Ryan Anderson

If you’re a teacher, you already know the problem. You work all school year, then summer shows up — and your money doesn’t. If you’re trying to budget for annual expenses on a 9-month income, you’ve come to the right place. So no matter if you’re an educator, gig worker or seasonal employee, you deserve […]

You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. With a few steady habits, you can bring calm and clarity to your money life.

If you’ve ever tried to follow a complicated budget and gave up after a week, you’re not alone. It’s easy to feel blackpilled about your budget. When housing, food and student loans eat away at your income, it’s not unreasonable to feel like a budget won’t do much for your finances.  But here’s the thing: […]

Your Social Security check is almost always the same, month over month. But life, unfortunately, is not that consistent — with seasonal changes in utilities, fluctuating fuel prices and variable grocery bills, planning life on a fixed income can be difficult. This guide is about optimizing how much you spend on the basics, so you […]

Getting a bill that you can’t afford to pay is tough, and the stress of internally debating your options can make it all the worse. And there are actually ways to buy time, make it more affordable or keep the lights on. But the trick is to act fast — so let’s get into how […]

Let’s say your side gig started great, but the time and effort that you put into it isn’t worth the energy any longer. That’s especially true if that side hustle has been costing you sleep, performance at your primary job or the relationships you value. So you want to quit, but you also want a […]

You finally pay off your credit card and you’re filled with relief! Then, a few months later, the balance creeps back up. It certainly feels discouraging, but the problem isn’t that you are bad with money. The problem is: your money systems are flawed! Let’s break down the most common debt traps and build a […]

Divorce doesn’t just change relationships — it changes your relationship with money. Suddenly, the numbers on the page are yours alone. No shared accounts, no backup plan, no second opinion. It can feel overwhelming, but it’s also the first step toward building something steady and truly your own. It often feels like starting over, because […]

It’s almost a cliche to fight over money with your significant other. But it’s reasonable — and probable — that you’ll have conflict over money in your relationships. The problem is when these small disagreements turn into full-blown fights about credit card balances and trust. So how do you know when financial conflict has crossed […]

When you use a credit card, all your purchases are organized into spending categories. These labels help your bank, budgeting tools and credit card rewards program understand where your money is going, accurately apply fees, help you earn rewards or be protected from fraud.  What are Merchant Category Codes? Every time you make a purchase, […]