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6 Clever Moves to Make Before Payday

Keeping tons of money in your checking account means you're missing out.

Last updated Jan. 18, 2026 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

Saving up $1,000 in your checking account is a big milestone. But leaving the money in checking likely doesn't make much sense since most checking accounts pay minimal or no interest.

Once you've worked hard to amass $1,000, you want to put your money to work for you. Here are eight money moves you can make to get the most bang for your buck and get on the path towards a bright financial future.

Cancel your car insurance

We've got bad news. You could be wasting $600 every year on overpriced, second-rate car insurance. And you should probably cancel your existing insurance right now, because there's something much better.

This new tool from FinanceBuzz can tell you if you're overpaying for your car insurance in just a few clicks. We match drivers with companies that report saving drivers up to $600 or more per year when they save! Each driver’s savings will vary by driving history and how many discounts you’re eligible for. And once you try it out, you'll never have to look for affordable insurance again because we find you the lowest rates that other companies can't match.

Oh, and it's also free. And come on — you can't tell us you don't want to save up to $600. To find out if you're losing up to $600 or more a year, just enter your zip code here, answer a few questions and see if you're overpaying. It takes less than 2 minutes.

See if you're overpaying

Increase your credit scores instantly, for free

Your credit scores affect whether you can get approved for a loan, a credit card, or even a new job. Usually it can take weeks or months to improve your credit scores, but there's an innovative new feature that could help you raise your FICO® Scores1 instantly.

Experian Boost® can help you get credit for making on-time payments for your phone and utility bills. The process takes just minutes and if qualifying payments are identified, you can include this positive information in your Experian credit file. (Don't worry: If you have any negative marks, those won't count against you.)

Since launching, Experian Boost has collectively increased FICO® Scores across America by over 10 million points. It's 100% free and new potential credit scores take effect immediately.

Sign up for Experian Boost now

Get out of $20,000 or more in credit card debt

If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?

TurboDebt2can help. If you have more than $20,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives might be able to assist you in consolidating your debt into one low monthly payment.

Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in as little as 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!

Try TurboDebt

See if you're overpaying for homeowners insurance

Are you overpaying for homeowners insurance? It only takes 60 seconds to get quotes with FinanceBuzz so you can compare options to see if you could save money on great coverage.

Finding the right homeowners insurance can be overwhelming, but with FinanceBuzz you can compare rates from top insurers in the U.S., all in one place. Comparing homeowners insurance quotes can help you get the coverage your home needs at an affordable price.

It's free and fast to compare quotes. See how much you could save!

Compare rates now