The Alistair Blog
Stories about the broken world of traditional financial advice, deep dives into our microtools, and updates on what we're building to fix it.
Money Basics
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Cash Stuffing and #FinTok: Are Social Media Budgeting Trends Actually Legit?Money Basics
TikTok has turned personal finance into content. Cash stuffing, no-spend challenges, and loud budgeting are everywhere. Which ones are real strategies and which are just entertainment?
Matrix Budgeting: The Finance Method That Scores Every Dollar Before You Spend ItMoney Basics
Matrix budgeting turns your spending into a simple two-by-two grid — scoring every category on value and priority so you cut what's dead weight and protect what actually matters.
The 0.01% Checking Account Is Quietly Costing You ThousandsMoney Basics
The average American keeps over $10,000 in a checking account earning essentially nothing. It's the most expensive 'free' product you own — and fixing it takes fifteen minutes.
How to Use Alistair to Self-Manage Your FinancesMoney Basics
A practical walkthrough of how to use Alistair for budgeting, net worth tracking, retirement planning, tax strategy, debt management, insurance, home buying, and portfolio analysis — with real examples.
Sinking Funds Are the Budgeting Hack Nobody Talks AboutMoney Basics
Why do 'unexpected' expenses keep wrecking your budget? Because they're not unexpected — you just didn't plan for them. Sinking funds fix this permanently.
Monthly Subscriptions Are the New Credit Card DebtMoney Basics
The average American spends $219/month on subscriptions they've forgotten about. Auto-renewal has become the most profitable business model in history — and you're the product.
How to Budget When You Don't Know What You'll Make Next MonthMoney Basics
Freelancers, commission-based workers, and gig earners face a budgeting problem most advice ignores. Here's a system that works when your income doesn't.
Zero-Based Budgeting: Why Every Dollar Needs a JobMoney Basics
Most budgets fail because they're aspirational, not intentional. Zero-based budgeting forces a hard question no other method asks: what is this dollar actually doing for me?
The Latte Factor Is Real — But It's Not About CoffeeMoney Basics
David Bach was right that small expenses add up, but he picked the wrong target. The real latte factor in 2026 is subscriptions, convenience fees, and algorithmic pricing.
Lifestyle Creep: You Got a Raise and You're Still BrokeMoney Basics
The single biggest reason high-income earners don't build wealth isn't taxes or investing mistakes. It's the silent upgrade to everything they buy.