Is The 50/30/20 Rule Right for You? The 50/30/20 rule is a flexible and straightforward budgeting system, but it’s not necessarily right for everyone. This rule works best for individuals with a steady income and average expenses. However, if you live in an area with high housing cost...
Lauren is a personal finance writer at NerdWallet. Her work has been featured by USA Today and The Associated Press. See full bio. Elizabeth Ayoola Elizabeth Ayoola is a Lead Multimedia Producer and Co-Host of the Smart Money Podcast. Her work has been featured in The Associated Press, The...
Consistency in the frequency and quality of your newsletters is key. Occasionally, you can promote an affiliate product or two. There’s no strict rule on how often to send promotional emails. However, avoid sending them every time you have a promotion, as this may appear spammy and damage...
Income is the starting point of personal finance. It is the entire amount of cash inflow that you receive and can allocate to expenses, savings, investments, and protection. Income is all the money you bring in. This includes salaries, wages, dividends, and other sources of cash inflow. Spe...
President Donald Trump promised to lower costs on his first day in office. This is how it’s going so far. Tim SmartandJaclyn Jeffrey-WilenskyApril 11, 2025 How to File a Tax Extension If you need extra time to file your tax return, you can request an extension to av...
Under the current rules, the window is 120 days. This part of the proposed rule change could benefit student loan borrowers who skip or withdraw from a semester. Keep in mind that these are proposed changes, and that none of what you read here has been imp...
Budget buster.Sure,a little inflation is healthy, but only if wages can keep up. If you’re struggling each month to stay within areasonable budget (using the 50-30-20 rule, for example), eventually, shrinkflation will steer you away from yourlong-term goals. ...
Financial literacy is the knowledge of various aspects of personal finance and the ability to make smart decisions about money. It includes preparing a budget, knowing how much to save, recognizing favorable loan terms, understanding what impacts credit, and distinguishing different investment options ...
How Much to Save in an Emergency Fund Three to six months of expenses is a good rule of thumb but your goal will vary based on your financial situation. Emily ShermanApril 24, 2025 Create an Account Create a free account to save articles, sign up for newsletters and more. ...
Lyle Solomon, a consumer finance lawyer and principal attorney at Oak View Law Group in Auburn, California, says that he did a form of cash stuffing in his early adulthood when he had little income. “I had to keep track of every penny to break even by the end of each month, and thi...