I have a confession you dont often hear from a personal-finance writer: Im terrible with money.
Or, at least, Iwas.
Bonus: None of these will take a lot of time or effort.
I knowexactlyhow little you want to think about money if you could help it.
Can You Survive 10 Days of Budgeting?
If you should probably wrangle your budget, it may be time to consider a savings challenge.
All thisla-la-la-ing of my debt situation was a huge problem when I finally wanted to fix it.
I had no idea who held my debts.
Now that I was ready to send a check, I had no idea where to send it.
Credit Sesame was a lifesaver.
The bad news: I found out my credit score was a meager 528.
And it listed the creditors and collection agencies that wanted my money.
you might sign up and download the app here.
Start Paying Someone Anyone Back
OK, the hard part.
You have to start actually paying off those debts.
But when the list is long, you might not know where to begin.
When you sit on unpaid debt, it likely accrues interest and fees.
The longer you wait to repay, the more youll pay in the long run.
Its free to use and just keeps 25% of whatever it saves you.
Apps such asMonarch Moneyalso are an option.
it’s possible for you to monitor transactions and personalize your financial dashboard.
Drowning in Expenses?
Maybe youre scrambling after your car broke down.
Or you got a medical bill you werent expecting.
Or inflation has finally pushed your budget over the edge.
You dont need to go it alone.
When money is tight,these resourcescan help you manage unexpected expenses without stress.
But one of our writers discovered a budget I can get behind.
I should grab a pie on my next grocery run…)
5.
To get the $5 bonus:
6.
But you never seem to make a dent.
Its because of those sky-high interest rates as much as 24% interest.
It can feel impossible to get ahead.
ButMoneyLioncould help you find offers to cut your interest rate by 70% as soon as tomorrow.
Thats 70%* lower than the average credit card interest rate.
And its the key to finally getting ahead.
If you have a credit score of at least 620, you could get up to $50,000.
And terms go up to 144 months.
Worried you wont qualify?
Take two minutes to check online andsee if you could cut your credit card interest rate by 70%.
*Based on creditworthiness.
Not a fun party.
Then I applied for anincome-driven repayment planto cap my monthly payments based on my income.
Through a marketplace likeCredible, you might refinance federal and private student loans.
Its helping gradAshley Williams save more than $18,000in interest over the life of her loan!
key in your info at Credibleto find out what your new interest rate could be.
kindly visit Credibleswebsitefor more details.
Remember That 401(k) You Started That One Time
Got a 401(k)?
Youre on the right track.
Just dont neglect it.
Yeah, I know.
Thats exactly what youd prefer to do, because its boring and complicated.
Theres a robo-advisor for that.
Blooom, an SEC-registered investment advisory firm, will optimize and monitor your 401(k) for you.
After that, the tool is $10 a month to continue to monitor your retirement account.
That means I didnt do much impulse shopping or binging because I just didnt have the cash.
Scan your items with your phone and Decluttr emails you a shipping label.
Throw it in a box, send it off andyour money shows up in your accountin a few days.
(Plus enter code FREE5 for an extra $5 at checkout.)
you’ve got the option to sell virtually anything else on letgo.
This intuitive app lets you snap a photo and list your item in less than 30 seconds.
It removes the hassle of selling things online, and its 100% free to use.
Stop Deleting Your Emails
It turns out deleting your emails could be costing you serious money.
Capital One Shopping Price Protection compensates us when you sign up using the links we provide.
Psst… Can We Let You In On a Few Secrets?
You know the saying: Secrets, secrets are no fun.
Which is why were shoutingthese simple money secretsfrom the rooftops.
Or that you might earn $500 a month reviewing games and products you love.
Or that you might get $300 just for signing up for a checking account.
Read more secretsand start earning and saving today!
Open a Bank Account That Understands You
Whats your bank account done for you lately?
For example, Overdraft protection sounds like a helpful feature, but it can actually be dangerous.
You might be embarrassed when the cashier rejects your card in the grocery check-out line.
But at least you wont spend beyond your means and incur ridiculous fees.
Say hi and tell her a good joke on Twitter @danasitar.
