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Personal Finance: Budget, Safety Cushion, Debt and Investing

Take charge of your money without giving up the things you enjoy. See where your money goes, build a safety cushion for real Ukrainian risks, work out what a loan or "pay in parts" really costs, live on irregular income, choose where savings live, invest without illusions, protect your family and plan for the long run. Educational, not financial advice.

Free4 lessons~1 h 36 min of learning

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  1. Module 1

    Where does my money go?

    Tracking a month, a spending plan with fun money, subscriptions and small payments, and running out before payday.

    1. 1.1Tracking a month without a spreadsheet habitSee where the money actually went, from a month of card payments.~23 min
    2. 1.2Needs, wants and fun money: a spending planA plan that covers the essentials, saving and the things that make life good.~21 min
    3. 1.3Subscriptions and small payments: the leaksHow small and recurring payments add up to more than one big purchase, and how a ten-minute monthly audit lets you keep what you value on purpose.~21 min
    4. 1.4Case: Sam runs out a week before paydaySam's family is 6,558 UAH short every month. Find the gap in a month of data, close it with recurring cuts, keep fun money and start saving first.~31 min
    Module examComplete 4 more lessons to unlock

  2. Module 2

    What if the income stops?

    How big a cushion to keep, where to keep it, how to build it automatically, and a cushion plan for summer and wartime.

    1. 2.1How big a cushion: months of essentialsComing soon
    2. 2.2Where to keep it: access, currency, several banksComing soon
    3. 2.3Building it without pain: pay yourself firstComing soon
    4. 2.4Case: Dana's cushion for summer and for the warComing soon

  3. Module 3

    What does this debt really cost?

    The real annual cost of a loan, credit cards and the minimum payment, installment plans and microloans, and a way out of debt.

    1. 3.1The real annual cost of a loanComing soon
    2. 3.2Credit cards: grace period and the minimum-payment trapComing soon
    3. 3.3"Pay in parts" and microloansComing soon
    4. 3.4Case: Sam's way out of debtComing soon

  4. Module 4

    How to live on irregular income?

    Averaging a lumpy income over a year, setting taxes aside as a sole proprietor, paying yourself a salary from a buffer.

    1. 4.1A year, not a monthComing soon
    2. 4.2Taxes first: the FOP set-asideComing soon
    3. 4.3Paying yourself a salary from a bufferComing soon
    4. 4.4Case: Dana's 12-month planComing soon

  5. Module 5

    Where should savings live?

    Inflation and the real rate, the currency of a goal, deposits and government bonds, and a two-year savings choice.

    1. 5.1Inflation and the real rateComing soon
    2. 5.2Hryvnia or dollars: the currency of a goalComing soon
    3. 5.3Deposits and government bondsComing soon
    4. 5.4Case: where to keep Dana's savings for two yearsComing soon

  6. Module 6

    How to invest without illusions?

    Risk and return, diversification and index funds, what fees cost over time, and a regular plan instead of a hot tip.

    1. 6.1Risk and return: no "high and safe"Coming soon
    2. 6.2Diversification and index fundsComing soon
    3. 6.3Fees and time: what 2% a year costsComing soon
    4. 6.4Case: "just buy crypto" vs a regular planComing soon

  7. Module 7

    How to protect what you have?

    Insurance for the losses you can't afford, fraud with calls and codes, family money documents, and a protection checklist.

    1. 7.1Insurance: big losses firstComing soon
    2. 7.2Fraud: calls, codes and fake platformsComing soon
    3. 7.3Documents and access: if something happensComing soon
    4. 7.4Case: Sam's family protection checklistComing soon

  8. Module 8

    What am I saving for?

    Goals with a price and a date, retirement, money in a couple, and a one-page money plan with a yearly review.

    1. 8.1Goals with a price and a dateComing soon
    2. 8.2Retirement: what the state gives and what you addComing soon
    3. 8.3Money and a partner: joint, separate or bothComing soon
    4. 8.4Case: a one-page money plan and the yearly reviewComing soon