Plain Money Guide

Plain Money Guide publishes practical, source-checked how-to guides on everyday money for readers in the United States — cutting bills, disputing charges, claiming what you are owed, and handling the small money admin nobody explains.

Topic index of 112 guides · updated 2026-08-18 · Read the blog · About & editorial standards

Canceling Subscriptions, Memberships & Contracts: A Guide

Step-by-step cancellation routes for gym memberships, free trials, streaming plans, timeshares and extended warranties — including the rescission windows that still apply.

Credit Card & Bank Fees: The Complete Dispute Guide

How to dispute a charge, get overdraft and late fees waived, and remove a late payment from your report using the rights the FCBA and FCRA already give you.

Travel, Shipping & Moving Claims: The Complete Guide

Filing claims for lost luggage, canceled flights, damaged moves and missing USPS packages, with the deadlines that decide whether you get paid.

Recovering Forgotten & Small-Balance Money: Full Guide

Unclaimed property, old savings bonds, gift card balances and money orders — where the money sits and how to claim it back.

Medical Bills and Health Insurance: The Complete Guide

Itemized bills, hospital financial assistance, and appealing a denied claim — the paperwork path that actually reduces what you owe.

Lowering Monthly Household Bills: The Complete Guide

Concrete scripts and timing for cutting internet, cell phone, water and electricity costs without switching to a worse plan.

Privacy, Spam & Identity Protection: Complete Guide

Freezing your credit, stopping robocalls and junk mail, and cutting the data flow that makes you a target in the first place.

Rent, Deposits & Mortgage Costs: Complete Guide

Security deposit returns, splitting rent fairly, and removing PMI — the housing costs most people overpay by default.

More guides

Standalone how-to articles that do not belong to a series yet.