About.com Financial Planning: Most Popular Articles
These articles are the most popular over the last month.

• Basic Budget Worksheet for Setting Up Your Personal Budget
  Budget worksheet form for setting up your personal budget
• How To Create a Budget
  Creating a budget may not sound like the most exciting thing in the world to do but it is vital in keeping your financial house in order. Before you begin to create your budget it is important to realize that in order to be successful you have to provide as much detailed information as possible. Ultimately the end result will be able to show where your money is coming from, how much is there and where it is all going.
• US Savings Bonds
  US Savings Bonds: Good Investment or Boring Underperformer?
• All About Personal Budgets
  A One-stop Guide to Budgeting Advice and Budget Worksheets
• Bargain Shopping Strategies
  Bargain Shopping Strategies - Save Money By Buying Products At the Right Time of Year
• How to Establish Credit
  When you don’t have a credit history, it can be difficult and frustrating when trying to obtain a credit card or other type of loan. Establishing your initial credit history can be a Catch-22. If you don’t have credit, not many places are willing to give you credit, yet how can you ever establish credit if nobody is willing to give you any?
• The Child Tax Credit
  The Child Tax Credit - what you need to know to claim it properly.
• Buying Diamond Engagement Ring
  What You Need to Know When Buying a Diamond Engagement Ring
• Your FICO Credit Score
  Your FICO credit score determines your ability to borrow money and affects you in other ways that may surprise you
• Improve Your FICO Credit Score
  Nine Ways to Improve Your FICO Credit Score and Four Reasons Why You Want To - A Poor Score Costs You More
• Personal Finance 101
  Personal finance covers a wide variety of money topics including budgeting, expenses, debt, saving, retirement and insurance among others. Understanding how each of these topics work together and affect each other is important for laying the groundwork for a solid financial foundation for you and your family.
• Top Personal Finance Software
  Top picks for personal finance software programs
• Budgeting
  Budgeting - The First Step to Financial Success
• Plan an Affordable Wedding
  Plan an affordable, memorable wedding without going into debt or breaking the bank
• You Can Get Out of Debt
  You Can Get Out of Debt, But Not by Paying the Minimum Balance on Your Credit Cards
• Maximize Your Benefits
  Maximize Your Employment Benefits: Flexible Spending Accounts
• Secret to Budgeting
  The secret to budgeting successfully
• Make Saving Automatic
  Do you have a savings account yet find it difficult to find money to deposit into it? This isn’t an uncommon problem and most people find it hard to save.
• Top Picks: Personal Finance Books
  Top picks for personal finance books
• Warning Signs of Too Much Debt
  Do You Know the Warning Signs of Too Much Debt? How to Know If You're In Over Your Head
• Stay Away From Payday Loans
  Quick and easy cash? There's nothing easy about payday loans.
• Wedding Budget Worksheet
  Click here for a printer-friendly version WEDDING BUDGET WORKSHEET Item Budgeted Cost Actual Cost PRINTING:
• EE Savings Bond Changes
  The federal government has changed Series EE savings bonds, and it's not for the better. Find out about the changes and alternatives to Series EE bonds.
• Eliminate Credit Card Debt
  The Fastest Way To Eliminate Credit Card Debt - How to eliminate credit card debt before it threatens your financial health
• Net Worth Statements
  Calculate your net worth to get a snapshot of your financial health
• Financing a College Education
  Financing Your Child's College Education. How to Prepare for the $100,000 Price Tag
• You Can Afford to Stay Home
  You Can Afford to Stay Home With Your Kids. How to Calculate What That Second Income is Really Costing You and What It's Really Worth.
• Credit & Debt Basics
  Credit cards and other forms of debt can be an essential part of your financial toolbox, but you must exercise care when using credit and taking on debt. Find out the difference between good debt and bad debt, and learn how to establish credit and maintain a good credit score.
• Your Debt To Income Ratio
  Do you have too much debt? Calculate your debt to income ratio to find out.
• How To Balance Your Checkbook
  Balancing Your Checkbook: Step-by-Step Instructions
• Ways for Teens to Make Money
  Jobs for Teens and Other Ways to Make Money
• Save Money on Heating Costs
  Save money by reducing heating costs
• Retirement Savings Late Start
  Ten Tips for Late Starters To Boost Their Retirement Savings
• Budget Worksheet for College Students
  BUDGET WORKSHEET FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS Click here for a printer-friendly version of the College Budget
• Guilt-free Budgeting
  How to Achieve Guilt-free Budgeting and Take Control of Your Finances
• Tweak Your Tax Withholding
  Tweak Your Income Tax Withholding and Avoid Paying More or Less Than You Owe
• Bi-weekly Mortgage Payments
  Bi-weekly Mortgage Payments: Save Tens of Thousands of Dollars on Your Mortgage But Avoid the Scams
• Shop Safely Online
  Nine Tips to Shop Safely Online
• Top Ten Financial Tips
  Top Ten Financial Tips: Keys to Financial Success
• The Secret To Saving Money
  One small and suprisingly simple secret can show you to save money.
• 5 Mistakes When Buying a Car
  For most people, a car is a necessity. We often depend on our vehicles to get us to and from work every day, transport children to events, and even for pleasure. Because they are such an important aspect of your life, you want