Best of the Web

Top 10 Personal Finance Articles of the Month — September 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.

To start things off this month, we’ll share a pair of posts on family finance. Then, we’ll look at some insights that not only apply to money but life as well. After that, we’ll touch on retirement and investing. Rounding things out, we’ll talk about renting and the hidden costs of cars.

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

Family Finance

6 Keys to Helping Adult “Kids” Transition to Financial Independence — Jessica Sommerfield, MoneyNing

It’s understandable that many parents want to teach their children about money and finance. However, as these “kids” grow older, making the transition to being an independent adult can be challenging. To help ease this period, Jess offers some key advice.

Why I Let My Kids Go Into Debt — Frugalwoods

Having your children learn about money also means teaching them the not-so-fun parts. And is there anything less fun than debt? As this article from Frugalwoods shares, allowing your kids to experience a type of debt could prove to be an impactful lesson.

Outlooks and Insights

No One Gets Rich Being a Pessimist — Your Money Blueprint

In today’s world, being negative is easy. However, while we may all have less-than-rosy outlooks from time to time, there’s a difference between occasional negativity and being a pure pessimist. As if you needed one more reason not to be this way, Your Money Blueprint points out that no one gets rich by being pessimistic.

The Rise of “This-Just-Started-Working-For-Me” Wisdom — Joshua Becker, Becoming Minimalist

The Internet can be a great place as it offers a marketplace of ideas. Of course, not all of these ideas are created equal — and virality has its downsides. An example of this is what Joshua calls “This-Just-Started-Working-For-Me” Wisdom, as he explains in this insightful post.

Spreading Out the Misery — Katie Gatti Tassin, Money with Katie

Are you one of those people who slowly peels off a bandage or one that rips it off? Judging by this article, Katie may well be the former. Looking at both anecdotes and data, she explains how “spreading out the misery” can actually be a useful approach to life and finance.

Future You vs. Present You: Cracking the Dilemma of Choice — Jim Wang, Wallet Hacks

While we’re asking personal questions, do you prefer instant or delayed gratification? Even if the latter option may often be best for us, there’s no denying the thrill that comes from instant gratification. This reality leads to a dilemma that pits us against our future selves — and, as Jim writes, requires us to find a balance.

Retirement and Investing

How I Sell Investments To Fund My Retirement: A Step-By-Step Guide — A Purple Life

In retirement, investors will likely want to being selling off their portfolios in order to fund their lifestyle. Of course, in practice, this can be easier said than done. Luckily, Purple has provided this step-by-step guide to her investment-selling strategy as an early retiree.

How Often to Rebalance a Portfolio — Mike Piper, Oblivious Investor

If there’s one financial concept that roboadvisors have helped to highlight it’s the concept of rebalancing your portfolio. While this practice can be needed, the question becomes “how often should rebalancing be done?” Well, Mike has the answer… sort of.

Personal Finance Tips

A Practical Renters Guide From a Lifelong Renter — Kyle Burbank, Money@30

Although renting a place may seem more straightforward than buying, that doesn’t exactly make it easy. In fact, there are several things that prospective renters should be aware of as they compare properties, consider costs, and prepare for move-in day. So, Kyle compiled these topics and more — from finding a place to the day to day life of renters — for this guide.

The Hidden Costs of Owning a Car — Jason Brown, How to Money

Speaking of unexpected costs, owning a car can comes with several expenses that new buyers might not think of. However, once you’re aware of them, there may be ways to reduce their impact. In this article, Jason not only looks at some of the other costs associated with car ownership but also offers some tips for buying a vehicle.

---

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.