Raise your hand if you want to get the most out of your money.
We do, too!
Now, more than ever, consumers need to know how to work the system to their advantage.
That’s why we put together our list of the top 12 personal finance hacks.
Read through these tips and tricks to discover how the financially savvy make it work and how to get the biggest bang for your hard-earned buck.
Table of Contents
Top 12 Personal Finance Hacks You Need To Know
#1: Use Sorbet
If you’re serious about finance hacks, you’ll want to check out Sorbet. At Sorbet, we look at PTO in a whole new way — it’s not just paid vacation time, it's actually worth money.
Sorbet introduces a new way to get the most out of your PTO by turning it into money you can use now, for whatever suits your fancy.
Maybe you don’t take vacations and have PTO days just sitting there unused. Do you have to wait until you leave the company to access them? Not with Sorbet!
We give you the advantage of advancing your PTO at a low APR that’s even better than taking out a loan. You then simply pay small minimum monthly installments and when it comes time to pay it back, you'll be reimbursed by your employer.
It's the perfect way to beat the system by cashing in on an asset you already own. And since you're always accruing PTO, you’ll actually end up with more money in the end. For example, say you use Sorbet to advance yourself 10 days of PTO. By the time you leave your company, you’ll likely have earned far more than 10 days of PTO, making the amount your employer pays more than what you took out. It’s a win-win.
Sorbet Lite lets you advance your unused PTO days, giving you fast access to your hard-earned money. Advanced PTO can be immediately loaded onto a Visa debit card and spent anywhere!
#2: Ditch Your Low-Interest Savings Account
Another great personal finance hack is to take a look at the current interest rate on your savings account. Rates can vary greatly, with some high-yield accounts offering rates of 0.50% annual percentage yield (APY) and higher.
Consider this example. Let’s say your current APY is 0.50%. If you deposit $25,000 into your savings account and don’t touch it for a year, you will have earned around $125 for doing absolutely nothing. Free money? Yes, please!
#3: Scan Grocery Receipts for Cash Back
Savvy shoppers use cashback apps to save money on groceries. It’s as simple as saving your receipts and scanning them with your smartphone after each shopping trip.
It only takes a couple of minutes of your time and is a simple way to earn a few extra dollars each week.
A few of the top cashback apps include:
#4: Shop With Discount Gift Cards
Did you know you can get cheap — or even free — gift cards?
There are multiple gift card exchange websites that sell discounted gift cards (up to 30% off face value) and give you cash back for shopping at some of the most popular retailers.
Check out these sites:
Some discount gift card sites even allow you to sell your unwanted gift cards, creating an easy way to get money to spend on something you really want.
#5: Skip the Rental Car Insurance
Many major credit cards and private auto insurance policies include coverage for rental cars, especially when the vehicle is rented for personal use instead of business.
Double-check your policy to make sure, but there is a good chance that you can save money on your next car rental by skipping the expensive insurance coverage offered by the rental company.
#6: Pay Yourself First
If you're new to the concept of paying yourself first, now's the time to start. Here's how it works. Each time you receive a paycheck, immediately invest a portion of it. Choose an amount you can afford, even if you’re only setting aside a few dollars to start with.
By doing this, you’ll create a nice emergency savings fund. Once you have that established, you can focus on paying off debt and investing in the stock market or real estate.
The amount you save depends on your financial situation, but if you can manage to set aside at least 25% of your income, you’ll be off to a great start.
#7: Don't Spend More Than You Make
While it sounds logical, many people don't make this a priority.
Spending less than you make is one of the key finance hacks and is a relevant tip no matter how much money you make. If you’re sending out more than you’re bringing in each month, you're putting yourself on a downhill path straight into debt.
#8: Learn a Monetizable Skill
Are you interested in web design? Take a class or two, hone your skills, and set up shop. The same goes for video editing, app development, cake decorating, photography, and a host of other highly-marketable skills
.
Taking the time and effort to learn a monetizable skill guarantees you’ll be able to make an income even if you don't have a job. Should the economy get tight again and you’re laid off from your full-time job, this skill can help keep you afloat until things even out.
And if you’re currently in a job you don’t love, you may even be able to grow your side job into a business that allows you to become your own boss someday.
#9: Avoid Bad Debt
When used the right way, some debt can help you grow your net worth. However, if you are using debt to pay for unnecessary items, you may find it to be detrimental to your pocketbook.
Bad debt includes anything you buy that counts as a liability rather than an asset. This includes things like:
Credit card debt
Auto loans
Personal loans for discretionary purposes
Payday loans
#10: Love a Budget!
If you don’t know how much you spend each month — and where you’re spending it — you’ll likely find it challenging to save and plan for the future.
These days, there are many great budgeting apps that make it easy to keep track of where your money goes with just a few clicks, including:
A great way to get started budgeting is by looking at your last three months of bank statements. Divide your expenses into categories, examine your spending, and see where you might be able to make cuts.
Your budget categories may include:
Fixed expenses:
Bills and utilities
Insurance
Transportation
Home maintenance
Mortgage
Variable expenses:
Groceries
Shopping (clothes, books, electronics)
Travel
Holiday
Entertainment
#11: Start Micro-Investing
We know what you may be thinking: ”But, I can’t afford to invest.”
But the fact is, you probably can afford to start micro-investing.
Micro-investing refers to consistently investing small amounts of money over time. There are apps to help make it easy, like:
You can even set up a recurring stock investment for as little as $1 per day. And that $1 quickly adds up. While these types of small deposits may seem pointless, every dollar you invest counts, and you’ll be surprised at how fast your account grows without you even noticing the decrease in your bank account
#12: Use a Points-Back Credit Card
Points-back credit cards are no secret and if you’re not already taking advantage of all they have to offer, do it today.
Points-back cards allow you to earn points, miles, or whatever other rewards the card offers that can be spent on:
Flights
Online shopping
Charitable contributions
Statement credit; and even
Cash back
Similar to cash-back cards, points-back cards often give you bonus points for specific spending categories. But points-back cards usually offer their users better sign-up bonuses than cash-back cards do.
#13: Pay Off Your Credit Cards Each Month
Some people see credit cards as the scourge of the 21st century. And it makes sense.
Why do people spend money they don’t have to buy stuff they can’t afford (and probably don’t even need)?
But the truth is, there's a way you can use credit cards to your advantage by using them in clever ways to get rewards (see our tips above) and repaying them in full every month.
The key here is to always repay them in full. If you’re stuck paying interest on your monthly credit card purchases, you’re sabotaging your financial future.
Sorbet: The Ultimate Finance Hack for Savvy People Who Want To Beat the System
We all want to make the most of our money — and one of the best ways to do that is with Sorbet.
Sorbet’s PTO cash advance has revolutionized the concept of Paid Time Off and gives you one more way to beat the system and balance work and real life.
This innovative employee benefit hack allows you to access the value of your unused PTO whenever you need it, providing financial flexibility and empowering you to take control of your time and finances.
Here’s how it works.
Go here to calculate the value of your unused PTO. Find out what your PTO is worth in just a few clicks!
Apply. This takes only minutes and is easy and risk-free. There’s no credit check and no commitment. And you can change your mind at any time with no strings attached!
Get paid! We get your money to you within just 1-5 business days. You just pay the monthly interest payment on what you use and pay back the rest when you leave the company.
Who is eligible:
Individuals aged 18+
Residents of United States cities where Sorbet is offered*
W-2-paying employees with a salary over $30,000
Individuals with accrued PTO days and a company policy that grants PTO carry-over and payout
*Current cities: Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia
Find out more today.