We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies. Learn more.

11 Clever Moves When You Have $1,000 In The Bank

SAVING & SPENDING
Last updated Nov. 5, 2024 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

Boom! You’ve saved up $1,000. What a fantastic feeling. No more stressing over your account balance every day!

And thanks to your hard work, you’re now on a solid path. But what comes next? What big goals are you eyeing? You could earn extra money playing games … rapidly start getting out of debt … fund a major purchase … and much, much more.

It’s time to think about your next move. (It’s why you’re here, after all!) Below, you’ll find truly actionable steps you can take to elevate your financial game. Let’s take a look:

Ohio Driver? 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 switch! 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 answer a few questions, and then make sure to enter your zip, dob, and email, to see if you qualify for a lower rate. It takes less than 2 minutes.

See if you’re overpaying

Pay no interest until 2026

Imagine getting an introductory 15 months with 0% intro APR on a big purchase or balance transfer (APR then 18.74% - 27.74% Variable). Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with one of the industry-leading no-interest cards — the Discover it® Cash Back(Rates and fees).

Cardholders get a generous intro APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases (APR then 18.74% - 27.74% Variable) — that means you can cover bills, large purchases, or whatever you need to charge and not pay interest until 2026! 

If you want to kick high-interest credit card debt to the curb, this is one of the leading get-out-of-debt cards available. Transfer your high interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (APR then 18.74% - 27.74% Variable). Your payments can go directly to paying down your balance without incurring a pile of additional charges. That could save you hundreds of dollars in interest!

The best part? The Discover it® Cash Back card is accepted by 99% of merchants, boasts an exceptional cash back rewards rate, and there's no annual fee.

Click here to Apply Now

Ask this company to pay off your 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?

National Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $10,000 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 program payment.

Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in 12-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!1

Try National Debt Relief

Get paid up to $150 in cash when you shop at Amazon

There's a credit card that's making waves this holiday season. The Discover it® Cash Back(Rates and fees) card has no annual fee, and through the end of 2024, you could earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 of Amazon.com purchases when activated.

But ... you could double that 5% cash back to 10% with a rare welcome offer: Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. The result? You could earn up to $150 — basically from doing your holiday shopping at Amazon (which we all do anyway).

After that, earning max cash back all year is simple. You can earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate, including gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants. Plus, you'll earn 1% cash back on all other purchases automatically. And remember, all of that cash back from your first year gets doubled with the welcome offer.

Accepted by 99% of merchants, if you want cash back, the Discover it® Cash Back card can help put more back in your wallet.

Annual fee: $0

Click here to apply now for the Discover it® Cash Back.

Turn Your Home’s Value into Extra Cash

If you want to pay a large expense now, like a home improvement project or credit card debt, you may have considered using your home equity as leverage to borrow a large sum of money.

But with interest rates rising in recent years, a cash-out refinance or home equity loan may not make financial sense.

Here’s a potential solution: Get a home equity line of credit (HELOC) instead.

Using LendingTree’s simple HELOC matching tool2 (yes, the company from the commercials), you can compare rates and see what works for you.

How a home equity line of credit is different: Your line of credit acts similar to a credit card, where you can withdraw funds when you need them, and you’re only responsible for minimum monthly payments for what’s called the “draw period,” which is usually 10 years. After this borrowing period ends, you pay off the rest of your balance during an extended repayment period, which is usually 20 years.

Plus, as a revolving line of credit, rates are usually variable, so you won’t be locked into a fixed rate if they ever go higher.

To get started:

  1. Check out LendingTree’s HELOC matching tool.
  2. Answer a few questions.
  3. Be matched with personalized offers for you.

Visit LendingTree

Earn a $400 bonus with this checking account

We hate to tell you this, really. But if you aren’t banking with Truist Bank, you’re missing out on extra cash. Don’t worry though … it’s easy to fix.

New checking clients can earn a $400 bonus when you open a new Truist One Checking account online between October 31, 2024 and April 30, 2025 using promo code AFL2425TR1400. Terms apply.3

To earn the $400 bonus, your account needs to receive at least 2 qualifying direct deposits totaling $1,000 or more within 120 days of account opening.

This is practically passive income and a great way to supercharge your earnings.

Plus, you can enjoy other benefits like no overdraft fee, a $100 negative balance buffer,4 and automatic upgrades for access to growing perks.

Open your new Truist One Checking account here

Cover your household appliances with a home warranty

Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more. Not being able to make repairs could leave you in a bad situation — but a home warranty could protect you against surprise expenses.

Whether you’re a brand-new homeowner or you’ve owned your home for years, a plan from Choice Home Warranty could pick up the slack where homeowner’s insurance falls short.

If a covered system in your home breaks down, you can call their hotline 24/7 for assistance to get it repaired. They have a network of over 15,000 technicians that can assist you, making sure any issue can be taken care of swiftly — without breaking the bank.

Not sure if it’s for you? Rest easy: they were named one of the "Best Home Warranty Companies" by US News 360 Reviews and were awarded Best Company's 2020 Consumer's Choice Award. For a limited time, you can get your first month free when you sign up for a Single Payment home warranty plan.

Get a free quote

Get life insurance and protect your loved ones

Life insurance is not something many of us want to think about, but we all want to protect the ones we love.

Imagine if you were suddenly gone tomorrow: Would your family be able to afford your mortgage? Would your children be forced to quit pursuing a degree or your spouse forced to work longer before retirement?

You may sense it's time to shop for life insurance but haven't yet because it's an intimidating and painful process. Financebuzz has a quick and easy solution.

Just fill in a few details about yourself and Financebuzz instantly connects you with ways to get your quote — allowing you to find an affordable life insurance policy without the headache.

The good news? You can get a free quote online after you answer few simple questions.

If you're concerned about being unprotected going into a certain age, take a few minutes to see policy rates today.

Get a free quote instantly

Save potentially $1,000 or more on home insurance

If you want better or more affordable home insurance, there is ONE thing you should never skip in the process of finding a policy: Getting multiple options from a variety of home insurance providers.

Too many homeowners skip this step — not realizing that they could save potentially $1,000s over the lifetime of owning their house just by switching. And yes, you can switch your home insurance at any time.

Provide Home Insurance is a company that matches you with home insurance options from a variety of lenders to meet your home insurance needs … including lower overall cost or better overall coverage.

Just answer a few questions, and they will find options that are right for you. And heads up — the insurance company you choose may call you. Do NOT ignore the call, as they want to work with you to find the best rate possible.

Enter your zip code to get started

  • You could save up to $600 with some companies
  • Compare dozens of providers in under 5 minutes
  • Fast, free and easy way to shop for insurance
  • Quickly find the perfect rate for you