About FinanceBuzz

Melinda has over a decade of personal finance content experience, with articles appearing in publications like Business Insider and Bizfluent. They have a B.A. in English from Miami University (the one in Ohio) and a master’s degree in teaching from Bard College.

Melinda currently resides in Toledo, Ohio, with an abundance of cats and dogs. They enjoy scary movies and books and hope to (finally) finish writing a novel at some point.

Three words to describe my investing style:
Set and forget

Three words to describe my budgeting style:
Everything in moderation

Biggest financial lesson I’ve learned:
Own and work through your financial mistakes

Lauren Graves specializes in banking, budgeting, debt, loans, and credit cards. She aims to make the often intimidating topic of personal finance easier to understand for her readers. She's lent her expertise to publications like Money Under 30, Investor Junkie, and Saving for College, as well as top outlets such as Credible and the Wall Street Journal Buy Side.

With a background in education, Lauren sees herself as a teacher when it comes to personal finance, and she draws from academic research, consumer insights, and her own experience to help her readers make more informed decisions. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with her husband and dog, and she enjoys good books, cooking, and the outdoors in her spare time.

Three words to describe my investing style:
Diversify + think ahead

Three words to describe my budgeting style:
Save before spending

Biggest financial lesson I’ve learned:
Keep a well-cushioned emergency fund even when you don’t think you’ll need it and be realistic, not idealistic, with your spending

Steve Miller has worked in the personal finance, legal, and academic publishing fields. He's researched and written about topics in credit cards, travel, and economics, and has contributed to the content on sites such as NerdWallet. In addition, Steve has covered subjects in the arts, humanities, and medicine. Steve is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Three words to describe my investing style:
Simple, long-term, low-risk

Three words to describe my budgeting style:
Essentials, then enjoy

Biggest financial lesson I’ve learned:
Debt can add up quickly, so pay off your credit card balance in full every billing cycle

Andrea Basse holds a B.S. in Public Relations from the University of Florida. She’s produced content for multiple financial services companies over the last few years — including Goldman Sachs and Discover — to help their consumers make smart financial decisions.

Andrea lives in South Florida with her husband and two precocious daughters. She enjoys trying new recipes and is always down for a game of Trivial Pursuit.

Three words to describe my investing style:
Let it be

Three words to describe my budgeting style:
Everything in moderation

Biggest financial lesson I’ve learned:
It’s never too late to regain control of your finances and enjoy a less stressful life

With a B.A. in Language and Literary Studies from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Amanda started her career as a translator and quickly became a content creator in the fields of language, travel, real estate, and business for companies such as Cirque du Soleil and Cris Brooks Realty.

You are likely to find Amanda at a cozy coffee shop working on her laptop or reading while Milo (her adorable golden retriever) sits by her side like a good boy.

Three words to describe my investing style:
Set and forget

Three words to describe my budgeting style:
Balance is key

Biggest financial lesson I’ve learned:
You can either ruin or build up your finances; it’s ultimately up to you

Calista Headrick earned an M.S. in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, and she has a passion for helping and informing readers through the written word in ways that will positively impact their daily lives. She loves to travel, especially on a budget, and always takes advantage of the best travel deals she can find.

Three words to describe my investing style:
Automatic, passive, long-term

Three words to describe my budgeting style:
Save for essentials

Biggest financial lesson I’ve learned:
It’s not about how much you make but how you save and spend it

Josh is an experienced data journalist whose work has been featured on CNN, The New York Times, CNBC, Bloomberg, and many more publications. Josh is also a frequent guest commentator on TV and radio programs. He loves to explore how personal finance shapes daily life, examining everything from consumer price trends and insurance costs, to retirement habits, real estate, and travel.

Josh lives in Tampa, Florida, with his wife and two children. His free time is spent building Lego sets, relaxing at the beach, and exploring one of the many different theme parks his family has annual passes for.

Three words to describe my investing style:
Diversify, diversify, diversify

Three words to describe my budgeting style:
Wants vs. needs

Biggest financial lesson I’ve learned:
Make saving and contributing to investments an automatic part of your financial routine