7 Mistakes Many of Us Are Making With Our Money During the Pandemic
By The Penny Hoarder Staff Updated June 15, 2020
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One way or another, we all make mistakes. It’s the human condition.
But right now, in the midst of a pandemic, one thing you don’t want to make mistakes with is with your money.
Sure, we’ve all let bad financial habits creep up on us. But in these uncertain times, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re not your own bank account’s worst enemy.
Here are seven mistakes people are making with their money during the pandemic, and what you can do instead.
Mistake 1: Passing up $500 in Free Stocks
Yes, the stock market certainly is scary right now. Stock prices shoot up and down like a roller coaster ride, and it’s all just so unpredictable. But, what if you could get stock for free?
A company called Robinhood is doing just that by giving free shares of companies like Microsoft and Facebook.
Yeah, you’ve probably heard of Robinhood. Both investing beginners and pros love it because you can start investing with just $1. Plus, they don’t charge commission fees, and you can buy and sell stocks for free — no limits.
To get your free stock, download the app and fund your account with at least a few bucks (it takes no more than a few minutes), Robinhood drops a share of free stock into your account. It’s random, though, so that stock could be worth anywhere from $5 to $500 — a nice boost to help you build your investments.
Mistake 2: Putting Money in a Regular Savings Account
You’ve probably heard the best way to grow your money is to stick it in a savings account and leave it there for, well, ever. It’s bad advice.
But maybe you’re just looking for a place to safely stash it away — but still earn money. Under your mattress or in a safe will get you nothing. And a typical savings account won’t do you much better. (Ahem, .09% is nothing these days.)
But a debit card called Aspiration lets you earn up to 5% cash back and up to 11 times the average interest on the money in your account.
Not too shabby!
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