16 Ways to Get Bigger Checks From Social Security

Small decisions you make now can be worth tens of thousands of dollars in your golden years.

Marilyn Lewis • February 11, 2015

Photo (cc) by jonolist

If you have focused all your retirement planning energy on your 401(k), you may be missing a key piece of the puzzle: Social Security. You can influence your eventual payout from this safe, dull old-age safety net to a surprising degree by making some adjustments and changes in your planning.

The time to get started pumping up your Social Security checks is now, even if you’ve got decades to go before retirement, as Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson explains in the video below. Check it out, then read on.

823 Active Deals

Newegg has posted its Black Friday Ad. Most deals run from noon ET on November 19 through November 24.

Excited for Black Friday deals? Consider subscribing to the DealNews Select Newsletter to get a daily recap of all our deals; you never know when a Black Friday price will be released! You can also download the DealNews App, check out the latest Black Friday ads, or read more buying advice.

Newegg Black Friday Sale

Newegg has posted its Black Friday Ad. Most deals run from noon ET on November 19 through November 24. Excited ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 2 days ago

DealNews Black Friday has completed its coverage of the Best Buy Black Friday Ad. (If you prefer, you can view it on the Best Buy website website.) Like last year, doorbusters begin on Thanksgiving day — "all day" online and at 5 pm local time in stores; additional in-store only doorbusters are available on Black Friday at 8 am local time. Meanwhile, hundreds of Early Black Friday Deals are live now, and will be through November 11.

Best Buy Black Friday Sale

DealNews Black Friday has completed its coverage of the Best Buy Black Friday Ad. (If you prefer, you can view ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 15 hr ago

Walmart discounts a selection of items via its Holiday Deals Sale. (Prices are as marked.) Choose in-store pickup to avoid the $5.99 shipping fee, or get free shipping with orders of $35 or more. A couple of best bets:

Zmodo meShare 1080p Mini Wireless Camera 2-Pack for $39.99 ($10 off)

SentrySafe Fireproof Safe and Waterproof Safe for $89.97 (low by $18)

Walmart also recently announced plans for Black Friday. Check out our top picks from the Walmart Black Friday ad.

Walmart Holiday Deals Sale

Walmart discounts a selection of items via its Holiday Deals Sale. (Prices are as marked.) Choose in-store pickup to avoid ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 2 days ago

Walmart discounts a selection of clearance items in its Fall Clearance Sale. Choose in-store pickup to avoid the $5.99 shipping fee, or get free shipping with orders of $35 or more. A couple of best bets:

iView Maximus III 12" Touch 2-in-1 Laptop for $129 ($70 off)

Sceptre 43" 1080p Flat LED HD Television for $179.99 $169.99 ($46 off)

Walmart Fall Clearance

Walmart discounts a selection of clearance items in its Fall Clearance Sale. Choose in-store pickup to avoid the $5.99 shipping ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 4 days ago

Lululemon We Made Too Much Sale Deals from $9 + free shipping

Lululemon discounts a selection of women's and men's apparel and accessories in its We Made Too Much sale sections. (Prices are as marked.) Plus, all orders receive free shipping. Men's shorts start from $29, women's tops from $29, women's yoga pants from $69, and men's jackets from $79.

Note: These items are final sale and cannot be returned or exchanged.

Lululemon We Made Too Much Sale Deals from $9 + free shipping

Lululemon discounts a selection of women's and men's apparel and accessories in its We Made Too Much sale sections. (Prices ... Read more.

Updated: 1 day 5 hr ago

Costco discounts a selection of major household appliances during its Holiday Appliance Sale. (Prices are as marked for Costco members; non-members pay a 5% surcharge. Many discounts are for members only.) Plus, most items receive free shipping; otherwise, shipping starts at $1.99.

Costco Holiday Appliance Sale

Costco discounts a selection of major household appliances during its Holiday Appliance Sale. (Prices are as marked for Costco members; ... Read more.

Updated: 2 weeks 2 days ago

Samsung Early Access Black Friday TV Sale: Up to $1500 off + free shipping

Samsung takes up to $1,500 off a selection of QLED TVs and Frame TVs during its Early Access Black Friday TV Sale. (Most are at around $600 off.) Plus, these orders receive free shipping.

Not the deal you're looking for? Check out our Black Friday TV deal predictions to find out what kind of sales you can expect in the next few weeks.

Samsung Early Access Black Friday TV Sale: Up to $1500 off + free shipping

Samsung takes up to $1,500 off a selection of QLED TVs and Frame TVs during its Early Access Black Friday ... Read more.

Updated: 2 weeks 2 days ago

Used Rolex Men's Watches at Ashford: Up to 57% off + free shipping

Ashford takes up to 57% off a selection of used Rolex men's watches, with prices starting from $3,900. Plus, all orders receive free shipping. A couple of best bets, with prices compared to the price of a used unit elsewhere:

Used Rolex Men's Datejust 36 Watch for $4,700 ($1,499 low)

Used Rolex Men's Explorer II Watch for $5,600 ($199 low)

Note: A 1-year Ashford warranty is included.

Used Rolex Men's Watches at Ashford: Up to 57% off + free shipping

Ashford takes up to 57% off a selection of used Rolex men's watches, with prices starting from $3,900. Plus, all ... Read more.

Updated: 2 weeks 4 days ago

Heated Sox Men's or Women's Thermal Socks for $5 + free shipping

As one of its daily deals, That Daily Deal offers the Heated Sox Men's or Women's Insulated Thermal Socks for $5.49 with free shipping. That's the lowest price we could find by $4, although we saw them for a buck less in February. They're available in men's size 8 to 12.5 or women's size 5 to 10.

Need more than one? Add six to your cart for a price of $29.94 ($4.99 each), or ten for $39.90 ($3.99 each) with free shipping.

Note: The color you'll receive will be chosen at random.

Heated Sox Men's or Women's Thermal Socks for $5 + free shipping

As one of its daily deals, That Daily Deal offers the Heated Sox Men's or Women's Insulated Thermal Socks for ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 2 days ago

Energizer LED Swivel Light Bar for $3 + pickup at Lowe's

With stock and price varying by ZIP code and for in-store pickup only, Lowe's offers the Energizer LED Swivel Light Bar for $3.05. That's $15 off and the lowest price we could find. It features two 180° rotating LEDs, a magnetic back, and built-in kickstand. Deal ends December 19.

Energizer LED Swivel Light Bar for $3 + pickup at Lowe's

With stock and price varying by ZIP code and for in-store pickup only, Lowe's offers the Energizer LED Swivel Light ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 12 hr ago

Udemy offers the Learn to Code with Ruby Course for $11.99. Coupon code "RUBYONE" makes it free. That's a savings of $200 off list price. It features over 30 hours of coding lectures.

Learn to Code with Ruby for free

Udemy offers the Learn to Code with Ruby Course for $11.99. Coupon code "RUBYONE" makes it free. That's a savings ... Read more.

Updated: September 24, 2018

Refurb Bose Solo 5 Soundbar for $100 + free shipping

Bose via eBay offers its refurbished Bose Solo 5 TV Sound System for $99.95 with free shipping. That's $99 under the lowest price we could find for a new unit. It features optical, coaxial, and 3.5mm inputs, and includes a remote control.

Note: A 1-year Bose warranty is included.

Refurb Bose Solo 5 Soundbar for $100 + free shipping

Bose via eBay offers its refurbished Bose Solo 5 TV Sound System for $99.95 with free shipping. That's $99 under ... Read more.

Updated: 8 hr 3 min ago

ProZ Heavy Duty Portable Jump Starter for $42 + free shipping

AutoAnything offers the ProZ Heavy Duty Portable Power Station for $41.66 with free shipping. That's $125 off list and the lowest price we could find. It features a 1800-peak amp jump starter, 260-PSI high-flow air compressor, and three 5V 2,100 mA USB ports.

ProZ Heavy Duty Portable Jump Starter for $42 + free shipping

AutoAnything offers the ProZ Heavy Duty Portable Power Station for $41.66 with free shipping. That's $125 off list and the ... Read more.

Updated: 6 hr 48 min ago

Inland ProHT Bluetooth Earbuds for $0 after rebate + free shipping

Frys offers the Inland ProHT Bluetooth Headset in Black or White for $12. This $12 mail-in rebate drops it to $0. With free shipping, that's the lowest price we could find by $23. They feature up to seven hours of run time per charge and a vibration alert for phone calls.

Also availalbe are the Inland Bluetooth 4.0 Earbuds for $10. This $10 mail-in rebate drops them to $0. With free shipping, that's the lowest price we could find by $12. They feature up to four hours of run time. Both deals end November 21.

Inland ProHT Bluetooth Earbuds for $0 after rebate + free shipping

Frys offers the Inland ProHT Bluetooth Headset in Black or White for $12. This $12 mail-in rebate drops it to ... Read more.

Updated: 7 hr 16 min ago

Jetson Bolt Folding Electric Scooter from $300 + free shipping

Costco offers its members the Jetson Bolt Folding Electric Scooter for $299.99 with free shipping. (Non-members pay $15 extra.) That's the lowest price we could find by $100. It features an LED headlight, LCD display, 16mph max speed, and carrying handle.

Jetson Bolt Folding Electric Scooter from $300 + free shipping

Costco offers its members the Jetson Bolt Folding Electric Scooter for $299.99 with free shipping. (Non-members pay $15 extra.) That's ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 1 day ago

It's not the usual blah, blah, blah

Northern Tool discounts a selection of heaters, stoves, fireplaces, and accessories during its Heater Sale, with prices starting from $3.99. Plus, get a $10 Northern Tool Gift Card with a $100 purchase, a $25 gift card with a $250 purchase, a $50 gift card with a $500 purchase, or a $100 gift card with a $1,000 purchase via coupon code "262496". Where available, opt for in-store pickup to avoid shipping costs, which start at $5.99. (Free shipping is available for select items.) A couple of best bets:

ProFusion Heat Ceiling-Mounted Garage Heater for $89.99 $99.99 (pictured, $60 off)

Mr. Heater Vent-Free Liquid Propane Radiant Wall Heater bundled with a $10 Gift Card for $162.99 via "262496" (low by $19)

Northern Tool Heater Sale

Northern Tool discounts a selection of heaters, stoves, fireplaces, and accessories during its Heater Sale, with prices starting from $3.99. ... Read more.

Updated: 2 days 11 hr ago

Sunham Soft Spun Cotton Towels from $1 + free s&h w/beauty item

Macy's discounts a selection of Sunham Soft Spun Cotton Towels in several colors, as listed below. Pad your order with a beauty item (they start at $3) to bag free shipping; otherwise, shipping adds $10.95. That's up to $11 off list and the lowest price we could find. The deals, ending November 24:

Sunham Soft Spun Cotton Wash Towel for $1 ($5 off)

Sunham Soft Spun Cotton Hand Towel for $1.99 ($8 off)

Sunham Soft Spun Cotton Bath Towel for $2.99 ($11 off)

Sunham Soft Spun Cotton Towels from $1 + free s&h w/beauty item

Macy's discounts a selection of Sunham Soft Spun Cotton Towels in several colors, as listed below. Pad your order with ... Read more.

Updated: 1 day 5 hr ago

UB Tech Men's Travel Pants from $15 + free shipping

Costco offers its members the UB Tech Men's Travel Pants in several colors (Tan pictured) for $14.97 with free shipping. (Non-members pay an extra 75 cents.) That's the best deal we could find by $5. They're available in select waist sizes from 32 to 36 40 and lengths 30 to 36.

UB Tech Men's Travel Pants from $15 + free shipping

Costco offers its members the UB Tech Men's Travel Pants in several colors (Tan pictured) for $14.97 with free shipping. ... Read more.

Updated: 4 days 14 hr ago

Amazon Fire TV Cube preorders for $49 + free shipping

B&H Photo Video offers preorders of the Amazon Fire TV Cube for $49 with free shipping. That's $15 under last month's mention and the best deal we've seen. (It's a current low price by $11.) It's essentially an Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Echo blended into one and the first hands-free streaming media player with Alexa. Features include:

1.5GHz quad-core processor

2GB RAM & 16GB storage

4K video streaming with HDR10 support

8 microphones with far-field voice recognition

built-in 40mm speaker

802.11ac wireless & Bluetooth

Note: shipping date is not provided.

Amazon Fire TV Cube preorders for $49 + free shipping

B&H Photo Video offers preorders of the Amazon Fire TV Cube for $49 with free shipping. That's $15 under last ... Read more.

Updated: 14 hr 20 min ago

Panda Express takes 35% off online orders of any Family Feast Meal via coupon code "35YEARS". That's a savings of around $11 for a regular-priced meal, which includes three large entrees and two large sides. (Additional charges apply for premium entrees.) This offer is only valid for online orders. Deal ends December 31.

Panda Express Family Feast: 35% off

Panda Express takes 35% off online orders of any Family Feast Meal via coupon code "35YEARS". That's a savings of ... Read more.

Updated: 2 weeks 2 days ago

Samsung 65" 4K HDR LED UHD Smart TV for $600 + free shipping

Fred Meyer offers the Samsung 65" 4K HDR Flat LED Ultra HD Smart Television, model no. UN65MU7000, for $599.99 with free shipping. That's $100 under our April mention and the lowest price we've seen. (It's also the best deal today by $299.) It features:

Native resolution of 3840x2160 (4K)

HDR Pro

Smart TV apps (Netflix, Pandora, Hulu, etc.)

3 HDMI inputs and USB

Samsung 65" 4K HDR LED UHD Smart TV for $600 + free shipping

Fred Meyer offers the Samsung 65" 4K HDR Flat LED Ultra HD Smart Television, model no. UN65MU7000, for $599.99 with ... Read more.

Updated: 1 day 3 hr ago

Marvel offers 10 Landmark Stan Lee Comics for free (to read online). That saves you around $2 per comic compared to buying these issues on Comixology. Each issue celebrates a milestone in the late legend's career, from his first writing, through the establishment of his most famous characters, and even his late-career collaboration with Moebius.

10 Landmark Stan Lee Comics for free

Marvel offers 10 Landmark Stan Lee Comics for free (to read online). That saves you around $2 per comic compared ... Read more.

Updated: 1 day 5 hr ago

Macy's discounts more than 20,000 items as part of its Black Friday Preview Sale. Alternatively, take an extra 10% to 20% off many other items sitewide via coupon code "SCORE" or $10 off orders of $25 or more via "SCORE25". (Items eligible for coupons are marked on product pages.) Pad your order with a beauty item (eligible items start at $2.25) to bag free shipping; otherwise, shipping adds $10.95, or get free shipping with orders of $99 or more. Some exclusions apply. Deal ends November 20.

Macy's Black Friday Preview Sale

Macy's discounts more than 20,000 items as part of its Black Friday Preview Sale. Alternatively, take an extra 10% to ... Read more.

Updated: 3 days 9 hr ago

The Ace Hardware Black Friday Sale is now live, with savings on over 300 items. Many discounts require an Ace Rewards membership, which is free to join. Shipping is unavailable on these items, although most can be ordered online for in-store pickup. Sale ends November 26, while a few offers last through the end of the month. Some notable deals:

Stanley Hand Tools for $2.99 (limit 4, ends 11/30, price low of up to $7)

Living Accents 10,000 BTU Patio Heater for $59.99 ($13 price low)

DeWalt 20V Drill/Impact Driver Combo Kit for $149.99 (price low by $30)

Ace Hardware Black Friday Sale

The Ace Hardware Black Friday Sale is now live, with savings on over 300 items. Many discounts require an Ace ... Read more.

Updated: 3 days 12 hr ago

DealNews Black Friday has completed its coverage of the Fry's Black Friday Ad. (If you prefer, you can view the Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday Ads on the Fry's website.) Doorbusters begin on Thanksgiving day at 9 am in-store and last through 1 pm; on Black Friday, the sale runs from 6 am to 9 pm.

Fry's Black Friday Sale

DealNews Black Friday has completed its coverage of the Fry's Black Friday Ad. (If you prefer, you can view the ... Read more.

Updated: 1 day 3 hr ago

If you can't wait until Black Friday madness begins, you can take a look back at some of the best deals of the last week, and indulge yourself a little early:

LG 86" 4K HDR LED UHD Smart TV w/ $250 Dell Gift Card for $2,497 + free s&h

Gildan Men's V-Neck T-Shirt 5-Pack for $10.17 + pickup at Walmart

Serta Mattresses at Sam's Club from $398 + free s&h

Patagonia Men's Nano Puff Jacket for $138.99 w/ free s&h

eBay Better Black Friday Sale

Five of the Best Pre-Black Friday Deals

If you can't wait until Black Friday madness begins, you can take a look back at some of the best ... Read more.

Updated: 1 day 9 hr ago

We've added a "leaked" version of the Lowe's Black Friday Ad to our DealNews Black Friday Ads page. (If you're antsy, its Black Friday Deals Now Sale features discounts on hundreds of items — that expire on November 21.)

Every year, DealNews covers rumored (i.e., "leaked") Black Friday ads. These ads should be treated with skepticism — the content could be inaccurate, incomplete, or even worse, fake. (As such, they fall outside of our Editorial Promise.) These leaked ads will be followed up with confirmed ads once they're officially released.

Lowe's Black Friday Sale

We've added a "leaked" version of the Lowe's Black Friday Ad to our DealNews Black Friday Ads page. (If you're ... Read more.

Updated: 3 days 7 hr ago

DealNews Black Friday has completed its coverage of the Walmart Black Friday Ad. (If you prefer, you can view it on the Walmart website.) Stores open at 6 pm local time on Thanksgiving day, while many of the deals start online at 10 pm ET the day before. Some notable upcoming deals:

Sony PlayStation 4 Slim 1TB Console w/ Spider-Man for $199

HiSense 55" 4K LED UHD Roku Smart TV for $248

TCL or Sharp 65" 4K LED UHD Roku Smart TV for $398

Walmart Black Friday Sale

DealNews Black Friday has completed its coverage of the Walmart Black Friday Ad. (If you prefer, you can view it ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 2 days ago

DealNews Black Friday has completed its coverage of the Macy's Black Friday Ad. (If you prefer, you can view it on the Macy's website.) Some deals start Wednesday, November 21, and run through Saturday. Doors open on Thanksgiving day at 5 pm local time (6 am on Black Friday) with doorbusters and deals.

Macy's Black Friday Sale

DealNews Black Friday has completed its coverage of the Macy's Black Friday Ad. (If you prefer, you can view it ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 4 days ago

DealNews Black Friday has completed its coverage of the JCPenney Black Friday Ad. (If you prefer, you can view it on the JCPenney website.) Doors open on Thanksgiving day at 2 pm local time and the deals are good through Black Friday.

JCPenney Black Friday Sale

DealNews Black Friday has completed its coverage of the JCPenney Black Friday Ad. (If you prefer, you can view it ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 4 days ago

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