Smart Saving Archives - Page 25 of 40

11 Ways Your Relationship is at Risk With a Friend Who Is Always Broke

June 10, 2025 by James Clendenin

Money tension with a broke friend can quietly poison the friendship.

Friendships are supposed to be about support, shared experiences, and mutual respect—not hidden resentment over unpaid tabs and one-sided financial strain. But when someone is always broke, always borrowing, or never contributing, the imbalance can wear thin fast. You want to be generous and understanding, but the repeated financial awkwardness starts to create cracks in the foundation.

Money might not be the root of the friendship, but it still affects how equal and respected you feel. Over time, the constant “I can’t afford it” or “Can you cover me?” can shift the tone of the entire relationship. It’s rarely about one incident—it’s about the growing pattern that leaves you feeling used or undervalued. Here are 11 ways your relationship could be in serious trouble with a friend who’s always broke.

11 Sticky Habits That Will Give a BIg Boost to Your Savings

June 9, 2025 by James Clendenin

Small daily moves that quietly grow your bank balance.

Saving money often feels like a huge task that requires major sacrifices, but it usually comes down to small, consistent habits that add up over time. Most people overlook the tiny actions that slowly build financial momentum, focusing instead on big, overwhelming goals that feel impossible to stick to. The truth is, you don’t need a massive lifestyle overhaul to start seeing results—you just need a handful of smart, repeatable behaviors.

These micro habits don’t feel painful or restrictive, which is exactly why they work. When you make saving automatic, painless, and part of your daily routine, your bank account starts growing almost effortlessly. Before long, those small wins stack up into serious savings without you even feeling like you’re missing out. Here are 11 micro habits that can give your savings a big boost, starting today.

10 Odd Habits of Wealthy People (That Actually Make Them Even Richer)

June 9, 2025 by Riley Clendenin

The wealthiest people aren’t just lucky—they practice strange habits that keep growing their fortune.

When people imagine how the wealthy stay rich, they picture massive salaries, huge investments, or lucky breaks. But behind all that, many wealthy individuals quietly practice some pretty odd habits that help them hold onto—and grow—their money over time. These aren’t always flashy or obvious strategies. In fact, some of them seem downright quirky or unnecessary to people who aren’t used to thinking like a millionaire.

While most people focus on earning more or budgeting better, many wealthy individuals are obsessed with long-term thinking, efficiency, and minimizing risk in ways that don’t always make sense to outsiders. These strange behaviors aren’t about being cheap or showing off—they’re about protecting wealth and creating stability over decades. Here are 10 odd habits many wealthy people practice that secretly help them grow richer year after year.

University Degrees Are Overrated— 10 Game-Changing Reasons Smart Students Skip University For Community College

June 6, 2025 by Riley Clendenin

More students are realizing community college isn’t the backup plan—it’s often the smarter one.

For decades, attending a four-year university was sold as the gold standard for launching a successful career. But skyrocketing tuition, crushing student debt, and an evolving job market have flipped that narrative. Many smart, financially savvy students are seeing community college not as a second-choice option, but as a strategic move that opens doors without closing bank accounts.

Community colleges offer real-world training, flexible schedules, and direct pipelines into well-paying careers—often with far less debt and faster entry into the workforce. As industries continue shifting toward skill-based hiring, the appeal of these affordable, efficient programs keeps growing. Here are 10 powerful reasons more students are choosing community college over traditional universities and coming out ahead.

11 Most Painful Regrets of Using Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) Services

June 5, 2025 by Riley Clendenin

That “easy” payment plan can quietly turn into the biggest money headache you never saw coming.

Buy-now-pay-later services promise instant gratification without the guilt of paying upfront. Split your purchase into a few “easy” payments, no interest, no problem—at least that’s how it’s marketed. But the reality is far messier. What starts as a harmless way to snag that pair of shoes or upgrade your electronics can spiral into a tangled web of overlapping payments, mounting debt, and serious financial stress. These services thrive on making spending feel painless, but for many, the pain kicks in later—and stays.

The worst part? Most people don’t even realize how deep they’re in until it’s too late. The payments seem small, but they stack fast, especially when you’re juggling multiple purchases across different BNPL providers. Miss one, and the fees pile up. Mix in credit score hits and blown budgets, and what once felt like a smart hack starts looking like a very expensive lesson. These 11 regrets are what countless users wish they had thought through before clicking “confirm purchase.”

$5,000 in These 10 Stocks 5 Years Ago Would Have Made You a Millionaire

June 5, 2025 by James Clendenin

These stocks turned modest investments into massive fortunes.

Imagine if a $5,000 investment five years ago had transformed into a million-dollar portfolio today. While it might sound like a fantasy, certain stocks have delivered such extraordinary returns, turning early investors into millionaires. These exceptional gains highlight the potential of identifying high-growth opportunities early and the power of compounding returns over time.

In this article, we’ll explore ten remarkable stocks that, over the past five years, have achieved staggering growth. Each of these companies has navigated market challenges and leveraged unique advantages to deliver exceptional shareholder value. While past performance doesn’t guarantee future results, understanding these success stories can provide valuable insights into investment strategies and market dynamics.

11 Sneaky Car Dealer Upsells That Are a Waste of Money

June 4, 2025 by Riley Clendenin

car dealers know exactly how to drain your wallet after you’ve already agreed to buy.

Buying a car feels like a victory once you negotiate the price and get approved for financing. But that’s when dealerships pull out their real money-makers—the upsells. They know you’re tired, emotionally invested, and eager to drive off the lot, so they hit you with a rapid-fire list of “extras” that sound protective or convenient. Most people nod along, thinking these add-ons are necessary for peace of mind.

The truth is, many of these upsells are overpriced, unnecessary, or completely useless. Dealers love these extras because they carry huge profit margins and add thousands to your total cost. If you’re not careful, you’ll walk out paying far more than you should, stuck with products that don’t actually add value to your purchase. Here are 11 sneaky car dealer upsells that are usually a total waste of your hard-earned money.

We Thought These 11 Purchases Would Transform Us. Now They’re Just Collecting Dust

June 4, 2025 by Riley Clendenin

Some things spark joy when you buy them—but real satisfaction comes when you finally let them go.

There’s a certain rush that comes with making a purchase. The idea that something new will improve your life, your space, or your routine is intoxicating. You convince yourself it’s useful, even necessary. Maybe it’s a gadget that promises to save time, or a piece of clothing that screams “new you.” At first, you feel good—until it starts collecting dust, losing its appeal, or just straight up making your life more cluttered than before.

Letting go doesn’t always feel like defeat. Sometimes, it’s the win you didn’t know you needed. Selling something that never lived up to the hype or served its purpose can feel like a fresh start. You get space back. You get money back. And most importantly, you get the satisfaction of recognizing what you don’t actually need. These 11 purchases weren’t necessarily bad—but they were definitely better off sold.