https://ledgerly.blog/Personal finance for people in their 20s and 30s: budgets, emergency funds, debt payoff, investing and FIRE, with free calculators and real economic data.en Fri, 09 Oct 2026 04:03:15 GMT https://ledgerly.blog/briefs/2026-10-09-this-week-in-money/https://ledgerly.blog/briefs/2026-10-09-this-week-in-money/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTMortgage rates rose for a seventh week, inflation expectations hit a 2023 high and regulators warned about fraud. What it means for your budget. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/budget-503020/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/budget-503020/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow the 50/30/20 budget splits take-home pay into needs, wants and savings, a worked example on $3,200 a month, and how to adjust it when rent is high. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/emergency-fund/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/emergency-fund/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTSize your emergency fund from essential spending, see how long it takes to build at $500 a month, and learn where to keep it so it is safe and instant. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/debt-avalanche/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/debt-avalanche/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe debt avalanche and snowball methods compared month by month on the same three debts, with total interest and months to debt-free for each. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/compound-growth/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/compound-growth/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTSee how $300 a month grows over 20 and 30 years at 6%, why most of the gap is growth on growth, and how much a 1% annual fee takes. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/fire-number/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/fire-number/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTYour FIRE number is yearly spending divided by a withdrawal rate. Work out yours, see how long it takes, and learn why many plans use 3.5% instead of 4%. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/inflation-rates/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/inflation-rates/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe latest US inflation and Fed funds rate from FRED, what real return means, and how much $10,000 in cash loses to inflation over ten years. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/401k-match/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/401k-match/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow a 401(k) match works, what vesting means, the 2026 contribution limit, and a worked example of the match on a $60,000 salary over 30 years. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/asset-allocation/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/asset-allocation/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow to choose an asset allocation by age, time horizon and risk tolerance, how target-date funds shift over time, and how and when to rebalance. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/car-loan-length/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/car-loan-length/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow long a car loan should be: 36 to 84 months compared on a $30,000 loan, with payments, total interest and the risk of owing more than the car is worth. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/cash-savings-options/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/cash-savings-options/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTCompare high-yield savings, CDs, money market funds and T-bills on safety, access and taxes, with a worked $10,000 example over 12 months. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/credit-card-interest/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/credit-card-interest/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow credit card interest is calculated from APR, the daily rate and average daily balance, and what paying only the minimum costs on $3,000. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/credit-score/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/credit-score/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow FICO credit scores are calculated, what credit utilization and hard inquiries do, and how to check your reports free and dispute errors. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/crypto-basics/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/crypto-basics/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTCrypto basics for long-term investors: what you own, custody and seed phrases, fees, how the IRS taxes digital assets, and how to size a small slice. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/fire-types/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/fire-types/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTLean, Fat, Coast and Barista FIRE explained: what each means, who it suits, the risks, and a worked Coast FIRE and Barista FIRE number example. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/index-funds-etfs/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/index-funds-etfs/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTWhat index funds and ETFs are, how an index mutual fund differs from an ETF, why the expense ratio matters so much, and how to read a fund fact sheet. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/insurance-basics/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/insurance-basics/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTWhich insurance you need in your 20s and 30s: health, renters, auto liability, disability and term life, with a worked health plan comparison. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/investment-scams/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/investment-scams/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow to spot investment and crypto scams: guaranteed returns, pressure, fake trading apps and romance scams, plus how to check sellers and report. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/rent-vs-buy/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/rent-vs-buy/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTRent vs buy, worked through: mortgage, property tax, insurance, PMI, maintenance and closing costs compared with rent, plus how lenders use debt-to-income. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/roth-vs-traditional/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/roth-vs-traditional/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTRoth vs traditional IRA and 401(k): 2026 contribution limits, Roth income limits, withdrawal rules and a worked example of tax now vs tax later. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/savings-rate-fire/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/savings-rate-fire/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTYour savings rate, not your income, sets how many years until financial independence. See the math and a table from 10% to 70% savings rates. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/sinking-funds/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/sinking-funds/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTSinking funds turn irregular costs like car insurance, repairs and holidays into small monthly savings, with a worked example and catch-up math. https://ledgerly.blog/guides/start-investing/https://ledgerly.blog/guides/start-investing/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow to start investing step by step: emergency fund, 401(k) match, high-interest debt, IRA, then a taxable account, plus how to automate it all.