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Top 10 Personal Finance Articles of the Month — May 2024
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 here. This includes a mix of sites that have become staples of our lists as well as many first-timers.
First up, we’ll talk about investing in good companies and trying to beat the market. After that, we’ll look at three articles related to recent financial trends. Then, we’ll cover closing credit cards, finding sweet spots, rethinking capital gains taxes, and more.
Here are our picks for the top 10 personal finance articles for May 2024.
Investing
Good Company, Bad Stock — Jesse Cramer, The Best Interest
Common wisdom would suggest that, if a company is a good one, then the stock would be a solid investment. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. To explain why, Jesse takes a closer look at why this happens along with some current and historical examples.
The Problem(s) with Trying to Beat the Share Market — Your Money Blueprint
For all of the financial bloggers out there that preach the wisdom of index funds and the like, there are still plenty of people who want to try and beat the market. But, as many of them discover, doing so can be quite difficult. There are several reasons for that — as this post from Your Money Blueprint highlights.
Modern Money Trends
The Rise of the Forever Renter Class— Nick Maggiulli, Of Dollars and Data
Even before the current issues with the housing market arose, there was a growing trend that saw more people electing to remain renters. And while some of these renters simply have no desire to buy, others may just be struggling to make it work in today’s economy. In his post, Nick dives into why Forever Renter sentiment is rising and what those who do still aspire to buy might want to consider.
Does Minimalism Come to an End? — Renee, The Fun Sized Life
Another trend that gained attention during the pandemic is minimalism. But, whether they came aboard this lifestyle in recent years or were ahead of the curve, will there come a time when their practice ends? If so, what does that even look like? That’s what Renee zooms in on in this article.
A Tool for Testing Investor Confidence — Joe Wiggins, Behavioural Investment
For years now, economies of the world have been a bit topsy-turvy and tough to predict. Yet, we all want definitive answers and don’t often express or intake probabilities well. What does that mean, exactly? Joe offers a fun way to think about probabilistic thinking while also noting why it’s important in our lives.
Personal Finance Tips
How to Cancel a Credit Card without Lowering Your Credit — Jim Wang, Wallet Hacks
You’ve probably heard that canceling a credit card can have negative consequences for your credit scores. If that’s true, what is one to do? To answer that, Jim offers some potential alternatives.
The Sweet Spot Principle – Aaron, Mr. Stingy
Surely we’re all familiar with the Three Bears story that introduces us to Goldilocks. The character’s pursuit of “just right” has since inspired the term “Goldilocks Zone” — also known as a “sweet spot.” As it turns out, this principle can apply to several parts of your life, from work to investing and beyond. With that in mind, Aaron looks at why finding your sweet spot can be, well, sweet.
Our Tax System’s Unproductive Love Affair with Capital Gains — Money with Katie
As many have complained for decades, the United States tax system can be confusing. Moreover, even when it is more straightforward, it can still be head-scratching. Take, for example, rules surrounding capital gains, which Katie takes issue with in this post.
7 Mental Barriers that Prevent You From Getting Rich — Darius Foroux
When it comes to achieving wealth, there are several factors at play. While most of these are monetary, mindset can also have an impact. Specifically, Darius looks at seven mental barriers that could be hurting your potential.
Rebranding a YouTube Channel: Pros, Cons, and How-Tos — Kyle Burbank, Money@30
Lastly, if you have a YouTube channel side hustle, the branding of your channel can play an important role. So, what happens if you want to change things up? Having recently gone through the process, Kyle shares some considerations for rebranding, as well as some practical how-tos should you decide to go through with it.
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.