This Week’s Money Map:

• 💪 How to actually MAKE money with your health insurance

• 🚗 Teen driver in the house? 5 ways to keep premiums down

• 💳 350K bonus miles with the Capital One Venture X Business credit card

• 💰 MG Book Club week 7: Investing isn’t just for the wealthy

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💪 How to save — or actually MAKE — money with your health insurance

Premiums, deductibles, copays, surprise bills … it’s no wonder most people treat health insurance as an expense rather than a potential asset. But with a few smart moves, your health insurance can actually help you save money — and in some cases, even make money. Here’s how:

Use an HSA like a tax-free investment account
If you’re enrolled in a High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), you qualify for a Health Savings Account (HSA) — the only account with triple tax advantages:

• Tax-free contributions

• Tax-free growth

• Tax-free withdrawals for medical expenses

But here’s the kicker: HSAs are investable. You can use them like a retirement account. In 2025, you can contribute up to $4,150 individually or $8,300 per family. And after age 65, you can use the money for anything (though non-medical withdrawals are taxed like a 401(k)).

Max out your HSA, invest the funds, and pay current medical expenses out of pocket. Save receipts to reimburse yourself later tax-free.

Earn rewards with wellness incentives
Many health insurance providers and employers offer cash, gift cards, or premium discounts for completing wellness activities.

These can include getting a flu shot, completing a health risk assessment, joining a gym or completing a step challenge. Check your insurer’s wellness portal or HR site to see what’s available.

Your out-of-pocket max is a spending strategy
Most people dread hitting their deductible, but here’s a smarter take: once you hit your out-of-pocket maximum ($9,450 for individuals or $18,900 for families in 2025), your insurer covers 100% of all further covered expenses.

If you or a family member has a major procedure, try to time other necessary care (like physical therapy, screenings, dental surgery, etc.) in the same calendar year — everything after the cap is essentially free.

Take advantage of free telehealth services
Many insurers now offer zero-cost virtual care, but they don’t always advertise it. Mental health check-ins, chronic condition follow-ups, and routine issues can often be handled remotely with no copay. Log into your health insurer’s online portal and search “telehealth” or “virtual visit.”

Preventive care is free — if you use the right language
Under the Affordable Care Act, most preventive services (like annual checkups, mammograms, vaccines, colonoscopies) are 100% covered. But they must be billed as preventive — not diagnostic.

When booking, clearly state: “This is my annual preventive exam under the ACA.” Confirm your provider codes it properly to avoid surprise bills.

Audit your bills — errors are common
Studies show that up to 80% of medical bills contain errors. Always request an itemized bill and compare it with your Explanation of Benefits (EOB). Look for duplicate charges, out-of-network charges that should be in-network, and services you didn’t receive.

If something looks off, call your provider or insurer. You can also use a medical billing advocate if the bill is large.

Don’t auto-renew your plan without comparing
Insurers often tweak benefits or raise premiums quietly during open enrollment. If you just auto-renew, you could be overpaying or missing better options.

Each fall, compare health insurance plans. Check network changes, drug coverage, and deductible shifts. See how your costs compare to the average rates in the U.S.

Health insurance doesn’t have to drain your wallet — if you know how to navigate it.

🚗 Teen driver in the house? 5 ways to keep your car insurance premiums down

Got a teen driver revving up? Based on MoneyGeek’s findings, 16-year-olds pay the highest monthly premiums — $436 for girls and $478 for boys. But don’t panic! Here’s how to keep costs in check without grounding their wheels.

1. Stack student discounts: Not all companies charge young drivers equally. Many insurers reward high GPAs with lower rates through a good student discount. If your teen has a B average (3.0 GPA) or better, you could save up to 20%. And if your teen attends college 100+ miles from home without a car, you can receive a distant student discount on their portion of the premium.

2. Enroll in a defensive driving course: Many insurers offer discounts when teens complete approved safe-driving classes. Completing a defensive driving course can trigger additional 5–20% discounts with most carriers. It’s good for their skills AND your wallet.

3. Put them in the right car: Insuring your teen on the family’s older, safer vehicle (with good crash-test ratings and no sports-car vibes) can drastically reduce premium calculations.

4. Track driving habits: Usage-based programs like telematics monitor speed, braking, and mileage. Your teen’s safe habits can lead to serious discounts — sometimes 30% or more. Set clear rules: no texting, no speeding.

5. Increase your deductible: If you can afford it, bumping up your deductible can lower your monthly premium. Just make sure you have an emergency fund to cover the higher out-of-pocket cost if there’s an accident. Increasing the collision deductible only on your teen's primary vehicle can save hundreds while maintaining lower deductibles on other cars.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to shop around. Rates for teen drivers can vary dramatically from one insurer to another, so it pays to compare. Use MoneyGeek’s car insurance calculator to get a personalized ballpark estimate and find out where you might be overpaying.

Looking for the best deals specifically for college students? Check out MoneyGeek’s guide to the cheapest car insurance for college students to find discounts, tips, and company comparisons tailored to young drivers in school.

💳 Capital One Venture X Business: Can your big spending unlock 350K bonus miles?

High spender with a business? The Capital One Venture X Business card’s limited-time offer of up to 350,000 bonus miles is turning heads. Here’s how to snag it and decide if it’s worth the hefty spend.

How it works:

• Earn 150,000 miles after spending $30,000 in the first 3 months

• Earn an additional 200,000 miles after spending $200,000 in the first 6 months

That’s enough for multiple round-trip international flights or luxury hotel stays.

Why it’s worth a look:

• 2X miles on every purchase (no categories to track)

• $300 annual credit for Capital One Travel

• 10,000 bonus miles ($100–180 value) every year, starting on your first anniversary

• Unlimited access to Capital One and Priority Pass lounges, Hertz President's Circle status, and primary rental car insurance

• Skip the lines with TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry

• Up to 5X miles on flights and 10X miles on hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel

• No preset spending limit (flexibility for scaling businesses)

• No additional fees for team member cards, with customizable spending limits

Who is this card best for?
Business owners who spend heavily each month and want premium travel perks. If your business spends over $200,000 annually on credit cards anyway, this represents one of the highest-value opportunities in the business card market.

Is it worth it?
Big spend, big reward. Spending $33,333/month for 6 months is steep — it’s best for businesses with naturally big expenses (e.g., inventory, ads). The 2X miles on all purchases adds 400,000+ miles on $200,000 spent. Can’t hit $200,000? The 150,000-mile tier is still a win.

Want to see how other similar credit cards stack up? Head over to our website to see our expert comparison of the best business credit cards for 2025.

💰 MG Book Club week 7: Investing isn’t just for the wealthy

We’re officially in the home stretch of I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi, and this week’s chapter is a heavy hitter. After dismantling the myths about financial expertise last week, we now step into a chapter that might just change how you view money for the rest of your life.

"Spend the afternoon picking a simple portfolio that will make you rich." That’s how Sethi opens this chapter. Not “study for months.” Not “read 17 books.” One afternoon is all it takes to set yourself up for a lifetime of wealth.

The power of automatic investing
Sethi starts with his signature principle of automation. By setting up automatic contributions to your 401(k), Roth IRA, or taxable investment account, you take willpower out of the equation. You stop trying to “time the market” and instead ride the long-term growth of the market, stress-free.

Asset allocation: your secret weapon
Sethi explains that what you invest in matters less than how you split it up. This is the heart of asset allocation — i’s about deciding what percentage of your money goes into stocks (for growth), bonds (for stability), and cash (for short-term needs).

He introduces David Swensen’s Yale Endowment Fund model — a sample allocation that favors stocks but also diversifies into other asset classes. Here’s a simplified version:

• 60% total stock market index fund

• 20% international stock index fund

• 10% bond fund

• 10% “other” (like real estate or REITs)

Again, you don’t need to pick individual stocks. Index funds and ETFs (exchange-traded funds) let you buy hundreds of stocks at once — meaning they’re automatically diversified, low cost, and historically profitable. You can use this investment calculator to see how your money could grow over time. 

Control vs. convenience
From asset allocation, Sethi breaks investing down into two flavors:

• Hands-On: You pick your own index funds, build your asset allocation, and rebalance once a year.

• Set-It-and-Forget-It: You pick a target-date fund, which adjusts automatically as you age.

He doesn’t judge either path. If you’re the type who enjoys tweaking your spreadsheet and researching funds, great. But if that makes your eyes glaze over, just pick a target-date fund in your Roth IRA and call it a day.

The FIRE Movement: Financial independence, retire early
Sethi introduces the FIRE movement, where people aggressively save and invest up to 70% of their income in order to retire decades early. Maybe 70% isn’t for you, but even adopting small pieces of this mindset — like increasing your savings rate or minimizing lifestyle inflation — can speed up your journey to freedom. Use this retirement calculator to reach your FIRE goals. 

Crypto and other shiny objects
Chapter 7 also throws a little shade at hype-driven “investing” like cryptocurrency, NFTs, and meme stocks. Sethi’s take? It’s fine to put 5–10% of your portfolio into speculative investments if you want. But your core plan should be boring — index funds, automatic contributions, and long-term thinking. Building wealth shouldn’t feel like gambling. It should feel like watching paint dry and loving every minute of it.

TLDR? You don’t need to be rich to start investing. You invest so that you can become rich.

Next week, we learn how to maintain and grow the system we’ve built. 🙂

Smart Cents gives you actionable tips and mindset shifts to help you reach your financial happy place. Thanks for being a part of our community.

The MoneyGeek Team

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