SpendySaver Learn
Plain-English guides to everyday money. Every number links to the official or original source it came from, and every guide shows the date we last checked it.
Budgeting
Simple ways to plan where your money goes.
The 50/30/20 budget, explainedWhere the 50/30/20 rule comes from, how to apply it to your take-home pay, and what to do when your costs don't fit the split.Zero-based budgeting: give every dollar a jobHow a personal zero-based budget works, step by step, plus how to handle irregular income and plan for big yearly bills with sinking funds.
Subscriptions and bills
Find what you pay for, cancel what you don’t use, and pay less for the rest.
How bill negotiation works, and when to do it yourselfWhich monthly bills are worth negotiating, how to prepare, what to say, how retention offers work, and when handing it off makes sense.How tickets, accidents and a DUI change your car insuranceHow much car insurance typically rises after a speeding ticket, an at-fault accident or a DUI, how long it lasts, and what to do about it.How to find and cancel subscriptions you forgotFind forgotten subscriptions, cancel them through Apple, Google or the company, and know your options and rights if a business won't let you go.How to lower your car insurance billWhat drives car insurance prices, what drivers in each state paid in 2024, and the practical steps that can lower your premium without leaving you underinsured.
Saving
Emergency funds and where to keep the money you save.
High-yield savings accounts: what to check before you switchWhat to compare before moving your savings: APY vs interest rate, FDIC or NCUA insurance, fintech apps, fees, minimums and transfer limits.How big should your emergency fund be?How to size an emergency fund, why three to six months of expenses is a common target, how to start small, and where to keep the money safely.
Credit and debt
How credit scores work and how to pay debt down.
Credit utilization: what it is and how it affects your scoreWhat credit utilization means, how per-card and overall ratios work, why your statement balance matters, and how to check your free credit reports.Debt avalanche vs debt snowballHow the debt avalanche and debt snowball methods work, a worked example of the interest difference, and what research says about motivation.
Students
Money for college: aid, semesters and discounts.
How to budget by semesterFinancial aid often arrives in lump sums each term. Here's how to plan a semester budget around cost of attendance, refunds and student loans.Student discounts worth checkingA short list of student discounts confirmed on each company's own page in November 2026, plus how verification works and how to avoid student scams.
Side hustles and small business
Keeping business money separate and records ready for tax time.
Records to keep for taxes as a freelancerWhich income and expense records freelancers should keep, how long the IRS says to keep them, and the 2026 rules for 1099s and estimated taxes.Separating business and personal moneyWhy the IRS and SBA suggest keeping business money apart from personal money, plus the basics of business accounts, EINs and paying yourself.
Travel money
Trip budgets, travel fees and business travel records.
Business travel: getting reimbursed and keeping recordsHow accountable plans, per diem and the 2026 IRS mileage rates work, and what records and receipts to keep for business travel expenses.How to set a trip budgetBuild a trip budget by category and by day, plan for card fees abroad, and know your refund rights if a flight is cancelled or changed.
Spending less
Price drops, coupons and paying less for the same things.
How to tell whether a coupon code is worth itCheck minimums, exclusions and stacking rules before you use a coupon code, weigh it against cashback, and spot fake coupon scams.Price adjustments: getting money back when prices dropHow retailer price adjustment policies work, the windows at Target, Best Buy, Apple and Macy's, and what happened to credit card price protection.
Retirement
How much you need and how to invest toward it.
How much do you need to retire?Estimate your retirement number from target income and Social Security, see where the 4% rule came from, and check the 2026 401(k) and IRA limits.Lump sum or monthly investing?What dollar-cost averaging is, what Vanguard's research found about lump-sum investing, and a worked hypothetical comparing the two.
How we write and check these guides: editorial standards. Subscribe with RSS.