Finance Editorial Team

Finance Editorial Team is the collective byline for our editorial team and contributor network. Articles published under this byline or an editorial pen name are researched, written, and reviewed according to our editorial standards for clarity, consistency, and independence before publication.

Budget vs. Spending Plan: Why the Name You Use Actually Matters

Budget vs. Spending Plan: Why the Name You Use Actually Matters

Budgeting Terms Every American Should Know

Budgeting Terms Every American Should Know

Budgeting on an Irregular Income

Budgeting on an Irregular Income

Fixed, Variable, and Periodic Expenses: Understanding the Building Blocks of a Budget

Fixed, Variable, and Periodic Expenses: Understanding the Building Blocks of a Budget

Habits That Keep a Budget Alive Month After Month

Habits That Keep a Budget Alive Month After Month

Money Myths That Keep People from Starting a Budget

Money Myths That Keep People from Starting a Budget

Monthly Budget Review Checklist

Monthly Budget Review Checklist

Paper Budget, Spreadsheet, or App: What Each Method Actually Costs You in Time and Effort

Paper Budget, Spreadsheet, or App: What Each Method Actually Costs You in Time and Effort

Pen-and-Paper Budgeting vs. Budgeting Apps: Matching the Tool to Your Habits

Pen-and-Paper Budgeting vs. Budgeting Apps: Matching the Tool to Your Habits

Personal Budgeting from the Ground Up

Personal Budgeting from the Ground Up

Sinking Funds: The Budgeting Tool That Prevents Financial Surprises

Sinking Funds: The Budgeting Tool That Prevents Financial Surprises

The 50/30/20 Rule vs. Envelope Budgeting: Two Systems, One Goal

The 50/30/20 Rule vs. Envelope Budgeting: Two Systems, One Goal

The Honest Trade-Offs of Strict Budget Categories

The Honest Trade-Offs of Strict Budget Categories

Where Most First-Time Budgeters Go Wrong

Where Most First-Time Budgeters Go Wrong

Your First Personal Budget in Seven Steps

Your First Personal Budget in Seven Steps

Zero-Based Budgeting: Giving Every Dollar a Job Before the Month Begins

Zero-Based Budgeting: Giving Every Dollar a Job Before the Month Begins

Building a Savings Habit When Your Budget Is Already Tight

Building a Savings Habit When Your Budget Is Already Tight

Carrying a Balance vs. Paying in Full: The Real Cost of Credit Card Interest

Carrying a Balance vs. Paying in Full: The Real Cost of Credit Card Interest

Credit Card Debt Isn't the Only Kind: A Rundown of Common Consumer Debt Types

Credit Card Debt Isn't the Only Kind: A Rundown of Common Consumer Debt Types

Debt Consolidation: What It Actually Changes and What It Doesn't

Debt Consolidation: What It Actually Changes and What It Doesn't

Debt-to-Income Ratio: What It Is and Why Lenders Watch It Closely

Debt-to-Income Ratio: What It Is and Why Lenders Watch It Closely

Emergency Funds Explained: Why Three to Six Months Is the Standard Advice

Emergency Funds Explained: Why Three to Six Months Is the Standard Advice

Financial Habits Worth Auditing Before the New Year

Financial Habits Worth Auditing Before the New Year

High-Yield Savings Accounts vs. Traditional Savings Accounts

High-Yield Savings Accounts vs. Traditional Savings Accounts

Myths About Debt That Keep People Stuck Longer Than Necessary

Myths About Debt That Keep People Stuck Longer Than Necessary

Saving and Paying Down Debt at the Same Time: A Practical Starting Point

Saving and Paying Down Debt at the Same Time: A Practical Starting Point

Should You Pay Off Debt or Build Savings First? A Framework for Deciding

Should You Pay Off Debt or Build Savings First? A Framework for Deciding

Sinking Funds: The Savings Approach That Prevents Predictable Debt

Sinking Funds: The Savings Approach That Prevents Predictable Debt

The Debt Avalanche and Debt Snowball: What Actually Separates Them

The Debt Avalanche and Debt Snowball: What Actually Separates Them

What Compound Interest Does to Your Savings—and Your Debt

What Compound Interest Does to Your Savings—and Your Debt

What to Do When Minimum Payments Feel Like the Only Option

What to Do When Minimum Payments Feel Like the Only Option

Why People Overspend Even When They Know Better

Why People Overspend Even When They Know Better

A Glossary of Money Mindset Terms Worth Knowing

A Glossary of Money Mindset Terms Worth Knowing

A Personal Finance Mindset Audit You Can Do in an Afternoon

A Personal Finance Mindset Audit You Can Do in an Afternoon

Angles on Money Mindset: Cognitive, Emotional, Cultural, and Social

Angles on Money Mindset: Cognitive, Emotional, Cultural, and Social

Beliefs About Wealth That Behavioral Research Consistently Challenges

Beliefs About Wealth That Behavioral Research Consistently Challenges

Building a Healthier Relationship With Money From the Ground Up

Building a Healthier Relationship With Money From the Ground Up

Emotional Spending vs. Intentional Spending: Knowing the Difference

Emotional Spending vs. Intentional Spending: Knowing the Difference

Financial Self-Sabotage: Patterns That Quietly Undermine Your Progress

Financial Self-Sabotage: Patterns That Quietly Undermine Your Progress

Money Scripts: The Childhood Beliefs Still Running Your Finances

Money Scripts: The Childhood Beliefs Still Running Your Finances

Psychological Principles That Support Lasting Financial Behavior Change

Psychological Principles That Support Lasting Financial Behavior Change

Rewiring Money Habits: What Habit Science Actually Suggests

Rewiring Money Habits: What Habit Science Actually Suggests

Scarcity Mindset vs. Abundance Mindset in Personal Finance

Scarcity Mindset vs. Abundance Mindset in Personal Finance

Signs Your Financial Anxiety May Be Affecting Your Decision-Making

Signs Your Financial Anxiety May Be Affecting Your Decision-Making

Social Comparison and Spending: How Keeping Up Shapes Financial Choices

Social Comparison and Spending: How Keeping Up Shapes Financial Choices

The Case for and Against Automating Your Financial Decisions

The Case for and Against Automating Your Financial Decisions

The Psychology Behind Why Saving Money Feels So Hard

The Psychology Behind Why Saving Money Feels So Hard

What Behavioral Economics Teaches Us About Everyday Money Choices

What Behavioral Economics Teaches Us About Everyday Money Choices