Use the numbers in everyday decisions
Practical Cost Guides
Start with a question you want to answer. Each guide gives you a quick takeaway, a worked example and a calculator to try with your own numbers.
Work & commuting • Practical guideIs a Higher-Paying Job Worth a Longer Commute?Compare monthly money with the extra cost and time of commuting.Read the guide Food delivery • Practical guideHow Much Extra Does Food Delivery Cost?Break down a receipt and compare delivery with pickup, including the cost of collecting your meal.Read the guide Everyday spending • Practical guideWhich Recurring Expenses Should You Review First?Compare repeated spending on equal terms before choosing a change.Read the guide Transportation • Practical guideWhat Does a Car Cost Beyond the Monthly Payment?A $400 payment becomes a $780 entered monthly budget once four other categories are included.Read the guide Recurring bills • Practical guideHow Do You Add Up Subscriptions with Different Prices?Build a renewal checklist, compare overlapping services and keep annual bills visible.Read the guide Debt • Practical guideHow Much Difference Can an Extra Debt Payment Make?For a $3,000 balance at 18% APR, moving from $100 to $150 per month changes the model from 41 months to 24.Read the guide Credit cards • Practical guideWhy Can a Credit Card Balance Take So Long to Pay Off?For a $2,000 balance at 24% APR, the first modeled $75 payment reduces principal by $35.Read the guide Coffee & small purchases • Practical guideHow Much Could You Save by Buying Coffee Less Often?Skipping one $5 café purchase each week reduces café spending by $260 a year; replacing it with a $1 drink leaves a $208 difference.Read the guide Food • Practical guideHow Much Could Replacing One Fast Food Meal Save?Replacing one $12 fast food meal each week with a $4 alternative changes annual spending by $416 in this example.Read the guide Shopping • Practical guideWhat Would a Smaller Impulse-Spending Budget Change?Two $25 unplanned purchases each week become $2,600 a year. A 25% spending reduction would lower that to $1,950.Read the guide