Personal Finance

Top 10 Personal Finance Articles of the Month — January 2020

It’s time again for one of my favorite features here on Dyer News: a look at the top 10 personal finance articles of the month. This month we’ll start things off with some tips for budgeting and saving money. Then we’ll take a trip around the world for a look at travel hacking and full-time travel. Finally we’ll wrap up with the potential benefits (and drawbacks) of being a cheapskate, the battle between gratification needs, balancing financial advice and a scam warning you should be aware of.

As usual, this month’s list includes a couple Dyer News Top 10 mainstays as well as a few first-timers. Without further ado, below is my list of the top 10 personal finance articles published in January of 2020, along with their title, author, and the site they originally appeared on.

Budgeting and Saving Money

The 6 Best Ways To Save Money On Transportation — Bob Haegele, The Frugal Fellow

As expensive as housing can often be, it seems that leaving the house can also add up. Between commuting, running errands, and other travel, transportation can make up one of the largest spending categories in your budget. With that in mind, Bob offers six suggestions for how to save money while still getting around.

Make Saving Sustainable — Rox, Finance Rox

Assuming year-end surveys are to be believed, plenty of Americans began 2020 with the goal of saving money. Sadly, as is so often the case with New Year’s resolutions, it stands to reason that a good number of these would-be savers have already given up. So how can you make saving more sustainable? Rox has a few ideas and suggestions.

How You are Budgeting Backwards — A Dime Saved

Creating a budget seems fairly straightforward, doesn’t it? You total up your current spending, figure out where to cut back, and end up with a budget. But what if you’re going about it all wrong? In this post from A Dime Saved, you’ll see that asking “how much should I spend?” could lead you to build your budget backwards.

Hidden 401(k) Fees No One Talks About — Andrea Joy, Saving Joyfully

If you’re saving for retirement, there’s a strong chance that you’re using a 401(k). These plans — often sponsored by employers — certainly have their benefits, which is part of what makes them so popular. However, as Andrea points out, 401(k)s can also come with fees that it seems few actually discuss.

Travel

Here is the Beginners Guide to Travel Hacking — Kevin, The Money Mix

Those who have spent any amount of time on Instagram have surely seen such photos as a first-class traveler holding up credit cards while they sip champagne. In many of these cases, the message is that they were able to afford these luxurious travels thanks to so-called “travel hacking.” So what is travel hacking and how can you too use it travel the world on a dime? Kevin offers a beginner’s guide.

What it Costs to Travel Full-Time — Bonnie Truax, 43 Blue Doors

Have you ever considered living the life of a digital nomad, traveling full time? If so you may be wondering just how much such a lifestyle would cost you. You’re in luck as Bonnie breaks down some of her expenses from the past few years to give you a better idea of what full-time travel can cost.

Personal Finance Tips

5 Life Lessons I Learned from Being a Total Cheapskate — The Fun Sized Life

No one likes to be called “cheap” but sometimes being a cheapskate can have its benefits. For example, when trying to pay down debt, being a cheapskate can help you find freedom faster. In this post from The Fun Sized Life, she shares some of the lessons she’s learned from being a cheapskate — and how to find a balance as well.

The War Between Delayed and Instant Gratification — Jerry, Peerless Money Mentor

When you spend money, do you purchase items that give you instant gratification? Or do you place your money in long-term investments that won’t provide satisfaction for several more years? For many of us, there seems to be a constant tug of war between immediate and delayed gratification — as Jerry discusses in this piece.

Good Enough Is Pretty Great — Perpetual Money Machine

In the world of personal finance, you can find all kinds of hard and fast rules that “gurus” say you should stick to. Meanwhile others offer more nuance, instead suggesting different options and allowing individuals to decide for themselves. Who’s right in these scenarios? Perpetual Money Machine takes a closer look at some of these disagreements and explains why “good enough” may ultimately be the way to go.

How My AT&T Almost Got Scammed (and I’m SUPER Cautious) — Rachel Smith, Budgets and Kale

To those who frequently read or watch the news, it may seem as though scammers are consistently coming for your money. While that might be a slight exaggeration, it is important to stay vigilant in order to protect yourself — even when you think you know better. As this cautionary tale from Rachel shows, sometimes even the savviest of consumers can nearly fall victim to fraud.

Thanks for checking out my top 10 personal finance articles published last month and congratulations to all of the bloggers who made the list. To find more of these great articles on a daily basis, be sure to follow me on Twitter @jondyer9 and of course visit DyerNews.com.

Also published on Medium.

Other Articles by Jonathan Dyer