Guides

The thinking behind the calculators. Each guide works through real numbers, links to the tools, and cites its sources. Budget Folders guides are general education, not personal advice.

• Home & Mortgage
  The real numbers behind buying your first homeDown payment, PMI, closing costs, and DTI for a first home, worked through one example. See what lenders check and what your budget can really carry.7 min read
• Loans & Debt
  How to get out of debt: avalanche vs. snowballAvalanche or snowball? See the real dollar gap on three sets of debts, what matters more than the method, and when consolidation or counseling fits.7 min read
• Savings & Investing
  How compound growth really worksTime, rate, fees, taxes, and inflation, worked through one example: how compound growth really works and what you can and can't expect from markets.7 min read
• Retirement
  How much do you need to retire?Estimate your retirement number in five steps: spending, taxes, Social Security, withdrawal rate, and a market test, with worked figures at each age.7 min read
• Taxes & Pay
  How federal income tax worksHow brackets, deductions, credits, withholding, and refunds fit together, with 2026 worked examples you can check against your own return.7 min read
• Budget & Business
  How to build a budget that holdsA practical way to build a monthly budget: use your real take-home, spread irregular bills, size an emergency fund, and plan for income that swings.7 min read