Eric Jones

Eric is a licensed financial advisor with over 15 years of experience helping individuals build wealth through smart, strategic investing. He breaks down complex financial concepts into clear, actionable advice for readers who want to grow their money with confidence.

Personal Finance

The Adviser’s Playbook for Rapid Cash: Ready, Set, Fund

How to access cash for short-term needs without disrupting your long-term financial strategy. For any investor, having strategic liquidity options is a cornerstone of a robust portfolio. These options provide...

August 25, 2025

Smart Spending

I Leveled Up My Couponing Game with Digital Tools

August 22, 2025

For most of my adult life, my relationship with saving money was tangible. It was the satisfying snip-snip of scissors…

A renovated 1960s ranch-style house with a fresh coat of paint, updated landscaping, and modern kitchen and bathroom fixtures.

Smart Spending

My First Property Flip on a Tight Budget—Here’s What Happened

August 19, 2025

The idea didn’t arrive in a flash of brilliance. It crept in, quiet as a mouse, during one of those…

A map of the United States with varying colors representing different levels of healthcare insurance premium increases.

Pocket Watch

Shifts in Healthcare Premiums by Region This Year

August 17, 2025

(Pocket Watch) — Across the United States, consumers are navigating a complex and shifting landscape of healthcare costs. This year,…

A person's smartphone displaying an email notification of a price drop on a desired item, alongside a price-tracking graph showing a downward trend.

Deals & Discounts

DIY Deal Alerts: Set Up Automated Bargain Notifications

August 5, 2025

We all love a good bargain. Whether it’s finding the perfect gift for a grandchild without overspending, booking that dream…

A person sits at a computer, looking intently at a screen displaying a webpage with various online shopping options and discount codes.

Smart Spending

Googling Promo Codes Became My Favorite Shopping Habit

August 2, 2025

I’ve always considered myself a pretty responsible person, especially with money. For forty years, my wife, Sarah, and I worked…

A man sits at a wooden desk reviewing papers and using a computer, highlighting sections of a document with a highlighter.

Smart Spending

I Negotiated My Cell Phone Bill—And Got It Cut in Half

July 30, 2025

Retirement, for me, was supposed to be about simplicity. After 35 years of teaching high school history, wrangling teenagers, and…

Pocket Watch

I Tracked Oil Price Fluctuations—Here’s Why It Matters to My Wallet

July 28, 2025

Retirement, I thought, was supposed to be the great exhale. After forty years as a civil engineer, meticulously planning bridges…

A couple smiles while sitting in a clean, well-maintained used sedan parked in a well-lit driveway.

Pocket Watch

I Monitored the Auto Loan Market—Here’s How I Adjusted

July 27, 2025

There are certain sounds a car makes that you learn to ignore. A little squeak from the dashboard on a…

Deals & Discounts

How I Saved on Gas Using Fuel-Reward Apps

July 22, 2025

My silver sedan isn’t just a car. For me, it’s the key to the life I worked so hard to…

A woman sits at a desk, reviewing documents and a laptop, with a determined expression on her face.

Personal Finance

How I Negotiated a Raise (and Used It to Rebuild My Emergency Fund)

July 15, 2025

It’s funny how life can lull you into a sense of comfortable inertia. For years, I felt like I was…

A woman sits at a desk, surrounded by neatly organized paperwork and a laptop, thoughtfully reviewing her budget.

Personal Finance

The Surprising Things I Stopped Buying to Reach My Savings Goals

July 12, 2025

It’s funny how life has a way of nudging you, sometimes gently, sometimes with a bit more force, towards a…

A grand image of the Federal Reserve building at sunset, emphasizing its architectural details and conveying a sense of strength and stability.

Pocket Watch

7 Stocks That Reacted Big to the Fed’s Last Rate Hike

July 7, 2025

Welcome to Pocket Watch, where we keep an eye on the financial developments that matter to you. Today, we’re exploring…