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Useful Articlesand Resources
How Many Financial Accounts Do You Really Need? Here’s What You Should Know
By Jay Zigmont | Sep 19, 2025
Trying to decide how many financial accounts you need? This guide breaks down the essential accounts for managing your money, from checking and savings to retirement and taxable investment accounts.
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Learning Lab: What Is a Budget?
By Childfree Wealth® team | Feb 3, 2025
Your budget is a plan that tells every dollar where to go, so you can regain control and achieve your financial goals.
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How Do I Plan for Big Purchases?
By Jay Zigmont | Feb 27, 2024
There’s just no getting around the fact that life is expensive. And unfortunately, some of the purchases that can truly make our lives better can be some of the most expensive ones out there. The good news is that if you can turn your big purchase dream into a savings goal, you’ll be more likely […]
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The Power of Sinking Funds: How to Save for Big Expenses Without the Stress
By Jay Zigmont | Feb 20, 2024
A sinking fund is a savings strategy designed to help you set aside money for specific, planned expenses that aren’t part of your regular monthly budget. It’s a simple way to prepare for big, predictable costs—without the stress. Want to learn more about it? We break it down for you here.
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What Is an Emergency Fund?
By Jay Zigmont | Feb 13, 2024
A financial rainy day is an unexpected expense you didn't budget for, and the way you meet those surprise bills is with an emergency fund. Let’s take a look at the finer points of emergency funds.
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How Do I Budget With a Variable Income?
By Jay Zigmont | Feb 6, 2024
If you’ve ever dreamed about breaking away from that fluorescent-lit, cubicle-filled office space, and becoming your own boss, you’re not alone. But one of the potential pitfalls of starting your own business, becoming a freelancer, or even just working on commission (like real estate agents and some salespeople do) is variable income. When you’ve got a […]
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Budget Tips & Tricks
By Jay Zigmont | Jan 30, 2024
While the thought of sitting down to create a budget may be overwhelming, the hardest part of that process may be pulling all your financial skeletons out of the closet and holding them up to the light. Your budget will organize your incoming and outgoing money for you, showing you where you might be overspending […]
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How Do I Stick to My Budget?
By Jay Zigmont | Jan 23, 2024
So you’ve sat down with your significant other (or on your own, if your finances are solo) and created your budget, using a spreadsheet or an app. Now the trick becomes sticking to it, and making adjustments as needed as you learn where your money goes every month. A lot of people assume that since […]
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What is a High Yield Savings Account?
By Jay Zigmont | Oct 31, 2023
A savings account is an extremely common type of bank account, and it’s a great place to keep cash you need easy access to (such as your emergency fund). You can add or withdraw money from a savings account any time, which isn’t the case for every type of bank account. But you have options […]
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What Is the Money Management System?
By Jay Zigmont | Aug 29, 2023
If you’re new to budgeting and haven’t yet found a way that works for you, you could give the Money Management System a try. This technique is based on time management and learning how to prioritize tasks. Except, when you use it for budgeting, you’ll be using it to organize your spending and plan accordingly. […]
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