Top 10 Personal Finance Articles of the Month — March 2018

House Buying and Cost of Living

8 Ways to Save for a Down Payment on a House — Jim Wang, Wallet Hacks

One of the biggest challenges many would-be homebuyers face is saving up for a down payment. While there are various programs and other ways to buy a house without paying 20% of the purchase price up front, it’s still in your best interest to do things the “old-fashioned” way — but how do you manage to assemble those funds? Jim offers a few different ways to set aside and even make money to apply toward your house’s down payment.

Are You Ready to Buy a House? — Elle Martinez, Couple Money

While you’re saving up your 20% to buy a house, it’s also important to consider whether you’re actually ready to become a homeowner in the first place. After all, getting in over your head can lead to big trouble for your finances (see: 2008). Moreover you may come to realize that you have more money matters to sort out before it’s time to buy. In this piece Elle looks at these conundrums and other considerations to make before deciding to buy.

How to Cut Down Expenses While Living In A Big City — Allie Shaw, Dumb Little Man

Let’s face it: there are some cities in the U.S. where it’s extremely difficult — if not nearly illogical — to purchase a home. Instead those in big cities may be better off renting, even though rent and living expenses can also be quite expensive. If you have your heart set on living in a major metropolis in spite of the high costs, Allie shares a few ways to at least help keep your big city spending to a minimum.

Side Hustles

7 Reasons Why You Absolutely Need a Side Hustle — Bobby Hoyt, Millennial Money Man

You’ve probably heard the term “side hustle” an awful lot over the past few months. So what’s all the hype about? Bobby takes a look at why side hustles are becoming such a popular pastime and why you too should consider taking one on.

10 Creative Ways to Make Money From Home — Megan Robinson, Goodbye to Broke

When most of us think of side hustles, services like Uber or Wag that put people to work in the real world likely come to mind. However there are plenty of business and money making oppurtinities you can run without even leaving your house! Megan has compiled a list of such side hustles, many of which utilize your creative skills and passions.

Growing on YouTube: Investing, Monetizing, Learning, and More — Kyle Burbank, Money@30

Speaking of creative endeavors that could net you some cash, YouTube has long been a popular platform for creators to not only express themselves but to also monetize their work. Yes, this even stands true today despite recent waves of policy changes, crackdowns, and so-called “Ad-pocalypses.” For those small creators out there, Kyle offers some clever ways to monetize your channel outside of YouTube ads, while also sharing some of what he’s learned in his first year on the platform.

How to Create a Quiz to Kickstart Your Side Hustle — Sara Katherine, Sara-Katherine.com

If there is a takeaway from the recent troubles YouTubers have seen it’s that you can’t have your business rely solely upon a single platform. In fact, while social media apps have done wonders for growing businesses in the past, one shouldn’t overlook the power and importance that e-mail lists still maintain. To help grow your e-mail list in a clever and fun way, Sara suggests utilizing online quizzes and goes step by step through the process of getting started.

Personal Finance Tips

Money and Relationships: How We Got on the Same Page — Kristin Wong, The Wild Wong

It’s well-documented that one of the primary issues that couples fight about is money. Despite that trope, it seems that many couples still find it difficult to openly discuss money and ensure that their financial philosophies are compatible. That’s why, for her piece, Kristin looks at how couples can work through their money differences including how she and her husband did just that.

Use the CARDS Checklist to Dump Underperforming Plastic — Gregory Karp, NerdWallet

Are your current credit cards passing muster? With rewards cards seemingly trying to outdo each other (including intial spending bonuses on the rise), you may come to realize that some of your cards are falling by the wayside. The problem is that canceling these cards could result is a ding to your credit score, but worry not because Gregory has come up with his CARDS checklist to help you decide what your course of action should be.

Finding Your Financial Independence Number — Damn Millennial

Imagine being able to live the life you wanted without having to worry about your finances. That’s the goal of financial independence. The problem is that the amount of money it takes to achieve this lifestyle is different for every person, making it difficult to spell out what is required. Because of this, Damn Millennial takes a look at how to calculate your financial independence number as the first step in pursuing such a dream.

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.