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 (or updated) 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.
To kick things off this month, we’ll be talking about money mistakes, including how to recover from them as well as avoid them in the first place. Then, we’ll transition to discussing investments. Wrapping up, we’ll cover the value of college, traveling on points, and more.
Here are our picks for the top 10 personal finance articles for May 2025.
Money Mistakes and More
How to Forgive Yourself for Financial Mistakes — Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, Mind Money Balance
Just as in other parts of life, money mistakes happen. Still, when they do, the shame and disappointment can be hard for some to overcome. Rather than beat yourself up over missteps, Lindsay offers some productive steps to take instead.
Scar Tissue — Jesse Cramer, The Best Interest
Everyone’s relationship with money is different and is heavily informed by their past experiences. But, while these memories can serve us well in avoiding past mistakes, in some cases, we may effectively be making new mistakes by overcorrecting for old ones. Jesse shares some examples of this money “scar tissue” dilemma.
My Biggest Investing Mistake and How You Can Avoid It — Jim Wang, Wallet Hacks
For many, investing can be scary to start with. So, when you add in volatility and unprecedented events, it’s understandable why some might panic. Well, that’s what happened to Jim — but, as he explains, this mistake could be avoided with a few changes.
Investing
The Value of a Second Opinion — Mike Piper, Oblivious Investor
You’re probably familiar with the concept of a second opinion when it comes to medical diagnoses. But how does this relate to investing? Mike explains how the stock market truly works and why there’s value in that second opinion.
Understanding the Difference Between Investment Advisor and Financial Planner — Lauren Carter, Moneylogue
If you’ve ever considered speaking to someone about your finances, you may have found your options to be a bit confusing. In particular, what’s the difference between an investment advisor and a financial planner? To help answer that question, Lauren breaks it down and looks at a few other important things to know.
The Hardest Day to Invest is Always Today — Ted Seides, Capital Allocators
As you’re surely aware, the stock market has been a wild ride. Nevertheless, we never know what the future will hold. That’s why Ted says, “The hardest day to invest is always today.”
Personal Finance Tips
College Is Worth It — Journey To Financial Independence
Over the past few years, there’s been a lot of discussion about college. Specifically, given the prevalence of student debt, many have wondered whether higher education is actually worth the cost. Well, in the opinion of this author, that answer is typically “yes.”
How To Plan Your First Rewards Trip with Points and Miles — Kevin Payne, Family Money Adventure
With the summer travel season heating up, you may be dreaming of a fantastic getaway — and wishing you didn’t have to pay out of pocket for it. If that’s you, then you may have come across the points and miles hobby, which is usually fueled by rewards credit cards. While there are plenty of resources out there, this post from Kevin offers a great place to start.
Instead of Buying a House, I Did This (And It Made Me Rich) — Anita Kinoshita, Her FI Story
There’s no doubt that owning a home is typically viewed as a major money milestone worth achieving. However, in recent years especially, there’s been a lot of pushback on that notion and defenses of renting. In this article (and video), Anita shares her story of skipping out on homebuying and how she utilized what would be her down payment in a different way.
Emergency Funds & Plans: How To Stay Ready When Life Gets Messy — Nadia Vanderhall, The Brands and Bands
These days, the concept of having an emergency fund is pretty well known. Yet, there are still disagreements about how much this fund should hold, what it should be used for, and more. To break it all down, Nadia takes a closer look at emergency funds and what you should consider when looking to build one.
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.
