Money Tree
Money Tree blog
Plain-English guides to budgeting, saving and knowing what you can spend.
- Zero-based budgeting vs safe to spend: which suits you?
Zero-based budgeting gives every dollar a job. Safe to spend gives you one daily number. See how the two differ, who each suits and where each one goes wrong.
- What is net worth and how do you work out yours?
Net worth is everything you own minus everything you owe. Here's how to calculate yours in three steps, with a worked example and the mistakes to watch for.
- How to budget when you're paid every two weeks
Budget biweekly pay by planning each paycheck on its own: match bills to the pay that lands before them, set aside budgets, and plan for the extra paycheck.
- How to find subscriptions you forgot you pay for
Find every subscription you pay for by checking bank statements, app stores, email receipts and card settings, then list each with its price and renewal date.
- The 50/30/20 rule: how it works and when it breaks
The 50/30/20 rule splits take-home pay into needs, wants and savings. See how to apply it, a worked example, and the situations where the split stops working.
- How much can I spend today? The safe-to-spend method
Work out how much you can spend today in four steps: start with your balance, set aside bills and budgets, keep a buffer, and divide by the days to payday.