Rachel Hart

Rachel Hart

Hi, I'm Rachel. I spent eight years as a corporate financial analyst and plenty more living paycheck to paycheck - so I know both sides of the kitchen table. I write about money with real numbers, zero jargon, and no shame. If I could fix my finances, so can you.

Budgeting

How We Switched Banks Without Missing a Single Bill Payment

I kept a spreadsheet of every dollar moving in and out of our accounts. When it was time to switch banks, that same spreadsheet is what kept a dozen autopayments from quietly dying. Here is the exact order I moved things in.

Investing

How to Build a Bond Ladder with Individual Bonds and ETFs

Bond funds took a beating in 2022, and the pain lingered for years. A bond ladder can ease that anxiety — but building one doesn't have to mean buying dozens of individual bonds. Here's how I'd do it with ETFs.

Financial Planning

My Mid-Year Money Checkup: 6 Things to Review in July

Mid-July, I sat at the kitchen table with a notebook and did what I should have done in January: a real money checkup. Six things — 401(k) contributions, beneficiaries, tax withholding, QCDs, portfolio balance, and my organizational mess — took me one evening. Here's the list I'll never skip again.

Investing

Why I Think SGX Rubber Futures Deserve Your Attention

Rubber futures on the Singapore Exchange sound niche, but the small contract size and real-world settlement make them surprisingly accessible for everyday investors. Here's what caught my eye.