12 Ways to Maximize Your Social Security Checks

Following these tips will ensure you receive all the retirement income you're entitled to — which might be more than you realize.

Marilyn Lewis • February 9, 2018

Gines Romero / Shutterstock.com

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 old-age safety net to a surprising degree by making some adjustments now or by making changes in your retirement planning.

The time to get started pumping up your Social Security checks is now, even if you’ve got decades to go before retirement. Following are some of the best ways to do just that.

1,075 Active Deals

Van Gogh High-Res Digital Prints for free

Wish you could afford a Van Gogh piece? Well, you're in luck. Kind of. The Van Gogh Museum again offers a selection of Van Gogh High-Resolution Digital Print downloads for free. This is pretty much the same as owning an original, right? Well, those are valued at $100 million and aren't for sale. However, you could always print these out and hang them on the wall to achieve the illusion of grandeur. And isn't that what life's all about? The illusion of grandeur.

Van Gogh High-Res Digital Prints for free

Wish you could afford a Van Gogh piece? Well, you're in luck. Kind of. The Van Gogh Museum again offers ... Read more.

Updated: December 20, 2018

Best Buy discounts a wide selection of items during its Presidents' Day Sale. Plus, My Best Buy Members bag no-minimum free shipping (Not a member? It's free to join.) Alternatively, choose in-store pickup to avoid the shipping fees, which start at $3.99, or spend $35 or more to receive free shipping. Shop for discounted MacBooks, Smart TVs, laptops, appliances, and more. Deal ends February 19.

Best Buy Presidents' Day Sale

Best Buy discounts a wide selection of items during its Presidents' Day Sale. Plus, My Best Buy Members bag no-minimum ... Read more.

Updated: 17 hr 42 min ago

The North Face at Backcountry: Up to 65% off + free shipping w/ $50

Backcountry takes up to 65% off a selection of The North Face apparel, shoes, accessories, and gear. (Prices are as marked.) Shipping starts at $5.95, but orders of $50 or more qualify for free shipping. Some exclusions may apply.

The North Face at Backcountry: Up to 65% off + free shipping w/ $50

Backcountry takes up to 65% off a selection of The North Face apparel, shoes, accessories, and gear. (Prices are as ... Read more.

Updated: 2 days 4 hr ago

As a result of a class action settlement, customers who purchased Canada Dry Ginger Ale products may be entitled to an estimated $40 payment (with documentation of loss; there's also eligibility for up to $5.20 without). The suit alleges that these products were wrongfully labelled as "made from real ginger". Affected customers must have purchased these items between January 1, 2013 to December 19, 2018 in all states except California (from December 28, 2012 to June 26, 2018 there). Claims must be filled March 19, 2019. Click here for more information about this settlement, including alternative options to take.

Canada Dry Ginger Ale Settlement

As a result of a class action settlement, customers who purchased Canada Dry Ginger Ale products may be entitled to ... Read more.

Updated: 2 weeks 3 days ago

Fry's offers a range of discounts during its Presidents' Day Sale. Where available, choose in-store pickup to dodge shipping fees, which start at $1.99, although most orders of $35 or more bag free shipping. (Over-size items may incur additional fees; select items under $35 also ship free, as marked.) Save on laptops, TVs, major appliances, and more. Note: Nearly all deals will require a newsletter promo code, available only to newsletter subscribers. (If you're not already a subscriber, click here to sign up now.)

Fry's Presidents' Day Sale

Fry's offers a range of discounts during its Presidents' Day Sale. Where available, choose in-store pickup to dodge shipping fees, ... Read more.

Updated: 11 hr 59 min ago

YouTube continues to offer a selection of HD movies to stream for free (with ads). That's tied with our mention from a month ago and around $3 to $5 less than you'd pay for a rental of these movies elsewhere. Movies include The Terminator (pictured), Europa Report, All Dogs Go to Heaven, and Zookeeper.

HD Movie Streams at YouTube for free

YouTube continues to offer a selection of HD movies to stream for free (with ads). That's tied with our mention ... Read more.

Updated: December 31, 2018

Walmart discounts a wide selection of electronics, furniture, outdoor gear, apparel, and more during its Presidents' Day Sale. (Prices are as marked.) Choose in-store pickup to avoid the $5.99 shipping fee, or get free shipping with most orders of $35 or more. A couple of best bets, both with free shipping: Packard Bell 7" 16GB Android Tablet w/ 16GB microSD Card & Sleeve for $44.98 ($45 off) Sceptre 49.5" 1080p Flat LED HDTV for $199.99 (low by $28)

Walmart Presidents' Day Sale

Walmart discounts a wide selection of electronics, furniture, outdoor gear, apparel, and more during its Presidents' Day Sale. (Prices are ... Read more.

Updated: 4 days 7 hr ago

Duluth Trading Doggone Good Clearance Sale: Up to 40% off + free shipping w/ $50

Duluth Trading Co. takes up to 40% off a selection of clearance styles and items, with prices starting from $3.99 $1.99. Shipping adds $6.99, or get free shipping on orders of $50 or more. (In-store pickup may also be available.) It's the first major clearance sale we've seen in over a year.

Duluth Trading Doggone Good Clearance Sale: Up to 40% off + free shipping w/ $50

Duluth Trading Co. takes up to 40% off a selection of clearance styles and items, with prices starting from $3.99 ... Read more.

Updated: January 16, 2019

Uniqlo Men's Ultra Light Down Vest for $20 + $5 s&h

Uniqlo offers its Uniqlo Men's Ultra Light Down Vest in several colors (Light Grey pictured) for $19.90 plus $5 for shipping. That's $5 less than our mention from last May, $30 off list, and the lowest price we could find. It's available in select sizes from XS to 3XL.

Uniqlo Men's Ultra Light Down Vest for $20 + $5 s&h

Uniqlo offers its Uniqlo Men's Ultra Light Down Vest in several colors (Light Grey pictured) for $19.90 plus $5 for ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 1 day ago

adidas Men's Game Built Climalite Polo Shirt for $13 + free shipping

Shively Sporting Goods via eBay offers the adidas Men's Game Built Climalite Polo Shirt in several colors (Gold/White pictured) for $12.99 with free shipping. That's tied with last week's mention, $52 off list, and the best price we could find. It's available in select size S only to 3XL.

adidas Men's Game Built Climalite Polo Shirt for $13 + free shipping

Shively Sporting Goods via eBay offers the adidas Men's Game Built Climalite Polo Shirt in several colors (Gold/White pictured) for ... Read more.

Updated: 8 hr 37 min ago

Nike Men's Breathe Dry 1/4-Zip Pullover for $20 + pickup at Macy's

Macy's offers the Nike Men's Breathe Dry 1/4-Zip Training Pullover in several colors Black (pictured) or Blue for $20. Opt for in-store pickup to avoid the $10.95 shipping fee. That's $5 under our mention from last Black Friday week and the lowest price we could find by $10 today. It comes in sizes S only XXL.

Nike Men's Breathe Dry 1/4-Zip Pullover for $20 + pickup at Macy's

Macy's offers the Nike Men's Breathe Dry 1/4-Zip Training Pullover in several colors Black (pictured) or Blue for $20. Opt ... Read more.

Updated: 8 hr 37 min ago

Udemy offers the Learn to Code with Ruby Course for $11.99. Coupon code "RUBYONE" makes it free. That's tied with our September mention as 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 tied with ... Read more.

Updated: December 20, 2018

Newegg Presidents' Day Sale: Up to 85% off + free shipping

Newegg takes up to 85% off a selection of laptops, desktops, TVs, video cards, keyboards, and more during its Presidents' Day Sale. Plus, these orders receive free shipping.

Newegg Presidents' Day Sale: Up to 85% off + free shipping

Newegg takes up to 85% off a selection of laptops, desktops, TVs, video cards, keyboards, and more during its Presidents' ... Read more.

Updated: 2 days 16 hr ago

Hoka One Men's & Women's Running Shoes for $78 + free shipping

JackRabbit offers the Hoka One One Men's or Women's Arahi 2 Running Shoes in several colors (men's Black/Grey pictured) for $77.98 with free shipping. That's the best price we could find by $45, although we saw the men's for $3 less two weeks ago. They're available in women's sizes from 6.5 to 11 and select men's regular and wide sizes from 8.5 to 12.

Hoka One Men's & Women's Running Shoes for $78 + free shipping

JackRabbit offers the Hoka One One Men's or Women's Arahi 2 Running Shoes in several colors (men's Black/Grey pictured) for ... Read more.

Updated: 6 days 6 hr ago

Participating IHOP locations offer All-You-Can Eat-Pancakes for $4.99. That's the best deal we've seen on large quantities of pancakes. Click here to find a restaurant near you.

IHOP All-You-Can Eat-Pancakes for $5

Participating IHOP locations offer All-You-Can Eat-Pancakes for $4.99. That's the best deal we've seen on large quantities of pancakes. Click ... Read more.

Updated: January 6, 2019

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Columbia Men's OutDry Hybrid Jacket for $40 + free shipping

Columbia offers its Columbia Men's OutDry Hybrid Jacket in several colors (Columbia Grey/ Titanium pictured) for $49.98. Log in to your Greater Rewards account to drop it to $39.98 and receive free shipping. (Not a member? It's free to sign up.) That's $10 under our mention from three days ago and the lowest price we could find by $24. It's available in select sizes from S to 2XL. Deal ends February 18.

Columbia Men's OutDry Hybrid Jacket for $40 + free shipping

Columbia offers its Columbia Men's OutDry Hybrid Jacket in several colors (Columbia Grey/ Titanium pictured) for $49.98. Log in to ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 11 hr ago

Become an Android Developer from Scratch for free

Udemy offers the Become an Android Developer from Scratch Course for free. That's $13 less than we could find for a similar course. It includes lifetime access to 11.5 hours of on-demand video and 85 downloadable resources.

Become an Android Developer from Scratch for free

Udemy offers the Become an Android Developer from Scratch Course for free. That's $13 less than we could find for ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 2 days ago

Jack Link's Beef Steak 1-oz. Stick for 10 cents + in-store at Walmart

In-store only and with price varying by ZIP code, Walmart offers the Jack Link's Beef Steak 1-oz. Stick in KC Masterpiece for 10 cents. (Link is for reference only.) That's around a buck per ounce under what you'd expect to pay elsewhere.

Jack Link's Beef Steak 1-oz. Stick for 10 cents + in-store at Walmart

In-store only and with price varying by ZIP code, Walmart offers the Jack Link's Beef Steak 1-oz. Stick in KC ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 5 days ago

Movado Watches at Jomashop: Up to 75% off + coupons + free shipping

Jomashop takes up to 75% off a selection of Movado men's and women's watches, with prices starting at $179.99. Plus, coupon code "DNEWSFS5" takes an extra $5 off. (Alternately, use code "GOOGLE10" to get $10 off items over $200 or the coupon codes listed on the page for up to $100 off select items.) Even better, all items qualify for free shipping. Deal ends February 15.

Movado Watches at Jomashop: Up to 75% off + coupons + free shipping

Jomashop takes up to 75% off a selection of Movado men's and women's watches, with prices starting at $179.99. Plus, ... Read more.

Updated: 3 days 2 hr ago

Google Play offers App Lock & Gallery Vault Pro for Android for free. That's a $4 drop and the lowest price we could find for this privacy app.

App Lock & Gallery Vault Pro for Android for free

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Updated: 3 days 17 hr ago

2019 may already be passing us by faster than we'd like, but at least we can take the weekend to slow down, recharge, and catch up on the week's hottest deals that we might have missed: LG 65" 4K HDR OLED UHD Smart TV w/ $400 Dell Gift Card for $2,499 + free s&h Uniqlo Men's Ultra Light Down Vest for $20 + $5 s&h Nike Men's Breathe Dry 1/4-Zip Pullover for $20 + pickup at Macy's Princess 15-Night Roundtrip Hawaii Cruise from $1,988 for 2 Overstock Items at Amazon: Up to 50% off + free s&h w/ Prime

The Hottest Deals of the Week

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Updated: 2 days 8 hr ago

Montblanc at Jomashop: Up to 75% off + free shipping

Jomashop takes up to 75% off a selection of Montblanc watches, belts, wallets, pens, and more. Plus, coupon code "DNEWSFS" bags free shipping for all orders.

Montblanc at Jomashop: Up to 75% off + free shipping

Jomashop takes up to 75% off a selection of Montblanc watches, belts, wallets, pens, and more. Plus, coupon code "DNEWSFS" ... Read more.

Updated: January 17, 2019

Python Programming Bible Online Course for free

Udemy offers the Python Programming Bible Online Course for $9.99. Coupon code "FREECOUPON" makes it free. That's tied with our mention from two weeks ago, $200 off list, and the best price we could find. It includes lifetime access to over six hours of on-demand video and 13 articles.

Python Programming Bible Online Course for free

Udemy offers the Python Programming Bible Online Course for $9.99. Coupon code "FREECOUPON" makes it free. That's tied with our ... Read more.

Updated: January 7, 2019

Holiday Ornaments at Barnes & Noble: 75% off + free shipping w/ $35

Barnes & Noble takes 75% off holiday ornaments with prices starting at $1.23. Choose in-store pickup to avoid the $4.99 shipping, or grab free shipping with orders of $35 or more.

Holiday Ornaments at Barnes & Noble: 75% off + free shipping w/ $35

Barnes & Noble takes 75% off holiday ornaments with prices starting at $1.23. Choose in-store pickup to avoid the $4.99 ... Read more.

Updated: January 23, 2019

Better Homes & Gardens 4-Cube Organizer Bench for $60 + free shipping

Walmart offers the Better Homes and Gardens 4-Cube Organizer Bench in Espresso or Rustic Grey for $59.99 with free shipping. That's tied with our mention from last March and the lowest price we could find by $34 today. It measures 58" x 18" x 20" and is compatible with 14" storage bins (not included).

Better Homes & Gardens 4-Cube Organizer Bench for $60 + free shipping

Walmart offers the Better Homes and Gardens 4-Cube Organizer Bench in Espresso or Rustic Grey for $59.99 with free shipping. ... Read more.

Updated: 19 min ago

3M Filtrete Allergen Defense HVAC Filter 3pk for $18 + pickup at Walmart

Walmart offers the 3M Filtrete Allergen Defense HVAC Filter 3-Pack for $17.88. Opt for in-store pickup to dodge the $5.99 shipping fee. That's the lowest price we could find for this quantity elsewhere by $9, although we saw them for $2 less in our mention from last August. These filters feature an 800 MPR and last up to three months. They're available in select sizes from 12" x 24" x 1" to 20" x 30" x 1".

3M Filtrete Allergen Defense HVAC Filter 3pk for $18 + pickup at Walmart

Walmart offers the 3M Filtrete Allergen Defense HVAC Filter 3-Pack for $17.88. Opt for in-store pickup to dodge the $5.99 ... Read more.

Updated: 4 days 4 hr ago

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic Guitar for $180 + free shipping

Musician's Friend via eBay offers the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic Guitar for $179.99 with free shipping. That's $120 off list and the best price we could find. It features 22 frets.

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic Guitar for $180 + free shipping

Musician's Friend via eBay offers the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic Guitar for $179.99 with free shipping. That's $120 off list ... Read more.

Updated: 4 days 11 hr ago

Refurb HP Titan Smartwatch for $40 + free shipping

NeweggFlash offers the refurbished HP Titan Smartwatch for $49.99. Coupon code "NEFPBD64 " cuts it to $39.99. With free shipping, that's $90 off list and the lowest price we could find. It monitors phone calls, fitness, and appointments. It's compatible with Android and iOS devices. Deal ends February 28. Note: A 90-day warranty applies, although it's unclear who backs it.

Refurb HP Titan Smartwatch for $40 + free shipping

NeweggFlash offers the refurbished HP Titan Smartwatch for $49.99. Coupon code "NEFPBD64 " cuts it to $39.99. With free shipping, ... Read more.

Updated: 1 week 3 days ago

Ozark Trail 6-Person All-Season Wall Tent for $269 + free shipping

Walmart offers the Ozark Trail 6-Person All-Season Outfitter Wall Tent in Brown/ Khaki for $269 with free shipping. That's tied with last week's mention and the lowest price we could find by at least $31 today. It features three large zippered windows with mesh, color-coded poles, powder-coated steel frame, and two vents.

Ozark Trail 6-Person All-Season Wall Tent for $269 + free shipping

Walmart offers the Ozark Trail 6-Person All-Season Outfitter Wall Tent in Brown/ Khaki for $269 with free shipping. That's tied ... Read more.

Updated: 3 days 19 hr ago

SiriusXM Satellite Radio 3-Month Trial for free

SiriusXM Satellite Radio offers a 3-month Streaming Service Trial for free. That's a savings of about $42 per month and the best offer we've seen from Sirius. (The previous best was a 2-month trial last July.) Deal includes every channel Sirius offers including premium channels, along with online and app streaming. Some exclusions may apply. Be sure to cancel the trial before the three months are up to avoid billed for further months.

SiriusXM Satellite Radio 3-Month Trial for free

SiriusXM Satellite Radio offers a 3-month Streaming Service Trial for free. That's a savings of about $42 per month and ... Read more.

Updated: 6 days 11 hr ago

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