By Staff via The Penny Hoarder

It’s an unhappy fact of life: Sooner or later, the economy’s going to take another dive.

Sorry, but another recession is bound to happen. And when it does, your future self is going to thank you for thinking ahead and getting ready for it.

Oh, wait, you haven’t done that? You’re totally unprepared for the next recession?

We’re here to help. Here are a few moves you should make right away….

1. Cancel Your Car Insurance

Here’s the thing: your current car insurance company is probably overcharging you. But don’t waste your time hopping around to different insurance companies looking for a better deal.

Use a website called EverQuote to see all your options at once.

EverQuote is the largest online marketplace for insurance in the US, so you’ll get the top options from more than 175 different carriers handed right to you.

Take a couple of minutes to answer some questions about yourself and your driving record. With this information, EverQuote will be able to give you the top recommendations for car insurance.

In just a few minutes, you could save up to $610 a year.

2. Get Paid to Play Bingo

There’s a free app called Bingo Cash that pays you up to $80 every time you win bingo.

The game is based on a classic Bingo format — plus tons of variations on the game. You’ll battle it out against other players at your same skill level. Everyone gets the same board and sees the same Bingo balls, so winning is totally a matter of skill. The top three players in a game can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $80.

When you win, you’ll be paid via Paypal. Over on the App Store, it has a 4.7-star rating (out of 5).

To get started, just download the free app and start playing your first game immediately.

3. Let This App Pay You up to $83 When You Win Solitaire Games
Lots of us already play Solitaire on our phones for fun or just to pass the time. Want to see if you can win money at it?

There’s a free app called Solitaire Cash that pays you up to $83 ever time you win.

You might be thinking: There’s got to be a catch. This is definitely one of those spammy apps, right?

Wrong. There really isn’t a catch. Sure, you can pay to play in some higher-stakes tournaments, but there’s no pressure. And, in fact, there aren’t even any annoying ads.

Over on the App Store, it has over a million downloads and more than 15,000 ratings, averaging 4.7 stars (out of 5).To get started, just download the free app and start playing your first game immediately.

4. Create a $20K Nest Egg
Imagine if you had bought one share of Amazon for $18 when the stock first went public. Today, it would be worth more than $20,000 — despite all the ups and downs in the stock market.

Here’s the thing about millionaires: They know the sooner you start investing, the better. And we found a company that will give you free stock to get started.

An investing app called Robinhood will give you up to $200 worth of free stock in companies like Visa, Microsoft and GE, just for downloading its app and opening a free account.

Robinhood is free and easy to navigate, which is why more than 10 million people use it — including both news junkies looking to outsmart the market and people who want to carefully put a few bucks away in a long-term investment.

*Investing involves the risk of loss

*Car refinance loans not available in IA, MD, NV, or WV. Car refinance loans in IL and MO are originated by Cross River Bank or Midwest BankCentre. Car refinance loans in CO, KS, and TX are originated by Cross River Bank or Rising Bank, Member FDIC. Car refinance loans in FL, GA, and AL are originated by Cross River Bank or Drummond Bank, Member FDIC. All other car refinance loans are originated by Cross River Bank, Member FDIC.

The full range of available rates varies by state. The average 5-year loan offered on Upstart will have an APR of 9.91% and 60 monthly payments of $426 per $20,000 borrowed. For example, the total cost of a $20,000 loan would be $25,540. APR is calculated based on 5-year rates offered in the last 1 month. There is no down payment and no prepayment penalty. Your APR will be determined based on your credit, income, and certain other information provided in your loan application. Not all applicants will be approved.

This information is estimated based on all consumers who were approved for an auto loan through Upstart and accepted their final terms. As of 2/1/2022 the average monthly savings amount is 17%. To evaluate savings on a loan you are considering refinancing, it is important to compare your APR and remaining term from your existing automotive loan to the APR and term offered by Upstart.