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Nicole Dieker Finley

Freelance Writer

Nicole Dieker Finley is a personal finance expert who’s been writing about money for over a decade. For Vox’s Money Talks interview column, she’s written stories about couples who run small businesses, navigate different relationships with spending, handle health insurance, and more, and she answers reader questions for Vox’s On the Money column.

Her work has appeared in Bankrate, Lifehacker, Morning Brew, and Dwell. She is also the author of the Larkin Day Mysteries, a comedy-cozy mystery series set in eastern Iowa, and The Biographies of Ordinary People.

Latest articles by Nicole Dieker Finley

What if a budget isn’t the answer?What if a budget isn’t the answer?
Even Better

Budgeting culture is on overdrive, but the latest trend probably isn’t the answer to your money woes.

By Nicole Dieker Finley
I plan to retire in 2025. Am I financially prepared?
Life

Want a clearer picture of 2025? Talk to your investment adviser.

By Nicole Dieker Finley
Why is money so hard?
Life

Every year, we spend and resolve to figure things out later. Now’s the time to make a plan.

By Nicole Dieker Finley
Should I pay someone to invest for me?
Even Better

Managing your portfolio with an adviser can be helpful.

By Nicole Dieker Finley
Investing can be intimidating. Where do I even start?
Even Better

How to assess your finances before you invest in the stock market.

By Nicole Dieker Finley
What you really need to know about divorce and money
The Highlight

How to take charge of your finances, according to two divorce professionals.

By Nicole Dieker Finley
Should I sacrifice my emergency savings to pay off a loan?
Life

Using your savings to pay off a loan can be tempting. Is it worth it?

By Nicole Dieker Finley
I feel stuck in the middle class. Will a loan help me build generational wealth?
Life

How to think about investing and protecting your money for retirement.

By Nicole Dieker Finley
The married tuba-accordion duo who opened a pizzeria
Even Better

The musicians spent 10 years renovating a derelict old building in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and turned it into a thriving business.

By Nicole Dieker Finley
Money Talks: The Black business owners who forged a partnership in uncertain times 
Even Better

The greeting card illustrator and the head of a gifting startup got together to support the Buy Black movement.

By Nicole Dieker Finley