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Top 10 Personal Finance Articles of the Month — March 2023

Welcome to Fioney’s look at the top 10 personal finance articles of the month. On the first Friday of each new month, we look back at some of our favorite posts published in the weeks prior and highlight them right here. This includes a mix of sites that have become staples of our lists as well as many first-timers.

First up, we’ll cover a pair of articles related to the recent Silicon Valley Bank fallout. Then, we’ll focus on retirement, including planning and spending. Lastly, we’ll wrap things up with how to become a high-maintenance shopper, how to live below your means, how much funerals cost, and more

Here are our picks for the top 10 personal finance articles for March 2023:

Current Banking Events

What Happened to Silicon Valley Bank and How to Keep Your Money Safe — How Much is That in Tacos?

In case you somehow missed it, last month saw plenty of financial turmoil following the fall of Silicon Valley Bank. While you may have seen the headlines, you may not be as up on what really happened or how it relates to your money. To help, this post from How Much is That in Tacos? breaks it down.

Two Key Lessons From the Banking Crisis — Chris Mamula, Can I Retire Yet?

Not only does the most recent crisis serve to remind us of some important steps that consumers should take to protect their money but, considering how SVB collapse, there are also some lessons to be learned from their demise. Namely, it shows us the importance of managing risk. As Chris points out, this is one of a couple of key lessons we can all take away from these recent events.

Retirement

Should I Use a Money Market Or High Yield Savings Account For My Retirement Spending? — A Purple Life

Oftentimes, when we read about retirement, it’s in relation to saving and investing in preparation. However, what do you do when it’s time to start spending your retirement savings — and where should you keep your liquid assets? That’s what Purple is wondering as she lays out a few different options she’s considering.

Free Roth 401k Calculator (Beware—The Roth Cost Me $379k) — Derek Sall, Life and My Finances

If you’ve read much about investing for retirement, you’ve probably heard about how Roth accounts can be majorly advantageous. While that’s true for some, there are several factors that will dictate whether or not converting your current account to a Roth makes sense. For a deep dive into the topic, Derek provides a closer look at Roth 401(k)s.

Is $1.5 Million Enough to Retire? — Camille Gaines, Retire Certain

How much do you need to retire? More specifically, is $1.5 million enough to live on after you end your working career? To help you figure that out, this article from Camille looks at what to consider and how to calculate your “run out.”

Personal Finance Tips

How to Become a High Maintenance Shopper — Renee, The Fun Sized Life

As many of us know all too well, spending money is easy when you aren’t a picky shopper. In turn, learning to be a more “high maintenance” consumer can be a great way to save money (and purchase better quality items). Ready to get started? Renee gives you a rundown of how to become a more discerning shopper.

How To Live Below Your Means: Mastering The Art Of Financial Discipline — A Dime Saved

You’ve probably heard it said that the key to mastering personal finance is to live below your means. Of course, this is easier said than done. Luckily, this article from A Dime Saved serves as a great guide to turning that goal into a reality.

How Much Does a Funeral Cost? — Kyle Burbank, Money at 30

Obviously no one wants to think about the possibility of their partner, family member, or other loved ones dying, but such tragedies are a reality. That’s why, while it may be difficult to plan for the worst, it’s important to be prepared for the financial aspects of such events, including the costs associated with funerals. Having recently lost a family member, Kyle shares some actual figures from his father-in-law’s funeral to illustrate some common expenses you might not have considered.

The Secrets of Stealth Wealth — Physician on Fire

Do you think you could easily spot who is wealthy and who isn’t just by looking in a crowd? Most people would probably presume they could on the notion that those with money would likely flaunt it by driving fancier cars, wearing nicer clothes, and more. That may be true for some but, for others, there’s the practice of “stealth wealth.” If you’re curious about exactly what that means, this post from Physician on Fire lays it all out.

2 Ways To Calculate Net Worth — Haley Keller, Crying in Finance

“Net worth” is one of those terms that you’ve likely heard thrown around but might not really know how what it means or how to calculate it. As it turns out, to that latter point, there may be more than one way to determine what your net worth is. In her article, Haley highlights a couple of methods and why you might even want to use both.

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Thanks for checking out our 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 us on Twitter @fioneymoney and of course visit Fioney.com.