Money

One of the keys to a sound financial strategy is spending less than you take in, and then finding a way to put your excess to work. A money management approach involves creating budgets to understand and make decisions about where your money is going. It also involves knowing where you may be able to put your excess cash to work.

Featured Video

Keeping Up with the Joneses

Lifestyle inflation can be the enemy of wealth building. What could happen if you invested instead of buying more stuff?

The Power of Compound Interest

Learn how to harness the power of compound interest for your investments.

Budget Check Up: Tax Time Is the Right Time

Tax preparation may be the perfect time to give the household budget a check-up.

Student Loan Protection

Learn why protecting your student loan payments is an important aspect of your income protection strategy.

• Articles

  U.S. Personal Savings Rate

  What can be learned from the savings rate?

  Financial Hacks for Millennials: From Side Hustle to Savings

  As of mid-2019, 45 percent of Americans have a side hustle, and that figure is only continuing to grow. In any economy, side gigs can be a great way to earn extra cash or explore new interests.

  Hindsight 2020: 6 Ways We Learned to Save

  During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people have learned to do more with less. Whether you’ve had to bounce back from job loss or spent weeks bouncing off the walls in quarantine, the pandemic experience included valuable lessons about saving money — and better using our savings to protect ourselves and our loved ones. As we approach a post-pandemic reality, these lessons can continue to have a positive impact on our lives and finances.

  Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: Teaching Your Tweens the Value

  Now’s a great opportunity to help kids learn about the value of money. Not just that it’s useful or necessary—but how we get it and how to maximize its value.

  Life and Death of a Twenty Dollar Bill

  How long does a $20 bill last?

  The 12 Steps to Living Confidently: How to Cut Your Expenses

  “Cut spending.” “Slash expenses.” “Avoid shopping.” The overwhelming advice about cutting expenses makes it sound downright unappealing. No wonder many of us haven’t learned to be good financial managers.

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• Calculators

  Paying Off a Credit Card

  Enter various payment options and determine how long it may take to pay off a credit card.

  Historical Inflation

  This calculator shows how inflation over the years has impacted purchasing power.

  What Is My Current Cash Flow?

  Assess whether you are running “in the black” or “in the red” each month.

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• Videos

  The Power of Compound Interest

  Learn how to harness the power of compound interest for your investments.

  Keeping Up with the Joneses

  Lifestyle inflation can be the enemy of wealth building. What could happen if you invested instead of buying more stuff?

  Student Loan Protection

  Learn why protecting your student loan payments is an important aspect of your income protection strategy.

  The Cost of Procrastination

  Procrastination can be costly. When you get a late start, it may be difficult to make up for lost time.

  Saving for College 101

  Here’s a crash course on saving for college.

  View all videos