10 Weird Ways to Boost Your Bottom Line

The truth is, you’ll never get rich by following the rules and doing the same old boring thing.

Have you tried all the typical ways to make more money, but you’re still not seeing the gains you want? That means it’s time to shake things up and try something different. Forget the conventional strategies. It’s time to get creative and color outside the lines.

You need to get weird — smart, but weird. You need to use your phone to make money, not just check your voicemail. You need to let your insurance company know who’s boss.

Now’s the time to change up your financial game plan. Not all these tips may work for you, but some of them will, so make sure to read them all. What have you got to lose?

1. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

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. Escape the jaws of 25% interest

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 6.25% — 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. Get someone else to pay your medical bills

Here’s hoping your retirement years are active, healthy and vibrant and that you’re able to function as you always have, right up to the time you shuffle off this mortal coil.

But don’t bet on it. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 7 in 10 people who turn 65 today will probably need some kind of long-term care.

“But won’t Medicare take care of all that?” Nope. Medicare doesn’t cover long-term custodial care — and paying for it out of pocket could take a huge chunk of your retirement savings. That, plus inflation, could mean near or total depletion of your nest egg.

Without long-term care insurance, your options aren’t great: running through savings, borrowing money, burdening your family with your care, and possibly losing independence because you can’t live on your own.

One place to find long-term care insurance is GoldenCare (Unless you live in the four states where GoldenCare doesn’t operate: Alaska, Florida, Hawaii and Washington.)

At least check it out and see if it’s a fit. Because planning now could mean a more secure tomorrow.

4. Don’t let home repairs drain your bank account

Home repairs aren’t cheap. Whether it’s a leaky roof or a broken appliance, your home can quickly become a nightmare and cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars to keep up.

But you don’t have to worry. Luckily, with a home warranty company called Select Home Warranty, you can safeguard yourself against giant repair bills. From home appliances to electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling systems, it can all be protected.

When something goes wrong due to normal wear and tear, you just call Select Home Warranty, day or night. The company has a wide network of reputable repair folks who will fix what’s wrong.

And if they can’t fix it? Select Home Warranty will replace it. All you pay is a service fee.

You don’t need a home inspection to qualify for a warranty, and there’s no limit to the number of claims you can file. Right now, Select Home Warranty is offering $150 off plans, two months for free and free roof leak coverage.

Hey, if you’re handy and like to repair stuff yourself, that’s obviously the cheapest route. But if that’s not you, a penny spent now could save you big bucks later.

If nothing else, at least see what it would cost. Get a free quote in 30 seconds.

5. Don’t pay to fix your car

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

6. Don’t pay retail, save 10% to 30% on everything you buy

With the kind of inflation we’ve all seen over the past two years, everything is more expensive now. You’ve noticed this, right?

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 so you know if an 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.

7. Use this secret source for discounts

Are you over 18? Then you’re eligible to save hundreds of dollars every year simply by joining AARP.

“What?” You say, “I thought AARP was for retired people.”

As it turns out, you don’t have to be 50 or older to join AARP. And members get discounts on hundreds of things, like:

• Up to $200 per person off flights
• Up to 30% off rental cars
• Up to 15% off restaurants
• Up to 20% off hotels

You’ll also save on eyeglasses, prescriptions, meal deliveries and lots more. And that’s not all. AARP offers a Fraud Watch Network, job listings, retirement planning tools, games, and tons of information, programs and resources.

Anyone trying to save money can’t afford not to join AARP, especially since the cost is as low as $12 per year with auto-renewal. You’ll likely recoup the cost in the first week.

8. Slash your interest bill by $500 (or more)

One way to slash that sky-high credit card interest you’re paying is to get a lower-interest personal loan and use the proceeds to pay off all your debt in one fell swoop.

And finding one couldn’t be easier.

Whether you’re consolidating high-interest debt, financing your next home renovation project or covering unexpected expenses, NerdWallet’s loan marketplace makes finding the right loan quick and easy.

It only takes a few minutes to apply — without affecting your credit score — and if approved, you’ll have money in your account in no time.

NerdWallet has rated and reviewed loans from more than 35 financial institutions, with loan amounts ranging from $2,000 to $100,000 and APRs as low as 5.99%.

Their marketplace also offers a range of helpful resources and tools, so you’ll feel confident and informed throughout the process. It’s never been this easy to find and compare personal loans.

9. Save 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.

10. Make money on your phone

Whenever you’re killing time on your phone, you could be making money from these companies:

Blackout Bingo for iPhone puts a competitive spin on the classic game and pays real cash prizes. Put your concentration and strategy to the test in big tournaments and head-to-head matchups.

Branded Surveys has a user-friendly platform that allows you to complete surveys on any device. You’ll earn points for each survey completed, and points can be redeemed for gift cards, PayPal cash or sweepstakes entries.

Survey Junkie partners with market research companies to listen to your honest opinions and learn how you spend your time and money. You can earn as much as $40 monthly if you complete three surveys daily.

KashKick is a rewards platform that will pay you for completing specific tasks like trying a new app or game, taking surveys or watching videos. Survey payouts range from 15 cents to $2 each, so your earnings add up quickly.

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Try it. You’ll be glad you did!