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Personal finance guides

Practical, plain-English guides with worked examples. Each one links to a calculator.

BudgetingThe 50/30/20 rule, tested on a real paycheckHow to sort every dollar into needs, wants and savings without a spreadsheet. · 9 min read BillsSplitting rent fairly when rooms are not equalThree methods roommates use, with worked numbers for each. · 7 min read SavingHow to size an emergency fund you will actually finishStart with one month of essentials, then build in steps. · 8 min read MovingA moving budget checklist for your first apartmentThe cash you need before the first night, from the deposit to the boxes. · 7 min read MovingWhat a security deposit does to your move-in cashA deposit can equal a month of rent and still is not rent. Count it once, in the right month. · 7 min read BillsHow to divide a shared utility bill without a fightPick one rule for the electric bill, show the cents, and do not reuse the rent weights by accident. · 7 min read BudgetingA monthly bill list that survives a busy weekOne list, due dates, and a total you can subtract from take-home pay. · 7 min read BillsA calm way to talk about money with housematesA short meeting, a shared note, and sentences you can send without a speech. · 6 min read BillsWhy utility bills jump with the seasons, and how to plan for itA summer spike is not a moral failure. It is a number you can spread across milder months. · 6 min read BudgetingBuild a first monthly budget in one sittingOne hour, six numbers, and a left-over figure you can explain out loud. · 6 min read BudgetingBudgeting when paychecks do not arrive on the same dayBase the month on a low recent check, and give the extra dollars a job after they clear. · 6 min read SavingSet aside money for bills that only show up once a yearDivide the annual bill by twelve and let a boring monthly slice pay it. · 7 min read BudgetingA 20-minute review that keeps next month honestCompare the plan with what actually left the account, then change one number. · 6 min read BillsRecalculate the split when someone moves out mid-monthProrate the days, then re-split the rest. Do not leave the old share running. · 7 min read BillsA fair grocery plan for people who do not eat the same mealsShared staples, separate treats, and a receipt habit that does not require a spreadsheet. · 7 min read BillsWhat to write down before you share a leaseA one-page agreement: shares, due days, deposits, and what happens if someone leaves. · 6 min read BillsCut a rental electricity bill without buying new appliancesChanges a renter can actually make, and how to tell whether they showed up on the bill. · 7 min read BudgetingCancel the household subscriptions nobody will admit they startedA once-a-month pass that puts every recurring charge in one field, and a rule for who may add the next one. · 9 min read SavingWork backward from a savings deadline without pretending interest will save youTurn a date on the calendar into a monthly amount, and know which deadlines are already too late. · 8 min read BillsSplit a restaurant check when tip and tax are both on the slipTip is a percent of the pre-tax subtotal. Tax is the dollars printed on the slip. The cents still have to add up. · 8 min read BudgetingLeftover money is not the same thing as savingsWhat is left after the categories is still sitting in the spending pile until you assign it. · 7 min read MovingThe first month in a new place costs more than the rentSeparate the cash you need before move-in from the monthly budget that starts after you have keys. · 8 min read