DSCR loans were supposed to solve the financing problem for real estate investors. And in many ways, they did.
Before DSCR lending became mainstream, investors were stuck navigating traditional bank loans that could drag on for 90 to 120 days. The income documentation requirements were brutal for self-employed investors or anyone with a complex tax situation. The process was slow, unpredictable, and often ended in a frustrating “no,” sometimes weeks after you thought you had a deal locked up.
DSCR loans changed that. By underwriting based on a property’s cash flow instead of the borrower’s personal income, they simplified qualification and compressed timelines to around 30 days. For many investors, that felt like a revolution.
But here’s the thing about a 30-day close: In a competitive market, it’s still a long time to wait.
The Real Problem Isn’t Capital Access Anymore
The BiggerPockets community has talked a lot about access to capital over the years: how to qualify, find the right loan products, and structure deals. And access genuinely was the bottleneck for a long time.
That’s shifted. For experienced investors actively growing a portfolio, the bigger obstacle today is whether they can get funded in time—and whether the process will stay on track once it starts.
Think about what can go wrong during a 30-day underwriting process:
The appraiser flags the property as rural, and suddenly, your lender needs to pivot programs.
The lease documentation on your rental doesn’t meet underwriting standards, and you’re scrambling to fix it in week three.
Your DSCR ratio comes in slightly below the threshold for the original loan program, triggering a requote.
A mid-process surprise pushes your closing from day 30 to 45, and your seller walks.
None of these problems are necessarily deal killers. But discovered late, they become extremely expensive. You’ve already spent time, money, and emotional energy on a deal that’s now in jeopardy.
Most investors have a version of this story. The problem isn’t that DSCR lending is broken. It’s that the process wasn’t designed with execution speed as the primary goal.
What “Late-Stage Surprises” Actually Cost You
A “no” at the beginning of the underwriting process is annoying, but a “no” on day 28 is a different category of painful. By then, you’ve likely paid for an appraisal. You’ve had an attorney review documents. You may have already given notice on a bridge loan or locked in a rate. You’ve mentally moved on to the next step of your investing plan.
Late-stage surprises in DSCR lending typically fall into a few buckets:
Property complexity: Deals involving rural properties, nonwarrantable condos, mixed-use configurations, or unusual unit counts often require program exceptions or investor overlays that aren’t identified until deep into the process.
Documentation issues: Lease agreements, entity structures, and title situations can all surface late if lenders aren’t analyzing documents immediately upon upload.
Program misalignment: DSCR loans are ultimately sold to end investors with their own guidelines. If a file is aligned with the wrong program early on, the mismatch may only surface after weeks of underwriting, forcing a requote and a reset.
Appraisal findings: The appraisal is often one of the last pieces of a DSCR file. If it comes back with a value, condition, or comparables issue that doesn’t fit the current program, you’re facing a late pivot.
The 10-Day Close: What’s Actually Different
Dominion Financial has spent the past year rethinking what DSCR underwriting should look like when speed and predictability are the priorities. The result is a new process that closes DSCR loans in as little as 10 days, with AI-powered underwriting.
Here’s what that means in practice:
Documents are analyzed the moment they’re uploaded: Rather than sitting in a queue until an underwriter gets to them, files are processed immediately against applicable program guidelines. Issues surface in minutes, not weeks.
Program alignment happens earlier: Because the platform evaluates files against the full menu of investor guidelines upfront, there’s less risk of a late-stage pivot when the file doesn’t fit the original program.
Potential problems surface before they become emergencies: Rural designation, entity structure questions, DSCR ratio edge cases—these are identified on day two instead of day 22.
Borrowers get clearer communication: When the underwriting process is more transparent and front-loaded, investors actually know where their file stands instead of wondering whether silence means everything is fine or something is wrong.
The goal isn’t just speed. It’s what Dominion calls “early certainty”—knowing sooner whether a deal is going to work, and having a clear path to closing when it does. Dominion backs this process with a DSCR Price-Beat Guarantee, ensuring investors aren’t trading execution speed for worse economics.
Who Benefits Most From Faster Closings?
Not every investor is losing sleep over closing timelines. If you’re buying in a market with low competition and no urgency, a 30-day close might be perfectly fine. But certain investors have a lot to gain from a 10-day process:
Investors refinancing out of hard money or bridge loans: Every extra week in a high-rate short-term loan costs real money. Compressing the refi timeline from 30 days to 10 directly impacts returns.
Portfolio builders buying in competitive markets: When you can offer faster certainty of close, your offers become more attractive, even if you’re not the highest bid.
Investors managing multiple deals simultaneously: The more deals you’re running in parallel, the more coordination matters. Unpredictable timelines on one loan can cascade across your whole pipeline.
Investors with complex deal structures: If you’re regularly buying through LLCs, using partners, or acquiring property types that don’t fit a cookie-cutter underwriting box, earlier identification of potential issues protects you.
Speed Only Matters When It’s Reliable
There’s an important distinction between fast and predictably fast. A lender who promises 10 days but regularly delivers 25 isn’t actually offering anything better than the status quo. What investors need isn’t just a faster best-case scenario—it’s a process where the timeline is consistent, and surprises happen earlier rather than later.
That’s the actual innovation in AI-driven DSCR underwriting: not that documents get reviewed faster in isolation, but that the entire sequence of underwriting is front-loaded. Problems that used to show up in week four show up in week one. Pivots happen when there’s still time to pivot cleanly.
For investors who treat real estate like a business and depend on financing that performs as reliably as their properties do, that’s a fundamentally different experience than what most DSCR lenders offer today.
2026.3 Update: Cardholders should have all received an email by now: on August 14, 2026, the issuer of this card will switch from American Express to U.S. Bank. This change is likely a mixed bag. On the one hand, some people have been shutdown by AmEx or are tight on their AmEx credit card slots, so having the Amazon card moved away from AmEx could actually be a positive. On the other hand, U.S. Bank is generally known for being more difficult when it comes to approvals, so some people may no longer be able to get approved for this card.
2020.10 Update: Reminder: the cap of 5% cashback is now effective. Also, based on recent data points, AmEx now only allow you to hold one of this card at a time, therefore you can’t increase the cap by holding multiple of this card.
2020.6 Update: The offer is now $125. Effective Oct.1, you will earn 5% or 3% Back only on the first $120,000 in purchases each calendar year, 1% Back thereafter.
Application Link
Benefits
$125 offer: earn a $125 Amazon Gift Card upon approval (The offer is $100 for non-Prime members)
Earn 5% cashback at Amazon, Whole Foods, Amazon Business, and AWS if you are an Amazon Prime member (3% if not), 2% cashback at restaurants and gas stations (1% if not), 1% cashback on all other purchases. In order to get the 5%, you need to use your own Amazon account. Student Prime membership and trial prime membership counts as well.
You can choose to get an extra 90 days interest free on U.S. purchases at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership, instead of 5% cashback.
No foreign transaction fee.
No annual fee.
Disadvantages
Thought it appears to be a no annual fee card, actually you need to remember that Prime Membership costs you some money every year.
You will earn 5% or 3% Back only on the first $120,000 in purchases each calendar year, 1% Back thereafter.
AmEx only allow you to hold one of this card at a time, therefore you can’t increase the cap by holding multiple of this card.
Recommended Application Time
You can only get the welcome bonus once in a lifetime, so be sure to apply when the historical highest offer appears.
AmEx doesn’t care about the number of hard pulls.
You can try to apply for it when you have a credit history of 6 months.
Only one AmEx credit card can be approved in a day. This rule does not apply to charge cards, you can be approved for one credit card and multiple charge cards in the day. Multiple cards approved in the same day will only have one Hard Pull.
Only 2 AmEx credit cards can be approved within 90 days, but again, this rule does not apply to charge cards.
You can keep at most 5 AmEx credit cards, not including charge cards.
Summary
The $225 sign-up bonus is decent and made better by no annual fee + no foreign transaction fees. If you spend a lot of money on Amazon, and are already an Amazon Prime member, it is a decent card with 5% cashback. The benefits of this card are very similar to Chase Amazon Prime personal card. You should choose one based on which bank you like better, though remember that holding this card will occupy one of your five Amex credit card slots.
Related Credit Cards
After Applying
Click here to check AmEx application status.
AmEx reconsideration backdoor number: 877-399-3083. The “real” backdoor number of Amex is well protected. Different from Chase, the representatives from this AmEx reconsideration backdoor number only have the right to help you submit requests.
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Almost a year after Premier Mortgage Resources filed a complaint against Canopy Mortgage over an alleged poaching scheme, the lenders reached a settlement.
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The companies anticipate they will submit a joint stipulation of dismissal with prejudice within 45 days, according to a document filed Friday in a Washington federal court.
“We’re pleased to have reached a resolution and bring this matter to a close,” Premier CEO Cory Swain told National Mortgage News. “Our employees are our most valued resource, and we will always act in their best interest while continuing to uphold the highest standards of integrity and service.”
Canopy nor its attorneys responded to a request for comment.
The poaching accusations stemmed from a family’s alleged recruitment of former Premier employees, and loans-in-progress, to Canopy.
The initial complaint identified 10 unnamed defendants, but specifically blamed a father, Curt Lillibridge, a former area manager at Premier, and his three sons, Riley, Kiel and Cameron, who also worked for Premier as either a branch manager or loan officer.
The Lillibridges abruptly resigned from their roles at Premier in December 2023 and began working for Utah-based Canopy immediately after. The family allegedly encouraged its colleagues to do the same before and after the Lillibridges’ own resignation, Premier said.
This forced Premier to shut down its branch in Everett, Washington, due to a lack of employees, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit also said Canopy, with help from the Lillibridges, misappropriated Premier’s confidential customer loan information, which led to some loans that started with Premier closing with Canopy, resulting in millions of dollars lost for the Idaho-based lender.
Premier accused defendants of tortious interference with business expectancy and employment contracts, as well as civil conspiracy, and sought money to cover the losses they suffered.
Canopy filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit a week later, arguing the complaint lacked evidence.
“Premier alleges its complex causes of action in a scant 16 paragraphs of ‘facts,'” the filing said. “Many of these allegations are on ‘information and belief.’ And none of them are supported by non-conclusory factual matter about what Canopy supposedly did, much less how it did anything improper.”
In September, a judge denied Canopy’s motion to dismiss and request to pause the case, citing that Canopy email credentials were granted to the Lillibridges before their resignation was submitted to Premier, which was enough smoke to suggest intentional interference, the filing said.
The amended complaint also alleged the Lilligans used the email access to transfer Premier’s customer leads and in-progress loans to Canopy.
In a response two weeks later, Canopy admitted to hiring the Lillibridges in December 2023, meeting with them earlier in the year to discuss potential employment and giving them email accounts after their offer letters were already signed. But the lender denied instructing the family to transfer loans from Premier and soliciting Premier’s employees. It also said any damages suffered were at the fault of Premier.
“If Premier was injured or damaged as alleged, some or all of Premier’s injuries or damages may have been proximately caused by Premier’s failure to mitigate, minimize or otherwise reduce its own damages,” the filing said. “Premier’s claims are barred in whole or in part because, on information and belief, its own conduct is at least as culpable as Canopy’s.”
Multiple lenders were the subject of poaching lawsuits this month, including Lower, the defendant and plaintiff in two separate cases, and Churchill, which sued a former manager.
Premier overlooks 62 branches, with 19 more coming soon, and nearly 400 loan officers. It originated $3.53 billion in loan volume in 2024, according to a Richey May analysis of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data. Canopy reported $2.2 billion in volume in 2024.
Good morning. When Barbara Larson stepped into the role of EVP and CFO at Workiva in January, she wasn’t entering unfamiliar territory. She had used the company’s financial reporting platform at Workday and VMware and had advocated for it. So, when the opportunity came to join Workiva, she says the decision was uncomplicated.
“I love this stage of the company,” Larson told me. It’s the high-stakes push to scale. “We’ve guided to $1 billion in revenue this year.”
Workiva (NYSE: WK), which offers an AI-powered platform for governance, risk, compliance, and sustainability, reported $885 million in total revenue for fiscal 2025, a 20% year-over-year increase, with subscription and support revenue growing 22%. For the full year 2026, total revenue is expected to be in the range of $1.036 billion to $1.040 billion. Among the company’s more than 6,600 customers are Hershey, Slack, and KeyBank, according to its website.
Barbara Larson, EVP and CFO at Workiva
Courtesy of Workiva
Larson brings more than two decades of financial leadership experience. She most recently served as CFO at SentinelOne and previously spent nearly a decade at Workday, ultimately becoming CFO. She also held senior roles at VMware, TIBCO Software, and Symantec.
Many companies are still drowning in data across disparate systems, a pain point Workiva is designed to address, Larson said. “I’ve spent my entire career in finance,” Larson said. You’ve got your data working either for you or against you—there isn’t a middle ground, she said. If you’re running AI across fragmented systems or unreliable data, you aren’t accelerating insight; you’re just accelerating the wrong answers, she added.
Regulatory pressures are intensifying, Larson noted, with shifting requirements and a changing geopolitical backdrop making compliance a moving target. Workiva’s approach is to ground AI within the customer’s own data, standards, and context, so output isn’t merely “plausible” but actionable and defensible, she said.
That applies to internal users managing SEC reporting, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, enterprise risk management, and sustainability disclosures, as well as external auditors using the same platform. Larson points to SEC risk factor drafting: when new standards or risks emerge, AI itself being a prime example, teams can draft disclosures and benchmark them against peers within a controlled environment.
Larson’s role also reflects a broader shift in what it means to be a CFO in 2026. The job, she says, looks nothing like it did five years ago.
That includes a dual mandate on AI: CFOs must drive adoption across the enterprise while transforming their own finance organizations. At Workiva, Larson is partnering with the CIO and executive team to identify where AI can drive faster outcomes and create leverage for shareholders, she said. In fiscal 2025, Workiva delivered more than 600 basis points of non-GAAP operating leverage alongside 20% revenue growth, a trajectory she aims to continue.
As a mentor, Larson’s advice is grounded in her own biography. Growing up moving frequently, she learned to embrace change, be adaptable, and stay curious—principles that apply to the age of AI.
“If you are going to be a really strong finance leader, you have to understand the broader business,” she said.
SherylEstrada sheryl.estrada@fortune.com
Quick note:CFO Daily marked five years on March 28! Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of finance chiefs across industries. It has been fascinating to report on the evolution of the CFO role and the future of the finance organization. A special thanks to Fortune’s executive editor Lee Clifford, who has worked with me from the beginning. And thank you for your readership.
Leaderboard
Michael Dixon was appointed CFO of Zaxby’s, a fast-casual chain that specializes in chicken, beginning March 30. Dixon brings over 30 years of financial leadership experience across restaurant, retail and entertainment companies. Most recently, he served as CFO of GoTo Foods. Before that, Dixon spent multiple years serving as a financial leader at organizations across the restaurant and QSR industries. His experience includes Ignite Restaurant Group, Pinkberry, and Cheesecake Factory, where he served nearly a decade. Dixon will guide Zaxby’s through the company’s nationwide expansion after eclipsing 1,000 stores in 2025.
Hagit Ynon was appointed CFO of Pentera, a cybersecurity company. Ynon brings over 25 years of financial leadership to Pentera. Most recently, she served as CFO of WalkMe, where she was instrumental in leading the company’s IPO on the Nasdaq and its subsequent acquisition by SAP. Before WalkMe, Ynon spent nearly two decades at NICE, rising to VP of finance. In her new role, she will be responsible for Pentera’s finance, IT, legal, and revenue operations.
Big Deal
Bank of America payments data shows that just about 3% of Bank of America households currently pay for AI services, but momentum is building. The number of households making AI payments is up 38% versus the 2024 average, and the share paying $21–$40 monthly has risen 50% over the same period.
Higher earners and younger generations account for the largest share of AI spending, though median spending growth was strongest among $75K–$125K households in February — a sign the market is expanding beyond early, affluent adopters. As AI embeds itself across productivity, search, entertainment, and personal assistant use cases, BofA Global Research projects the U.S. market could scale to $75 billion annually.
Going deeper
“Nvidia’s Jensen Huang says, ‘We’ve achieved AGI.’ But no one can agree on what that means. Why the most important term in tech remains hotly debated” is a Fortune article by Jeremy Kahn.
Artificial general intelligence, or AGI, has long been the ultimate goal of many artificial intelligence researchers, according to Kahn. “That’s been the case even though there is no universally accepted definition of the term,” he writes. “It generally means AI that is as intelligent as humans, but there is a fierce debate over exactly how to define and measure ‘intelligence.'” Read more here.
Overheard
“As Women’s History Month comes to a close, it’s a meaningful moment to reflect not only on how far we’ve come, but the leadership responsibility we share moving forward.”
—Ann Dennison, EVP and CFO of The Cigna Group, wrote in a LinkedIn post on Monday.
At the end of the day, there are only a couple of ways to save a lot of money, and it all comes down to one simple truth: you have to earn more than what you spend.
Ultimately, you can do this in two ways: by increasing your income and decreasing your expenses.
However, you can do so many things to cut some corners in the meantime.
Here are some of the best money-saving moves you can make to save $1000 now.
1. Stop paying for your cable TV (Save $100 today)
I’m not saying that you should stop watching TV altogether, but there are plenty of ways to watch TV without cable, even free of charge. Cutting the cord we’ll save you $100 a month or over 1000 dollars per year.
2. Cut your landline (Save 50 a month)
In my case, this was a lifesaver. Not only that it saved me some cash, but I also didn’t have to deal with window salesmen, and my mother-in-law any further.
A simple way to save money each month. Cutting the landline cord will save you 50 dollars this month, or $500 per year.
3. Things You Can Easily Borrow or Share (Save $800-1,000 per Year)
A lot of what we own falls into the “rarely used” category.
items we needed once, maybe twice, and then forgot about. Tools are a perfect example. A drill, ladder, or pressure washer can easily cost $50 to $300 each, but most people use them only a handful of times a year. If you borrow instead of buying, you can realistically save around $100 to $300 per year just from this category alone.
Books are another quiet money drain. Buying a $15 book doesn’t feel like a big deal, but if you pick up a couple each month, that quickly turns into $200 to $400 a year. Switching to borrowing—whether from friends, a library, or even swapping books—can cut most of that spending without changing your habits. You still read the same amount, you just don’t pay for every single copy.
Clothes for special occasions are one of the most overlooked expenses. Weddings, parties, events—it’s easy to justify buying something new each time. But those outfits often get worn once and then sit in the closet. If you spend $60 to $150 per outfit and attend a few events a year, that’s another $150 to $500 you could save simply by borrowing, rotating outfits, or rewearing what you already own.
Kitchen gadgets fall into the same trap. Things like waffle makers, mixers, or specialty baking tools seem useful in the moment, but most of them end up collecting dust. Spending $30 to $150 on something you use once or twice doesn’t make much sense when someone you know probably already has it. Skipping just a couple of these purchases can easily save you $50 to $200 a year.
Entertainment is another area where sharing makes a big difference. Video games, board games, and even streaming accounts can often be swapped or shared. Instead of buying new games for $50 to $70 each or stacking multiple subscriptions, you can rotate with friends and cut $100 to $300 a year without giving up anything you enjoy.
Even travel items fall into this category. Suitcases, travel accessories, and gear are used occasionally but take up space year-round. Instead of spending $80 to $200 on luggage or extras, borrowing for a trip can save you another $50 to $150 annually.
When you put it all together, borrowing instead of buying in just a few of these areas can realistically save you around $800 to $1,000 per year.
4. Stop wasting money on storage units (Save $200 a Month)
Think about it for a second.
Do you actually need to hold onto stuff you never get a chance to use? Stop using them and save money now.
5. Find a goal and strive to achieve it
This is quite general advice, but it can work wonders when it comes to keeping yourself motivated and driven to succeed.
With a clear goal ahead, you’ll work twice as hard in order to achieve it.
Buy a new car, renovate your house, or go on a nice holiday. Conceive whatever it takes to keep you going.
6. Think about moving
If the costs of living are too steep in your current neighborhood, you might want to switch something up.
I know that there are many factors that determine whether this is possible or not, but do the calculation, and find out how much money you can actually save if you only moved a couple of blocks down the road. It can be well worth it sometimes.
7. Use public transport
Having your own car is nice and comfortable, but you’ll be able to save so much gas money if you only use public transport now and again.
You also won’t have to deal with the impossible task of finding a parking spot in a busy city center. Do I have your attention now?
8. Get rid of all materialistic people from your environment
What good will they do for you? At the end of the day, they will only take away from your life, regardless of whether we’re talking about money or life energy.
9. Be smart with your choices
You don’t have to use the most expensive gym in town, just because it’s right next door to you. It wouldn’t kill you to walk 3 blocks down to the one that costs half as much.
Similarly, don’t be lazy to check out your options when it comes to insurance companies, mobile plans, and car repair shops. Some might call it penny-pinching, but I call it being smart with your money.
Don’t miss: How to Save $5,000 in 6 Months On A Lower Income
10. Shop for your groceries online
Not only that you get a chance to remove yourself from any impulsive purchases, but you also get to save some cash when it comes to gas money.
The only downside of online grocery shopping can be found with fruit and vegetables, which can be a bit past their prime, but other than that, it’s a home run.
Related: Apps to save money on groceries
11. Expensive phones
I’ll admit that this is one of my pet peeves. I personally use a company phone, as well as their car (they like to keep high standards when it comes to these things).
Last summer, I got a brand new iPhone from them, and naturally, I dropped it a couple of days afterward, where the screen shattered into pieces.
Truth be told, this is not the first time I’ve done such a thing, I have at least 5 phones with broken screens at home. In case you might be wondering, I haven’t yet learned my lesson, as I still don’t have a phone case on.
12. Reduce consumption of meat and dairy products
They are full of hormones anyway. Check this article and find 20 cheap & healthy meals under $5.
13. Save on your haircuts
Nope, I’m not saying that you should abandon your personal hygiene.
Instead, buy a decent hair clipper, and receive a haircut from your loved ones from the comfort of your home.
I’ve been using this model for years, and I highly recommend it.
14. Stop buying coffee at drive-through places
It’s not that this coffee is particularly bad or anything, it’s just that it creates a nasty habit you won’t get rid of so easily.
15. Cigarettes
Stop smoking! Do I even have to explain this one?
16. Monthly subscriptions
One of the quickest ways to save money – cut your monthly subscriptions.
These things sneak up on you when you least expect it. Just recently, I went through my subscription list and I found a lot of those that I don’t ever remember signing up for.
Worst of all, they were not all free either.
Go through your subscriptions today, you never know where your money might be draining from.
17. Gym membership
Yes, I know I already mentioned it, but this time, I decided to cancel my membership altogether. Who was I kidding, it’s not like I would ever go there.
I know, I know…this is bad advice and here’s a counter-argument to canceling the gym. Going to the gym actually saves you money in not losing income.
18. Tithing
Stop paying when you don’t have to! Tithing does not have to be in monetary form. You could give of your time and skills.
19. healthcare Insurance
If you’re in the US, then healthcare is a major expense.
A friend of mine, Melissa Blevins, founder of Perfection Hangover, has found that by opting out of traditional health insurance and choosing Christian Healthcare Ministries, she could save over $10,000 in just premiums alone.
She shared about how Christian Healthcare Ministries paid almost an entire $40,000 hospital bill. It’s not for everyone, but it could be an easy way to save money every year on healthcare costs.
20. Monitor your electric and gas bills
You would be amazed by how much money you can save if you drop the thermostat by just a couple of degrees, and walk more.
Check out: How to save on electricity
21. Start with potty training as soon as possible
Most people aren’t even aware of how much diapers cost. The shorter your kids get to use them, the better.
22. Paper towels
Switch to using cloth paper towels are among the items that pay for themselves. Even better, cut up all worn-out clothes and use them as towels instead.
23. Do not make impulsive purchases
Whenever I get an itch to buy something dumb, I usually force myself to wait one additional day before doing so.
It’s an effective tactic that has saved my bacon a couple of times so far.
24. Don’t be afraid to negotiate
Ok, this is a creative way to save money. Plenty of people would be more than willing to pay full price instead of bargaining for a few minutes.
Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, and get that discount when you have the chance to.
You’d be foolish not to.
25. Buy a laundry drying rack
Stop using a clothes dryer and buy a traditional drying rack instead.
Not only you will save a lot of money on electricity, but your clothes will be less prone to wear and tear when dried naturally as well.
26. Do not order water at restaurants
Do you want to pay 3x more than what you would if you bought the same bottle in a supermarket?
If you decide to drink in a restaurant, order a glass of fine wine instead. One of the best money-saving tips ever.
27. Install the GasBuddy app on your phone
Stop paying premium prices for gas when you don’t have to. Cheap gas is oftentimes just one click away and there are days when the gas is cheaper.
28. Wash the dishes by hand
Yes, I used to think that getting a dishwasher was such a great idea, until I saw how much water and electricity these things spend!
Washing the dishes by hand will take up only a couple minutes of your time, and it’s also a more eco-friendly option, especially if you fill up half of your sink with water and soap, instead of leaving the faucet run all along.
29. Don’t buy a car you cannot afford
Sure, having a sweet ride can be great for your self-confidence, but what happens when you run out of money? New cars have a high depreciation rate and, depending on the model, can be a nightmare to ensure.
When you factor in gas expenses, registration fees, and costs of maintenance, you often end up with a head-scratching figure. Have all of these things in mind before you splurge on the latest sports car you like, while you can buy a great beater car.
Check out: Buying a Car for the Financially Savvy Non-Auto-Expert
30. Collecting spare change!
Do not underestimate the power of spare change. I usually collect it in my car, as I hate the sound of metal rattling in my pockets.
At the end of each month, I collect the change and exchange it for cash. It’s not much, but it usually rounds up to $15 – $20.
You can also use an app called Acorns, which collects the spare change from your bills, and invests it automatically or you can try a Penny Challenge and save $50 this month.
31. Earn your cashback
There are many apps that put the money back in your wallet. Even, some gas stations do cash back. Best of all, you won’t even have to do a thing, and the money will roll in entirely passively
32. Monitor your snacking habits
Ice cream and some chocolate every once in a while couldn’t be all that bad, right? Well, besides putting some extra pounds around your waist, it can also affect your finances in a way you never realized.
33. Do not throw away your leftovers
Most restaurants have a “today’s special” section of meals that they offer at slightly reduced prices.
I hate to disappoint you, but chances are that that food is not exactly fresh, and that it comes from the leftovers their customers left uneaten the previous day.
Well, if you can eat leftover restaurant food, why wouldn’t you do the same thing at your home as well? Easy way to save money.
34. Do you need all of that mobile data?
Thousands of people are constantly paying for expensive data plans, without even using it. If this describes you, I’d advise you to consider switching to prepaid.
If you’re looking for a better mobile plan then I suggest you check out our Tello Mobile review and Saving Advice post on lesser known Gen Mobile cell phone plan.
Related: Get free internet for you Android or iPhone
35. Use coupons & deals whenever you can
Do not be afraid of using coupons and deals like Subway Sub of the Day as much as you can. Couponing is a great way to save on everyday expenses.
People will sometimes call you cheap for doing so, but who cares for their opinion?
Take some time to look at all the available deals, and find as many promo codes as possible.
Websites such as Rakuten will help you track down all the offers.
Check out: How to get free coupons in the mail
36. Make a wish list on Amazon
Add as many products as you want on it. Amazon will let you know when the price drops for any of the items off your list, and you can make your purchases at that time. This is a great tool for long-term planning.
37. Buy stuff from eBay
Thousands of items off eBay get lost through the cracks, because they have spelling mistakes in the title. Websites such as fatfingers.com will help you track down those specific items in no time.
Because fewer people will get to view that product, you will have a better chance of buying it for cheap.
38. Join a library
Reading books is a great hobby to have, but it can be downright expensive as well. Have you thought about joining a library instead?
Most libraries nowadays also have a special section dedicated to video games, and I can bet you didn’t even know that!
One of the best money-saving tips ever.
Check out: 5 Simple Ways To Save Money By Visiting Your Local Library
39. Share an Amazon Prime or Netflix account with your friends
Sure, you might get a couple of weird video recommendations as a result, but you’ll also end up paying half of the price each month. It seems like a pretty sweet deal to me and a great money-saving hack.
Don’t miss these free Sites Like Netflix.
40. Look at the food labeling
Just because one can of tomato sauce costs $1.55 it doesn’t mean that it’s actually cheaper than the $1.60 one.
How come?
Plenty of people don’t even pay attention to the packaging.
Let’s say that in this case, the first can weighs 12oz, while the second one weighs 16oz.
Notice the difference is the $/oz. ratio?
41. Make your own laundry soap
You can save a few bucks for just two minutes of work.
42. Save money with smarter dental care
Browse through the web and find a dental school in your area. After that, go through a quick appointment process, and start saving money immediately.
However, if you choose this route, know that students will be the ones responsible for your dental hygiene.
43. Shop for clothes during the offseason
While this idea might seem downright crazy to some, take a moment to realize the genius behind it.
If you decide to buy winter coats during the summer and T-shirts during the winter, you will be getting them at heavily discounted prices.
Teach yourself some patience and plan ahead. There’s just one slight catch here. Do not do this with your children.
When I was a kid, my mom used to employ this tactic every year.
Unfortunately, one year, she failed to prepare for my growth spurt, so I ended up with a whole bunch of school clothes I wasn’t able to fit in.
44. Use Bing as your primary search engine
There’s a good reason why Bing should be your choice when it comes to the homepage. With it, you can make money by searching the web.
Each user gets a certain number of points for every search, and those points can later be exchanged for gift cards on Amazon!
It might sound silly, but it actually works.
45. Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach
This one is pretty much self-explanatory. To help you out we put together the cheapest groceries list.
46. Always buy in bulk
At first, it will seem like you’re wasting a fortune, but you’ll quickly realize just how much money you can save this way.
47. Start a hobby
Having a fun hobby will immensely cut down on boredom spending. Trust me, I’m speaking from personal experience here.
Check out: 7 Hobbies You Can Monetize for Extra Income
48. Sell all of the stuff you rarely use
By doing this, not only that you’ll earn some money, but you’ll actually finally get around to cleaning up your cluttered garage. It’s what you call a win-win situation.
Here’s a great resource from Kalen Bruce on how to declutter slowly if you don’t know where to start.
49. Switch banks and collect bonuses
Banks are in the constant battle for new clients, so use it to your advantage. More often than not, they will be willing to dangle some bonuses to get the job done. Always explore all of our options.
50. Use cashback apps
Each time you make a purchase, just make a quick snap of your receipt, and your job is done. The people behind these apps will do their best to negotiate some money back, and if they succeed, they’ll only take a small fee for their efforts.
If not, most of these apps are completely free of charge. What’s there to lose?
51. Shift to neutral when stuck in traffic
Yes, I know that getting stuck in traffic is highly stressful and that saving money is the last thing on your mind during those times.
However, if you just repeat the process of putting your car in neutral gear each time you hit a stop, this action will become automatic.
As a consequence, your ride will cost way less gas. It’s worth giving it a shot.
52. Eat seasonal fruit and vegetables
Once again, it’s a simple case of supply and demand. When in season, the fruit and vegetable prices go way down, only because there is an abundance of it to go around.
For example, bananas are always the cheapest during the early spring, while berries are at peak form during the summer months.
Read: Investing in Your Health Is a Great Move for Your Finance
53. Set aside some money in your savings account
Write this off as expenses right after you receive a paycheck. Don’t go wild here, but set aside a certain amount, and do so each and every month.
The goal is to never look at these funds, as they’ll never get to stick around on your checking account for too long.
54. Build a home gym
If you are a fitness freak, this is the best option for you. Of course, it will be costly at first, but if you stick to it long enough, you’ll eventually pay it off, and from that point on, you’ll be in the bonus territory.
55. Make honey
In case you have a house in the countryside, here’s a neat little hobby you can pursue. Not only that you earn some cash by selling your products, you will also become healthier by consuming them.
56. Buy quality items
Wait, doesn’t this go against the very premise of saving money? In most cases, you could say so, but there are times when quality items cost way less than the cheaper ones.
However, in order to see that, you’ll first have to step aside, and look at the big picture. Instead of buying a cheap winter coat every year, why not buy one that will keep you warm for years to come?
You still cannot see the forest from the trees? Check out this awesome quote by Terry Pratchett, and you’ll quickly realize that what I’m saying is true.
57. Stop buying lottery tickets and Save $40 This Month
The lottery is not rigged but who are you fooling, you’re never going to win a million dollars.
All you’ll do is spend $10 bucks a week in order to earn $5 every once in a while.
It’s simply not worth it.
You have a better chance of being killed by lightning than winning Powerball anyway.
The odds of grabbing the grand prize are 1 in 292.2 million, while your chances of being killed by a lightning strike are approximately 1 in 161,000.
58. Start volunteering
Not only that it’s good for the soul, but chances are that you’ll get some T-shirts from time to time, and a lot of free publicity for your company.
Ultimately, it will give you a chance to make somebody’s day a tad bit better. What more could you ask?
59. Do not increase your spending when you get a raise
Ah yes, we all dream about the day when our boss will finally notice our hard work, and award us with a much-needed raise. Sadly, once they get it, most people simply decide to up their spending habits.
Instead of falling into this trap, try keeping your feet on the ground, and redirect that extra money towards your savings account.
60. Track what you’re spending
Write down each and every expense you make over the course of one month, no matter how big or small.
When you finally draw the line after some time, you’ll quickly notice where you’ve been splurging without even realizing it, and you’ll be able to save some big bucks by avoiding this unnecessary behavior.
To help you out we’ve put together the best free budget planners you can use to master your money.
61. Find the cheapest flights possible
You’d be amazed by how much you can save if you spend a couple of minutes here and there eyeing the discount airlines. Even better, you don’t even have to travel economy in order to save money while traveling.
62. Install an app called Qapital
This app is similar to the above-mentioned Acorns. However, instead of investing your spare change, this app stashes those funds away in a separate account.
The great thing about it is that you won’t even notice a difference, but give it some time, and the money will start to pile up.
63. Learn to create DIY gifts
Not only that you’ll save a lot of money on gifts, but you will also learn a neat new skill. The best part of it all is the fact that people will simply love these personalized presents.
Where can you learn how to do so?
Start by browsing Pinterest or YouTube, and I’m sure that you’ll have no problem with finding your inspiration.
64. Use Airbnb when traveling
Instead of staying in expensive hotels, find cheap accommodation on websites such as Airbnb. Why pay extra when you can find exactly what you need just a few clicks away?
You can also use a homestay option for budget vacations.
A homestay, when traveling, is a type of accommodation where you stay in a local person’s home instead of a hotel or a hostel. It’s like being a guest in someone’s house.
You get a room to sleep in, and often you share meals and spend time with the family who lives there.
65. Educate yourself
Education is an Investment and nowadays, there are plenty of self-help books that can turn your life around. It’s the easiest way to learn something new, while feeling inspired and motivated at the same time.
66. Join a Facebook group that deals with finances
There’s no need to be an active participant. In the beginning, all you have to do is pay attention and learn as much as possible. People are oftentimes willing to share some tremendous ideas when it comes to cost savings and budget maintenance.
While you are there you should check these personal finance Facebook Groups also.
67. Don’t be afraid to bargain
Whenever you decide to make a big purchase, don’t be afraid to contact as many retail companies to get exactly what you want. You’d be surprised by how much they would be willing to negotiate once they sense that you’re a serious buyer.
68. Buy used tools
Do you really need to own a brand-new set of pliers and screwdrivers? Used tools go for much cheaper, and they do the job just as fine as the new shiny ones.
69. Have some handy guys close by
I’m not saying that you should be best buddies with your plumber, but would it really kill you to ask him and his family to come around for a dinner sometime? Trust me, that dinner can be way less expensive in the long run.
70. Learn how to fix your own car
There’s no need to become a full-blown mechanic, but if you learn how to fix some simple things around your ride, you’ll save a lot of money and time. Luckily, there are dozens of YouTube channels that can make the whole process quite fun.
71. Be a good student
If you get a scholarship to the University of your choice, you will save tons of money. Furthermore, once you graduate, you’ll be able to get a higher-paying job. It’s a win-win situation.
72. Install a bidet
Trust me, this isn’t weird and you’ll save a ton of money on toilet paper. You can buy one on Amazon for less than $50.
73. Reuse silica gel packets
Instead of throwing them away, collect them in a jar and use them anywhere you want to prevent moisture.
Put them in your suitcases, shoes that aren’t frequently used, razor storage, or anything that is stored and might get musty.
Silica gel can be re-used indefinitely by drying it out again.
74. Practice the 10-Second Rule
Before any purchase, take 10 seconds to question its necessity. Do you need it? Do you have something similar? Could you borrow it? If you have doubts, set it aside. You can always buy it later if needed.
75. Join Free Reward Programs
Whenever you shop, check if the store offers a free rewards program. To avoid cluttering your main email, create a separate one for these offers and only check it when planning to shop. These programs often provide discounts on purchases you’re already making.
76. Adopt the 30-Day Rule
For non-essential purchases over $20, wait 30 days before buying. Add the item to a wishlist and revisit it after a month. If you still want it, buy it. Otherwise, you’ll save money on something you didn’t truly need, curbing impulsive spending.
77. Avoid Fast Food
Despite its convenience, fast food is not cost-effective in terms of nutritional value. Opt for healthier, cheaper snacks like granola bars, and use meal prep strategies at home.
78. Choose Appliances for Reliability
Prioritize reliability when purchasing home appliances. Consult resources like Consumer Reports for reliability data and choose models with high scores.
An appliance that lasts 15 years instead of 10 saves money in the long run. Alternatively, you can look for free appliances to see whether you are eligible to get them.
79. Fully Pay Off Reward Credit Cards
Develop the habit of paying your credit card balance in full each month to avoid interest charges. Use a rewards credit card that aligns with your spending habits for maximum benefit.
80. Resist Retail Therapy
Avoid shopping as a form of entertainment. It can exacerbate financial issues. Instead, find alternative ways to relax and enjoy your time, such as hiking or indulging in hobbies.
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Brian shared in our Facebook Group that Alaska Airlines will soon launch increased signup bonuses on Atmos rewards credit cards. That information was shared on March 20, saying that bonuses are coming in about two weeks.
Now there’s also another person sharing similar information on reddit, saying the bonuses are coming in a few days.
The Atmos Rewards Ascent card will have an increased offer, but likely the business card as well. So if you plan to apply, it’s worth waiting a few more days.
When Nordstrom went private last year, the move was seen by industry analysts as a way to let the founding family make the changes needed to rejuvenate its sagging department store business without being hemmed in by Wall Street’s short-term focus on profits.
Nearly a year later, co-CEOs Peter and Erik Nordstrom, great grandsons of the retailer’s founder, say they don’t miss the distraction of being a public company. Indeed they hint that Nordstrom won’t return to the stock market anytime soon—if at all.
As reported by Fortune last week, Nordstrom’s revenue rose 7% in 2025 to $15.9 billion, slipping past a high watermark from 2019 and finally recovering from the hit to sales from the COVID pandemic and turmoil in the luxury market.
How going private gave Nordstrom freedom from Wall Street
While the chaos at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus have given it a huge opening, Nordstrom has also helped its own cause by upgrading stores, spending a lot of money on merging databases, and expanding its inventory. All that costs money, and the shareholder focus on profits and margins would probably have hurt Nordstrom shares if it were still a public company. Wall Street generally sees department stores as a mature business, and will let such companies invest only so much to reinvent themselves.
“When you’re a public company, your scorecard is your stock price, and that has a lot to do with the results you generate,” Pete Nordstrom says. “If the investment community doesn’t think very highly of department stores, which they don’t, your multiple goes down.” As a company leader, responding to that takes time away from tending to the core business, he adds: “You end up spending a lot of time on things that aren’t exactly what your business is.”
Like other luxury retail businesses, Nordstrom hit a rough patch coming out of COVID as people stopped buying nicer clothes for in-person events and going to the office. What’s more, its Rack discount chain struggled to define its market niche, and its expansion to Canada turned into an expensive failure.
To be able to re-engineer the 125-year-old family business as they saw fit, the Nordstroms. tried in 2017 to go private but failed, before ultimately succeeding in 2025. In a $6.25 billion deal that took the company off the stock market after 54 years, the Nordstroms teamed up with Mexico’s El Puerto de Liverpool department store, an operator of multiple chains. The Nordstrom family now owns a majority 50.1% stake.
Still, being private isn’t a license to let laxness creep in. And Nordstrom faces other strictures: The company took on some debt, for example, which requires the company to hit certain milestones.
Why Nordstrom’s family owners aren’t in a rush for an IPO
“We do think being private on the edges helps us with improved focus as some noise gets removed,” says Erik. But he added: “I’ve never complained about being a public company. The main upside for us is that it was a forcing mechanism to get our story very clear.”
There are other advantages to being public: It can make attracting talent easier thanks to more easily traded shares that can be offered as a bonus. It also makes raising money easier and could be a way for the Nordstroms and their Mexican partners to cash in on the improvements the business is seeing. And indeed, if Nordstrom keeps up its strong performance, it is inevitable that investment bankers will knock on the door, telling the family and Liverpool what a bonanze the IPO could generate. So while Nordstrom is not even one year into being private, many expect this large and successful of a company to eventually go public again at some point.
Stacey Widlitz, president of consulting firm SW Retail Advisers, suggests that if the chain manages to address its problems while it has the leeway to do so, a Nordstrom IPO is a real possibility: “If they get all these things right and have the right leadership, there is no reason why in several years, we won’t see them go back to the public market.”
Pete Nordstrom feels differently. When asked if the family would take Nordstrom public again, he says flatly, “I doubt it.” Though, he quickly adds, “never say never.” The fundamental question, Pete says, is “to what end?”
“Our goal is not financial engineering,” he says. “Our goal is to serve customers well in an enduring and compelling way.”
And as he mentions more than once, there’s a responsibility to the family’s legacy. Nobody wants to be “the generation of Nordstroms that screwed it up.”
House Republicans and the Trump Administration appear to be abandoning the plan to eliminate the CFPB after 13 months of court losses.
Only Congress can abolish the CFPB, and no executive order or funding cut can override that. Federal courts have repeatedly blocked the Administration’s attempts to do so unilaterally.
Rather than continue a losing legal fight, the CFPB under Acting Director Russ Vought appears to be pivoting to writing new rules on open banking, data collection, and small-dollar lending
The Trump Administration’s effort to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has run into a wall it cannot seem to get around: the law.
After 13 months of court losses (PDF File), both House Republicans and the White House appear to be accepting what legal experts have said all along — only an act of Congress can actually shut down the CFPB.
Semafor and Politico reported on a meeting between House Financial Services Committee (HFSC) Republicans and CFPB Acting Director Russ Vought that centered on the agency’s future. Four lawmakers spoke to Semafor, with Rep. John Rose (R-TN) saying that the CFPB was “not likely” to “go away” in “the current environment.”
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Why Executive Action Can’t Kill The CFPB
The CFPB was created by Congress through the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (PDF File). That matters because an agency established by federal statute can only be abolished by another federal statute. That means both chambers of Congress would need to pass a bill, and the president would need to sign it.
No executive order, budget directive, or administrative reorganization can override an act of Congress.
The Trump Administration tried to get around this by effectively zeroing out the agency from within: halting enforcement, cutting supervision, planning to eliminate 90 percent of staff, and more.
But the CFPB’s union sued and the courts intervened. That case has been blocking the shutdown attempt since early 2025.
The full D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral argument in the NTEU 335 case in late February, and a ruling is expected in summer 2026.
The central legal question is straightforward: can the executive branch unilaterally destroy a Congressionally-created agency? The Administration’s track record in this litigation suggests courts are skeptical.
The Pivot: From Shutdown To Industry-Friendly Rulemaking
With the courts blocking elimination, the Administration appears to be shifting to Plan B: using the CFPB’s authority to write rules the financial industry wants.
HFSC members told both outlets they discussed data collection, open banking, small-dollar lending, and other topics with Vought.
The financial industry wants this for multiple reasons:
The agency holds exclusive statutory authority over some of the most consequential regulations in financial services.
No other federal agency can write the open banking rules that would let big banks charge for access to consumer data.
Regulation is a double-edged sword, in that some companies and industries need the bad actors dealt with as it can damage everyone’s reputation.
You can’t get clarity to operate if the organization overseeing your business is shuttered.
However, consumer groups are worried about what these rules could mean for consumers.
What Consumers Should Know
The net result for consumers is a CFPB that continues to exist but may not be watching out for the individual consumer as much as it used to. Enforcement actions have dropped sharply. And the rulemaking focuses that remains is pointed toward deregulation.
Lawmakers told Semafor they discussed “opportunities to rein in that agency without shuttering it, including establishing greater congressional oversight”.
Vought is reportedly testifying before the House Budget Committee on April 15 in his capacity as OMB Director, which could give lawmakers the chance to ask about his CFPB actions. At that time we may get more insights into what the future holds.
