Why I Started CentsWisdom

When my first child was born, I sat down with a calculator and tried to figure out what it would actually take to pay for college. Not the theoretical version — the real version. The one where you start with what you can afford, and let time do the heavy lifting.

I'd been working as a financial analyst and watching families make the same expensive mistakes: waiting too long to invest, over-complicating their budgets, chasing returns instead of building habits. The information they needed existed — it just wasn't written for real people managing real money.

CentsWisdom started as a place to fix that. Simple, honest personal finance advice, explained by someone who's actually doing it.

What You'll Find Here

Every article on CentsWisdom is written to answer one question: what would I actually do in this situation?

• Budget — Practical systems that don't require tracking every latte
• College Savings — Real numbers from a 14-year savings plan, started at $25/week
• Investing — Value investing principles you can actually apply, starting with index funds
• Retirement — Whether you're on track, how to catch up, and what accounts to prioritize

My Approach to Finance Writing

I don't believe in:

• Sponsored content that recommends products I wouldn't use myself
• Scare tactics to keep you anxious and clicking
• Overly complex strategies that require a finance degree to execute

I do believe in:

• Showing the actual numbers from real portfolios and savings plans
• Explaining why something works, not just telling you to do it
• Writing for someone managing $50,000 in savings with the same care as someone managing $5 million

A Note on Finance Content

Everything published on CentsWisdom is for educational and informational purposes. I'm a financial analyst and writer — not your personal financial advisor. The strategies I write about have worked for my family and many others, but every financial situation is different.

Before making major financial decisions, especially around investing, retirement accounts, or tax strategy, please consult with a qualified financial advisor who can review your specific situation. See our Terms & Disclaimer for the full details.

Get in Touch

Have a question about a specific article? Disagree with something I wrote? Want to ask about a financial situation you're navigating? I read every message.

Use the contact form or send your questions to the Ask a Question page if you'd like your answer published publicly.