How to Build an Emergency Fund Quickly
Calculate your bare-bones monthly expenses, multiply by three to six, then save steadily until you hit that number. Keep it somewhere accessible but separate so you won't raid it for wants disguised as needs.
About R.J. Weiss
Founder of The Ways to Wealth
R.J. Weiss is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with over a decade of experience in financial planning, and founder of The Ways To Wealth.
Expert reviewer for BestColleges.com and has been quoted in publications like Business Insider, Yahoo, Mint, USA Today, CNET, the New York Times and Forbes.
Holds a B.A. in finance from Eastern Illinois University and completed the CFP® Certification curriculum program at The American College. Additionally, he has earned the Personal Lines Coverage Specialist (PLCS) and Small Business Coverage Specialist (SBCS) designations.
Experience
R.J. Weiss is not just a financial planner but a trusted voice in the realm of financial content. At The Ways To Wealth, R.J. and his team are dedicated to publishing a wide range of content in the financial space, from fair and unbiased assessments of financial products and services to insightful articles, guides and resources. Their commitment to accuracy and relevance ensures that readers get the most up-to-date and reliable information.
R.J.'s unique approach to content creation is based on experience, research, and a deep understanding of the financial industry. He believes in the power of firsthand experience and combines this with extensive research and expert insights to provide valuable content to his readers.
Outside of his professional life, R.J. is an avid traveler, a husband, and a proud father of three. He resides just outside of Chicago, IL.
Education
R.J. Weiss holds a B.A. in finance from Eastern Illinois University. He became a Certified Financial Planner® on December 10, 2010, after completing the CFP® Certification curriculum program at The American College. Further enhancing his credentials, R.J. has earned the Personal Lines Coverage Specialist (PLCS) and Small Business Coverage Specialist (SBCS) designation.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization’s initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.
-
-
What Is the Best Budgeting Method for You? Take This Quiz To Find Out
Budgeting methods range from simple percentage splits like 50/30/20 to intense dollar-by-dollar tracking with zero-based plans. The right approach depends on whether you need rigid spending control or just want to automate savings while spending freely on everything else.
-
Self App Review: Is the Credit Builder Account Worth It?
Building credit through Self means paying yourself back over time while they report your payments to credit bureaus. You'll pay fees for the service, and while it helps establish payment history, free alternatives like authorized user status or no-fee secured cards might be smarter moves.
-
Chime Review: Simple and Free, But Low Interest Rates
Chime eliminates the fee nightmare of traditional banks and helps build credit through a secured card, but the 2% savings rate won't impress high earners and missing features like joint accounts limit household flexibility.
-
Make Money With ChatGPT: 7 Opportunities Anyone Can Start
Making money with ChatGPT means using it to amplify what you already know, not replacing skills you don't have. Help businesses integrate AI into workflows, create better content faster, or level up your current job performance for raises and promotions.
-
Top Apps Like Ibotta: 15 Best Money-Saving Alternatives
Beyond Ibotta, money-saving apps either make you work harder for rewards or practically eliminate effort altogether. Some require scanning receipts, others track spending passively, and a few pay you just for showing up to stores.
