Written by Rasmus Bach Hovgaard — Personal Finance Writer & Self-Taught Investor
I Was Terrible With Money. Here’s What Happened.
My name is Rasmus Bach Hovgaard. I’m in my early 20s, and not too long ago I was exactly the kind of person this blog is written for.
I grew up watching money be a source of stress, not a source of security. My family struggled — not because they didn’t work hard, but because nobody ever taught us how money actually works. Budgets, credit scores, investing — these weren’t dinner table conversations. They were mysteries we were supposed to figure out on our own.
So when I hit adulthood, I figured them out the hard way.
I graduated with debt and zero financial education. I lived paycheck to paycheck — not because I wasn’t earning, but because I had no system and no knowledge. I made financial mistakes that took real time and effort to undo: ignoring my credit, spending without tracking anything, having no safety net so every unexpected expense felt like a disaster.
The turning point wasn’t dramatic. It was more like a slow, uncomfortable realization that nothing was going to change unless I figured this out myself.
So I started reading. A lot. I went deep on budgeting methods, credit building, how investing actually works, what compound interest really means over decades. I stopped guessing and started building actual systems. Over time:
- I built an emergency fund from scratch — something I once thought was impossible on my income
- I brought my credit score from a number I was embarrassed about to one I’m genuinely proud of
- I started investing consistently — index funds, a Roth IRA, putting money to work instead of just watching it sit or disappear
None of it was overnight. But all of it was learnable — and that’s the part that changed everything for me.
My Experience & Background
I am not a licensed financial advisor, CPA, or certified financial planner. What I am is someone who spent years self-teaching personal finance after starting from zero — and then put everything I learned into real practice with my own money.
- Self-studied personal finance extensively — books, official regulatory sources, IRS publications, and hands-on testing of financial tools
- Built a fully-funded emergency fund from scratch while earning an entry-level income
- Rebuilt my credit from a score I was embarrassed about through consistent, strategic action over time
- Active investor in index funds and a Roth IRA — not theoretically, but with real money and a real long-term plan
- Personally researched and tested the personal finance apps, tools, and platforms featured on this site
How I Research and Write
Personal finance is a topic where bad information can genuinely hurt people. I take that seriously. Here’s how every article on this site gets made:
- Primary sources first. Every claim about fees, rates, contribution limits, or regulations links to the official source — the platform’s own fee schedule, IRS publications, SEC filings, or government databases. I don’t repeat what other blogs say without verifying it myself.
- Personal testing where possible. For apps and tools I recommend, I’ve either used them myself or gone through the signup and interface process hands-on. I note when something hasn’t been personally tested.
- Kept up to date. Financial products change — fees shift, rates move, contribution limits update annually. I revisit and update articles when information changes, and each article displays its last-reviewed date.
- Transparent on affiliate relationships. When an article contains affiliate links, that’s disclosed clearly at the top of the article — not buried in a footer. My recommendations are based on the product’s merit for the reader, not its commission rate.
- No guarantees or predictions. I don’t claim any investment will perform a certain way. Historical data is presented as historical data, not as a promise of future results. Risks are explained alongside potential benefits.
Editorial Standards
Every piece of content on My Financials Club is held to the following standards:
- All articles are written and reviewed by me, Rasmus Bach Hovgaard, personally
- Factual claims are sourced to primary references and linked inline within the article
- Affiliate and sponsored relationships are disclosed prominently, in compliance with FTC guidelines
- Product rankings and recommendations are based on defined, transparent criteria — not on undisclosed incentives or commission rates
- Educational information is clearly separated from personal opinion throughout every article
- Corrections and updates are made promptly when product details, rates, or regulations change
Why I Started This Blog
The more I learned, the more frustrated I got — not with money, but with how personal finance is taught online. Most of it is written for people who already have their foundation in place and just want to optimize. Or it’s so full of jargon it might as well be a textbook. Or it gives vague advice like “spend less than you earn” that tells you nothing about how to actually do that when you’re stressed, busy, and starting from zero.
I wanted to build something different. A place where someone who’s 19 and clueless, 26 and finally ready to take control, or 32 and tired of feeling behind can find real, practical guidance — written by someone who genuinely had to learn this stuff from scratch.
That’s My Financials Club.
What You’ll Find Here
This blog covers the four areas I had to figure out the hard way — and the areas where getting it right makes the biggest difference:
Budgeting — practical systems that actually work, plus honest reviews of the apps that can help you stick to them. No spreadsheet shame, no “just stop buying coffee” lectures.
Credit building — how credit scores actually work, how to build one from nothing, and how to recover if you’ve already made mistakes. Credit isn’t mysterious once you understand the rules.
Investing for beginners — what index funds are, why a Roth IRA is one of the most powerful financial tools available to you, and how to start even if you only have $25 a month to spare. Starting small beats waiting forever.
Saving — emergency funds, high-yield savings accounts, and the mechanics of actually keeping money instead of watching it vanish. One bad month shouldn’t derail your whole financial life.
A Note on Transparency
I am not a licensed financial advisor. Nothing on this site constitutes professional financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. The content here is for educational and informational purposes only, based on my personal experience and independent research. Always consult a qualified financial professional before making significant financial decisions.
Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you sign up for a product or service I recommend — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I’ve actually used or thoroughly researched, and affiliate relationships never influence my editorial opinions. You can read the full details in my Affiliate Disclosure.
If you have questions about anything on the site or want to reach me directly, you can contact me at rasmusbusinessmail@gmail.com.
If you’re just getting started with your finances, welcome. You’re in the right place.
— Rasmus Bach Hovgaard