better)

What list of hobbies on a personal finance blog would be complete without listing budgeting? It may not sound fun at first, but I actually love working on my projected budgets for future months now that I’ve gotten good at budgeting.

And if you would like to get started with your own budget, you can get started with the Cash Flow Formula for FREE.

The Cash Flow Formula is the #1 tool to start saving more money and stop overspending each month…and it’s a GREAT hobby!

Intellectual Hobbies

After exercising your body in the fresh air, here are the best fun inexpensive hobbies that only require brain power.

37. Writing

Writing can be a fun hobby and it doesn’t have to turn into more than that. You can write in a diary, write short stories for fun, or write even write to make money like I mentioned earlier. If you love writing and actually want to get paid for it, there’s currently a shortage of freelance writers. If this interests you, check out this post on getting paid to be a freelance writer.

38. Drawing

A pencil and paper is all you need to get started with this frugal hobby. Even if you expand your artist supplies later on, this hobby shouldn’t be too costly.

39. Learn a New Language

Is there a language you’ve been dying to learn? There are lots of resources online and books at your library that you can use to learn a new language.

40. Learn to Play an Instrument

Learning to play a musical instrument doesn’t mean you have to take expensive lessons. Many instruments can be self-taught, especially now that you can learn almost everything you need to know on YouTube.

41. Learn to Sew

Learning basic sewing skills is a good idea. Knowing how to sew has actually saved me money. For example, my sewing skills have helped me save my clothes from being thrown in the rag bin a few times when they only needed minor repairs.

42. Learn a New Game

Playing games is one of my family’s favorite hobbies, especially is the weather is crappy outside. We don’t discriminate, we like to play board games and card games. They can also be a good way to meet new people if you go to community game nights. You might be able to find some at your local library, churches, or on meetup.com.

43. Read the News

Doesn’t sound very exciting, but you might be surprised what you can learn when you start reading the news regularly. Don’t just keep up on local news either, the world is bigger than that. Make sure you find out what’s going on elsewhere in the world too.

Skilled Hobbies

Lastly, it’s time to apply your skills to your hobby list. From cooking, to home-brewing, and even woodworking, we have you covered with this last bunch of fun inexpensive hobbies.

44. Canning and Food Preservation

This old-fashioned skill can actually help you save money, especially if you are preserving food from your garden bounty to eat later on.

45. Furniture Restoration

I know several people who’ve taken up furniture restoration as a frugal hobby and they’ve also managed to furnish their homes with one-of-a-kind pieces they re-did themselves. You can also sell your restored furniture as a great side hustle hobby!

46. Animal Husbandry

Growing up we raised many different kinds of animals on my parents’ farm. I still love animals and taking care of them today and it’s definitely a good skill to have.

47. Carpentry

Even if you don’t learn how to make fancy things, basic carpentry skills can be good to have as they can save you money when you know how to fix things around the house.

The Not-So-Cheap Fun Hobbies

Maybe you’re just curios about the expensive hobbies? If so, here are a list of the top 10 hobbies that will absolutely break the bank.

48. Scuba Diving

Not only is scuba extremely fun, but it’s also extremely expensive. You can plan on $300 – $400 every time you throw the tank on and dive in and don’t forget it’s also extremely dangerous.

In fact, you will even have a hard time getting life insurance if you scuba dive on a regular basis.

49. Sky Diving

Technically their are statistics to prove you’re more likely to die in the car on the way to skydiving than actually jumping out of an airplane. As much as that is supposed to make me feel better, I still don’t like the $300 – $400 fee to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.

However, if you have the extra coin to take part in this extremely intense hobby, then let us know how it goes in the comments below.

50. Flying

I don’t know if I need to go into a huge explanation here: flying as a hobby is expensive.

To even be certified as a pilot to fly your own plane will cost you $7,000 – $10,000. Then once you are certified, you then need to buy a plane or rent one at the starting cost of $125/hour. Then add on fuel and maintenance costs and you have an extremely expensive hobby.

51. Mountain Climbing

Where I live (Phoenix), mountain climbing is a very popular hobby. While getting started in this hobby is not extremely expensive, it will be eventually.

From the people I have talked to, you start off climbing the mountain near your home. After you climb that one, you start to travel to the next thriller of a mountain. Sooner than later you find yourself booking a trip to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro at a cost of about $4,000 not including travel expenses.

52. Ballroom Dancing

My wife and I actually looked into ballroom dancing lessons because we were told it was a fun inexpensive hobby. We were told wrong.

Thanks to Dancing with the Stars, this once inexpensive hobby will now set you back about $150 – $200 for each lesson. My wife and I went into ballroom dancing as something to bring us closer together. However, after seeing the cost we both realized it would only push us further apart (kidding).

Final Thoughts

Yes, you can always sit on the couch and Netflix and chill as a hobby. But, chances are since you’re reading this far down the page, you’ve been there and done that.

So what’s it going to be? Blogging, sewing, running, couponing, or are you going to dive into a more expensive hobby and jump out of an airplane?

Whatever you decide to do, please let us know about your new fun hobby in the comments below.

Purchased by for $4 billion by Paypal, Honey is a free browser extension that will quickly search for coupons and promo codes, and automatically apply the best available coupon code at checkout. You can currently use the Honey extension with Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Opera.

2020 Honey Coupon Review

Name: Honey

Description: Honey is a free browser extension that will quickly search for coupons and automatically apply the best available coupon code at checkout. You can currently use the Honey extension with Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Opera.

Offer price: 0.00

Currency: USD

Operating System: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera

Overall

4.7

• Ease of Use
• Savings
• Cost

• Get the Free Honey Extension

In this latest Honey coupon review, I will show you how I personally use Honey. This free browser extension saves my wife and I a ton of time since we no longer have to search and test each promo code we find in Google. In fact, shopping trends for Americans show that American shop online 52 times per year and on average we will spend just over 7.3 minutes searching for a coupon code. This means we spend just over 6 hours every year searching online for a promo code before we hit the checkout button!

As I am sure you can agree, time is one of our most valuable resources. With that said, what if there was way we could turn that 7.3 minutes of searching into 2 seconds with a simple click of a button?

The best way I have found to automatically search for every online coupon at checkout is with the free Honey browser extension.

What is the Honey Browser Extension?

I pulled this straight from the Honey website to let them explain it to you as simply as possible:

“Honey is a service that makes it ridiculously easy to save money and time. Honey automatically finds coupon codes for the site you’re shopping at and applies them to your order when you check out, saving you money and coupon searching time.”

How cool is that?? So, instead of having to search dozens of coupon sites to find coupon codes to save cash on your purchases, you can leave that work all to your Honey app, and it’ll find your coupon codes for you AND apply them to your purchase!

BAM!

Doesn’t that sound a whole lot easier than having to search and find coupon codes on your own? Honey does the work for you, and you get the credit (i.e. the cash savings).

What’s really cool about using Honey instead of searching yourself is that if you’ve ever searched the various coupon sites for codes when you shop, you’ve likely had the same experience I’ve had – many of the coupon codes you find if you search manually for them don’t work.

They’re either expired codes, or bogus codes to begin with. You copy and paste each code you find into the coupon code box at the store as you go to check out, only to find they’re invalid codes.

So you spend all of this time searching for discount coupon codes and end up with nothing for your time.

The Honey app automatically finds the valid coupon codes that will work for your purchase, and does all of the work of applying them as well. It’s that easy.

How Does it Work?

So, you might be wondering what Honey has that you don’t – what makes it so easy for Honey to find coupon codes when you have to search dozens of websites, all the while often coming up empty-handed?

Technology, baby. Here’s how it works.

Have you ever arrived at the online checkout and you notice the empty box that says “Do you Have a Coupon Code?”

You then decide to quickly search Google for available coupon codes and apply them one at-a-time only to be disappointed to realize none of them worked and you just wasted 7.3 minutes of your life that you will never get back?

Honey’s job is to help get that time back for you all the while making this process absolutely painless. After you simply install the extension for your desktop browser (only Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Opera), the little extension goes to work for you by scouring the internet for every website you land on.

Honey’s technological expertise makes coupon finding super fast, and you don’t have to do anything but click the Honey button on your browser bar.

What Does it Look Like?

This happens quickly and seamlessly, and you won’t even miss the time. And, Honey can be installed on multiple computers and multiple browsers on your computers, so you’re not limited in where you can use it on your PC or laptop.

When Honey finds a coupon or discount, the Honey app then lights up with the available coupons it found for that retailer. You can click on the button to see what is available BEFORE you shop or you can wait until checkout and let Honey do the real magic.

The real magic is when you click on the Honey Button to search and apply for all coupons at checkout. Then Honey simultaneously applies every coupon found to your cart to make sure they work and to make sure you are getting the greatest discount with the best possible combination of available coupons!

Did you hear that? Honey actually works to find coupons that you can combine to save even more money.

Instead of you having to search all over the internet and waste precious time scouring through the dozens of coupon codes that probably won’t work, Honey does this all for you (for free) with the click of a single button.

Do I Need to Register to Get the Deals?

Here’s the thing: you don’t need to register with Honey to get publicly available coupon codes. However, Honey also shares exclusive offers and savings that you won’t find online publicly.

If you want access to all of Honey’s money saving coupon codes you have to register and open an account. But don’t worry: registration is free and super simple.

What if I Have My Own Coupons?

Guess what: if you have your own coupons, you can submit them to the Honey site for additional discounts.

There are two ways to submit coupons to Honey. The first way is by using the extension – just scroll to the bottom after you click on the “h” button and add your code into the “share a code” box.

The second way to use coupons you find is directly through the Honey website. When you go on the site you’ll see a live feed of coupons being submitted by Honey members.

You can submit your coupon right to that live feed for all to see, and get the additional discount on your purchase if the coupon is valid.

Which Stores and Sites Does Honey Work With?

Honey works with thousands of different stores and sites. Chances are they’ve got you covered for at least some of your online shopping. From pizza places to high end clothing stores, you can get additional discounts if you’re using Honey.

Here is just a small list of the stores and retailers Honey helps you save money at when you’re shopping online.

• Amazon, Walmart and Target
• Kohl’s and JC Penney’s
• Papa John’s and Pizza Hut
• Various online flower shops
• Groupon and Living Social
• Shutterfly and Tiny Prints
• Starbucks
• Michael’s Crafts and Joann ETC
• Cafe Press
• Eddie Bauer and The Sportsman’s Guide
• Macy’s Williams Sonoma and Lord and Taylor
• Fandango and Vista Print
• Harbor Freight Tools
• ThredUP

It’s easy to see from this small sample list of retailers Honey helps you get discounts on that there’s something for all of your shopping needs with Honey.

Honey also supports stores in Canada, the UK and Australia, so if you see your Honey button lighting up while shopping online at one of those international stores, click to get your discount.

Want to shop at a store Honey doesn’t yet support? They’re continually looking to add retailers to their list, so you can just submit a request to have your favorite stores added and Honey will look into doing so.

Whether you’re shopping for sporting goods, high end clothing or every day stuff at big box stores, you can get extra discounts on all of your shopping with the click of your mouse.

The Amazon Trick

Honey also has something I have been using with Amazon. Since coupon codes are very product specific when on Amazon’s site, rarely will you find a coupon for the product you are looking for. However, Honey does search Amazon’s site and makes sure you are getting the best deal. If not, Honey notifies you to let you know you could buy from a different seller and save money.

WOW. So Honey will actually do your comparison shopping for you as it’s searching for coupon codes to see if you can get a better deal at another retailer. Amazing!

Anything Else?

Yeah, there actually is. I want you to think for a moment beyond traditional online shopping and think everything online.

Let me give you an example: Last week we were hanging out with some friends and decided to order up some pizza from Papa John’s for dinner.

As I placed the order on laptop, I noticed that my Honey extension browser started lighting up. I clicked on the button at checkout and realized that Honey removed 30% from our order!

My friends were super impressed and I became a hero for the next four minutes of my life. So I encourage you; anytime you can buy something online – anything at all, whether it’s takeout or delivery from a local restaurant, work from a service provider such as an appliance repair service, or just your every day online shopping – take the extra two seconds and click on the Honey icon at top of browser.

You might find yourself pleasantly surprised at what kind of money savings you end up being handed, all for the simple work of clicking the Honey icon at checkout.

Not only will you impress your friends, you might just end up saving huge cash in the process.

Honey Droplist

Another benefit Honey can offer you is through a program called “Droplist”. Droplist is a feature from Honey that helps you make sure you don’t miss out on savings if you’re not quite ready to buy yet. Here’s how it works:

If you’re looking at a specific item but don’t want to buy quite yet, you can hit the “Add to Droplist” button if the item is available at select retailers, such as Amazon, Macy’s Overstock, Target, Walmart, Kohl’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and a few others.

Honey will automatically put the item you’re looking for on a watch list for either 30, 60 or 90 days. When the price drops more than five percent, you’ll automatically get an email from Honey telling you so.

Honey will also let you know when the deal is about to expire so you don’t miss out if you choose not to order it right away.

You can also manually check your Droplist items any time just to see what the current prices are so you can take advantage of a good deal if and when you’re ready, but if you’re not ready to buy yet Droplist will continue to monitor its prices for you.

More “amazing”!

Refer-a-Friend

Just like so many other rewards sites, Honey has a referral program where they pay you points (points that you can use as cash discounts when you shop) every time you invite your friends and they download the app and use it.

The process for referring others to download the Honey app is easy: You simply invite your friends with a custom referral link that Honey creates especially for you, or you can spread the word by sharing your custom referral link on your social media accounts.

Honey will pay you $5 (500 points equals $5) every time up to $1,000 when they purchase online using Honey!

HoneyGold

There’s also another benefit to using Honey: the HoneyGold program, which is the company’s cash back rewards program. As you start to use the Honey, you will accumulate points which you can later redeem for Amazon Gift Cards.

Honestly, this isn’t the reason you should be using Honey as it doesn’t pay enough in points to get you rich or pay for all of the gifts you buy throughout the year, but since it doesn’t require any extra effort, then I call it a padded bonus.

Just a little extra money savings for you, simply for downloading and using the Honey app.

The Triple Savings Trick

Want even more money savings with Honey? If you want to get a little crazy, you can do what I have been doing. I call it the Triple Savings Trick. I describe the process below, but I also actually made this super short video to show you how to use the Triple Savings Trick.

I use Rakuten, Honey, and Giftcard Granny all at once to save the absolute most money possible. Here’s how I do it.

When I arrive at the online retailer I activate my Ebates to get my CashBack activated. Then at checkout, I click on the Honey app to apply any available coupon codes.

Once I know my final checkout price, I search Gift Card Granny for an online gift card at a discount (for instance, someone may be selling a $50 gift card for $42 to get rid of it. The money savings aren’t usually that extreme with Gift Card Granny but hey, every cent adds up, right?).

By using the Triple Savings Trick, it means I am getting the cashback discount, the maximum discount using any and all coupon codes, and then the discount at the end with a bargain gift card.

Triple Whammy my friend! A ridiculous amount of money savings when you shop with very little time for your efforts. Definitely worth using the system.

Related: How to use Rakuten to get Cashback on Everything

Does it Work on Mobile Devices?

Yes!

There is a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices. Unlike the browser extension that goes with you when you visit the online store, the Honey App brings that stores to you through the app.

Just click on the button above and you’ll start enjoying savings on your online purchases.

It just couldn’t be any easier to start having fast access to valid coupon codes for all of your online shopping. Remember, this includes shopping at Amazon, pizza, travel and more.

Using the Honey browser extension is kind of like being handed free cash every time you shop. How can you say “no”?

Why Pay Full Price?

With Honey and all of the other valid money saving tools out there, there is just no reason to pay full price when you shop. And retailers know there are savvy customers out there searching for savings, so they’re happy to partner with money saving apps like Honey if it means they’ll get your business.

I would challenge you to take your money savings even one step further. Keep track of the money you save by using Honey and other savings tools, and put it aside in a separate savings account.

Use that separate savings account to help fund your financial goals. That might mean paying off all of your consumer debt (my wife and I paid off $52,000 in consumer debt in just seven months through various side hustle and money saving endeavors) and living a life free of the stress of debt.

Or you might have a goal of paying cash for an international vacation or a new car. Or maybe you’re tired of the rat race and want to save to be able to retire early or start a new business venture.

Summary

Whatever your savings goals, using little tricks like saving your Honey money to put toward those goals can help you reach them faster than ever.

Just one more reason to install Honey browser extension and begin saving today. You’ll be surprised at how combining all of your money saving techniques will add up over the long run.

And then there’s that high you get when you order pizza for your friends and save 30% at check out! You can’t beat that for a minute-of-fame moment.

Two Secrets You Must Know About Free Internet Service

Your free internet probably won’t be fast enough to watch Netflix on multiple devices at the same time, but you’ll still be able to surf the web, answer emails, and explore online side hustles.

In addition, most free internet options have monthly usage caps; similar to your monthly smartphone data plan.

If you’re okay with potentially slower data speeds and monthly usage caps, getting free internet service is an excellent way to save $50 every month, which is always fun to do.

Where to Get Free Internet Service

Because of wifi hotspots, it’s easier than ever to get free internet. The only catch is you need to go to a public place to enjoy the free wifi. This might be ok if you only need to use the internet a few hours a week or you live in a major metro area and can walk down the street to a cafe.

But, it’s also possible to get free internet at home too.

This section offers nine ways to get free internet service every month. Because there isn’t a true “free lunch,” there might be a one-time equipment purchase required.

FreedomPop

FreedomPop  is a wireless internet and cellular service provider.  They offer extremely affordable talk, text, and data plans for their customers, that actually starts at $0.00 per month! Now, keep in mind the free plan only offer 10 minutes of talk, 10 text messages per month and 25MB of data per month.

To understand how much 25MB of data is per month, this is the equivelant to checking about 10-20 emails per month (no data) and about 5-10 webpages per day.

However, if you are willing to pay just a few bucks more per month, you can increase your talk, text and data.

	250 Mins (unlimited text)	Unlimited Mins (unlimited text)	1 GB High-Speed	4 GB High-Speed	10 GB High-Speed	Unlimited High-Speed
$2.99	☑️		☑️
$4.99		☑️	☑️
$10.99	☑️			☑️
$12.99		☑️		☑️
$17.99	☑️				☑️
$22.99		☑️			☑️
$42.99		☑️				☑️

Whether you go with the free plan or any of the above plans, you’re still saving a ton of money as compared to the larger well known carriers.

Public WiFi Hotspots

Many restaurants, stores, and public places offer free wifi. While many businesses offer free wifi in anticipation that you’ll make a purchase, no purchase is necessary to use their internet. But, the cashier might begin badgering you to either make a purchase or leave to open up the table for another patron.

When looking for free wifi hotspots, consider these places first:

• Starbucks
• McDonald’s
• Panera Bread
• Target
• Walmart
• Shopping malls
• Public parks in major cities
• Libraries and community centers
• Airports

Find Your Closest WiFi Hotspot With Wi-Fi-FreeSpot

Wi-Fi-FreeSpot is a running database of free wifi hotspots across the world. They list the obvious places like Starbucks or your local mall and also the less obvious businesses too. In my own small town of 8,000 residents, Wi-Fi-FreeSpot lists two additional places I never knew offered free wifi.

While you might be expected to make a purchase to enjoy the free wifi when it’s at a restaurant or coffee shop, the price can still be cheaper than your regular monthly bill. And if you like to socialize and meet new friends, going to a public place can be a fun way to interact with others to build a human connection while you surf the web.

Or, you can always type “wifi hotspots near me” into Google too.

Juno

Before the days of unlimited home internet, we used to receive CDs with free internet minutes in the mail. While Juno no longer sends CDs in the mail, they still offer 10 hours of free dial-up internet access each month. That’s a far cry from the one hour of free internet we used to get from them 20 years ago.

If you only need home internet for basic correspondence and browsing, it’s worth considering Juno. Keep in mind, you’ll need an active home phone number to dial Juno’s server with.

NetZero

NetZero also offers 10 hours of free dial-up internet access. The one downside is that NetZero is only compatible with PC and mobile devices. Mac owners will need to consider using Juno or another internet provider instead of NetZero.

To get 20 hours of free internet service, you can signup with both Juno and NetZero and switch to the other when your monthly allowance is used up.

Like Juno, you need an active home phone number so your internet modem can dial the NetZero server to access the internet.

All Free ISP

Another easy way to find free internet providers near you is with the All Free ISP free internet search engine. You only need to enter your state of residence or area code to look for free and cheap internet plans in your city. The two most prevalent choices will be Juno and NetZero, but you might see another option as well.

Your Local Library

Most public libraries offer free internet from either their desktop computers or wifi network. You might have to apply for a library card to log into the network, but you can also borrow great books to read in your spare time too.

I periodically go to my own public library to use their free wifi hotspot. It’s quicker than my home internet which is a definite thumbs up when I need a change of scenery to work distraction-free. Each session is only one hour, but since I bring my own device I can continually renew the session and have worked in the library all day sometimes because of internet outages at home.

Ask Your Neighbor or Landlord

If your neighbor or landlord has internet access, they might be willing to share their internet with you. When you’re too far away from their router to get a reliable signal, you’ll need to invest in a wifi extender. Simply plug into a wall outlet between their router and where you will sit to normally access internet.

After linking the extender to their internet, it will begin repeating the signal and will be strong enough to surf the web and stream videos.

Before buying an extender you will want to review your local laws and the internet service provider terms and conditions to make sure you can legally use a wifi extender. This option might make more sense if you’re renting a part of the landlord’s house or you live in an on-property guest house and cannot get your own separate internet line installed.

Your Current Internet Provider

While many households are cutting the cord by ditching cable tv and landline phone service to save money each month, bundling your internet, phone, and cable can occasionally be cheaper.

Ask your current internet provider if they offer internet bundles. You might have to downgrade your internet speed, but they might be willing to waive your internet fee if you subscribe to other services.

If you pursue this option, be wary of introductory rate offers that expire after several months and the provider begins charging you for internet again. It is possible to avoid these marketing gimmicks with Trim Financial Manager, a free program that continually monitors your internet provider’s promotional offers to make sure you never overpay for internet and phone access.

School2Home

If you live in select California communities, you might be eligible for free internet service with the School2Home initiative. Some families won’t qualify for free internet but can get discounted internet for only $10 a month through national internet providers including AT&T and Frontier.

Upgrade to an Unlimited Data Plan

Unlimited cell phone data is back with many cellular networks. By upgrading to an unlimited plan that allows mobile hotspot capability, you can create your own free wifi hotspot. But, your speed and data usage can still be restricted when you’re in hotspot mode.

Cell phone plans regularly change, but here are the current policies for the largest networks:

• AT&T: Unlimited 3G mobile hotspot for $35 per month
• Sprint: Unlimited 3G mobile hotspot for $60 per month
• T-Mobile: Unlimited 3G mobile hotspot for $90 per month
• Verizon: 25GB of 5G LTE and then unlimited 3G mobile hotpsot for $45 per month

Some carriers also include free subscriptions to premium streaming networks like HBO, Hulu, Disney Plus and Netflix when you have an unlimited plan. As long as you’re happy watching this programming on your phone, upgrading to an unlimited data plan can save you money in more ways than one.

Having used this option to get free internet in the past to save a few bucks, I will tell you that using your phone as a mobile hotspot on a regular basis degrades the battery life and you will need to replace your phone sooner because the battery won’t hold a charge for more than a few hours.

Bonus Tip: Instead of putting your old phone in a desk drawer until the world ends, sell your phone for cash while it still has some material value remaining. I don’t know about you, but money is more valuable than a phone I never plan on using again.

Low Cost Internet

When 10 hours of free dial-up or 500 MB isn’t enough each month, you might also qualify for a discounted internet plan. These plans usually offer higher speeds and unlimited service, and they’re still affordable enough that these options are cheaper than buying a double shot espresso each time you go to Starbucks to use their free wifi.

Connect2Compete

The mission of EveryoneOn is to provide home internet access to the 75 million Americans that currently don’t have internet at home. This site is supported by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Connect2Compete initiative that partners with national internet service providers to provide fast, reliable home internet for $9.95 a month.

While Connect2Compete isn’t free, you can get the same internet service for a fraction of the cost. To qualify for these discounted internet plans, you must meet the three following requirements:

• Have at least one child eligible or enrolled in the National School Lunch Program
• Not subscribed to home internet in the last 90 days
• No outstanding bills or unreturned equipment

AT&T Access

Access from AT&T is one of the cheapest home internet plans for low-income families. Plans start at $5 per month and you can get speeds up to 3 megabits per second which is enough to do some basic video streaming on one device at a time.

Besides the unlimited home wifi internet service, you also get complimentary access to the AT&T wifi hotspot network that lets you access paid wifi hotspots for free.

To qualify, at least one person in your family must be eligible for federal SNAP benefits and live in the 21 state area where AT&T offers wireline internet service.

Internet Essentials

If you’re privileged to be served by Comcast, you can get fast, reliable, and free internet at home with Internet Essentials. Simply sign up and pay $9.95 a month and then enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and you will get your service for FREE.

PCs for People

PCs for People offers unlimited Sprint 4G LTE mobile broadband for $15 month with their entry level plan. As a national carrier, there’s a good chance you live inside Sprint’s 4G LTE coverage area.

Because the mobile coverage is unlimited, you can take your hotspot everywhere you go and downsize your smartphone data plan to offset the $15 monthly subscription fee. With this service, you might spend less than before because you get unlimited internet for $15 a month. And, multiple devices can connect at once.

Frontier Lifeline Program

Frontier offers dial-up internet at a very low cost and varies depending on where you live. You can either have landline phone service or standalone internet service to qualify for this discount internet program. Eligibility requirements will vary by state, but you must qualify for the Federal Lifeline program as a general rule of thumb.

CenturyLink Internet Basics

CenturyLink Internet Basics gives you internet speeds up to 100Mbps for $50 per month. You must meet all of the four requirements to qualify for Internet Basics service:

• Reside in CenturyLink service area
• Not subscribed to CenturyLink internet service
• Do not have an unpaid CenturyLink bill or unreturned equipment
• Follow Lifeline or TAP phone service guidelines

It’s also possible to get discount home phone access with CenturyLink too if you still need a home phone for your family.

Karma

By itself, Karma isn’t a free wifi service because you have to pay a monthly fee, but you they do offer the following plans:

• $10/month for 1GB Data
• $30/month for 5GB Data
• $50/month for 10GB Data

In order to use the Karma data, you will need to purchase a Karma hotspot device for $60.

Safely Using Free WiFi

Free public wifi used to be a novelty a few years ago that only a few restaurants, airports, and hotels offered. Now, it’s becoming virtually commonplace. While free internet is convenient, you need to be careful what you do on free wifi networks to protect your sensitive personal information.

While most people use free wifi for honest purposes, identity thieves with some advanced computer skills can potentially hack into your computer, phone, and tablet and steal your personal information without your knowledge.

If you don’t have internet at home, you might have no choice but to use free wifi to access your bank information, file your taxes, and make an Amazon purchase where you need to enter your credit or debit card information to pay for the goods. Using your friend’s home wifi network or your work internet might not be an option at the moment, so public wifi is your only choice.

With millions of free wifi hotspots worldwide, the odds of having your personal information stolen is relatively low but it only takes once and it can happen when you least expect it.

That’s why it’s so important to take the following precautions:

Verify the WiFi Server Name With the Cashier

If there are multiple wifi networks available, verify the correct hotspot name with the cashier. Computer hackers might name their personal hotspot to closely resemble the legitimate wifi hotspot hoping an unassuming customer will click on it.

For example, the correct hotspot network to join is “Panera” but you might also see an option for “Panera1.” Some businesses offer multiple networks so a single network doesn’t get overloaded and so Panera1 could very well be a legit network. Regardless, it’s always better to ask and be safe than assume and get scammed.

Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Whether you connect to the internet with a phone, computer, or tablet, you really should always connect to a free network with a virtual private network service like NordVPN. Using a VPN network encrypts your internet activity and makes it extremely difficult for scammers to steal your personal information.

If you use free wifi hotspots on a regular basis, a VPN is an absolute must to safely use public wifi for less than $3 per month.

Only Visit Secure Websites

Most websites are transitioning to using “https://” instead of “https://” for additional security, but not every site has yet. With Google Chrome, you can tell if the site your visiting uses https encryption or not because you’ll see a green padlock and the word “Secure” beside it.

If you don’t see that icon, be careful where you click on the site as it can be a phishing scam. Browsers also block certain sites they know are prone to phishing scams as well and you have to click a second box to visit these select unsecured sites.

Disable Your File Sharing Functions

Many devices automatically enable sharing functions that instantly transfer documents to the cloud or your friend’s device. This can be a backdoor way to access your personal data if you accidentally click a button to enable sharing with a stranger.

Turn Off WiFi When Not In Use

Finally, turn off your wifi router when you’re not using the internet. Not only will you save battery power, but a hacker can’t get into your computer if it’s not connected to the internet.

Summary

Free internet comes in three different forms: home dial-up, mobile hotspots, and free public wifi. A combination of these three mediums can make it possible to never pay for internet again, but you might have to pay for an upgraded plan if you need to use more data, require faster connection speeds or you want your own private network to protect your personal information.

That means for every $100 you have in change, you are left with about $88 after Coinstar collects their fee.

But, did you also know there are some great ways to completely bypass the coinstar fee so you can use the machine for FREE?

What is Coinstar?

Coinstar was created to save you the time and effort of counting and then rolling your coins. If you have ever sat on the floor of your bedroom and rolled countless coins, then you remember thinking to yourself — there must be a better way.

This is why you now see those giant green machines found near the checkout of just about every grocery store in America. 

Now instead of counting coins, simply dump all of your loose change into the machine and it will count your change for you in a matter of seconds!

But What About Coinstar Fees?

Right now Coinstar charges a convenience fee of 11.9%. That means for every $100 of coins you put through the machine, you only get to keep $88 of it.

However, below I am going to share with you 23 different ways you can completely bypass any and all coinstar fees.

How to Bypass the Coinstar Fees

If you want to bypass the high coinstar fees that come with using Coinstar, there are few hacks you need to know about.

Instead of choosing to get paid out in dollar bills, you can choose to get paid out in eGift cards and bypass the fees associated with Coinstar.

Here are the current participating eGfit cards to wipe out the coinstar fee:

Retailer	Minimum Amount	Maximum Amount
AMC Theatres	$10	$100
Amazon Gift Card	$5	$1,000
Apple Gift Card	$10	$500
Applebee's Restaurant	$5	$500
Cabela's	$5	$500
Chili's Restaurant	$5	$100
Domino's Pizza	$5	$100
DoorDash	$15	$200
GameStop	$5	$500
Gap (Old Navy, Banana Republic, Athleta)	$10	$500
Hotels.com	$10	$500
iHop Restaurant	$5	$200
Lowe's	$5	$1,000
Nike	$5	$500
Outback Steakhouse	$5	$500
Roblox	$5	$500
Razer Gold (Online Gaming)	$10	$500
Red Robin Restaurant	$5	$150
Southwest Airlines	$25	$500
Starbucks	$5	$500
Steam (PC Games)	$5	$250
Texas Roadhouse Restaurant	$5	$100
The Home Depot	$3	$2,000

As you can see, there are plenty of options when it comes to eGift cards. Therefore, if you know you will eventually be shopping at any of the above retailers, than turn your spare change into an eGift card.

Donate Your Cash With Coinstar

While the nearly 12% coinstar fees still eat most of us, Coinstar does offer another positive alternative to using their services. You can now donate your coins directly to one of the seven charities they have partnered with.

The best part? They don’t charge you the nearly 12% fee!

Not to mention you are donating to a cause you believe in. Plus, it’s a tax write off so it’s a win-win-win!

Charities That Partner with Coinstar

Here’s a quick summary of the 9 charities that Coinstar has partnered with:

1. American Red Cross -An organization where people mobilize to help their neighbors during a disaster to provide support worldwide.
2. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals – They help as many kids as possible by raising funds for children’s hospitals.
3. Feeding America – A nationwide network with 200 food banks that help fight hunger in the United States.
4. Make a Wish  – An organization that creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illness.
5. NAACP – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation.
6. The Human Society – An organization that rescues and cares for tens of thousands of animals each year, but its primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it happens.
7. UNICEF: This charity works in more than 190 countries to save and improve children’s lives by providing health care, clean water, and nutrition.
8. United Way: Each donation helps fight for education, health, and financial stability for others in the community.
9. WWF (World WIldlife Foundation): This charity helps stop the degradation of the environment to help protect and restore animals natural habitats

Who knew that your spare change could be easily contributed to helping such great causes around the world?

One thing to note, not all of the charities listed above are available on every kiosk. Make sure to check online to ensure you can donate to the charity of your choice.

Also, make sure to keep your receipt. Donations like these one are 100% tax deductible and want to keep the receipt for your future taxes.

Lastly, you might not have noticed that there is one other option besides an Amazon e-card or certificate. If you’re not a huge Amazon shopper or want to put your spare change to a good cause you have one other option.

How to Use Coinstar

Using Coinstar is pretty straight forward to cash in your spare change. At the kiosk, make sure to check e-gift card for Amazon, cash, or if you want to donate the money.

Add your coins to the machine and wait until it is done counting them.

If you have any coins that aren’t accepted or foreign objects accidentally inserted, the coin dispenser will spit them back out in a slot below. Once the machine is done counting you will receive the cash, crypto voucher (see below) or an eGift card from the list above.

Make sure to not lose that receipt it’s small and I’m not sure they have any way to help if you end up losing it.

Coinstar and Crypto Currency

Coinstar now allows you to turn your coins into crypto.

You will first need to create a Coinme account and then claim your free cryto wallet. Then purchase a crypto voucher for cash at any participating Coinstar machine.

Once you have your crypto voucher, then simply redeem your voucher at Coinme.

Here are the 8 current crypto currencies offered by Coinme at Coinstar:

1. Bitcoin (BTC) – As the world’s first and most well-known cryptocurrency, the coin has maintained its status as the top coin by market capitalization since its inception
2. Ethereum (ETH) – Currently the world’s largest programmable blockchain, Ethereum has served as a global leader driving force in the world of blockchain and cryptocurrency.
3. Litecoin (LTC) – A unique blockchain network that is highly similar to Bitcoin and born from its source code. Litecoin strives to provide a peer-to-peer internet currency that enables instant, low cost payments around the world.
4. Dogecoin (DOGE) – While Dogecoin was originally created as a joke, it has long-size the realm of levity and has become a major contender in the cryptocurrency landscape thanks in large part to celebrity endorsements.
5. USD Coin (USDC) – USD Coin, or USDC, is a stablecoin that maintains a fixed value equal to a single U.S. dollar and each USDC matches with an existing dollar held in a dedicated bank account.
6. Chainlink (LINK) – Chainlink was created to help advance smart contract innovation and adoption through a community of developers and contributors.
7. Polygon (MATIC) – Formerly known as Matic Network, Polygon aims to provide tools and solutions to improve transaction speeds and reduce costs for blockchain networks.
8. Stellar (XLM) – Stellar Lumens, or Stellar, aims to offer fast, low-cost transfers of money around the globe between any currency.

Is Using Coinstar Safe?

Machines never fail, right? Well, that’s not always the case. When using any coin machine there is always room for error.

A story ran back in 2016 about a TD Ameritrade kiosk being off by $44 off from a $300 total. That’s a huge amount of money you’re not getting back!

Coinstar does appear to be the leader in the coin machine industry and released this statement after people began doubting the coin machines after the 2016 ABC investigation. Here’s what they said:

“Its number one goal is to provide its customers with a satisfying and reliable experience…it has refined technology and implemented regular maintenance schedules to service, clean, calibrate and test the machines to ensure reliability and high accuracy levels…rigorous testing has delivered extremely accurate coin counting and more than 95% machine uptime.”

Finding A Coinstar Near Me?

You can find Coinstar machine at most grocery locations but make sure to check out their locations page here.

Here is a list of the most common stores to help you find a coin machine near you:

• Albertsons
  CVS
• Kmart Super Centers
• Kroger (This includes a ton of brands underneath it including Fry’s Food and Drug, Pay Less Super Markets, Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Foods Co, and others)
• Lowes
• Ray’s Food Places
• Target Superstores (these are bigger than normal Target stores and include a full grocery selection as well)
• The Food Emporium
• Walmart

Why Use Coinstar?

After reading about cashing your coins in a bank Coinstar takes away a lot of the frustration by making it simple and convenient. You don’t have to roll up your coins and make a separate trip to the bank. You can save gas money and combine the experience with a normal trip to your store.

The Banks

Did you know that not all banks actually accept coins anymore?

Yes, a government-backed entity like a huge bank doesn’t always accept your legal tender! How crazy is that? Is it even legal? I didn’t go too far down that rabbit hole but this seems ridiculous.

While some banks do have coin cashing machines in the lobby, they are usually reserved only for account holders. Typically, you have to enter your debit card and PIN before it will actually allow you to get cash for your coins. Even if they do have a coin machine it might not always be free, even if you bank with them!

Then there are banks like TD Bank which charges you a fee to use the machine. It’s hard to believe it’s so much effort to get cash for your coins even at banks.

Banks That Accept Rolled Coins

As you can see the list of banks that don’t accept coins that aren’t rolled isn’t many! Most banks choose to only accept them if you have them properly rolled.

This usually means you have to buy the device to help roll or do it manually. Most of the banks will provide wrappers for free but some of the banks will still charge a fee!

1. Bank of America

• No fees for Bank of America customers
• No fees for non-Bank of America customers

2. Chase Bank

• No fees for Chase Bank customers with an unlimited amount
• No fees for non-Chase Bank customers until $200. Anything above there are fees which weren’t disclosed online

3. BB&T

• Fees vary for BB&T customers. They are free for under $25; 5% for more than $25
• 10% Fees for non-BB&T customers (Yes, 10% at a bank!)

4. Cape Bank

• No fees for Cape Bank customers
• No fees for non-Cape Bank customers (and uncapped total amount unlike others on the list)

5. Citibank

• No fees for Citibank customers unless you live in the state of Illinois in which there is a 5% of the total amount
• No fees for non-Citibank customers unless you live in the state of Illinois in which there is a 5% of the total amount (Sorry Chicago readers)

6. Home State Bank

• No fees for Home State Bank customers
• 10% Fees for non-Home State Bank customers. Yikes, might as well head to Coinstar or a credit union for that price

7. JBT

• No fees for JBT customers
• 5%fees for non-JBT customers

8. Manasquan Bank

• No fees for Manasquan Bank customers
• 5% Fees for non-Manasquan Bank customers

9. Shelby Savings Bank

• No fees for Shelby Savings Bank customers
• 5% of the total amount for non-Shelby Savings Bank customers

10. U.S. Bank

• No fees for U.S. Bank customers
• No fees for non-U.S. Bank customers

11. Wells Fargo

• No fees for Wells Fargo customers
• No fees for non-Wells Fargo customers

12. People’s United Bank

• No fees for People’s United Bank if you’re a customer
• Unknown fees if you’re not a customer

13. Umpqua Bank (Pacific Northwest)

• If you’re a customer they do not charge and coins don’t have to be rolled.
• Unknown fees if you’re not a customer

If you don’t have any luck finding one of these locations near you, make sure to search for smaller banks and credit unions.

Credit Unions

If you’re not familiar there is a big difference between credit unions and banks, especially big banks like Chase and Bank of America. While banks have customers (and sometimes shareholders), credit unions are membership based. Once you get accepted based to the affiliation of the credit union you can become a member.

Credit unions tend to have more personalized service and don’t give you as much grief for want cash for your change! If you are a member, most of the bigger credit unions won’t charge you any fees. This is definitely one of the biggest perks of using credit unions!

And some credit unions have Coinstar type of machines that will allow you to give them your change without having to spend time rolling them.This is a huge time and money saver for you.

Some credit unions do allow non-members to take advantage of their kiosks but they charge around 9-10%. Still a high rate but ultimately lower than Coinstar if you want cash.

Credit unions are also a great fit if you’ve had problems getting loans or credit cards due to a low credit score. They are much more likely to work with you than big banks.

If you don’t want the work of rolling your coins and finding a bank or credit union it’s time to learn about Coinstar.

Other Ways to Use Your Spare Change

If you’re not a fan of rolling coins, using Amazon, or paying 12% in fees, there a few lesser known options to best utilize your spare change.

Acorns App

Acorns is the free app that takes your spare change and not only saves it for you, but invests it for you using roundups from use on any of your debit or credit cards.

If you would like to see exactly how it works, you can check out our Acorns app review which explains in detail how Acorns works and why microinvesting is becoming wildly popular.

Self-Checkout to Pay for Normal Items

This is a method that you might love or hate. Personally, I always get frustrated when people using self-checkouts and are slow. To me, it kind of defeats the purpose entirely.

But, this method does let you save money so I understand. Instead of having to roll your coins for the bank or lose money to Coinstar, just pay for items with coins in the self-checkout.

You won’t have to pay any fees and can easily use self-checkouts at most grocery or retail stores. Maybe keep the total to a minimum not to hold up the line with $50 of spare change.

Find and Sell Rare Coins

I’ll admit this step requires a little more and is kind of a side hustle as much as anything else. Before you decide to use one of these options for your coins, double check to see if you have rare coins.

Sometimes you will be able to find coins that are of more value than the actual amount! Again, I want to preface that this will take more effort on your end and certainly not for every reader.

Here are some of the most common coins you can look for and potentially earn some extra money:

• A buffalo nickel (this has a Native American and a buffalo on either side of the coin)
• A penny made before 1982. This means the coin is 95% copper and worth more money!
• A quarter, nickel, or dime minted prior to 1964. If it is prior to 1964 that means the coin contains silver and worth more money.

Plus if you have any older coins you can always go to a dealer and see if they are worth more to you than sitting in storage.

Donate to a Local Charity

If you don’t want to make a separate trip to find a Coinstar or don’t like the limited options you can always choose to donate your change. Religious institutions, community center, and the Salvation Army are among a few that will accept your donations. If you have international coins from your travels some of these places will also accept them as well.

Final Thoughts

Back in the day, this wasn’t something you needed to ask. Instead, you could just go to your local bank, get cash, and go about your day. Sadly, it’s just not the case anymore when it comes to trading your spare change for cash.

While getting money is always nice, it’s getting harder and harder to get 100% of your change converted to cash. With banks, machines, and high fees, you normally only get a fraction of your money. A lot of cases you only get around 90% of your “free money” after expenses!

It’s a shame that banks and our financial system have made it so difficult for people to get money for legal tender. What’s the point of having a piggy bank if you can only collect 90% of what you save? Probably not a great example from our financial institutions to teach our youth.

Maximize Your Change

But there are some alternatives to help you maximize your change for the full amount. This article will help you minimize those fees and find the best ways to get started.

Start clearing out your couch cushions, car consoles, and every random area of your house. With these methods, you can finally start using that change for something you actually need!

In today’s digital world coins and cash seem to be used less and less. Inevitably you will end up with spare coins that you need to cash out eventually. Besides, it’s not like you’re collecting interest on coins that are scattered throughout your life.

There are plenty of options to get started. Whether you roll your coins and take them to your local bank or take the fees and use Coinstar. And for quick purchases at the grocery store you can always carry your spare change with you. While it is a little of bit of work, every penny counts when it comes to meeting your financial goals!

Hopefully, this helps you deal with coin machines, fees, and the other hassles when finding a coin machine. Make sure you remember to check your Coinstar in 2022 so you can use your spare change to help you pay for your monthly bills.

What method do you use for dealing with spare change? Do you prefer the old school method of rolling them or the convenience of Coinstar?

Let us know in the comments and happy free coin rolling!

It’s in those times of distress you always think to yourself, “Where can I get keys made near me and quickly!?”

To avoid the stress and unnecessary cost of a locksmith, it’s a good idea to have duplicates made just in case something happens.

So, where can you get keys made nearby?

The answer: a lot of places!

It’s never been cheaper or easier to get keys made near you. Here’s everything you need to know about where to get keys made near you.

24 Places for Keys Made Near Me

Home Improvement Stores

I’ve personally always used a home improvement store as I didn’t know there were so many options available. Here are the most common home improvement stores where you can have keys made.

1. Home Depot

Home Depot is one of the biggest home improvement stores in the country and offers key cutting at every location. They can help you with automotive as well as standard key cutting services.

Very few locations don’t offer this service and always recommend calling ahead.

2. Lowes

Lowes is another major player in the home improvement space with locations in Canada and all over the United States. I’ve also used Lowes to have a replacement key made near me and as they are super quick and convenient.

3. Ace Hardware

Ace Hardware isn’t nearly as big as Lowes or Home Depot but offer key services at most locations. Plus, anytime I’ve used Ace I’ve always found that customer service tends to better than big box stores like Lowes or Home Depot.

Ace Hardware specializes in auto keys, standard keys, and brass doors as well. They have locations throughout the US but make sure to call before heading in.

4. True Value Hardware

True Value Hardware is another home improvement store that will help you get a key made. They have over 4,000 stores in and most of them offer key replacement services.

5. Menard’s

Menard’s is another home improvement store but they don’t have as many stores in the US as they are based primarily in the midwest. Their kiosks are self-service but easy to use. Make sure to check online or call before heading over.

6. Sears

Sears was the once popular brand of the 1980’s and 90’s has dwindled over the years but they do still have 500 locations in the United States. If you have one near you they do offer key cutting options for standard and auto keys.

But I recommend moving quick if you want to use Sears as they might be a brand of the past like Blockbuster soon enough!

Grocery Stores

While you may not feel like always making a special trip to a home improvement store you can also get keys made at a lot of your local grocery and retail stores. But, unlike home improvement stores you might have to do this yourself with a self-serve kiosk.

Don’t worry, it’s not as intimidating as you might think. All you need to do is follow the instructions and you will have a brand new key in no time. Check the list below to see if your favorite grocery store or pharmacy is included.

7. Rite-Aid

Rite-Aid is a popular drug store and grocery store that can help you get a copy of your key made. They make it easy since they have over 4,000 Rite Aid locations in 42 states. Rite-Aid offers key copying services for your auto, house, and standard door keys.

The best part about Rite-Aid is that they also offer lockout service as well. You can save your key design to a kiosk and access it with a fingerprint scan just in case you lose all other copies!

Make sure to double check the hours as the drive-through pharmacy and store hours might differ by location.

8. Walmart

Walmart pretty much as everything you need under one roof. While they are a combination of grocery, retail, and home improvement it makes sense that they offer key copying services as well. Depending on your location they might have a person to help you or just a self-service kiosk.

If you’re uncomfortable doing the service yourself make sure to contact them directly to confirm hours and if the key service is a kiosk or person.

9. Fred Meyer

Fred Meyer is similar to Wal-Mart but more of an upgraded version of the retail giant. They offer a combination of home improvement and grocery items.

They tend to have great customer service and usually have the option to do self-serve kiosks as well as someone close by to help if you have any questions. Be sure to double check their website as the Kroger owned brand only operates in three states.

10. Winco

Winco isn’t the biggest grocery store on this list but they have some of the best deals on groceries available. Plus, they offer key cutting and copying services for custom keys, standard, and auto ones as well.

Unfortunately, you are limited with Winco locations as they are only based in Nevada, Arizona, Washington, California, Idaho. But, if you do need a new spot they have great deals that can help save you money and stay way under your food budget as well!

11. Kroger

Kroger is a giant grocery store chain that is one of the biggest in the nation! The majority of the stores are in the South and Midwest and most of them have key cutting kiosks available.

They can help you make a door key, auto key, and some other more specialty types as well. I recommend calling ahead or checking online as I have a Kroger based store near me and that doesn’t provide this option.

Plus, it’s a great place to find groceries at relatively cheap prices!

12. Meijer’s

Meijer’s is a large grocery and retail store that is primarily located in the midwest. Most of the locations are in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. If you’re in one of these locations they offer home, auto, and UltraLite key cutting services in most locations.

13. BJ’s Wholesale Club

Having lived on the West Coast my whole life I hadn’t heard of BJ’s Wholesale Club but they are a large brand similar to Sam’s Club. They have over 200 locations on the East Coast and offer key cutting services for your home and auto keys.

14. Safeway

Safeway is another big and popular grocery chain that can help you with your key copying needs. All of the locations that do offer the service will be kiosk only.

Like Rite-Aid, some Safeway locations also offer fingerprint scans to access your keys as well. Make sure to check hours and location details to ensure they offer key copying services.

15. Bed Bath and Beyond

Bed Bath and Beyond might be everyone’s favorite joke when it comes to what you’re doing on Saturday (thanks Will Ferrell) but you can also get your keys cut at the giant retail store.

While they are primarily home decor and hundreds of gadgets you don’t need, they also have key copying services. The kiosks are self-serve but once again, very simple to use. Plus, they have over 1,000 retail locations so it should be easy to find one near you.

Automotive Stores

Automotive stores are another place that can help you with your key copying needs. The only problem is that some auto keys aren’t able to be duplicated and will require you to visit the dealership for a duplicate.

16. Pep Boys

Pep Boys is a popular automotive store with self-serve kiosks to help you replace or duplicate your auto and home keys. Plus if you need your oil changed they have a low price and get your key made at the same time.

17. Advance Auto Parts

Advance Auto Parts is a large auto store that operates in 43 of the 50 states with over 4,900 stores nationwide. They also have stores in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada under Worldpac and Carquest branded stores.

Find a store near you to get a copy of your home and some auto keys copied.

18. NAPA Auto Parts

Napa Auto Parts is a huge automotive brand that has been around for nearly 100 years! They are known to have outstanding customer service and can help you get a copy of your key made.

19. O’Reilly Auto Parts

O’Reilly Auto Parts is another massive automotive store that offers key cutting services with self-serve kiosks. They operate in nearly every state making it convenient for you to find one close.

Other Options For Key Replacements

20. Locksmith

Locksmiths are still an option for a key replacement but they are usually an expensive one. The cost of a locksmith is always much more expensive than any of the providers listed above. Make sure to have duplicates or a hidden key so you can save money and not need to use a local locksmith.

If you do need to use a Locksmith, make sure to check their reviews on Yelp and ensure they are a legit company. Call around or use their “message” feature to send out messages to several locksmiths. Through the app, you can see their rates, reviews, and other customer feedback.

21. KeyMe App

Yes, there is even an app that helps you get a key made! Once you download the KeyMe app all you will do is take a picture of your key and they will mail you directly to your house. This app is available on both the Android and iOS platforms.

Obviously, it won’t be as fast as going into a retail location this is another option and you don’t even need to leave your house. Plus, they offer high-performance keys, lockouts, custom designs and accessories all from the comfort of your couch!

22. minuteKEY

Another place to try is minuteKEY,  a kiosk that is found in and outside of retail stores across the country. The kiosks are very user-friendly and all you need to do is insert your key and follow the instructions. Plus, if you’re a huge sports fan you can usually customize with different tags of sports teams as well.

23. Car Keys Express

Instead of spending too much money at the car dealer, Car Keys Express can help you with a replacement auto key. All you need to do is log onto their website and enter your VIN (vehicle identification number). Once entered, follow the steps for payment and they will send you a new auto key to your door.

24. Car Dealerships

Obviously, this is only for auto keys but this might be your only option depending on the type of car you own. While they can be a great resource they are also very expensive. If possible try to use another location on this list.

Places That Don’t Make Keys

While most retailers do have some sort of key replacement service not everyone will. Make sure you avoid these stores if you are looking for key copying services:

• Target
• Auto-Zone
• Sam’s Club
• CVS
• Magic Mart

The Process of Getting a Key Made

When looking to have extra keys made, it’s important to understand the difference between each location and their services. There are two main ways keys can be made.

The first is a key copying machine in the form of a self-serve kiosk. All you do is insert your key, choose your design, and follow the instructions to have your key copied quickly and cheaply.

The other option is usually found at home improvement stores, where someone will help and assist you with making extra keys.

The Different Types of Keys

Have you ever noticed that some keys say “do not duplicate?” Stores will not make a copy of these keys no matter how many times you ask. I know because I tried with a pool key back in college and after several attempts was denied repeatedly.

If you have a key with these instructions clearly printed on it make sure to contact the person or business directly on how to get a copy made.

The last thing about keys is the type of key you are copying.

House & Office Keys

House and office keys are the most common and easily available with all vendors below.

Auto Keys

Auto keys aren’t as simple to copy as a house or office keys. Depending on your make and model of your vehicle, you might need to use a specialized service (which is also below) to help you get a replacement.

High-Performance Keys

Some office and home keys are referred to as high-performance keys. These are more accurate than a traditional key but aren’t available at all locations. Make sure to call ahead and check or use a home improvement store instead of a kiosk.

How Much Does It Cost?

If you use these locations below it will be much cheaper than using a traditional locksmith, especially if they have to come to you. Those service visits can get expensive.

Most keys will range in price from $1-$6. Auto keys tend to be more expensive than traditional house keys. And if you have a remote locking system on your car keys this will increase the price even more.

Final Thoughts

As you can tell there is no shortage of place to get keys made wherever you are in the US! At this point, I’m surprised Amazon doesn’t have some sort of way to replace your keys with Alexa or a drone. Maybe soon…

Remember that depending on the type of key you might not be able to get a new key made at each location on this list. Be sure to call ahead or check online to make sure that each location has a key copying service available.

If you’re aren’t comfortable doing it with automated kiosks make sure to use home improvement stores like Lowes, Home Depot or a local hardware store for replacements.

If you’ve ever used a key replacement service where do you go? Have you used one of these or did we miss one?

By now I am sure you have heard the talk of how bi-weekly mortgage payments can save you thousands of dollars and knock years off your mortgage.

No, we are not talking about making two full mortgage payments each month, but rather half-payments every two weeks throughout the year.

If it sounds too good to be true, it’s really not. As you will see below, making bi-weekly payments each month will save you thousands of dollars in interest and is guaranteed to shorten your mortgage by years. Yes, you read that correctly — years.

How Bi-Weekly Mortgage Payments Work

Bi-weekly mortgage payments are not rocket science. In fact, with a little 5th grade math, you can quickly see how and why bi-weekly payments are so effective.

If you get paid every two weeks, then you already know there are two months out of the year where you receive a third paycheck. Since you receive a third bi-weekly paycheck two times per year, technically you are getting paid one extra month every year.

This is exactly how bi-weekly mortgage payments work.

Let’s use the year 2020 as an example and assume you start making bi-weekly mortgage payments starting on Friday, January 3rd, 2020.

As you can see above, a third half payment is made in January and July, therefore making an additional full payment beyond just the 12 payments for the year.

Start With Your Mortgage Lender (If Available)

Some mortgage lenders will agree to set you up on bi-weekly mortgage payments if you ask for it. However, keep in mind banks are in the business of making money and they make less money when you are enrolled in bi-weekly payments.

With that said, you need to call your bank or lender and ask if you have the option to set up automatic bi-weekly payments. Some lenders even offer this service online which can save you the hassle of having to call or make an appointment with your lender.

Do Not Pay Fees (This Should Be Free)

As mentioned above, the bank makes less money if you pay off a 30-year mortgage in less than 30 years. Therefore, many banks are reluctant to offer bi-weekly payments, and some go as far as to even charge a fee to set up with your bi-weekly payments.

Do not ever pay your bank or lender a fee to set up bi-weekly mortgage payments. The good news is, if there is a fee involved you can easily set up bi-weekly payments yourself.

Do-It-Yourself Bi-Weekly Mortgage Payments

Remember, making a 50% bi-weekly mortgage payment is the same as making 13 full payments per year.

If your bank or lender doesn’t offer bi-weekly payments or they want to charge you a fee, you can easily do this yourself.

Open up and create a sinking fund (a savings account) and every month transfer 1/12th of your principal and interest payment into the savings account.

Keep in mind most mortgage payments include P.I.T.I. — principal, interest, taxes and insurance. On your monthly statement, your taxes and insurance may go into an escrow account and can be found on your monthly statement.

Look at your mortgage statement and determine how much of your payment is principal and interest, and then take 1/12th of that as the amount you will transfer each month into your sinking fund.

A DIY Example:

Your monthly mortgage payment is $1,500. From that mortgage payment, $300 is for taxes and insurance (escrow) and the remaining $1,200 is principal and interest.

Divide the principal and interest payment by 12 which is $100. Then every month, automatically transfer that amount into your sinking fund. At the end of the year, you will have a 13th mortgage payment to throw at the principal of your mortgage.

You could also just add $100 every month to your principal which will have the same effect.

Real World Examples

Now let’s actually look at some real world examples to see the power of making bi-weekly mortgage payments.

The 30 Year Mortgage

Mike and Rhonda just purchased a new house on a 30-year mortgage with an interest rate of 4%.

Mortgage Amount: $300,000

Interest Rate: 4%

Term: 30 Years 

Monthly Payment (Principal and Interest): $1,432

If Mike and Rhonda move to bi-weekly payments of $716, they will pay off their loan in 25 years and save $35,068 in interest.

The 15 Year Mortgage

Jenny purchases a house on a 15-year mortgage with an interest rate at 4%.

Mortgage Amount: $400,000

Interest Rate: 5%

Term: 15 Years 

Monthly Payment (Principal and Interest): $3,163

If Jenny moves her monthly payment schedule to a bi-weekly payment schedule, Jenny will pay off her mortgage two years faster and save $21,699 in interest.

As you can see in both scenarios above, bi-weekly payments save thousands of dollars in interest and always pay the mortgage off sooner.

A Simple Bi-Weekly Calculator

For a simple bi-weekly mortgage calculator, I would recommend Bankrate’s.

This simply calculator will ask your for your current loan balance, your annual interest rate, and how many years you have left on your mortgage. Once you hit submit, it will show you the savings in terms of years and interest. It’s super easy to use and you’ll have your results in seconds.

Common Mistakes of Paying Extra Towards Mortgage

When setting up bi-weekly payments, there are a few things you need to be aware of before you start. Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when you move away from a traditional monthly payment schedule.

Paying a Penalty or Fee for Extra Payments

Some banks go as far as to charge a fee or penalty if you pay off your mortgage early. Although this is not common practice, make sure you don’t get caught paying fees or penalties when paying the mortgage down quicker.

Also, as mentioned above you should never pay a fee to set up bi-weekly payments. If this happens, go the do-it-yourself route.

Not Making the Extra Payment to Principal

Always double check your extra payment is actually going to principal. Sometimes lenders will apply your extra payment as pre-payment of your principal and interest which only shortens the loan but does not actually save you any money.

Making Yourself Cash Poor

Don’t make yourself cash poor by moving to bi-weekly payments. The most effective way to manage your money is to live on a very simple budget each month. Once you can visually see how much is coming in and going out each month, you can make the best decision on how to pay off the mortgage faster.

Free Budget Download: Grab my free budgeting templates and download the how-to-budget mini course here.

Going Beyond the Bi-Weekly Payment

Now that I have you excited to get rid of your largest payment in life sooner and also save thousands in interest, you may be thinking what else can I do?

The next step is to look at your monthly budget and decide if you can add more each month to your mortgage. Even just adding $100 every month can save you thousands of dollars and years of payments.

It’s time to get creative. What would you be willing to sacrifice just a little bit to pay off your mortgage that much sooner? Or would you be willing to work an extra shift at work, sell something each month, or increase your income and apply the extra towards the mortgage?

Whichever you decide to do, just promise to be consistent each month.

But Should I Even Pay Off the Mortgage Early?

I have yet to meet anyone with a paid off mortgage that wished they would have spent more time paying their mortgage down. Not a single person.

This is because a paid off mortgage creates an extreme feeling of security, peace of mind, and accomplishment. 

However, there is the other side of the argument that states you are paying down a mortgage at 4% when you could be investing those extra dollars at 10% or more. And the argument is mathematically correct.

Truth-be-told, if you decide to pay off your mortgage early, the amount you are saving is most-likely going to be much less than the amount you possibly could make investing into your retirement accounts.

In my opinion, peace of mind isn’t free. I will still tell everyone to put as much as they can towards their retirement accounts. If you can max them out, then you should.

However, I’m also not going to keep my mortgage for 30 years if I can pay it off early by moving to a simple bi-weekly payment schedule.

Final Takeaway

Yes, you can set up bi-weekly payments, save thousands of dollars and knock years off your mortgage. It doesn’t matter if you just made your first mortgage payment or you are 10 years into an existing mortgage — you can start this today.

Whether you call your lender and set up bi-weekly payments or you decide to go the DIY route, either way you are saving money and years off your mortgage.

Create a Budget Before You Add Extra to the Mortgage

Before you decide if can add any extra to the mortgage, you need to create a simple budget.

This will allow you to quickly see how much you can throw extra at the mortgage each month to get the mortgage paid down quickly!

Download Templates

Wouldn’t it be nice to actually be able to save money each month? 

Believe it or not, we actually are doing better than we ever have when it comes to personal savings rates.

If you start looking back to the 1960s, America had a personal savings rate above 13%. Then we dipped down all the way to just under 3% in 2004. However, after a recession in 2008 and a pandemic in 2020, Americans learned their lesson and have a personal savings rate of 33% today!

Now that we are officially saving money, what is the best way to save the money?

The answer: Sinking Funds

What is a Sinking Fund?

A sinking fund is an individual savings account that is specifically earmarked for something you are saving up for. 

One of the most-common financial mistakes people make is they only have one big savings account. Inside that savings account is a little bit of vacation, a little bit of Christmas spending, some leftover for emergencies, and a little bit more for your next big purchase.

However, sinking funds take this big pot of savings and splits it up into smaller savings buckets for each savings goal.

The best part — you can label each savings bucket anything you want.

The first sinking fund everyone will need is an emergency fund. Studies show that everyone will experience a devastating financial emergency within any 10 year period. It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when.

But what about the other sinking funds?

Open Your Sinking Fund: Open your first sinking fund today and start saving!

The Most Popular Sinking Funds

Saving money should always be exciting. Maybe not as exciting as making extra money, but saving more of your hard earned money is a close second.

Over the years of teaching the sinking fund principle as a great way to save money, here are the most popular of those using sinking funds today.

The Vacation Fund

We all work hard so we can play harder — and then we have to pay for it.

The normal way of paying for a vacation is coming home from the vacation, looking up how much you spent, and then freaking out. This is a reactive way of managing your money and poor people are reactive with money. On the other hand, wealthy people are proactive.

Instead of bringing your vacation home with you in the form of payments, you are going to pay for the vacation before it even begins.

To do this, determine how much money you can afford for vacation this year. Then divide the total amount by 12 (months) and save that amount into your new Vacation Fund each month.

Example:

You determine you can afford $6,000 per year for vacations. This is equivalent to $500 per month, which means you will set up your sinking fund with $500 monthly transfers into it.

The Christmas Fund

You know when you finish your Thanksgiving dinner and then the stress begins? That stress is because you just realized Christmas is less than a month away and you forgot to set aside any money for it.

Ironically Christmas is on the same day every year and we still forget to set aside any money, until now.

Now, let’s assume you will need $1,000 for Christmas spending. Simply divide $1,000 by 12 months and start saving $84 every month into your Christmas Fund. Your next Thanksgiving dinner will be amazing and you won’t be stressing out before dessert.

The Back to School Fund

Until I had my own kids in school, I had no idea how much of a burden expense this was going to be. 

Back to school shopping represents 20% of total retail sales for the year and Americans will spend on average $510 as a family for supplies, clothes, gadgets, and the latest thing kids will need.

Open up a Back to School Fund and transfer $45 every month into it. You will be amazed out how enjoyable back to school shopping is when money is not the issue.

The New Car Fund

The biggest separator in wealth between the rich and the poor is rich people put their money towards things that go up in value and poor people put money towards things that drop in value.

One thing that continues to drop in value like a rock are automobiles. In fact, new cars lose value so quickly that often you are “upside down” in your vehicle when it’s time to get a new one.

And since no one thought of saving up in advance for a new (or replacement) car, the finance department is one of the most profitable areas of the car dealership.

But what if you made a car payment to yourself each month? Instead of paying interest, you would be earning interest, right?

Open up a sinking fund and label it the The New Car Fund and start sending your car payment to yourself each month instead of sending it to the bank with interest tacked on. 

The “Big Purchase” Fund

Goodness gracious, do you like “stuff” too? 

We are all human and we all want more stuff. We want a bigger house, nicer furniture, better backyard, shinier jewelry, and a dress that takes off 20 pounds the moment you put it on.

One certainty in life we can count on — stuff costs money.

Retailers also know you want stuff and they assume you don’t have the money to get it right now. This is why over the years retailers have morphed from a storefront with stuff inside to a finance department with stuff inside.

Have you ever been anywhere in the last few years where you weren’t offered the ability to sign up for the store’s credit card program? 

And don’t forget, you also get $50 store credit for getting a new card!

Ditch the store credit card idea and avoid the temptation to finance a new dress for the next three years at 21% APR.

Instead, open up your new I Want Stuff Fund and start saving for more stuff today.

The Necessary Sinking Funds

After diving through the enjoyable sinking funds, now let’s talk about the sinking funds you won’t get excited about but you’ll be more thankful than ever when it comes time to use them.

The Emergency Fund

You and I, your best friend, your sister and brother, the neighbor next-door and everyone else you know will experience a devastating financial crisis every ten years.

We know it’s going to happen so the only option is to prepare for your next financial emergency with an emergency fund. When you hit a financial crisis and your emergency fund is waiting for you, life feels much different.

For most people, a financial crisis is just that — a crisis. But when you have your emergency fund, it becomes a hiccup instead of a crisis, you write a check, and you go on with your day.

Open Your Sinking Fund: Open your first sinking fund today and start saving!

The Car Repair Fund

Who would have ever thought cars would break down and need repairing? Or that cars would eventually need tires, a new battery, or maybe even an alternator?

The car industry is well aware of it and they have a great product for you — an extended warranty. But did you know only 11% of those who purchase an extended warranty are actually able to use them? 

Most of the time the warranty doesn’t cover everything you thought it did or you realize you have to go to battle with the warranty company to get them to cover your repair.

Instead of overpaying for an extended warranty and then fighting to get your repair covered while your car sits idle, why not just save up cash for the inevitable repairs? A Car Repair Fund is a perfect solution.

Medical Co-Pay Fund

If you’re not using a Health Savings Account (HSA), then you should open up your Medical Co-Pay Fund. 

You and I can agree we will never enjoy paying that much for medical care, but we are sure glad we have the ability to pay for it when the cash is there. Open up a Medical Co-Pay Fund and start transferring the amount of money you think you’ll need for future health care costs. 

The “Big Expense” Fund

Is your air conditioning unit on the fritz and you know it’s only a matter of time? Or is your roof leaking and you have been putting bandaids on it for the last few years?

These are the big ticket items we never enjoy spending money on but we wish we had the money when the bill is due.

Open up your next New A/C Fund, your New Roof Fund, or whichever big expense fund you know is around the corner to help jumpstart your next big expense in your life.

How to Use a Sinking Fund the Right Way

The number one rule when it comes to sinking funds is they must be at a separate bank. You of course still have access to the new bank, but it’s not where your everyday checking account is located.

Why?

Because we are human and if we constantly see money growing next to our checking account, we will rob ourselves from our sinking funds each month.

Open up your first savings account at your new bank and label it whatever you’d like to call your sinking fund.

Next, set up automatic recurring transfers into the new sinking fund. You can do this monthly, bi-weekly, weekly, or however often you prefer to fund each sinking fund.

Once you have your account opened and your automatic transfers initiated, just sit back, relax, and watch your sinking fund(s) grow.

Why Sinking Funds Work So Well

The reason why Sinking funds work so well is because they are out of sight and out of mind. Most people go into debt over a period of time — a death by a thousand cuts.

However, the opposite also applies. Most people save up large cash reserves over time. Instead of death by a thousand cuts, it’s wealth by a thousand small recurring deposits. 

Think about this; a bi-weekly deposit of $50 is $1,300 at the end of the year. A $150 car payment to your sinking fund is $9,000 in five years. A little bit now always ends up being a lot over time.

Where to Open a Sinking Fund

The most important piece of opening your sinking fund is to never open your sinking fund at your current bank. You must make sure these sinking funds are out of sight and out of mind.

I highly recommend using an online bank, a local bank or a local credit union. Stay away from the big four national banks — they will eat your savings up in the form of fees.

The reason I love small local banks, credit unions and online banks is because they want your business and they will do more for you to earn it. 

With smaller banks and online banks, you won’t pay ridiculous fees and you can often open as many savings accounts as you would like. Your monthly balance can be zero and small banks and online banks won’t charge you fees like a big national bank will for a low monthly balance. 

Best Bank to Open a Sinking Fund

A savings account at Radius Bank is my absolute favorite online bank to set up your sinking funds because they have among the highest savings rates and you can also link a Radius checking account to your sinking funds to access your money.

However, if you choose to go local, I love credit unions because you’re a member/owner of the credit union versus a customer of a bank.

If you live in Arizona, check out OneAZ Credit Union — the credit union I personally use and love for my sinking funds.

Sinking Fund Mistakes to Avoid

The key thing to remember is sinking funds are savings vehicles, not spending vehicles. 

They are designed to slowly save up for big purchases or expenses that you only withdraw from a few times per year.

Also, as mentioned above, you never want to open a sinking fund at your current bank. Sinking funds must be out of sight and out of mind for them to grow. 

Lastly, just start with one sinking fund and add more as you time goes on. A big mistake I see people make is they open ten sinking funds and try to save into each one. They are then disappointed when the savings in each sinking fund wasn’t quite enough when they needed it.

Start with your emergency fund and add from there.

Final Takeaway

The first step to any good financial plan to measure the money coming in and out of your life. We can all agree what gets measured gets managed, and therefore you must create a budget before you do anything else.

After you have created your budget, the next step is to start saving using sinking funds. Opening up your first sinking fund is so simple, yet it is such a powerful tool for your finances. 

Imagine next Christmas when you have plenty of money before you start shopping. What would it feel like to enjoy the entire vacation because you’re not worried about money? Or think about a life where financial emergencies are instead financial hiccups.

It’s a simple option and all you have to do is take the next step. Open your next sinking fund today.

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Open Your First Sinking Fund Right Away

Now that you have taken a look at how a sinking fund works and why they work so well to save money, it’s time to open your first sinking fund.

My favorite online bank for sinking funds is Radius Bank because they have both savings accounts (sinking funds) and a checking account to attach to each your future sinking funds!

Open a Sinking Fund at Radius Bank

More people than ever are looking to buy used cars versus new cars due to the extremely high cost of new cars today. Not only are car prices skyrocketing, but more people understand the opportunty cost. with the rapid depreciation of a new car.

How to Buy a Car From a Private Seller

This may be your first time purchasing a used car from a private seller and you may be wondering how to avoid a scam and get teh best deal.

You also want to ensure you aren’t paying too much for a vehicle and that you’re asking the right questions before you buy. And with the non-stop scams that are appearing everywhere, it’s especially important to make sure you aren’t getting scammed on a car that you’ve financed instead of paying cash for.

To help make sure you don’t get scammed when you buy your next car, here are 7 things you must know before buying your used car.

Step 1. Ask Lots of Questions

If you are buying the car privately instead of at a dealership, it might be a good idea to ask the owner why they are selling it. You should also find out if the seller originally purchased it brand new, or if it was used when they bought it.

If the seller gives you vague answers, you can always walk away and look for something else. Even if you do shop at car dealerships for your next used car, you need to find out about previous owners, service records, and any damages the car has had in the past.

Step 2. What is the Condition of the Car?

The first thing to look at when buying a used car is the age of the vehicle and how many miles are on it. Also, check to see if the seller has any records from the service that has been done on it.

If you are not familiar with car maintenance and what to look for when it comes to damage and abuse, take someone with you who is. Better yet, you can also hire a mechanic to come with you to look at the vehicle.

Hiring a mechanic may cost you a few dollars, but it’ll be worth it if you can avoid major problems before you buy the car. You should also try to find out if there have been any recall notices and whether or not they were addressed.

Step 3. How is the Car Equipped?

Depending on your own needs in a vehicle, this could be a deal breaker. Check the Kelley Blue Book price against the amount the owner is asking, keeping in mind the options on the car. This will help you determine if they are asking a fair price. If the price seems like it’s too good to be true, it probably is, or the car has some hidden damages you may not have noticed.

“Features” aren’t everything when it comes to a car, especially if you are working hard to get out of debt. Before you shop for a “fully loaded” car, ask yourself if you really need all of those features, or if a more basic car will do so you can use your money elsewhere instead. But if there are features you truly need, like enough space for your family, don’t settle for a car that won’t meet your needs. If you do, you’ll likely end up car shopping again in a just a few months or a year down the road to find a car that will better suit your needs.

Step 4. CARFAX It

If you live in the United States or Canada, you are going to want to CARFAX it. Before you purchase a used car or truck, you want to be 100% sure you know exactly what you are buying. A CARFAX uses the vehicle identification number (VIN) to show you any accident history, claims, actual odometer readings, existence of a branded title such as a salvage or junk title, or even past registration as a fleet vehicle. The bottom line is you should always take the extra few minutes a run a CARFAX.

Step 5. Thoroughly Test Drive it

Take your time to thoroughly check out the vehicle and don’t let the seller pressure you by saying others are interested as well. Don’t just take it around the block, get it out on the highway as well. Some cars handle fine in town, but develop a shimmy or shake on the highway at high speeds. This could be a sign of something simple, such as tires being out of alignment, but it could also be caused by a bigger problem, like a bent axle. If you notice a shake when you are test driving a car, you definitely need to get it checked out by a trusted mechanic before you buy it.

Step 6. Negotiate

Don’t rush your decision to buy the car. The longer you shop around, the better the deal you will find. If you aren’t comfortable negotiating, take someone with you who will negotiate on your behalf. There’s no shame in asking for the best possible price, whether you are working with a private seller or a dealership.

Hopefully you won’t be in a position where you are in a hurry to buy a car, when this happens you lose the power of negotiation and the ability to walk away if the seller won’t work with you on price.

Top Negotiating Tip with the Power of Cash

Studies have shown that when a human being sees large amounts of cash in front of them, their pupils dilate, their heart rate increases, and their blood pressure is elevated. These signs are all known as a sympathetic nervous response. This response is the basis for my negotiating skills when it comes to making large purchases.

Use the power of cash to create this response whenever negotiating to make a large purchase. Here is how it works for a $10,000 vehicle purchase:

1. First withdraw the pre-determined maximum amount of money I am willing to spend and I ask for the cash in $20s.
2. Next, place $8,000 cash inside a briefcase with all the bills facing the same way.
3. Keep the other $2,000 in a roll inside your pocket.

When you are ready to negotiate your offer, pop the latches on the briefcase simultaneously and offer the seller $8,000 on the spot. Once they see the cash and they have the sympathetic nervous response mentioned above, 9 times out of 10 you can expect to hear “DEAL!”.

However, if there needs to be a little wiggle room, you do have the extra $2,000 in your pocket.

Step 7. Talk to Your Banker Before You Begin

The time to check into financing is before you begin car shopping, not after you have one picked out. This way you’ll know how much you can spend and how much of a payment you can handle if you don’t have all the cash saved up already.

If you’re taking these steps, you are on the right track. You want your vehicle to last several years, so this decision should not be made in haste. Do your homework and you will have a better outcome

Final Takeaway

Buying a car is often stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. When you take things step-by-step and create a plan before you are ready to buy, you’re going to save yourself a ton of stress and money.

Be patient, look for a deal you are most comfortable with and always negotiate. Good luck on your next car!