11 Money Hacks You Can Use to Get Ahead (and Stay There)

Ever wonder how rich people get ahead? Feel like you're missing something? Here are 10 simple money hacks rich people use to build and keep wealth!

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Ever wonder how rich people get ahead? Do you want to be one of them?

Never fear! Club Thrifty is here with some simple money hacks you can use to start building wealth now. Enjoy!

#1) Question Everything

Dealing with bills isn’t a “set it and forget it” game. Get ahead by shopping for the best rates, especially when it comes to things like car insurance. Compare rates at least once a year using a free resource like Esurance. They provide free quotes on auto insurance, homeowners, motorcycle, and even renters insurance. (What have you got to lose? It’s free!)

#2) Protect Your Credit

Credit scores are used for more than mortgages and personal loans. Your credit score could affect your insurance rates, living situation, and even your employment opportunities. Of course, protecting your credit is a lot easier than fixing it. I use CreditSesame to keep an eye on my credit score every month. The service is free, plus I get alerts when new accounts are opened or my score changes, helping protect me from identity theft.

#3) Save on Credit Card Interest

Refinancing your credit cards to a lower rate can reduce your monthly payments, help you save big money, and give you a chance to get caught up. Even if your credit score isn’t perfect, Lending Club can refinance your cards into a more manageable loan so you can pay off your debt faster.

#4) Auto Eliminate Budget Busters

These days, we’ve all got a gajillion bills set on autopilot. Forgetting to cancel subscriptions is extremely common. Trim helps you find forgotten subscriptions automatically and eliminate them from your life. This free app even negotiates your cable bill, alerts you to Amazon price drops, and helps you find cash back offers. It’s an awesome tool that helps you save big money with almost no effort.

#5) Create Multiple Streams of Income

This may be the biggest secret to building wealth: You need to create multiple streams of income. Additional income streams help you make more money, and they protect you in case one stream dries up. Something as simple as becoming an Uber driver could really boost your chances of getting ahead. In just a few hours a week, you could be earning several hundred dollars a month just for driving people around!

#6) Track Your Progress (Automatically)

Whether your just getting started or you’ve been working on your finances for a while, it’s important to have a reliable way to track your progress. There is no better tracking tool than this free net worth tracker from Personal Capital. You can easily keep an eye on your net worth while barely lifting a finger. While you’re there, use these free tools to track your spending, monitor your retirement goals, and more!

#7) Pick Low-Hanging Fruit

Making money on the side is a huge part of getting ahead. Take advantage of easy money making opportunities, like answering surveys, whenever possible.

Now, taking surveys at places like Survey Junkie is never going to make you rich. However, you can use the extra income for things like holiday gifts, spending money, travel expenses and more.

There are dozens of places you can join, but not all of them are worth your time. We’ve put together this list of the best survey sites to help you get started.

#8) Put Your Budget on Autopilot

Let’s face it: Budgeting is a pain in the a$$. If you’re like most people, you’ve tried budgeting a million times and failed. Still, budgeting and tracking your spending is an important part of getting ahead. Cut yourself a break and make it easier by automating it.

Tiller is a great app that automatically tracks your budget and spending. Just set it up and let Tiller do the work for you. Use this link to try Tiller for free. After 30 days, it costs just a few bucks a month – well worth the cost if it helps you stay on a budget!

#9) Refinance When It Makes Sense

Your mortgage is likely the largest loan you’ll ever have, so it makes sense to save whenever you can. Refinancing to a lower rate could save you tens of thousands over the life of your loan. That’s real money that can be put back into your pocket! Mortgage rates have stayed low for several years, and there’s no guarantee they’ll stay this way forever. Compare rates from up to 5 lenders now!

#10) Automate Your Savings

Having trouble saving? Let Qapital automate it for you. This awesome free app helps you save without even thinking about it. Simply set up a goal, link your account, and Qapital will round up your purchase to the next dollar (or two), saving the spare change for you. It’s a simple but effective method of saving for any type of goal. Use this link to get a $5 signup bonus after your first “deposit” settles!

#11) Protect Your Assets

When you’ve worked hard to build wealth, the last thing you want is to lose it all. That’s why it’s important to protect your assets with the right insurance policies. Term life insurance is extremely cheap and will protect your family during your most important earning years. We recently shopped around and added an additional $750K in life insurance coverage for under $30 a month! While rates obviously vary by age and health, that’s insanely cheap for a ton of financial security. Get your free life insurance quote here. (It only takes a few minutes!)

What do you think? What other money hacks have I missed? Make your voice heard in the comments below!

 

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4 Comments

  1. Absolutely true. My great uncle owned 7 strip mines in West Virginia, when that meant something. He lived in a larger , (but not flashy), home, but he and his wife still did all their own maintenance and painting until they became quite elderly. They would travel outside of town to a cheaper hairdresser and barber, shopped the sale racks at good stores, cooked their own meals, that kind of stuff. They bought a good car new, maintained it, and kept it for a period of time. Another man we knew painted and wall papered for a living. He lived in the same twin house he had purchased as a young adult in the military, and brought his bride there when they married. He maintained a large garden, raised a bunch of kids, and encouraged them to save as well. One daughter purchased her home in cash. He worked into old age. Upon his passing he was a millionaire. One thing both couples had in common is they continued working. Yes they enjoyed the fruit of their work, but both families had fairly simple tastes and wants.

  2. I would also add to eat at home and use your library as an entertainment source. We did these two things and were able to live much more beneath our means with the savings.

  3. I love how you phrased #9–I always cringe when I hear about people borrowing against their equity. The typical mortgage scenario is already not in favor of the consumer because of the amount of interest paid, and then to deplete what equity you do have…please don’t!

  4. These are great money hacks! Currently we’re working on creating multiple streams of income.

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