How to make a monthly budget with irregular expenses
Build a realistic budget by converting annual bills into monthly amounts, checking cash flow and avoiding double-counted savings.
Finance
Finance: Practical explanations, worked examples and calculators for everyday decisions.
Compound interest with monthly contributions: formula and example
Separate deposits from growth and understand how contribution timing, compounding and inflation change a savings projection.
CAGR versus average growth
Use compound annual growth for endpoints and arithmetic average growth for period-by-period changes.
Percentage change vs percentage points: calculate the right difference
Compare price changes, rates and growth correctly, with worked examples, reverse calculations and common percentage mistakes.
Loan payments explained: monthly interest, principal and total cost
Check a fixed-rate loan payment, understand an amortization schedule and compare loan terms without focusing only on the monthly amount.
CAGR vs average annual return: formula and examples
Learn how to calculate compound annual growth rate, why it differs from an arithmetic average, and when neither number captures investment risk.
Mortgage down payment: monthly payment and total cost
Estimate how a larger down payment changes the loan principal, monthly payment and cash left after closing, with a worked example.
Emergency fund calculator: months of essential expenses
Build an emergency fund target from necessary monthly spending, choose a realistic saving schedule and avoid double-counting irregular bills.
Break-even point: units, revenue and margin explained
Find the sales volume needed to cover fixed and variable costs, with a worked example and practical limits for pricing decisions.
Inflation and purchasing power: what is a real return?
Use the inflation adjustment formula to compare future money with today’s purchasing power and distinguish nominal from real investment returns.
Debt snowball vs avalanche: which payoff order fits?
Compare the smallest-balance and highest-interest-rate methods, plan an extra payment and understand how fees and minimums affect the timeline.
Extra loan payments: interest saved and payoff date
See how an extra payment applied to principal can shorten a fixed-rate loan, and check prepayment rules before comparing scenarios.
50/30/20 budget rule: how to adapt it to your income
Split take-home income into needs, wants and savings, then adjust the percentages for your fixed costs and real goals.
Debt-to-income ratio: calculate it before a mortgage
Calculate monthly debt payments as a share of gross income and see why a lender’s affordability test involves more than one ratio.
APR vs interest rate: compare the real cost of a loan
Understand what the stated rate covers, how fees affect APR, and which loan details to compare before borrowing.
How much should I save each month to reach a goal?
Turn a target and deadline into a monthly savings amount with and without an assumed return.
Credit card interest: monthly estimate and daily balance
Understand the simple APR estimate before comparing it with a statement’s daily-balance calculation.
CAGR for a decline and the recovery needed afterward
Keep annualized change separate from the percentage needed to recover a loss.