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Personal finance, explained simply.

Short, jargon-free guides for anyone starting out — how to budget, build savings, pay off debt, understand credit, and plan for retirement.

6-minute read

How to make your first budget

A budget is just a plan for the money you already have. Here's a simple way to build one in an afternoon.

5-minute read

Two popular methods, two very different levels of effort. Pick the one you'll keep doing.

5-minute read

The cash cushion that keeps a bad week from becoming a bad year.

4-minute read

Car registration, holidays, insurance premiums — predictable costs deserve their own plan.

5-minute read

One saves the most money. One keeps you motivated. Both beat paying minimums forever.

4-minute read

Why a $2,000 balance can cost far more than $2,000 — and how to avoid it entirely.

5-minute read

Five factors, ranked by weight, and what to do about each one.

4-minute read

No history isn't the same as bad history. Here's the usual path from zero.

7-minute read

What stocks, bonds, index funds, and compounding really mean — in plain language.

6-minute read

Retirement accounts are just tax wrappers. Here's what each one does.

6-minute read

Two back-of-the-envelope methods that get you a realistic target in ten minutes.

4-minute read

Before you change anything, look at three months of reality.

Track spending by voice, set budgets that fit your life, and model retirement scenarios — all in one place.