Worked examples, real arithmetic
Money guides
Practical guides to budgeting, debt, saving, taxes for freelancers and landlords, weddings and kids’ money. Each one walks through a worked example you can copy.
- How to split bills as a coupleThere is no single fair way to share household costs. There are four common methods, and the right one depends on how close your incomes are and how much separation you both want.Read the guide
- Debt snowball vs avalancheBoth methods pay every minimum and throw any extra money at one debt at a time. The only difference is which debt gets the extra first, and that choice trades interest saved against quick wins.Read the guide
- How to budget with irregular incomeWhen your pay changes every month, a normal monthly budget breaks the first time a lean month arrives. The fix is to budget from your worst month, not your average, and let the good months build a buffer.Read the guide
- Sinking funds explainedA sinking fund is money you set aside a little at a time for a cost you already know is coming. It turns a large once-a-year bill into a small monthly line in your budget.Read the guide
- How Much to Set Aside for Quarterly Taxes as a FreelancerWhen nobody withholds tax from your pay, you have to hold it back yourself. Here’s how estimated taxes work, what the self-employment tax adds, and a simple way to decide how much of each payment to park in a tax account.Read the guide
- How to Track Rental Property Income and Expenses for Schedule EIf you own a rental, the easiest tax season starts with how you record each payment during the year. Set up your records to match Schedule E, and filing turns into copying totals.Read the guide
- Wedding Budget Breakdown: How Much a Wedding Costs and Where the Money GoesThe national average is a useful reference, but your budget should start from what you can actually pay. Here’s how to turn one total into category limits, a per-guest number and a payment calendar.Read the guide
- How to Teach Kids About Money with Chores and AllowanceKids learn money by handling it: earning a little, choosing what to do with it, and sometimes wishing they’d chosen differently. A simple chore and allowance system gives them that practice every week.Read the guide