Why You Need an Emergency Fund and How to Build It in 3 Steps
Learn why you need an emergency fund and how to build it in 3 simple steps for financial security and peace of mind.
Automate Your Savings for Easy Set and Forget Wealth Growth
Learn how to automate your savings with set-and-forget strategies to build wealth effortlessly using high-yield accounts and smart financial tools
3 Budgeting Methods for Beginners to Save and Build Wealth
Discover 3 simple budgeting methods for beginners to stop living paycheck to paycheck and start saving with easy step-by-step guides.
How to Save 2000 Dollars in a Year on a 5000 Monthly Income
Learn how to save 2000 dollars in a year on a 5000 monthly income with practical budgeting tips and easy expense cuts for a middle-income lifestyle
Should you Get Rid of your Financial Advisor (& Become your Own)?
Are you paying 1% of your portfolio every year for advice you could largely get from a $15 book and a low-cost brokerage account? That question makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Financial advisors are credentialed professionals. They use terms like “holistic wealth planning” and “risk-adjusted returns.” It’s easy to assume you’re getting sophisticated expertise …
I Bonds Review: Where & How to Buy, Interest Rates, Risks, & Pros & Cons
Updates: the new I bond rate for November, 2025 to May, 2026 has been set at 4.03% APR for new purchases. If you find that appealing, here is how to buy I Bonds. For those who previously purchased, it may be a good time to close I bonds with variable rates and inflation having declined …
Here is How to Buy I Bonds (Current Rate On New I Bonds is 4.03%)
PSA to readers who have had an interest in U.S. Treasury I Savings Bonds in recent years, as I have – you can purchase I bonds at treasurydirect.gov at the current new I bond rate of 4.03 APR%. If you’re not familiar with them, see my I bonds overview for a primer on what they …
Credit Unions Fail More Often than Banks. Are Your Deposits Fully Insured? NCUA vs FDIC Insurance.
It’s a common belief, one I’ve heard many times at family gatherings: “Credit unions fail more often than banks.” This idea often comes up when people discuss where to keep their money. But is it true? The short answer is no. This misconception often steers people away from perfectly safe financial institutions. Your deposits are …
Why it May be a Good Time to Cash Out I Bonds
The buzz around I bonds in the personal finance community has been off the charts the last few years, with guaranteed interest rates not seen anywhere else in recent decades, and no risk-free comparable investment alternatives. I gave an in-depth I bond overview and covered how to buy I bonds previously to help readers take …
Low-Risk Alternatives to Stocks & Low-Interest Cash Savings
At a recent social gathering, I was introduced to a pediatric surgeon – a younger guy, probably in his early 30s. We got to chatting about what we do for a living, as strangers often do. After discovering that I was a personal finance writer, he offered the following admission and question: “I have a …