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Top 10 Personal Finance Articles of the Month — September 2021
It’s time again for one of my favorite features here on Dyer News: a look at the top 10 personal finance articles of the month. This time around, we’ll start with a few financial independence-focused posts followed by some minimalist tips and tools. Then, as summer turns to fall, we’ll look at some travel and vacation articles. Lastly, we’ll look at cash back portals, a simple and cheap financial tool, and the history of index funds.
As usual, this month’s list includes a couple of Dyer News Top 10 mainstays as well as a few first-timers. Without further ado, below is my list of the top 10 personal finance articles published in September of 2021, along with their title, author, and the site they originally appeared on.
Financial Independence
My WHY of FI has Changed — Late Starter FIRE
When it comes to financial independence or FIRE, everyone has their own reasons for pursuing such a goal. Of course, as time goes on, those reasons could evolve, potentially even complicating your journey. But, as this article from Late Stater FIRE explains, realizing what your “why” is — even if it’s changed — can help keep you motivated on your march toward independence.
Early Retirement Epic Fail — Joe, Retire by 40
Reaching financial independence is certainly exciting and can lead to some big lifestyle changes. But, what happens when things go wrong after you’ve already retired? This post from Joe (which itself recalls an update from Living a FI) highlights some of the lesser-discussed aspects of FIRE including what happens if you fail.
Financial Independence And Life Planning: The Ultimate Recipe For Happiness — Money Flamingo
When it comes to pursuing financial independence, most people think of it purely as a money thing. In reality, however, the financial aspect is merely the tool that helps you live the life you want. Thus, as Money Flamingo points out, it’s key that you not only have a FIRE plan in place but a larger life plan as well.
Minimalism
Expand Your Don’t Want List — Joshua Becker, Becoming Minimalist
Speaking of your desires in life, it’s pretty easy to list all of the things you want. Yet, one major principle of minimalism is not wanting things and being content. In this insightful and literally poetic post, Joshua offers some tips for growing your “don’t want” list.
9 Minimalist Tools to Help Declutter Your Life Now — Julia Ubbenga, Simple by Emmy
One of the first steps toward living a more minimalist lifestyle is decluttering. While this might seem straightforward enough, it can be difficult to know where to start or how to challenge yourself to make progress. For those reasons, Julia offers some helpful tools and ideas to set you on the right path.
Travel (on a Budget)
6 Cheap Travel Tips to Save Money on Vacation — Mr. Jamie Griffin
In a staggering statistic, nearly three-quarters of respondents in a survey said that they’d gone into debt in order to take a vacation. While vacations are definitely important, why spend more than you have to? For those looking to save money and still have a great travel experience, Jamie dispenses some useful advice.
Fly or Drive? The Pros and Cons of Each— Kyle Burbank, Money@30
If you’re trying to travel but don’t want to spend too much, you may be asking yourself whether it makes more sense to drive or fly to your destination. Depending on several different factors, the answer to which is the better choice can vary — and there are definitely pros and cons to balance. With that in mind, Kyle looks at some of the reasons for and against each travel medium.
Personal Finance Tips
Why I Love Cash Back Shopping Portals — Josh, Money Buffalo
Do you shop online? If so, do you realize that you could be saving money or getting money back with just a couple of clicks? It’s true — and Josh has the details on some of his favorite cash back shopping portals for you to try.
A Ridiculously Cheap but Powerful Financial Tool — Doris Belland, Your Financial Launchpad
These days, there are plenty of apps and tools meant to help consumers get out of debt and improve their finances. But, sometimes the best tools are the simplest… and maybe even the cheapest. Looking to Richard Branson for inspiration, Doris shares the benefits of one particularly effective financial tool and what makes it great.
45 Years of the Vanguard S&P 500 Index Fund: The Power of Low Costs — Jonathan Ping, My Money Blog
Finally, given how common index funds are now, it can be easy to forget that they weren’t always around. In fact, it was only 45 years ago that Jack Bogle of Vanguard introduced the very first index mutual fund. And although they are a well-regarded hit today, Jonathan highlights that it wasn’t such an easy ride.
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.
