Financial Guides & Strategies
Actionable advice to help you manage your money, build credit, and take control of your financial future.

Can a Balance Transfer Card Help Pay Off a Personal Loan?
Home » Credit & DebtIf you took out a personal loan to consolidate debt or cover an unexpected emergency, you made a logical choice at…

How to Start a Video Editing Side Hustle (Even as a Beginner)
Home » Earn MoreThe internet ecosystem has fundamentally shifted. Brands are no longer connecting with their customers through static graphics or long, text-heavy blog posts.…

How to Read and Fix Your Credit Report (Step-by-Step)
Home » Credit & DebtIf you are attempting to purchase a house, finance a reliable used car, or even rent a new apartment in a…

Index Funds vs. Mutual Funds: What Beginners Should Know
Home » Save MoneyIf you have recently taken the plunge and opened a brokerage account or a Roth IRA, congratulations. You have cleared the biggest…

Freelancer Tax Deductions: Common Expenses You May Be Able to Claim
Home » TaxesMaking your first dollar outside of a traditional 9-to-5 job is an incredible feeling. Whether you are scaling a digital marketing blog, editing…

401(k) vs IRA: Which Should You Fund First?
Home » RetirementWhen deciding between a 401(k) vs IRA, making the right choice can mean the difference between retiring early and working for an extra…

How to Increase Your Credit Limit Without Hurting Your Credit Score
Home » Credit & DebtYou just booked a flight, bought groceries, and paid your cell phone bill. You have the cash sitting in your checking…

What Credit Score Is Needed for Each Type of Credit Card?
Home » Credit & DebtYou spend hours researching the perfect cash-back card. You read the reviews, calculate the potential rewards, and finally click the “Apply…

W-4 Form Explained: How Tax Withholding Actually Works
Home » TaxesIf you want to understand why having the W-4 form explained is the single most important thing you can do for your paycheck,…

Debt Avalanche vs. Debt Snowball: Which Debt Payoff Method Works Better?
Home » Credit & DebtWhen deciding how to finally crush your credit card balances, the choice almost always comes down to the debt avalanche vs…

Roth IRA for Beginners: How It Works and Why People Use One
Home » RetirementI can still remember the first time a financially savvy mentor told me I needed to “open a Roth IRA immediately.” I nodded…

Emergency Fund Basics: How Much Cash Should You Keep?
Home » Save MoneyFour years ago, my financial system was running like clockwork. I was finally making decent money, I had aggressively paid off my…

The 50/30/20 Budget Rule Explained Simply
Home » Save MoneyI used to think budgeting was synonymous with self-punishment. For years, I attempted to manage my money by downloading ridiculously sophisticated, 14-tab…

0% APR Balance Transfers: How They Actually Work
Home » Credit & DebtIf you are carrying a credit card balance at a 24% interest rate, your minimum payment is no longer paying off…















