Jargon, translated.

A plan for where your money goes before it goes there — not a record of where it already went.

Fixed costs stay the same each month (rent, phone bill). Variable costs change (food, gas) — and are usually where budgets actually break.

Money set aside just for when something goes wrong, so a flat tire doesn't become a credit card balance.

Where your everyday money lives — built for spending, not for growing.

A separate account that earns a small amount of interest, built for money you're not touching right away.

Annual Percentage Yield — the real return a savings account pays you in a year, interest included.

A number, roughly 300–850, that sums up how reliably you've paid money back — lenders check it before they'll trust you with more.

How much of your available credit you're actually using. Lower is generally better for your score.

Annual Percentage Rate — what it costs you, per year, to carry a balance instead of paying it off.

What you earned before anything gets taken out. The number on the job offer, not the one in your account.

What actually lands in your account after taxes and deductions leave.

The taxes your employer takes out of every paycheck automatically, so you're not stuck with one huge bill in April.

A small ownership stake in a company. If the company does well, your slice is usually worth more.

Your money making money, and then that money making more money. Why starting early matters more than starting big.

Not putting all your eggs — or dollars — in one basket, so one bad investment can't sink the whole plan.

A single investment that owns a small slice of hundreds of companies at once — the default starting point for most long-term investors.

The reason a dollar buys a little less every year — and why money sitting still is quietly losing value.

A bull market is prices generally rising; a bear market is prices generally falling. Neither lasts forever.