The Laertex Guide

Learn money from the ground up

A plain-language path that starts with the words — APR, principal, compound interest — and builds, one short lesson at a time, to the decisions that matter. No prior knowledge assumed.

Start with the words

Money words, plainly

The twelve terms that unlock almost every money conversation. Skim them, then start the lessons.

APRAnnual Percentage Rate

The yearly price of borrowing money. A 22% APR on a $1,000 balance costs about $18 a month in interest.

APYAnnual Percentage Yield

The yearly reward for saving money, including interest on your interest. Higher is better here.

PrincipalThe amount borrowed or saved

The actual money you owe or put away, before any interest is added on top.

InterestThe cost (or reward) of time

A fee for borrowing, or a payment for saving, usually a percentage charged each month.

Compound interestInterest on your interest

When yesterday’s interest starts earning its own interest. It works against you in debt, and for you in savings.

Minimum paymentThe least you can pay

The smallest amount a card will accept each month. Paying only this keeps you in debt for years.

Credit utilizationHow much of your limit you use

Your balance divided by your credit limit. Keeping it low helps your credit score.

Emergency fundYour safety cushion

Money set aside for surprises, a repair, a gap in income, so they don’t become debt.

LiquidEasy to reach

Money you can get to quickly without penalty, like cash in a savings account (vs. tied up in a house).

Net worthWhat you own minus what you owe

A single snapshot of where you stand. It can be negative early on, that’s normal.

DiversificationNot all your eggs in one basket

Spreading money across many investments so one bad apple can’t sink you.

Index fundA bundle of the whole market

A low-cost investment that owns a little of everything, instead of betting on single stocks.

The path

Four steps, in order

Each module builds on the last. You can jump around, but if you’re not sure where you are, just go top to bottom.

Start here

Money basics

The handful of words and ideas everything else is built on. Begin here even if you think you should already know this.

2What “personal finance” actually meansNo degree required, just the four things money does.4 min 1Where does my money actually go?The 50/30/20 idea, without the budgeting lecture.5 min 5Good debt vs. bad debtWhy a mortgage and a credit card are not the same animal.4 min

Build momentum

Understanding debt

Debt feels scary because the mechanics are hidden. Once you can see how interest works, it stops being mysterious.

6How credit-card interest actually worksWhat APR really means when it lands on your statement.5 min 7How to pay off $5,000 in credit-card debtThe order of operations, and the one extra payment that changes the date.7 min 8Avalanche vs. snowball: which is for you?The math-optimal way and the stick-with-it way.5 min

Get stable

Your safety net

A small cushion is what stops one bad week from becoming new debt. This is where money anxiety starts to fade.

9Why a $1,000 buffer changes everythingThe smallest amount of savings that does the most work.4 min 10Emergency fund: how much you actually needThree months? Six? It comes down to just three things.6 min 11HYSA vs. a regular savings accountSame money, same effort, a very different result.5 min

Get ahead

Growing your money

Once debt is handled and you have a cushion, the next dollar should be working for you. The ideas here are simpler than they sound.

12The 401(k) match, free money, explainedThe only guaranteed doubling of your money you’ll be handed.4 min 13Compound interest, the friendly versionThe “eighth wonder of the world,” minus the mystique.6 min 14Index funds without the jargonHow ordinary people actually invest, boring on purpose.7 min

The whole thing takes an afternoon. The payoff lasts years.

Twelve short lessons, in plain language, from your first money word to your first investment.