15 guides
Money basics guides
Plain-English guides to paychecks, bank accounts, credit and everyday money habits. General education, not financial or tax advice.
Your paycheck
Pay stubs, the W-4, gross and net pay, and tax refunds.
- How to read your pay stub
Gross pay, deductions and net pay, line by line.
- The W-4, without the headache
It sets how much federal tax comes out of each paycheck.
- Gross pay vs. take-home pay
Budget with what lands in your account.
- Your tax refund isn't a bonus
It's your own money, returned without interest.
Bank accounts
Checking, savings, overdraft fees and credit unions.
- Checking and savings accounts, explained
One for spending, one for saving.
- How to avoid overdraft fees
Settings, alerts and a small buffer.
- Bank or credit union?
Both can be good. Compare fees and convenience.
Credit
Reports, scores, utilization, building credit and errors.
- Your credit reports, explained
Three reports, free every week.
- What goes into a credit score
Paying on time matters most.
- Building credit from scratch
Common first steps, and how to use them safely.
- Credit utilization: the number to watch
How much of your limits you're using.
- Found an error on your credit report?
Disputing is free, and you can do it yourself.
Money habits
A first budget, a cushion and loans to avoid.
- A first budget that works
Needs, wants and savings, from your net pay.
- Start a small cushion first
A few hundred dollars keeps small surprises off a card.
- Payday loans and other costly borrowing
Fast cash can cost a lot. Know the alternatives.