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Money guides
Plain-English explanations of everyday money decisions, worked through with real numbers from our calculators. Each guide links to a calculator so you can try your own figures.
What it costs a family of four to live in every U.S. stateA monthly budget for two parents and two kids in all 50 states and D.C., built from USDA food costs, BEA state price levels and national spending data.Uses the Family Budget calculatorDebt avalanche vs. snowball: a worked example with real numbersFour debts, the same monthly budget, two payoff orders. How much the avalanche really saves over the snowball, and why extra payments matter far more than the method.Uses the Debt Paydown PlannerWhat an extra $100, $200 or $500 a month does to a 30-year mortgageReal numbers on a $280,000 mortgage at 6.5%: how much interest extra principal payments save, how many years they cut, and how that compares with a 15-year loan.Uses the Mortgage CalculatorRent or buy? How long you need to stay for buying to pay offA side-by-side comparison of buying a $350,000 home and renting, including closing costs, upkeep and selling fees, and how the break-even point shifts with rent and prices.Uses the Rent vs. Buy calculatorWhy paying the minimum on a credit card takes over 20 yearsOn a $6,500 balance at 24% APR, minimum payments take 21 years and cost $11,882 in interest. How minimums are set, and what a fixed payment does instead.Uses the Credit Card Payoff calculatorHow big should your emergency fund be, and how long will it take?Three to six months of essential expenses, explained with numbers: what counts as essential, when to aim higher, and how long it takes to save at $200, $400 or $800 a month.Uses the Emergency Fund calculatorHow reinvesting dividends grows your income: a 20-year example$25,000 plus $250 a month in dividend stocks: how much yearly income it produces after 20 years with and without reinvesting dividends, and why dividend growth matters.Uses the Dividend Income calculatorHow much should a family spend on groceries? The USDA food plans explainedWhat the USDA thrifty, low-cost, moderate and liberal food plans cost by age in 2026, how to use them to set a realistic grocery budget, and how household size changes the math.Uses the Family Budget calculator