18 in-depth guides
Money Guides in Plain English
Practical, example-driven explanations of the money decisions most people face — from building an emergency fund to choosing a mortgage. Every guide uses real numbers, answers common questions and links to the calculator that lets you try it with your own figures.
Saving & budgeting
How Big Should Your Emergency Fund Be?
How many months to cover, where to keep it, and how to build it.
🧮The 50/30/20 Budget Rule, Explained
Needs, wants and savings: how the rule works and when to bend it.
🏦High-Yield Savings Accounts: How to Choose
What to compare — APY, fees, limits, insurance — and the alternatives.
🎈Inflation and Your Savings
How inflation shrinks buying power, and how savers can keep up.
Buying a home & mortgages
How Much House Can You Actually Afford?
Income, debts, down payment and the real monthly cost of a home.
📉How Mortgage Amortization Works
Why early payments are mostly interest, and how extra payments change the picture.
⚖️15-Year vs. 30-Year Mortgage
Monthly payment vs. total interest, with a real $300,000 comparison.
🔁Fixed-Rate vs. Adjustable-Rate Mortgages
How ARMs reset, what rate caps do, and who each loan type suits.
🛡️Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), Explained
What PMI costs, when it's required, and how to get rid of it.
🏘️Rent vs. Buy: How to Decide
True ownership costs, the price-to-rent ratio, and a decision framework.
Retirement & investing
How Much Should You Save for Retirement?
The 15% guideline, benchmarks by age, the 4% rule and how to find your number.
🏢401(k) Basics: How It Works and How the Match Works
Contributions, employer match, 2026 limits, vesting and fees.
🌱Roth IRA vs. Traditional IRA
Pay tax now or later? Tax rules, 2026 limits and how to choose.
Credit, debt & borrowing
How Credit Scores Work
The five factors behind your score, and practical ways to raise it.
❄️Debt Snowball vs. Avalanche
Which payoff order wins on math, and which wins on motivation.
🔍APR vs. APY: What's the Difference?
Why a 4% rate isn't always 4% — compounding, fees and fair comparisons.
🚘How Much Car Can You Afford?
The 20/4/10 rule, loan-term math and the costs beyond the payment.
Everyday money
How we write our guides
Our guides explain how money concepts work and show worked examples you can reproduce in our calculators. Where a figure changes over time — contribution limits, income thresholds, interest rates — we say so and tell you where to confirm the current number. Guides are updated when rules change, and each shows its last-updated date. They are educational, not personalized advice; for decisions about your own situation, consider speaking with a qualified professional. See also our weekly money news.