How Much to Save Before Moving Out on Your Own
Moving out on your own is a major life milestone, but it comes with a serious price tag. If you are wondering exactly how much…
How Much Debt Is Too Much? A Simple Debt-to-Income Ratio Guide
If you are reading this, you probably recently sat down at your kitchen table with a notebook, a calculator, and a rising sense of panic….
50 Things to Stop Buying If You’re Trying to Save Money
When you decide you want to get serious about your finances, figuring out the right things to stop buying to save money is often the…
How to Budget as a Freelancer When Income Changes Every Month
When your income fluctuates wildly from month to month, standard budgeting advice falls apart. You cannot rigidly save 20% of your income if you don’t…
20 Expenses You Can Cut Without Feeling Deprived
When you hear the phrase “cut expenses,” what comes to mind? For most people, it triggers instant dread. You picture yourself sitting in a freezing…
How to Create a Sinking Fund for Irregular Expenses
You are checking your mail, and there it is: a bill for your annual car registration. It is $400, and it is due in three…
The 50/30/20 Budget Rule Explained Simply
I used to think budgeting was synonymous with self-punishment. For years, I attempted to manage my money by downloading ridiculously sophisticated, 14-tab spreadsheets. I recorded…
How Much of Your Income Should Go Toward Housing Costs?
The largest single expense in almost every American budget is housing. Whether you are signing a fresh 12-month lease on a downtown apartment or closing…
Standard Deduction vs. Itemizing: Which Option Saves More?
For the first five years of my professional career, I kept a beat-up shoebox tucked in the back of my closet. Throughout the year, I…
What Happens After You Pay Off All Your Debt?
Making that final payment on a student loan, credit card, or car note is one of the most exhilarating feelings you can experience. You have…
