Budgeting Basics
How to build a budget that survives contact with real life, and the three accounts worth automating before anything else.
Issue #184 · Published today
Every Sunday, market analysis, retirement strategy and the psychology of money, written by CFPs and former analysts for Americans who manage their own money seriously — not finance beginners, not Wall Street pros.
What you'll get
How to build a budget that survives contact with real life, and the three accounts worth automating before anything else.
The trades, earnings calls and Fed signals that actually moved your portfolio this week, explained, not just reported.
401(k) matches, Roth conversions and the math nobody explains to you until it's too late to fix.
Conversations with CFPs, economists and fund managers about how they actually think, not just what they recommend.
Spending triggers, panic-selling and the behavioral gaps between what you know and what you actually do with your money.
Bracket changes, deductions and the fine print in new legislation that quietly changes what you owe.
Deep analysis
Every trade, fund or account decision we cover gets broken down to the moment that actually mattered: where the math changed, and why. No hollow jargon, no "the algorithm says Buy" without explaining the reason.
We write for people who already have a brokerage account and want to start understanding the strategy behind it, not just the balance.
See the full archive →Archive
A rule most plans quietly enforce that leaves free employer money on the table for anyone who doesn't check the fine print.
An editorial breakdown of the payoff order, the interest saved and the habits that made it stick.
Expense ratios, dollar-cost averaging and the one number that predicts long-term returns better than any stock pick.
What a working financial planner actually discusses with clients in Q4, and what most people wait too long to ask.
How rate policy over the last two years turned a boring account into the best low-risk move available.
This week in markets
Every Sunday we break down three things that actually moved the market this week: a rate decision, an earnings beat, a policy shift, calibrated for people who manage their own portfolio, not day traders chasing headlines.
We show the reasoning, not just the conclusion, so you can apply it the next time the headline changes.
See all topics →Free guide
A PDF guide to twenty financial moves, from maxing an HSA to backdoor Roth conversions, reasoned out so you understand why each one works, not a checklist to follow blindly.
Community
Behind every issue is a reader channel where subscribers discuss the week's picks, share their own portfolio moves and fact-check each other with more rigor than most comment sections manage.
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Readers
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"The retirement breakdowns finally got my 401(k) contribution rate right, after a decade of guessing."
"Finally a newsletter written by people who've actually managed money, not just marketed it."
Pricing
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Frequently asked
No. We write for people who already have a checking account, a 401(k) or a brokerage account and want to understand what's actually happening with their money. We assume you're motivated, not that you already read Barron's.
Ten to fifteen minutes. We'd rather explain one idea well than skim ten.
A team of Certified Financial Planners and former equity analysts who still manage real portfolios, not just write about them.
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No. Smart Money Guide is educational content about markets, taxes and personal finance. It isn't a substitute for advice from a licensed advisor who knows your specific situation.
Every Sunday
No spam, no thinly-veiled affiliate pitches disguised as advice. Just analysis worth your ten minutes.