Guides & articles
Plain-English explainers on money — each paired with a free tool so you can run the numbers as you read.
All guides
13 articlesWhat Is FIRE? A Beginner's Guide to Financial Independence
FIRE means building enough invested wealth that work becomes optional. The 25× rule, why your savings rate matters most, and how to start.
Read the guide →Types of FIRE: Lean, Fat, Coast and Barista Explained
Four names, one formula. What each variant assumes, and a worked example where one saver's target ranges from $306,000 to $2.25m.
Read the guide →Your Savings Rate Decides When You Retire
Not your salary, not your fund choice. The full table from 5% to 80%, the formula behind it, and why cutting spending beats earning more.
Read the guide →What Is Barista FIRE? Semi-Retirement, Priced
How part-time income shrinks the portfolio you need by twenty-five times its size — and the two risks that decide whether it works.
Read the guide →Is FIRE Realistic? The Objections, Taken Seriously
The 4% rule's US bias, sequence-of-returns risk, healthcare and lifestyle drift — and what still holds up once you account for all of them.
Read the guide →What Is Coast FIRE? How to Stop Saving and Still Retire Rich
Coast FIRE is the point where your investments grow into your retirement number on their own, so you can stop saving for the future. The math and an example.
Read the guide →What Is the 4% Rule — and Does It Still Work?
Withdraw 4% of your portfolio in retirement, adjusted for inflation. How the rule works, the 25× corollary, where it came from, and its limits.
Read the guide →Debt Snowball vs Avalanche: Which Pays Off Debt Faster?
Two proven methods to clear debt — smallest balance first for momentum, or highest rate first for the lowest cost. A worked example and how to choose.
Read the guide →The 50/30/20 Budget Rule Explained (With Examples)
Split your take-home pay into needs, wants, and savings with the simplest budgeting framework that actually sticks — plus how to adapt it to your life.
Read the guide →How Much House Can I Afford on My Salary?
Turn your income into a realistic home price with the 28/36 rule — taxes, insurance and upkeep included — not just the maximum a bank will lend.
Read the guide →The Rule of 72: How Long to Double Your Money
Divide 72 by your return to estimate how long money takes to double. Examples, using it in reverse, and where it applies beyond investing.
Read the guide →Lump Sum vs Dollar-Cost Averaging: Which Wins?
Lump-sum investing beats dollar-cost averaging about two-thirds of the time — but DCA lowers regret risk. A worked example and how to choose.
Read the guide →What Is an EMI and How Is It Calculated?
An EMI is a fixed monthly loan payment split between interest and principal. The formula, a worked example, and why a longer term costs more.
Read the guide →