Personal Finance
Getting Started
Start here on the reddit personal finance wiki, or go straight to the flowchart.
In-depth resources
My favorite resource to learn about personal finance is the Bogleheads wiki. The overview links deeply into well-sourced discussions of specific topics. (The “Bogleheads” are a group of investing enthusiasts who follow the principles of Jack Bogle, creator of the first index fund.)
MIT OpenCourseWare also a great Finance course available with free lectures (15.401, notably filmed during the 2008 financial crisis).
Track your finances
There is no way to control something you can’t observe. Free tools like Personal Capital (or Mint) can make the dynamics of your financial health less opaque. They aggregate data from your bank account, credit cards, 401k, student loans, etc. and combine it into a unified view. If you’re like me, not much will abate wasteful spending habits more than a stark graph of “Net Worth” over time.
Want to retire early?
- The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement by Mr. Money Mustache
- The Stock Series by JL Collins
Jared Stewart
Jared Stewart is a software engineer in Portland, Oregon.