8 Ways You’re Throwing Money Away Daily

No one likes to think they’re throwing money away. We love our money! We want more of it, lots more.

Did we mention we want more money?

But if you’re not using every smart financial strategy available to you, you may as well be throwing money out the window. That’s money you could be keeping in your pockets. That’s wealth you could be growing right now. That’s more fun you could be having.

The more shrewd financial tactics you employ, the more money you’ll have. So, we’ve mapped out a game plan for you! Lots of these methods are surprisingly easy, and you’ll be kicking yourself for not trying them before now.

Not all of these approaches may work for you, but some of them will, so be sure to read them all.

1. You’re not diversifying your wealth with gold

If a large part of your savings is in the stock market — as it should be — you’re well aware that what goes up can also go down. You can’t control the market, but you can hedge against uncertainty by having other forms of wealth.

One of the best ways to protect your savings is diversification. Keep money in different types of investments, ideally ones that go up when others are going down. For example, stocks tend to do poorly when inflation and interest rates are rising and there’s political turmoil brewing.

But there’s one investment that thrives in this scenario: gold.

Be careful who you deal with, though. Lots of companies in the gold business are pretty shady and won’t hesitate to sell you gold and silver at vastly inflated prices.

Goldco, on the other hand, has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, an AAA rating from Business Consumer Alliance, and 4.8 to 5 stars on Trustpilot, TrustLink, Google reviews and ConsumerAffairs. They offer just about everything, from precious-metal IRAs to gold coins and gold bars.

You’ll even receive up to $10,000 in free silver on qualified purchases. If you’ve ever thought about investing in gold, why not take a look?

2. Pay 25% interest on a credit card? Seriously?

The average credit card interest rate these days is approaching 25% — a record high. Sounds like what a loan shark would charge, doesn’t it?

Never borrow recklessly, but when it’s time, do it right. Take advantage of much lower rates by borrowing against your home. Use that loan — with rates as low as 6.75% — to fix up your house, to pay off high-interest debt or for any other purpose (besides financing a lifestyle you can’t afford).

That’s a fraction of what credit cards charge, and will literally save you thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.

How do you shop for the best deal? Simple: Head to a loan shopping site like Rocket Mortgage. They’ve eliminated most of the hoops you had to jump through in the past, so it only takes a couple of minutes to see how much you could get.

3. You’re not growing your money with pro help

To properly manage your money, work with a professional — it’s totally worth it. If you’re not doing this, you could be missing out on some serious financial gains.

A Vanguard study found that, on average, a hypothetical $500,000 investment over 25 years would grow to $1.7 million if you manage it yourself, but more than $3.4 million if you work with a financial adviser. That’s twice as much!

If you’ve got at least $100,000 in investments, check out a free service called SmartAsset. You fill out a short questionnaire and instantly get matched with up to three vetted financial advisers in your area, all legally bound to work in your best interests.

Even if you don’t want help picking investments, an adviser can help lower your tax burden, create a comprehensive financial plan for you, maximize your Social Security, and serve as a second pair of eyes to make sure you’re on the right track.

Using SmartAsset only takes a few minutes, and in many cases you’ll be offered a free consultation.

Please carefully review the methodologies employed in the Vanguard white paper, “Putting a value on your value: Quantifying Vanguard Advisor’s Alpha.”

4. You could be saving up to $610 on car insurance

If you’re like most Americans, you’re probably paying too much for car insurance. But shopping around for a better deal is such a hassle.

Well, it used to be.

Now you can just check out Provide Insurance, the largest online marketplace for insurance in the U.S. Provide Insurance lets you compare quotes from more than 175 different carriers in minutes.

All you have to do is answer a few questions about yourself and your driving history. Then Provide will show you the best options for your needs and budget.

You could save up to $610 a year on car insurance by using Provide Insurance. That’s money you could use for other things, like investing, saving or paying off debt.

Don’t let your current insurer overcharge you. Try Provide Insurance today and see how much you can save on car insurance.

5. Auto repairs can wipe out your budget

The cost of car repairs is skyrocketing. One shop told Consumer Reports that a decade ago, their average repair was $1,600. These days, the average bill is $4,000.

Typically, a vehicle manufacturer warranty lasts three years. Yet the average car is around 12 years old. If you’re concerned about coming up with thousands of dollars for a repair bill, protect your investment with Endurance Warranty Services.

The company provides extended warranty plans of up to 36 months. Choose from at least six different plans, to get only the coverage you actually need, for cars up to 20 years old.

All their warranties include 24/7 roadside assistance plus rental car benefits while your vehicle is being repaired. For the first year, you’ll get the Elite Benefits program for free; this includes complete tire coverage, key fob replacement, a collision discount and a $1,000 payment if your car is determined to be a total loss.

Endurance has a network of thousands of ASE-certified repair shops. More important: Endurance pays the repair bill upfront. All you need to cover is the deductible.

ConsumerAffairs calls it “a solid choice” for drivers of any age, and “particularly appealing” for those with older vehicles.

6. Home repairs could drain your savings

To protect your savings in shaky financial times, what you need is protection from things like broken appliances, electrical problems and an AC that won’t cool.

Done. With a company called America's 1st Choice Home Club, you can safeguard against giant repair bills. From home appliances to electrical, and from plumbing to heating and cooling systems, if it breaks, they fix it.

Their in-house service team is available 24/7 to help ensure a hassle-free repair process if anything goes wrong. You can choose your own technician, or they can send you one from their nationwide network if you don’t have someone in mind.

All over America, homeowners are choosing AFC Home Club for the savings, service and peace of mind it delivers.

7. You’re not earning enough money on your savings

What’s the difference between 0.5% and 4% interest?

If you’re like a lot of savers, you’ll say, “Who cares? Neither one amounts to much.” But that’s a mistake, and the longer you make it, the more it will cost you.

Example: Put aside $500 a month for 30 years at 0.5% interest, and you’ll end up with $195,000. Nice!

But if you can raise that rate to 4%, you’ll end up with more like $350,000. Nicer!

Doesn’t it make sense to earn an extra $155,000 with no additional effort and with no additional risk? That’s exactly why it pays to shop around and find the highest-paying FDIC-insured savings account.

Especially when it’s so simple. There are tons of free online comparison sites that can help you find top rates on insured savings in seconds. So take a few seconds and check it out.

8. You’re paying full price — why?

Let’s face it, shopping online is more convenient than going to a store. Plus, you’re more likely to find a deal, promotion or coupon code and quickly cross-reference prices at several different retailers to save money.

Want to make that process even easier? Try Capital One Shopping. This handy-dandy tool alerts you when a deal on an item you’re buying is available. Talk about effortless. All you have to do is add it as a browser extension, and it’ll search the internet for coupon codes to apply during checkout.

That’s not all. It also compares prices across the internet and will notify you when the item you’re purchasing is cheaper elsewhere. It’s free, and you don’t need to be a Capital One customer to use it. It’s just a friendly tool trying to save you money online. Find better bargains now.

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