Guides
Straight answers to the money questions nobody explains at graduation. Every number sourced, every guide ends in a tool.
- How to read your first pay stubYour offer said $54,000. Your first deposit says a lot less. Here's where every dollar went, line by line.Read
- How much to put in your 401(k) at your first jobThe benefits form wants a percentage. Here's the order to decide it in, and the one number you can't skip.Read
- Roth IRA vs. 401(k): which comes first?You have a 401(k) at work and keep hearing about Roth IRAs. Here's the order that works for most people in their first five years.Read
- Your student loan grace period: what to do with the six monthsFederal loans don't come due the day you graduate. You get six months. Use them, or month seven gets ugly.Read
- How big should your emergency fund be when you have loans?"Three to six months of expenses" sounds impossible on a first salary. Here's a version you can actually hit, in order.Read
- Should you negotiate your first job offer?Usually, yes. Politely, specifically, once. Here's what to ask for and the exact words.Read