Michael Carter
Michael Carter is a FinanceMyself staff writer profile for beginner-friendly guides on budgeting, saving money, and everyday financial habits. His articles focus on simple, practical steps readers can use to organize their money with more confidence.
- Budgeting
- Saving money
- Financial goals
- Beginner money habits
Michael Carter covers practical personal finance topics for readers who want clear starting points. His guides prioritize plain language, realistic examples, and steps that can help beginners build better everyday money habits.
Michael’s FinanceMyself profile is used to organize educational content by topic and writing focus. It does not represent a licensed financial advisor, CPA, attorney, investment adviser, or credit repair specialist.
Written by Michael Carter
Best Ways to Lower Your Monthly Bills
Fixed bills eat most budgets. Learn practical ways to lower monthly expenses — shop insurance and phone plans, cut subscriptions, reduce utilities, and negotiate rates.
7 Budgeting Mistakes That Keep You Broke
Common budgeting mistakes — from tracking gross income to skipping irregular bills — can undo even the best intentions. Here's what to avoid and what to do instead.
How to Save Money on a Low Income
Saving on a low income is hard — but not impossible. Practical steps to cut costs, protect what you earn, and build savings even when money is tight.
How to Set Financial Goals That Actually Stick
Vague money wishes rarely become reality. Learn how to set specific, prioritized financial goals — and build a plan you'll follow through on.
How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
Living paycheck to paycheck leaves no margin for surprises. Learn practical steps to build breathing room — track spending, cut leaks, save a starter fund, and plan ahead.
Personal Finance Checklist for Beginners
New to managing money? This step-by-step personal finance checklist covers banking, budgeting, debt, saving, and investing — in the order that matters most.
The 50/30/20 Budget Rule: How It Works (With Examples)
The 50/30/20 rule is a simple budget: 50% of your take-home pay for needs, 30% for wants, 20% for savings and debt. Here's how to use it — with a worked example.
CD vs. High-Yield Savings Account: Which Is Better?
CDs lock in a fixed rate for a set term; high-yield savings accounts stay flexible with a variable rate. Here's how to choose the right one for your money and goal.
How to Create a Simple Monthly Budget
Learn how to create a simple monthly budget step by step — track your income, list your expenses, and build a plan you can actually stick to.
How to Track Your Expenses (5 Simple Methods)
Tracking your spending is the foundation of every budget. Here are five simple ways to track expenses — from auto-syncing apps to pen and paper — plus how to turn the data into a plan.
What Is a High-Yield Savings Account? (And Is It Worth It?)
A high-yield savings account pays many times more interest than a regular bank account while keeping your money safe and FDIC-insured. Here's how they work — and whether one is worth it.
Monarch Money Review (2026): The Best Mint Replacement?
An honest Monarch Money review: budgeting, investment and net-worth tracking, couples features, what it costs, and whether it's worth paying with no free tier.
Rocket Money Review (2026): Does It Actually Save You Money?
An honest Rocket Money review: how its subscription cancellation, bill negotiation, and budgeting work, what Premium costs, and the catches to know.
YNAB Review (2026): Is You Need A Budget Worth $109 a Year?
An honest YNAB review: how zero-based budgeting works, what You Need A Budget costs, the real pros and cons, and who it's actually worth it for.
Best Budgeting Apps of 2026: YNAB vs Monarch vs Rocket Money
The best budgeting apps compared — YNAB, Monarch Money, and Rocket Money — by price, features, and who each one is actually for. Independent and clearly disclosed.
How to Save Your First $500 Emergency Fund
Start with $500 — a realistic first savings goal that can prevent small emergencies from becoming credit card debt. Step-by-step plan for beginners.