Investing
How to Start Investing With $1,000: A Beginner's Guide
What to do with your first $1,000 — and what to skip.
By Marcus Cole10 min read
Investing
Start investing without the jargon.
Beginner-friendly investing guides covering Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, ETFs, index funds, brokerages, and long-term wealth building.
Investing
Roth IRA vs. 401(k): Which Should You Prioritize First?
The order most beginners follow when both accounts are on the table.
By Marcus Cole9 min read
Investing
How to Start Investing with $1,000: The Complete Beginner's Guide
What to do with your first $1,000 to invest — before you pick a single fund.
By Marcus Cole10 min read
Investing
Index Funds vs. ETFs: What's the Difference and Which Should You Buy?
Index funds and ETFs are cousins, not twins. Here is what actually separates them.
By Marcus Cole8 min read
Investing
What Is a Roth IRA and Why Every Millennial Needs One
A Roth IRA is one of the simplest tools young investors have. Here is what it actually is and why starting early matters.
By Marcus Cole8 min read
Investing
401(k) vs. Roth IRA: Which Should You Prioritize First?
If you can only fund one first, how do you choose? Here is a simple framework.
By Marcus Cole9 min read
Investing
How Much Should I Have Saved by 30, 40 and 50?
Savings-by-age rules of thumb sound clean — but they aren't your whole story.
By Marcus Cole8 min read
Investing
Dollar-Cost Averaging Explained: Why It Beats Trying to Time the Market
Dollar-cost averaging is less a strategy and more a behavior — and that's why it works.
By Marcus Cole7 min read
Investing
Best Brokerage Accounts for Beginners 2025: Fidelity vs. Schwab vs. Vanguard
Three serious beginner-friendly brokerages, compared the way a normal person actually picks.
By Marcus Cole10 min read
Investing
What Is Compound Interest and Why Starting at 25 Beats Starting at 35
Compound interest is the closest thing investing has to magic — and it rewards time more than skill.
By Marcus Cole8 min read
Investing
How to Invest in Real Estate with No Money Down: What's Actually True
'No money down' real estate looks magic on TikTok. The reality is more nuanced — and a lot riskier.
By Marcus Cole9 min read
Investing
REITs Explained: How to Invest in Real Estate Without Buying Property
REITs let you own a slice of real estate without ever fixing a leaky faucet.
By Marcus Cole8 min read
Investing
Target Date Funds: Are They the Laziest and Best Investment Strategy?
Target date funds are designed for people who don't want a hobby — and that's most of us.
By Marcus Cole8 min read
Investing
How to Max Out Your 401(k): A Step-by-Step Guide for 2025
Maxing out a 401(k) sounds intimidating. The path there is more boring — and more doable — than it looks.
By Marcus Cole9 min read
Investing
Stock Market Crash: What to Do (and What Not to Do) When It Happens
When markets fall, the worst damage usually comes from the decisions investors make, not the chart itself.
By Marcus Cole8 min read
Investing
I Bonds vs. TIPS: Which Inflation-Protected Investment Is Better?
Both I Bonds and TIPS aim to protect your money from inflation — but they work in very different ways.
By Marcus Cole9 min read
Investing
How to Invest in Your HSA: The Triple Tax Advantage Explained
An HSA can be one of the most tax-efficient accounts in the U.S. — if you actually invest the money inside it.
By Marcus Cole9 min read
Investing
Best Robo-Advisors 2025: Betterment vs. Wealthfront vs. Schwab Intelligent
A beginner-friendly comparison of three of the most talked-about robo-advisors in 2025.
By Marcus Cole10 min read