Saving money is great, but it won’t make you rich.
No matter how many dollars you put into a savings account, the national average .05% interest you’d earn won’t expedite your millionaire status.
And cutting your costs can only go so far, explains Certified Financial Planner Robin Hartill (who is also an editor and financial advice columnist here at The Penny Hoarder).
It can definitely help with your short term goals, she says, but if you want to be truly richer, sometimes you need to spend money to make money. By diverting some of your cash into these assets, you’ll be on a faster path to your financial goals.
1. Use This Secret Debit Card
Here’s the deal: If you’re not using Aspiration’s debit card, you’re missing out on extra cash.
Yep. A debit card called Aspiration gives you up to a 10% back every time you swipe, plus they give you up to 100x the normal interest rate on your balance.
Need to buy groceries? Get extra cash.
Need to fill up the tank? Bam. Even more extra cash.
This card used to have a huge waiting list, but you’re now eligible to sign up for free.
Enter your email address here, and link your bank account to see how much extra cash you can get with your free Aspiration account. And don’t worry. Your money is FDIC insured and under a military-grade encryption. That’s nerd talk for “this is totally safe.”
2. Spend $10 to Buy an Apartment Building
Take a look at some of the world’s wealthiest people. What do they have in common? Many invest in large private real estate deals. And here’s the thing: There’s no reason you can’t, too — for as little as $10.
A company called Fundrise lets you get started in the world of real estate by giving you access to a low-cost, diversified portfolio of private real estate. The best part? You don’t have to be the landlord. Fundrise does all the heavy lifting.
Fundrise’s Starter Portfolio has a minimum of only $10 and is geared toward first-time real estate investors. Your money will be invested in the company’s Flagship Fund, which already owns more than $250 million worth of real estate around the country, from apartment complexes to the red-hot housing rental market to larger last-mile e-commerce logistics centers.
As tenants pay their rent, you could earn money through quarterly dividend payments, and over time, you could earn money off the potential appreciation of the property. Since 2014, Fundrise investors have earned roughly $100 million in dividends alone.
So if you want to get started in the world of real-estate investing, it takes just a few minutes to sign up and create an account with Fundrise.
3. Spend $1 to Own a Piece of Amazon, Google or Other Companies
Investing is a smart way to make you richer. “Spending money by investing it in the stock market and earning returns can compound into even more money,” Hartill says.
While the stock market does go up and down over days, weeks and months, over time, the returns tend to rise.
If you haven’t started investing and have some money to spare, you can start small, then build your way up. In fact, you can get started with as little as $100 with an app called M1 Finance.
We like M1 Finance because it lets you choose from hundreds of stocks and funds to build your own investment portfolio. But it makes it simple by breaking them down into categories based on your personal goals. Want to invest conservatively right now? Totally get it! Want to dip in with moderate or aggressive risk? Do what you feel.
Plus, with M1 Finance, you’re able to invest in fractions of shares, which means you can invest in funds you wouldn’t normally be able to afford.
It takes two minutes to sign up, and it’s totally secure.
Plus, when you use the link above, M1 Finance will give you a $30 sign-up bonus once you deposit $1,000 into your account.
4. Give Your Family $1M
This is one of those occasions when spending a little bit of money each month can pay off later.
Have you thought about how your family would manage without your income after you’re gone? How they’ll pay the bills? Send the kids through school? Now’s a good time to start planning for the future by looking into a term life insurance policy.
You’re probably thinking: I don’t have the time or money for that. But your application can take minutes — and you could leave your family up to $1 million with a company called Bestow.
Rates start at just $16 a month. The peace of mind knowing your family is taken care of is priceless.
If you’re under the age of 54 and want to get a fast life insurance quote without a medical exam or even getting up from the couch, get a free quote from Bestow.