Money Starter Guide

The Money Starter Guide, in reading order.

Money is the first thing they skipped. Every number on every form you have not filed yet — the loan statement, the tax return, the credit-card offer with the fine print — assumes you already knew this.

The book covers all of it. These posts are the part you can act on this week, in the order most readers actually need it. Start with the loans, then build the credit score that decides what your money can do next.

  1. Start here

    Student Loans Explained — A First-Timer's Field Guide

    What every first-gen student should know before they sign — federal vs. private, FAFSA, accrual, and the repayment plans that decide the next decade.

    August 9, 2026 · 7 min read · Read post →
  2. Step 2

    What no one tells you about credit

    A short, honest primer on the score that quietly runs your life.

    July 15, 2026 · 1 min read · Read post →