Wealth of Cents

30 money words, in plain English, with the math shown.

The words on your pay stub, card statement and tax forms, one page each.

The Money Words Decoder is a free PDF. Every example uses made-up numbers.

What the guide helps you do

Each word gets five things: what it means, a tiny example with the math shown line by line, what it is not, where you'll see it, and one question to ask.

  • Read your pay stub

    Gross pay, withholding, pre-tax deductions, payroll taxes and net pay, in the order they come off.

  • Read a card statement

    Find the APR, the interest charged in dollars, and the minimum payment, and see what each one actually does.

  • Follow the tax math

    Taxable income, deductions versus credits, and why a raise only taxes the new dollars at the higher rate.

  • Make sense of benefits forms

    Employer match, vesting, premium, deductible, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum.

Seven groups: debt and interest, paychecks, taxes, saving and accounts, credit, retirement accounts, and insurance. Plus two side-by-side comparisons and a checklist for reading your own statement.

One word from the guide, exactly as printed

Debt and interest Word 4 of 30

Minimum payment

The smallest amount due this month to keep the account in good standing. Paying it keeps the account current. It doesn't clear the balance.

Tiny example hypothetical

  1. Balance: $2,000 at 24% APR. Say the statement shows a $40 minimum.
  2. Hypothetical month-one math (a simplified illustration):
  3. $2,000 × 0.24 ÷ 12 = $40 of interest.
  4. $40 payment − $40 interest = $0 toward principal.
  5. Balance after the payment: still $2,000.

What it is not

It is not a payoff plan. It's a floor.

Where you'll see it

Card statements, near the payment due date.

One question to ask

"If I pay only the minimum each month, how long until this is paid off?"

Educational only, not financial advice. Examples are hypothetical.

All 30 words use this same five-part layout.

Is it for you?

It fits if

  • You get a paycheck and want to know where each line goes.
  • You've nodded along to words like APR, vesting or coinsurance without being sure what they mean.
  • You'd rather see the math once than memorize a definition.

It won't help if

  • You want advice about what to do with your own money.
  • You want product picks or recommendations.
  • You need this year's exact tax figures. The guide tells you where to check those.

Questions before you sign up

Is it really free?

Yes. The Money Words Decoder is a free PDF. Enter your email, confirm it, and the PDF is sent to you.

Will I get spammed?

Sent once to the email you enter. No other emails.

The guide is sent once. There is no newsletter and nothing else after it. Before it's sent, you'll be asked to confirm your email address.

What happens after I sign up?

Check your inbox for a message asking you to confirm your email address. Confirm to get your free PDF.

Don't see it? Check your spam or promotions folder, and make sure the address you typed is correct.

Are the numbers real tax rules?

No. Every example uses made-up numbers so the arithmetic is easy to follow. Where a real figure changes by year, the guide tells you to check the current number on the official website.

Is this financial advice?

No. Educational only, not financial advice. The guide explains what the words mean and shows the math. It doesn't tell you what to do with your money.

Keep the Decoder next to your next pay stub.

Get the free PDF