Personal Finance
Personal finance for people who don't have a financial advisor — budgeting, saving, and money habits explained in plain language by writers who track their own numbers.
The No-Nonsense Guide to Getting Your Money Under Control
Most personal finance advice assumes you have a financial advisor, a high income, or the patience for a twelve-tab spreadsheet. This guide doesn't. It's the practical version — the handful of changes …
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 33 · 💬 4 · 3 months ago
The one spreadsheet that changed how I save
For years my "budget" was a vague sense of dread every time I checked my balance. What actually changed things wasn't a fancy app — it was one spreadsheet with a single column: "money I'm not allowed …
by Pantho Bihosh · 🦁 16 · 💬 2 · 3 months ago
I tracked my hourly rate on 4 side hustles. Only one was worth it
Over three years I tried reselling thrifted furniture, freelance graphic design, a small print-on-demand shop, and tutoring. I tracked every hour against every dollar earned, and the results embarrassed me enough that I ...
by Steve Nakamura · 🦁 7 · 💬 3 · 3 months ago
Memory Chip Mayhem: Why Micron Dodged the Worst of the Blow
Recent earnings reports from some major players in the memory chip sector delivered a harsh dose of reality to investors. While Sandisk and Western Digital saw their stock prices tumble significantly …
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
$80K Pension Payout: Smart Moves for Your Retirement Bridge Money
Someone is entering retirement mode and recently received an $80,000 pension lump sum. Their immediate concern is finding a secure place to invest this money, especially since they don't anticipate ne…
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Executor Role: Can you refuse to serve *before* they die?
Imagine being named executor for a family member you haven't seen in two decades. That's the bind one person found themselves in recently, appointed by a sister who now refuses to find a replacement. …
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Why "No Change" From The Fed Can Still Be Tough
The financial news often fixates on whether the Federal Reserve will raise or cut interest rates. We usually think of a rate hike as "tightening" the economy, making money more expensive and harder to…
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Widowed at 62: When to Claim Your Late Spouse's Social Security
A common question that lands in my inbox is from people trying to navigate Social Security benefits after a loved one passes. Recently, a reader asked about his 62-year-old girlfriend, whose husband d…
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Lost $185 to a Phony Passport Site? Here's How to Avoid the Trap
Someone recently shared a frustrating experience: they paid $185 to what they believed was the official passport website, only to discover it was a third-party service charging a massive markup. This …
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
The debt payoff order that math says is wrong but that actually works better
Financial math says to pay off your highest-interest debt first, and it's correct on paper. In thirteen years of coaching real clients, I've watched the smallest-balance-first method outperform it in actual completed pay...
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 6 · 💬 0 · 3 months ago
The 24-hour rule that ended my impulse spending
Every impulse purchase I have ever regretted had one thing in common: I bought it within minutes of wanting it. So I made one rule — anything over $30 waits 24 hours in the cart. That is the whole sys…
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 5 · 💬 3 · 3 months ago
Flat Futures: What Iran & Inflation Mean for Your Money
On Sunday, U.S. stock futures barely budged, signaling investor hesitation as two major concerns loom: ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the highly anticipated inflation data due th…
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 3 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Your Utility Bill vs. Big Tech: The AI Power Showdown
Big Tech's ambitious push into artificial intelligence demands staggering amounts of electricity, necessitating significant upgrades to our national power grid. For a time, it seemed the financial bur…
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Your $300k Mortgage at 2.9%: Pay It Off or Invest?
A recently retired couple, sitting on a $2.3 million investment portfolio and drawing $100,000 annually, is wondering if they should use $300,000 of that fund to pay off their remaining mortgage. Thei…
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 3 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Hands Off The Fed: Political Pressure & Your Pocketbook
Donald Trump is once again attempting to remove Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, an effort that comes just two months after a similar move was blocked by the Supreme Court. The stated goal is to in…
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 3 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
The budgeting app I recommend to clients has one feature that matters more than the rest
Clients ask me to recommend a budgeting app constantly, expecting a feature comparison. My actual answer disappoints people who want a technical recommendation: the best app is whichever one you'll actually open every we...
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 5 · 💬 1 · 3 months ago
$2,000 for Kindergarten? The Back-to-School Social Media Trap.
This back-to-school season, a story broke about a mom who reportedly spent a staggering $2,000 on supplies and clothes for her kindergartner. This isn't just about rising costs; it's a stark reminder …
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 3 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
August Stock Predictions: Why You Should Care, But Not Act Rashly
A prominent market analyst, Tom Lee from Fundstrat, recently shared his belief that stocks could hit new highs this August, outlining six potential reasons why. While any prediction of market gains na…
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 3 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
AI Tech War Heats Up: China's Export Controls & Your Portfolio
Recent reports suggest China is considering placing its own export controls on artificial intelligence technologies, potentially as a direct response to similar moves by the United States. This develo…
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 4 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago
Southwest's Shift: Why Your Wallet Might Feel the Change
Southwest Airlines, long known for its unique approach, is reportedly undergoing a significant transformation. This shift is generating buzz, with some longtime customers bracing for changes they migh…
by Jennifer Walker · 🦁 3 · 💬 0 · 2 months ago