People don’t stay broke just because they don’t make enough. They stay broke because they don’t know how to handle what they have.

So, if you get through this post and actually start doing the stuff in it, your future bank account will look a whole lot better than most people’s.

No more scratching your head at the end of the month wondering where it all went, no more weird financial anxiety creeping in every time you check your balance.

I went through a 109-page monster of a financial literacy course — the kind that takes weeks to finish, and honestly, that is a little painful to sit through — so that you don’t have to. And instead of making this one of those dry, by-the-book guides, this is gonna be a real talk, real solutions, and real steps to stop feeling lost with money.

Alright, let’s get going.

💡 The Stuff That Actually Matters

This whole thing was split into 16 different sections, covering pretty much everything you need to know to get your finances sorted.

1. How to make a budget that doesn’t suck (and won’t make you miserable).

2. Setting goals that you won’t abandon halfway through.

3. Figuring out debt — when to use it, when to run.

4. Insurance: What you actually need and what’s just a scam.

5. How to put your money to work instead of just letting it sit there like a dead fish.

6. Scammers, frauds, and other people who want to take your cash.

7. Taxes: Why your paycheck is never what it’s supposed to be.

8. Jobs: How to tell if an offer is good or if they’re paying you peanuts.

9. Banks: Not all of them are worth keeping your money in.

10. Buying a car: The fastest way to throw money into a black hole.

11. Buying a house: Smart move or just a financial ball and chain?

12. Extra tools and resources if you wanna go full money nerd.

Some parts are a little more exciting than others (looking at you, investment section), but they all matter.

📊 1. Budgeting: The Part Where You Stop Wondering Where Your Money Went

Let’s be real, “budgeting” makes people think of Excel sheets, zero fun, and a life where you never get to buy a coffee again. But that’s not really the point. The point is knowing where your money is actually going so you can stop feeling like it just evaporates.

The 50/30/20 Split

This is probably the easiest system out there:

✔ Half goes to keeping you alive (rent, groceries, transportation).✔ A third-ish is for the stuff that makes life worth living (streaming, dinner out, hobbies).✔ What’s left is for Future You (savings, investments, emergency fund).

Not everything will fit perfectly, so tweak as needed. But if you’re spending 70% of your income on rent alone, that’s a sign that something might need changing.

Ways to Free Up Cash Without Feeling Broke

• Call your internet and phone provider — just ask for a lower rate. They’ll probably give you one.

• Grocery shop smarter — check per-unit pricing, hit up discount stores, and stop buying stuff you don’t finish.

• Audit your subscriptions — do you even use that app you pay $10 a month for?

• Rethink your car situation — driving a nice one feels good, but so does not being buried in monthly payments.

💸 2. Goals That Don’t Suck to Stick To

Saying “I wanna be rich” is cute, but it doesn’t do much. If you don’t know exactly what you’re aiming for, it’s way too easy to just keep pushing it off.

Make It Stupidly Clear

✔ Bad goal: “I want to save more.”✔ Good goal: “I’m gonna save $10K in 12 months by putting away $833/month.”

Boom. Now you know what to do.

💳 3. Debt: Friend or Financial Black Hole?

Debt isn’t automatically bad — it’s just really easy to mess up.

The Good Kind:

• Student loans (if they actually help you earn more later).

• Mortgages (if the math makes sense).

• Business loans (only if it’s a smart investment, not a gamble).

The Bad Kind:

• Credit card debt (because 20–30% interest is brutal).

• Payday loans (honestly, don’t even think about it).

• Buying luxury stuff you can’t afford (flexing is not a retirement plan).

If you’ve already got debt piling up, focus on the ones with the highest interest first. That’s the stuff eating the most of your money.

📈 4. Investing: How to Make Money While Doing Nothing

Saving money is nice, but saving alone won’t make you rich.

Where to Put Your Money

• Stock market (index funds = easy and solid).

• Real estate (if you can afford it, not just because TikTok told you to).

• Business (but only if it actually makes sense).

How Compound Interest Works

If you put $500/month into an investment that grows at 10% a year, here’s what happens:

• 10 years: You have ~$103K.

• 20 years: ~$379K.

• 30 years: Over a million dollars.

Starting early makes a ridiculous difference.

🏠 5. Buying vs. Renting: Don’t Let Boomers Guilt You

Owning a home isn’t always the right move.

Example:

• Renting the same house? $1,500/month.

• Owning it? Mortgage, property tax, repairs, insurance — it might cost more than renting, and you lose flexibility.

Run the numbers before making a decision.

🧠 6. Scams & Frauds: Everyone’s a Target, Especially When You Think You’re Not

Ok, so, the thing about scams is that you’re never too smart to get fooled. Honestly, some of the most confident people are the easiest to trick because they think they’re untouchable.

Two quick rules to live by:

🔒 Rule #1: If someone’s offering crazy returns for little to no effort, it’s not an opportunity—it’s bait.

🔑 Rule #2: Never give out personal info (like your social, birthday, or banking details) to anyone unless you’re 1,000% sure it’s legit.

Also, by the way, AI scams are getting real slick. Deepfakes, fake job offers, crypto schemes with real-looking websites… So if something feels off? Don’t click. Don’t reply. Don’t “just try it.”

You’re better off being a little too skeptical than broke.

🧾 7. Taxes: That Thing That’s Always Taking a Bite Out of Your Paycheck

So, here’s the thing—people think taxes are this once-a-year headache. But you’re actually paying them all the time.

A few tax types that quietly nibble at your wallet:

• Sales tax (when you buy anything, anywhere).

• Income tax (when you work).

• Property tax (if you own stuff).

• Payroll tax (before your paycheck even hits).

• Hotel, toll, excise, and who-knows-what tax (it adds up).

And if you’re self-employed or freelancing? That’s a whole different ballgame where you have to manually send money to the government, which feels weird and slightly offensive at first.

Tiny cheat codes to keep more cash:

• Use tax-deductible retirement accounts.

• Keep receipts if you run your own thing.

• Look up the tax credits you qualify for—education, energy-saving stuff, kids, and so on.

📄 8. Employment & Income: That Job You Might Hate Could Still Be Underpaying You

Sometimes, it’s not about hating your job — it’s about realizing you’re making way less than you should.

Here’s what to actually think about when looking at offers:

• What’s the real hourly rate (after taxes, commute, time off, etc.)?

• Is there any health coverage, paid leave, or 401k match?

• What does growth really look like in the role?

If you’re freelancing or running your own thing, you’ve gotta factor in your own taxes, retirement, and time off—because no one’s giving it to you.

In short: Don’t just look at the number on the offer letter—look at everything else around it.

🏦 9. Banking: Not All Banks Deserve Your Loyalty (or Your Money)

You’ve probably had the same bank since forever. But let’s be real—is it actually doing anything for you?

Here’s what’s out there:

• Big name banks: They’re everywhere, but usually offer terrible interest on savings (think: 0.01%).

• Credit unions: More local and personal. Often better rates, but fewer locations.

• Online banks: Higher interest, lower fees, but zero face-to-face service.

Oh, and bank accounts come in flavors too:

• Checking accounts = your day-to-day cash.

• Savings accounts = where your emergency fund chills.

• Money market accounts / CDs = better interest if you can lock it up.

• Investment accounts = where you grow your money with stocks and funds.

If your money is sitting in a savings account earning 0.02%, it’s basically losing value thanks to inflation. So yeah, might be time to look around.

📉 10. Car Buying: The Place Where Financial Dreams Go to Die (If You’re Not Careful)

So, it turns out, buying a car isn’t just about picking the color or debating leather seats. It’s one of the easiest ways to accidentally mess up your finances for years.

Here’s how people usually get wrecked:

• Getting upsold on warranties, packages, or accessories.

• Focusing on the monthly payment instead of the total price.

• Financing through the dealership without shopping around.

Even leases—while sometimes good for business owners—can be sneaky if you don’t read the fine print.

If you don’t need a new car, consider sticking with a reliable used one. A fancy ride might turn heads, but debt isn’t sexy.

🏘️ 11. Housing: Rent vs. Buy Isn’t a Moral Debate — It’s Just Math (and Sanity)

Boomers might side-eye you for renting, but the math doesn’t always agree with them.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Buying comes with:

• Mortgage

• Property tax

• Home insurance

• Repairs

• Closing costs

• Random drama (plumbing, roofs, pests, etc.)

Renting comes with:

• Predictable monthly cost

• Flexibility to move

• Fewer responsibilities

If you’re planning to stay put for 10+ years, owning could make sense. Otherwise? Renting could give you way more freedom, and that’s not nothing.

Use a rent vs. buy calculator and compare real monthly costs, not just vibes.

🧰 12. Resources You Might Wanna Check Out (If You Wanna Go Deeper)

If you made it this far, first of all—well done. That’s some rare focus in a world full of dopamine traps.

Here’s a handful of things worth bookmarking:

• Khan Academy (free, duh) – Solid beginner lessons.

• NerdWallet – Great for comparing credit cards, bank accounts, loans, and such.

• Credit Karma – Check your credit score without wrecking it.

• Brilliant.org – If you wanna nerd out with math, logic, or finance.

• YouTube channels like The Plain Bagel or Graham Stephan – Solid takes, no fluff.

So, Where Do You Start?

Don’t try to do everything at once. Pick one thing that feels off—your savings, your debt, your credit card use—and fix just that.

One step leads to the next.

And honestly? Being good with money isn’t about being perfect.

It’s about being intentional, a little smarter each month, and not letting your past money mistakes write your future.

💡 Final Thoughts: Do This, and You’ll Be Ahead of 95% of People

Look, most people are bad with money. That’s just how it is. But you don’t have to be.

If you do literally just these three things, you’re in good shape:

✔ Track your money.✔ Don’t take on debt that’ll ruin you.✔ Start investing — even if it’s small.

Do that? You’re already winning.

Wanna Actually Get This Sorted?

✔ Pick ONE thing from this list and do it today.✔ Share this with someone who needs to hear it.

Money stress sucks. Learning this stuff doesn’t have to.