Money Basics
The latest additions.
The Financial Order of Operations
Match, high-interest debt, emergency fund, HSA, Roth, TSP — the exact order every federal dollar should go, so none is wasted.
How to Read Your LES
Decode your biweekly Leave & Earnings Statement — gross vs. net, FERS and TSP deductions, benefit codes, and the lines to check each pay period.
Buying a Car Without Getting Wrecked
The 20/4/10 rule, why new cars bleed value, how dealers profit on financing, and how to walk in and pay a fair price.
Life Insurance Beyond FEGLI
How much you actually need, why term usually beats FEGLI Option B, when to keep FEGLI, and the products to avoid.
The Machine That Sells You Worry
Worry sells. How the financial industry actually makes money, where the conflicts hide, what good advice is genuinely worth, and how to find honest fee-only help.
Should You Pay Off the Mortgage Before You Retire?
Your mortgage rate is a guaranteed return. When paying off wins, when keeping it wins, the cash-flow angle that matters most for feds, and the TSP mistake to avoid.
The New Housing Law, Decoded: What the ROAD to Housing Act Means for Retirees
A plain-English, politics-free look at the 2026 housing law’s provisions for downsizers, aging-in-place owners, and veterans — and why most of it isn’t live yet.
Where to Actually Keep Your Cash: High-Yield Savings, CDs, and Money Market
Which cash vehicle for which job — HYSA, CDs, money market accounts and funds, and T-bills — plus how to keep every dollar insured in 2026.
Building wealth early
Compound Interest Is a Cheat Code
Why one friend who invested $24K beats another who invested $79K, what waiting five years really costs, and how to start with $50 — with a “cost of waiting” calculator.
Where to Put Your First $1,000
Money has an order of operations — buffer, toxic debt, employer match, Roth IRA. Do it in sequence, with a tool that names your next dollar’s job.
The Emergency Fund, No Guilt Trip
How much you need, where to keep it, and how to build it painlessly — with a calculator for your number and how fast you’ll hit it.
The 50/30/20 Budget That Survives Real Life
Three buckets, three numbers: needs, wants, future. How it works, how to bend it, and a calculator that splits your take-home pay in seconds.
Roth IRA vs. 401(k) vs. Brokerage
These aren’t investments — they’re containers with different tax rules. What each does, the order to fill them, and a calculator for what the tax break is worth.
Index Funds, Explained Without the Jargon
Own a slice of 500 companies with one fund, for almost nothing — and beat most stock-pickers. Plus a calculator for how much fees quietly cost you.
Good Debt vs. Bad Debt
Some debt buys a bigger future; some just rents you a smaller one. The one-question test, the gray areas, and a calculator for what a balance really costs.
How to Build (and Check) Your Credit Score
Two habits drive two-thirds of your score. What actually moves it, the 30% rule, how to check it free, and how to build from zero — with a utilization calculator.
Credit Cards Without Getting Wrecked
The card is a tool; the balance is the trap. The habits that make cards pure upside — rewards, credit, zero interest — plus a quick card-health scorecard.
Investing Myths That Keep You Broke
“I need to be rich.” “It’s gambling.” “I’ll wait for the right time.” The myths that quietly cost a fortune — busted, with tap-to-flip cards.
Student Loans: The Payoff Playbook
Federal vs private, avalanche vs snowball, the 2026 plan changes (SAVE ended, RAP began), and an accelerator showing what one extra payment saves.
Beat Lifestyle Creep
Why earning more doesn’t make you richer — and how banking half of every raise quietly builds wealth. With a “bank your raise” calculator.
How Much Rent (or House) Can You Afford?
The 30% rule for rent and the 28/36 rule for buying — what they mean, when to bend them, and a calculator that turns your income into a real number.
Sinking Funds: Stop the “Surprise” Expenses
Most surprise expenses aren’t surprises. Save a little monthly so big predictable bills never blow up your budget — with a set-aside calculator.