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Marie Alcober
Updated Jul 3, 2025
The chance of a recession hitting the U.S. economy in 2025 has gone down — but only slightly.
JP Morgan scaled back its recession forecast from 60% to 40% at the end of May.
So if you’re thinking of tightening your wallet — and looking for ways to stretch every dollar — here are 10 money moves you can make to make sure you’re in great financial shape during this uncertain time.
Fundrise Flagship Fund
Buy real estate through Fundrise's $1 billion private fund
1. Stop wasting money on overpriced car insurance
Car insurance is likely taking a big chunk out of your monthly budget, but it could be keeping you safe for less. Insurance companies tend to pile on confusing add-ons and lingo, which leads you to pay more than necessary.
OfficialCarInsurance.com lets you compare quotes from trusted brands, such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO to make sure you're getting the best deal.
You can switch to a more affordable auto insurance option in 2 minutes by providing some information about yourself and your vehicle and choosing from their tailor-made results.
Find offers as low as $29 a month.
2. Invest in real estate
Most of the world’s most successful investors know that investing in real estate is one of the smartest choices for long-term growth. But did you know it is still possible to build your portfolio without having to play landlord or forking over a huge down payment?
The Fundrise Flagship Fund¹ is a $1 billion private real estate fund that lets you invest in an expertly crafted strategy without needing hundreds of thousands of dollars. You don’t need to be an accredited investor, and you can get started with as little as $10.
With 4,700+ single-family homes and 2,500+ residential units owned by the Fundrise Flagship Fund, you get exposure to institutional-style scale and diversification. After you place your first investment, the Fundrise Flagship Fund will work to find and add new assets to your portfolio over time and send you transparent updates along the way.
It only takes a few minutes to sign up now and become a real estate investor today.
Fundrise Flagship Fund
Buy real estate through Fundrise's $1 billion private fund
3. Diversify your retirement portfolio with a gold IRA
Gold has long been touted as a safe-haven asset — and it can go a long way toward building your retirement portfolio. The precious yellow metal offers more stable returns than stocks, especially during market volatility and recession.
You can open a gold Individual Retirement Account (IRA) with American Hartford Gold to reap tax advantages while investing directly in physical precious metals.
Even better, you can often roll over existing 401(k) or IRA accounts into a gold IRA without tax-related penalties. To learn more, get your free 2025 information guide on investing in precious metals.
Qualifying purchases can also receive up to $20,000 in free silver.
4. Automatically invest your spare change
You don’t need a large sum to start investing for your future. Ten dollars a week could make a difference – if you’re smart about what to do with your spare change.
When you make a purchase on your credit or debit card, Acorns automatically rounds up the price to the nearest dollar and places the excess — the coins that would wind up in your pocket if you were paying cash — into a savings account or a smart investment portfolio.
Let’s say you purchase a doughnut for $2.30. Before you’re done licking the sugar off your fingers, Acorns will round the amount to $3.00 and invest the 70-cent difference for you. Look at this math: $2.50 worth of daily round-ups add up to $900 per year — and that’s before your savings earn money in the market.
Plus, if you sign up now, you can get a $20 bonus investment.
5. Earn passive income
Owning real estate has traditionally been the path to earning steady rental income, but it can be expensive and time-consuming to manage properties.
But Arrived is lowering the barrier to entry for rental property investing, making it simpler and more cost effective.
Backed by world class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived is an online platform where you can invest in shares of rental homes and vacation rentals without taking on the responsibilities of property management — for as little as $100.
In other words, you won’t be in charge of fixing freezers or managing noise complaints, but still get to generate potential regular income and diversify your portfolio.
6. Find a more affordable life insurance policy
Global life insurance premiums are set to increase at an annual rate of 3% in 2025 and 2026, according to a report by Swiss Re Institute.
If you have life insurance in place – especially a term policy – it may be worth comparison-shopping to find a more affordable option. You can typically cancel a term life policy without incurring any penalties.
With Ethos, you can get term life insurance in 5 minutes, with no medical exams or blood tests.
You can get a policy with up to $2 million in coverage, starting at just $2/day.
Ethos’ application process ensures you get flexible coverage options quickly and transparently, allowing you to focus on what matters most.
7. Grow your wealth with help from a trusted advisor
Secure your financial future with confidence through a personalized plan designed to optimize investments, navigate taxes, and ensure a comfortable retirement.
And don’t feel like you have to do it alone. Studies show that working with an advisor can add as much as 3% more to your annual returns.
Advisor.com is an online platform that simplifies the process of finding a financial advisor you can trust. They match you with several vetted fiduciary advisors who are evaluated based on their credentials, education, experience and pricing.
More money moves to make right now
SoFi
Trading account
Get up to $1,000 in stock when you fund a new account.
Longbridge
Reverse mortgages
Tap into your home equity to pay off debt or fund a renovation.
Masterworks
Alternative investing
Invest in paintings by best-selling artists like Banksy and Basquiat.
- ¹Carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fundrise Flagship Fund before investing. This and other information can be found in the Fund’s prospectus. Read them carefully before investing. This marketing was vetted by the Moneywise team and sponsored by the Fundrise Flagship Fund.
Marie Alcober
Commercial Content Manager
Marie Alcober is a commercial content manager at Moneywise. She has worked as an editor, writer and producer for various media outlets, including MSN Canada, BNN Bloomberg, News UK, CBC Arts and Corus Entertainment.
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