12 Things to Cut When Money Gets Tight

Greensprout TeamUpdated August 3rd 2026

Let's be real: managing money can feel like a full-time job. Between bills, credit cards, subscriptions, and the occasional impulse buy, it's easy to lose track.

I've spent years digging into the most common ways people waste money - and trust me, some of them are shockingly easy to fix.

Here are the biggest money-wasters I've found (and what to do instead):

1. Auto Insurance: Cut Your Payment by $400+/Year*

Sticking with the same auto insurance year after year?

It could be costing you.

The average American family still overspends by $416¹ or more per year on car insurance - often without realizing it.

I usually pull up Auto Savings - a free site that compares offers from trusted insurers. It takes just 2 minutes to see what's out there.

Here's how:

• Click below to open Auto Savings
• Answer a few quick questions
• Compare real offers instantly

That's all it takes. You'll likely save yourself a bunch of money.

See how much you can save on car insurance

*Savings vary by zip code and driving record.

2. $1M+ Saved for Retirement? Avoid These 7 Costly Mistakes

The biggest financial risk for investors with over $1 million isn't market volatility. It's making the wrong moves at the wrong time.

The Seven Secrets of High Net Worth Investors is a free retirement guide that walks you through the seven strategies wealthy retirees rely on to protect their portfolios and generate lasting income. It's practical, jargon-free, and built for investors who have real money on the line.

The team behind it has managed over $362 billion in assets for clients since 1979. Millions of investors have already downloaded a copy.

If you're serious about making your money last through retirement, this is worth 10 minutes of your time.

Download the Free Guide

3. Protect Your Vehicle From Expensive Repairs

That dreaded check engine light? Never good — especially if your warranty's expired.

Endurance helps drivers avoid costly repairs with extended auto warranty plans that cover engines, transmissions, brakes, air conditioners, and more.

They've protected millions of vehicles over nearly 20 years and earned top reviews on Google.

Just enter your vehicle details and get matched with a plan that fits your car and your budget. Coverage is affordable, flexible, and built to save you money.

Don't let repairs drain your savings.

Get a free vehicle quote

4. A "Shark Tank" Solution to Crushing Credit Card Debt

If you're drowning in credit card debt, you're not alone - and the longer you put it off, the harder it gets to dig out. Minimum payments barely move the needle, and most of what you send each month just disappears into interest.

That's why Robert Herjavec from Shark Tank recently teamed up with DebtClearUSA (powered by Americor) - to help everyday Americans finally break the cycle.

Here's how it works: if you have credit card debt, medical bills, or other unsecured debt, DebtClearUSA can roll it into one low monthly payment - and potentially reduce what you owe by up to 45%. Most people are debt-free in 30-48 months, with zero upfront fees.

You'll get a decision in as little as 2 minutes, and DebtClearUSA holds a 4.9-star rating on Trustpilot and 4.8 on Google across 14,000+ reviews.

If you're tired of watching your balance go nowhere, this is worth 2 minutes of your time.

See If You Qualify →

5. Don't Sleep on This Underrated Cash Back Card: $200 Bonus + Up to 5% Back

Apply for the Chase Freedom Unlimited® credit card and you could earn a $200 bonus after spending just $500 in your first 3 months. The math is hard to ignore — your bonus is worth half of what you spend to earn it, making this one of the stronger spend-to-bonus offers available right now.

And the path to the bonus is simple. Apply, get approved, put $500 on the card over 3 months (groceries, gas, the usual), and the bonus lands in your account.

The rewards don't stop there. The Chase Freedom Unlimited keeps rewarding everyday spending with 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery) and on drugstore purchases, plus unlimited 1.5% cash back on everything else.

Carrying a balance or planning a large purchase? This card also includes an intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers for a limited time. Add in no annual fee, and it's easy to see why this card quietly outperforms others that get far more attention.

Good to excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.

To see current details, visit the Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card

6. Get $300,000 in Life Insurance for $46/Month, 100% Online

Most people think getting life insurance means scheduling a doctor's visit, waiting weeks for bloodwork results, and sitting through an agent sales pitch. With Ethos, none of that is required.

All you need to do is answer a few health questions online and most applicants could get a decision the same day with no doctor visits, medical exams, or blood draws.

Every Ethos policy also includes access to estate planning tools like a will, trust, power of attorney, and more at no additional cost ($449 value per person). For a 55-year-old non-smoking female in good health, $300,000 in coverage could run around just $46/month on a 10-year term.

• No medical exams or blood work (just answer a few health questions online)
• 100% online (no agent required unless you want one)
• Coverage from $100K to $3M with terms from 10-30 years
• A+ BBB rating
• 4.8/5 on Trustpilot
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Whether you're looking to help protect a mortgage, help cover future tuition costs, or simply give your family peace of mind, Ethos lets you customize your coverage and term length to fit your life, and your budget. It won't replace a full estate plan, but it's a real head start for anyone who's been putting it off.

Get your estimate now →

Sample rate: 10-year term policy for 55,60 and 65 y/o healthy, non-smoking females. Products not available in all states. Trustpilot rating as of 06/01/2026.

7. Diversify Your Retirement Savings With Gold

If you've spent decades building your nest egg, the last thing you want is to watch inflation or a market crash take a bite out of it. That's exactly why more Americans are adding gold and silver to their retirement portfolios.

American Hartford Gold specializes in helping people do just that — whether it's physical precious metals or a gold/silver IRA. And the historical case is hard to ignore: gold climbed 330% between 2005 and 2020, and actually gained 25% during the 2008 stock market crash.²

Getting started takes three steps:

• Request your free Gold IRA guide
• Talk to a dedicated specialist about what makes sense for your situation (minimum IRA investment is $15,000)
• Transfer or invest to start diversifying

They carry an A+ BBB rating, hold the #1 spot on the Inc. 5000 list of gold companies, and are exclusively endorsed by Bill O'Reilly. If you're serious about protecting what you've built, this is worth a look.

Get your free Gold IRA guide

8. The Hidden Cost of Clogged Gutters

Overflowing gutters don't just look bad — they're a sneaky cause of foundation cracks, roof rot, mold, and basement flooding. Most homeowners don't catch it until the damage is already done, when a simple cleaning problem turns into a five-figure repair.

HomeBuddy shuts that down for good. Its surgical-grade stainless steel micromesh blocks leaves, pine needles, and even shingle grit, while still letting water pour through freely.

The part I liked most: installers clean and realign your current gutters for free before putting LeafFilter on — no teardown, no full replacement. It's backed by a Lifetime Warranty and a No-Clog Guarantee.

Don't wait for the damage to show up inside your walls.

Get your free quote

9. A New Roof Could Be Closer (and Affordable) Than You Think

If your roof is showing its age - leaks, missing shingles, or storm wear - it might be doing more harm than good. A roof replacement protects your home from the inside out, while also cutting energy costs and adding real value if you ever decide to sell.

This free program matches homeowners with trusted local roofing contractors based on their zip code. No obligation, just a quick check to see what's available near you.

Reasons homeowners are replacing now:

• Stop water damage before it spreads
• Improve insulation and lower monthly bills
• Withstand wind, hail, and heavy storms
• Raise your home's resale value
• Potentially qualify for insurance savings

You may qualify if:

• You're a homeowner
• Your roof is 15+ years old
• You're in a participating zip code

See If You Qualify

10. The $13,000 Tab Most People Don't Know They're Running

If you're regularly dealing with occasional bloating, unpredictable digestion, or that brick-in-your-stomach feeling after meals, you're probably spending more than you realize.

The average American dealing with chronic digestive symptoms racks up over $13,000 a year in related healthcare costs that are spread across copays, specialist visits, lab work, and prescriptions.

And that's before counting the rotating tab of OTC products.

The reason that number keeps coming back year after year is simple: most treatments only target the symptom.

A majority of them rarely touch what's actually causing the problem.

Fortunately, a former chief surgeon who spent 40 years in medicine believes he identified the real issue.

He calls it "leaky gut" - a breakdown in the gut lining that lets waste and toxins leak into the bloodstream.

And according to his findings, this could trigger chronic inflammation across the body, which is why symptoms keep coming back no matter what you take.

That's why he developed a simple morning habit that targets the gut lining directly.

And thousands of people are finally experiencing freedom from digestive discomfort, occasional bloating, and even noticing a flatter belly in the mirror.

→ See his 30-second morning habit here

11. The Average Timeshare Owner Pays $1,480 a Year in Fees - and That Number Keeps Climbing

In 2024, the average maintenance fee hit $1,480, up 17.5% in a single year, more than 6 times the rate of inflation. That's more than $1000 per month for something you may use once a year, and that's before special assessments, surprise charges for repairs or shortfalls that can add hundreds, and sometimes thousands of dollars with little warning.

What's worse, when you're gone those obligations don't disappear. They can pass directly to heirs who never signed up for them. It's no surprise 85% of timeshare owners regret their purchase.

If you're in a timeshare you want out of, Stonegate Firm, the #1 Consumer Contract Exit Company, may be able to help.

Whether you signed your timeshare contract in the 1980's or the 2020's, Stonegate's proven process has helped families across the country break free from their timeshare financial burden, finally achieving financial freedom through The Stonegate Firm.

• Permanent, legal cancellation
• Freedom from rising fees and special assessments
• Protection from passing obligations to your children
• Real legal representation through Stonegate Law

Want to find out if your timeshare qualifies for a permanent legal exit?

Take the Free Quiz to See If You Qualify here.

12. The $90/Month Bottled Water Mistake

Americans spend $60-90 a month on bottled water assuming it's the healthy choice. But here's what the bottle doesn't tell you: those plastic containers are leaching microplastics directly into your body — particles now linked to weight gain, gut damage, and metabolic dysfunction.

The NIH recently confirmed that microplastics "boost the growth and accumulation of fat cells." Scientists literally call them obesogens.

Dr. Steven Gundry — who lost 70 lbs himself and has kept it off for 25 years — found that the missing link for gut health isn't just what you eat. It's hydrogen. Your good gut bacteria need hydrogen to produce butyrate, the "repairman" compound that fixes your gut lining and fires up your metabolism.

His Ultimate H2 tablets deliver 5 parts per million of hydrogen (3x the competition) in just 2 minutes:

• Metabolism support for easier weight management
• Mental clarity without caffeine jitters
• Smoother digestion — goodbye bloating
• Better sleep quality
• Backed by a 90-day guarantee

See how it works + get 45% off

13. Erase Interest Until Nearly 2027— 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers

Stop bogging yourself down with those high-interest credit card payments. It seriously limits your spending power. If your monthly interest payments are starting to creep out of control, you might need to take a look at changing things up with your current credit card by transferring your balance to a card with a 0% intro APR.

We've done the research and identified some of the best options to help you take back control. These cards offer a generous 0% intro APR on balance transfers until nearly 2027, which means you could get the breathing room you need to tackle your debt without being hamstrung by interest payments for a whole year.

On top of that, you can earn up to 5% cash back on everyday purchases and enjoy a $0 annual fee. It's really a no-brainer when you consider you could save on interest and earn on everyday purchases.

See Discover it Cash Back Credit Card details

14. Only 37% of Americans Over 55 Have a Will or Living Trust. Do You?

If you've built a $1 million+ portfolio, not having a plan for it is one of the costliest mistakes you can make. Without the right documents in place, courts, not you, may decide who gets what.

This free guide called The Investor's Guide to Estate Planning walks through the basics: wills vs. living trusts, how to avoid probate, and how to set up beneficiaries on your investment accounts so your wishes are actually followed.

It's a practical, no-jargon resource built for people with real assets at stake, not a sales pitch.

If your estate is worth $1 million or more, this guide was made for you.

Get the Free Guide

Today’s Top Home Equity Financing Offers

See how much you could borrow (and at what rate) by comparing real-time HELOC and home equity loan offers from trusted lenders. Rates are updated daily and checking won’t impact your credit.