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RESOURCE APPENDIX, Household Finance 101

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DISCLAIMER: The resources in this appendix have been provided for informational and educational purposes only. Recommendations and descriptions are the sole opinions of the author. You assume the responsibility of relying on information gathered from the resources presented in this appendix.

 

BOOKS

 

The Simple Path to Wealth, JL Collins

One of the few investment books you’ll ever need. There are many great books on investing, but most get technical and long. This book is funny and easy to read, yet profoundly educational.

 

The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel

This is an excellent read on the psychological drivers behind our relationship with money. Full of historical anecdotes, offering a great perspective on our trials and tribulations of wealth, greed, and happiness.

 

Surviving Debt, National Consumer Law Center

This is the ultimate authority on everything debt related, including your rights as a consumer. It is not a fun read and is not recommended as such, but as your go-to for topics such as medical debt, mortgage modifications, utility shutoffs, collections lawsuits, student loans, credit reports, etc.

 

I Will Teach You to Be Rich, Ramit Sethi

A very comprehensive guide to “everything” money. Very practical, hands-on, and goal oriented.

 

Never Split the Difference, Chris Voss

Have you ever considered how much of life comes down to negotiation? It is one of the most important skills to have, and this is the book to study it.

 

It’s Not About the Money, Brent Kessel

This is a true classic in the money psychology field; it describes eight financial archetypes but also digs into basic financial topics like investing, taxes, etc.

 

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Yuval Noah Harari

This is the definitive book on “us.” It offers the proverbial 30,000- foot view of our species and our unusual mental ability to construct money, nations, brands, and many other universally agreed on imaginary concepts.

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FINANCIAL WEBSITES / COMMUNITIES

 

Mr. Money Mustache

Great forum and site for everything saving and investing related. This is an excellent website if you are pursuing F.I.R.E (Financial Independence, Retire Early).

www.mrmoneymustache.com

 

Lyn Alden

Lyn Alden is one of my favorite financial analysts. Her writing is thorough and very thoughtful. You will learn a lot from her market perspectives.

www.lynalden.com

 

Bogleheads

This extensive bulletin board is named after Jack Bogle, the founder of Vanguard. Mr. Bogle invented “index funding,” revolutionizing the investment industry. This group has great expertise with many finance professionals as members. It is not only about investing, but also related subjects like taxes, insurance, and real estate.

www.bogleheads.org/forum/index.php

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Investopedia

As the name implies, this is essentially an encyclopedia of investment terms. I’ve found the explanations to be balanced and factual, presenting widely accepted pros and cons to many of the topics.

www.investopedia.com

 

Tiller

This is a great community with a focus on tracking spending via community- and professionally made templates, plus many other resources.

www.tillerhq.com

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YOUTUBE CHANNELS

 

Blockworks

Excellent interviews with thought leaders in the financial space.

www.youtube.com/channel/UCkrwgzhIBKccuDsi_SvZtnQ

 

Real Vision

Presents lots of free content covering everything economics. I recommend their “Daily Briefing” as a great show for different perspectives and to learn the jargon of investing.

www.youtube.com/channel/UCBH5VZE_Y4F3CMcPIzPEB5A

 

Our Rich Journey

Here we have an American family who retired at age 40 with 2.5 million dollars in net worth. Their extensive video catalog is all about saving, investing, and making money. The information here is excellent and suited for beginners and up. The family now lives in Portugal, so there is also some content about retiring abroad.

www.youtube.com/c/OurRichJourney

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FACEBOOK / REDDIT GROUPS

 

Road to 750

With over 475,000 members, this may be the largest group in everything related to credit scores. Some of the value in the group lies in all the heartbreaking stories of bad loans and wrecked credit — what not to do — and how folks have dug themselves out of bad situations. Be sure to check out the group’s menu of Guides, Media, and Files, which are excellent resources.

www.facebook.com/groups/1871196439860307

 

First Time Home Buyer

With 250,000 plus members, this is a very active and supportive subreddit, covering many topics for new home buyers. Lots of stories, tips, and shared experiences.

www.reddit.com/r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer

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BUDGETING APPS

The following apps are often recommended by financial counselors.

 

YNAB (You Need A Budget)

YNAB is subscription-based and free of ads. The app features an expense tracking system that flows into a customizable budgeting tool that allows users to forecast cash flows. The app will link to your financial accounts to make income/expense tracking easier. A unique feature of YNAB is the focus on education, with many live interactive classes.

www.Youneedabudget.com

 

QUICKEN

Quicken is subscription-based with different payment tiers, namely “Simplifi” and “Classic”. The app will link to your financial accounts and depending on your tier, alert you to upcoming bills that you can pay directly from the app.  The Simplifi version is easy to use and will cover the basics of tracking your money. The Classic tier adds additional tools, making it suitable for investors keeping track of a portfolio, taxes, and retirement plans. 

www.quicken.com

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BUDGETING / DEBT PAYOFF TOOLS

 

Tiller

This is a great resource for spreadsheets created for both Google Sheets and Excel formats.

www.tillerhq.com

 

Vertex42

Lots of free spreadsheets and tools for various budget situations are available here (family, personal, business, etc.)

www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates

Here is an excellent debt reduction calculator featuring a YouTube tutorial.

www.vertex42.com/Calculators/debt-reduction-calculator.html

 

Pinterest

Where other member sites share content, Pinterest is based on members sharing images. This surprisingly includes many financial templates for debt payoff, budgeting, and cash flow management.

www.pinterest.com

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GENERAL LINKS

In the following section, you will find links to websites that I have used over time and found very helpful, including links sourced for this course. At the time of evaluating these links, I found the content suitable for their categories.

 

Side incomes

Online/offline:

www.thisonlineworld.com/side-hustle-list/

Community:

www.sidehustlenation.com

 

Financial calculators

Investment:

www.calculator.net/investment-calculator.html

Amortization:

www.calculator.net/amortization-calculator.html

 

Student loans

www.studentaid.gov

www.finaid.org/loans/loancomparisonsites

www.studentloanplanner.com

 

Consumer protection

www.consumerfinance.gov

www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/consumer-protection-state-offices-and-best-consumer-protection-websites.html

 

Legal, tax, and business structures

www.legalzoom.com/articles/article-center

 

Debt consolidation

www.nfcc.org

www.fcaa.org

 

Other resources

Labor statistics:

www.bls.gov

Occupational Industry outlook:

www.bls.gov/ooh

Economic data:

www.tradingeconomics.com

Social security:

www.ssa.gov

Credit monitoring:

www.annualcreditreport.com

IRS retirement contributions:

www.irs.gov/retirement-plans

 

 

Resource appendix, Household Finance 101, by Thomas Hoy-Nielsen
Copyright © 2022 NIELSEN FINANCIAL COUNSELING  | All Rights Reserved
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