Guides
Step-by-step financial guides to help you make better decisions.
Loans
Mortgage Income Ratio Guide
Determining the right mortgage-to-income ratio is crucial for your financial stability and homeownership success. While the traditional 28% rule has long been the gold standard, current market realities often require 40% or more of your income for housing costs. With median home prices continuing to climb and interest rates remaining elevated, understanding what percentage of your income should go toward your mortgage has never been more important. This comprehensive guide covers traditional lending guidelines, current market conditions, and practical steps to determine what percentage works for your specific situation. **Reading time**: 15-20 minutes to understand the concepts, plus 2-3 hours to calculate your personal ratios and research mortgage options. **Difficulty level**: Medium due to market complexity. Financial impact: High (choosing the wrong ratio can cost you thousands annually in overstretched budgets or missed homeownership opportunities).
Borrow From Cash App
When you need fast cash, you can benefit from an app that allows you to borrow money in seconds. It's ideal for [emergency expenses](https://financer.com/loans/emergency-cash-immediately/) or those times when you are cash-strapped and can't wait for days to be approved for a personal loan. This is where [Cash App](https://financer.com/review/cash-app/) comes in.
Get a Payday Loan Online
[Payday loans](https://financer.com/loans/payday-loans/) are high-cost, short-term loans, typically for $1,000 or less, that are designed to bridge the gap between paychecks. They are **tailored to people who have** [**bad or nonexistent credit**](https://financer.com/loans/bad-credit-loans/) and our advice is to treat them as a last resort cash option due to their high costs and short repayment terms. In this article we share how to get a payday loan online same day, compare 5 of the best offers on the market, and explain what to watch out for when evaluating your options.
Pay for College
College costs have been climbing steadily for decades, and the numbers can feel overwhelming. For the 2025-2026 school year, average tuition and fees at public four-year colleges run about $11,950 for in-state students and $25,415 for out-of-state students. Private colleges average $44,961. But here's what most people miss: the sticker price isn't what most students actually pay. Nearly 80% of full-time undergraduates receive some form of college financial aid, and the net price after grants and scholarships is often dramatically lower. If you're wondering how to afford college or how to pay for college with no money saved, the answer is the same: start with free money, layer in savings and income, then borrow strategically. This guide walks you through every major option, from grants you never have to repay to smart borrowing strategies that won't wreck your finances.
Get a Business Loan
Getting a [business loan](/loans/business-loans/) can provide the capital you need to launch, grow, or stabilize your company. But the process involves more than just filling out an application. Lenders want to see a clear purpose, strong financials, and evidence that you can repay what you borrow. This guide breaks down the entire business loan application process into clear steps, from figuring out what type of loan fits your needs to submitting your application and getting funded.
Personal finance
Rent Income Ratio
The traditional 30% rule for rent-to-income ratios is becoming increasingly outdated in today's housing market. This decades-old guideline suggests spending no more than 30% of your gross income on rent, but over 50% of US renters now exceed this threshold due to the ongoing housing affordability crisis. The 30% rule originated from 1969 federal housing policy when housing costs and income dynamics were vastly different. Today's renters face a complex landscape where median rents remain 17% above pre-pandemic levels despite recent declines. This comprehensive guide explores multiple budgeting approaches, geographic variations, and practical strategies for managing housing costs effectively. Whether you're a first-time renter or looking to optimize your current housing budget, you'll discover actionable frameworks that reflect modern financial realities.
Add Money Cash App
[Cash App](https://financer.com/personal-finance/cash-app/) has become one of the most popular digital payment platforms in the United States, offering multiple convenient ways to add money to your account. Whether you're new to the platform or looking to optimize your funding strategy, this guide covers every method available, from free bank transfers to paper money deposits at over 85,000 retail locations. Most users can complete the funding process in just a few minutes. Choosing the right method can save you hundreds of dollars annually in fees. We'll walk you through each option, including bank accounts, debit cards, Apple Pay, direct deposit, and cash deposits, helping you avoid costly mistakes while maximizing Cash App's features.
Delete Cash App Account
Deleting your Cash App account is a permanent decision that requires careful preparation. Many users mistakenly think that simply removing the app from their phone closes their account, but this leaves your financial information and funds vulnerable. This guide walks you through the complete process step-by-step, so you don't lose money or leave your account improperly secured. The entire deletion process takes about 10-15 minutes. After you initiate closure, Cash App gives you a 14-day "Termination Pending" window where you can still reverse the decision by logging back in. After that window closes, deletion is permanent. We cover everything from withdrawing your funds to confirming the final closure, so you can confidently close your [Cash App account](https://financer.com/personal-finance/cash-app/) without any costly mistakes or security risks.
Get Out of Debt
Americans collectively owe $1.277 trillion in credit card debt alone, and total household debt reached $18.8 trillion by the end of 2025. If you're buried in bills and wondering how to get out of debt, you're far from alone. The good news: getting out of debt is absolutely possible, regardless of your income. It takes a plan, discipline, and the right strategy for your situation. This guide walks you through proven methods to pay off debt, from simple budgeting shifts to structured payoff strategies that have helped millions of people become debt-free. Whether you're dealing with credit card balances, student loans, medical bills, or a mix of everything, these steps will help you build a realistic path forward.
Invest
Invest in Index Funds
Investing in [index funds](https://financer.com/invest/index-fund/) is one of the simplest and most effective ways to build **long-term wealth**. Since Vanguard launched the first index fund in 1976, these passive investment vehicles have democratized investing for average Americans. Learning how to invest in index funds for beginners has never been easier. Index funds offer **automatic diversification**, dramatically **lower costs** than actively managed funds, and have consistently **outperformed most active managers**. Over the past 20 years, [94.1%](https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/spiva/article/spiva-us/) of all domestic funds underperformed their index benchmarks. You can start with as little as a few dollars, and you only need **30-60 minutes** to open an account and make your first investment.
Invest in Mutual Funds
You want to invest in [mutual funds](https://financer.com/invest/what-is-mutual-fund/), but you're not sure where to start. Good news: you're about to learn exactly how to invest in mutual funds, step by step. Mutual funds remain one of America's most accessible and proven investment vehicles. As of 2025, over 56.4% of U.S. households, approximately 128.7 million individual investors, own mutual funds or other registered investment companies, according to the [Investment Company Institute](https://www.icifactbook.org/pdf/2025-factbook.pdf). That's more than half of all American families using these investments to build wealth. This comprehensive guide walks you through the entire process, from understanding how to start investing in mutual funds to strategies for managing your portfolio long-term. This guide on how to invest in mutual funds for beginners takes about 15-20 minutes to read, but the knowledge you gain could be worth tens of thousands of dollars over your investing lifetime. Whether you're a complete beginner or someone with some investment experience looking to fill knowledge gaps, you'll find actionable information here.
Build an ETF Portfolio
Picture this: You've finally saved up a few thousand dollars and you're ready to start investing. You open your brokerage app, search for investment options, and suddenly you're staring at thousands of choices. Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, [ETFs](https://financer.com/invest/what-is-an-etf/). Your head starts spinning. Sound familiar? Here's the good news: ETFs have completely democratized investing, making sophisticated portfolio strategies that were once available only to wealthy investors accessible to everyone. Global ETF assets surpassed [$15 trillion in 2025](https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/financial-services/publications/etf-survey.html) and are projected to hit $30 trillion by 2029. Why? Because they work. This comprehensive guide will walk you through building a diversified ETF portfolio step-by-step, whether you have $1,000 or $100,000 to invest. You'll learn exactly how many ETFs to buy (and we will even present some ETFs options that you can choose), how much to invest in each, and how to manage your portfolio like a pro. No finance degree required. So, without any further ado, let's get started.
How to Buy ETF
You're about to learn exactly how to buy your first ETF, step by step. Exchange-traded funds have become one of the most popular ways to invest because they're simple, affordable, and give you instant diversification. But here's something that might surprise you: you can start buying ETFs with as little as $1, and most major brokers don't charge commissions anymore. Right now, over 15,600 ETFs exist globally according to [ETFGI](https://etfgi.com/news/press-releases/2025/12/etfgi-reports-assets-invested-etfs-industry-globally-reached-new-record), offering exposure to virtually any market, sector, or strategy you can imagine. Global ETF assets under management hit $19.5 trillion at the end of 2025, with record net inflows of over $2 trillion during the year. Whether you want to invest in U.S. stocks, international bonds, real estate, commodities, or even specific industries like technology or healthcare, there's probably an ETF for that. This guide walks you through the entire process, from opening your first brokerage account to placing your first trade. You'll also learn about costs, common mistakes, and best practices that can save you money and improve your returns. Plan on spending about 13-16 minutes reading this. By the end, you'll know exactly what to do to start building your investment portfolio with ETFs.