![Meredith Dietz](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/authors/01HF2FBE4ASBWE2SZPMN349CSQ/image.fill.size_204x204.v1699834410.jpg)
Meredith Dietz is Lifehacker’s Senior Finance Writer. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Communications from Northeastern University, where she graduated as valedictorian of her college. She grew up waitressing in her family restaurant in Wilmington, DE and worked at Hasbro Games, where she wrote rules for new games. Previously, she worked in the non-profit space as a Leadership Resident with the Harpswell Foundation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; later, she was a travel coordinator for a study abroad program that traced the rise of fascist propaganda across Western Europe.
Since then, Meredith has been driven to make personal finance accessible and address taboos of talking openly about money, including debt, investing, and saving for retirement. Outside of finance writing, Meredith is a marathon runner and stand-up comedian who has been a regular contributor to The Onion and Reductress. Meredith lives in Brooklyn, NY.
![Victorious man grabbing money standing on pile of cash](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2HFMHZ54VKCXT4KAW8VR0X/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701381628.jpg)
![Victorious man grabbing money standing on pile of cash](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2HFMHZ54VKCXT4KAW8VR0X/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701381628.jpg)
![man holding receipts and smartphone, calculating bills](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HGB7FWSPX6XQ6CHEJR5VM0XA/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701359357.png)
![man holding receipts and smartphone, calculating bills](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HGB7FWSPX6XQ6CHEJR5VM0XA/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701359357.png)
![Illustration of money blooming like flowers.](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HGE04QEZFMV2099PMX8GHDKT/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701276966.jpg)
![Illustration of money blooming like flowers.](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HGE04QEZFMV2099PMX8GHDKT/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701276966.jpg)
![A row of small snow-covered evergreens trees on the Boy River in Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HGBSP17D7SA8YA6GSHCV0NBS/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701207658.png)
![A row of small snow-covered evergreens trees on the Boy River in Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HGBSP17D7SA8YA6GSHCV0NBS/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701207658.png)
![Couple in apartment working on laptop.](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HG8W282E1MJK2VYM0G7D0XDS/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701104918.png)
![Couple in apartment working on laptop.](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HG8W282E1MJK2VYM0G7D0XDS/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701104918.png)
![A woman looking at her phone, sitting at an airport gate](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HG902F4E5F406E72KY2T470P/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701110830.png)
![A woman looking at her phone, sitting at an airport gate](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HG902F4E5F406E72KY2T470P/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1701110830.png)
![Two women chatting at a coffee shop](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFW40MDF5K36HMYGZN6ZG9PX/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700678477.png)
![Two women chatting at a coffee shop](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFW40MDF5K36HMYGZN6ZG9PX/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700678477.png)
![A person at an ATM, holding a phone](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFSM11VW7VGJWSBV4EMC8PNV/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700598036.png)
![A person at an ATM, holding a phone](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFSM11VW7VGJWSBV4EMC8PNV/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700598036.png)
![A crowd of people standing around tables at a networking event](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFPZ21ZEVT3QXDV4G1YFNAEP/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700506707.png)
![A crowd of people standing around tables at a networking event](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFPZ21ZEVT3QXDV4G1YFNAEP/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700506707.png)
![A laptop displaying bar graphs and line graphs, sitting on a table in a softly lit living room.](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFF2A20TTW80Q1FQJY857EF2/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700247393.png)
![A laptop displaying bar graphs and line graphs, sitting on a table in a softly lit living room.](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFF2A20TTW80Q1FQJY857EF2/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700247393.png)
![Serious 60s elderly father and grown up adult son sitting on sofa talking having important conversation trying to solve life issues problem, different men relative people communication at home concept](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFCYYF1F3GR839R64DK42MKC/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700168416.png)
![Serious 60s elderly father and grown up adult son sitting on sofa talking having important conversation trying to solve life issues problem, different men relative people communication at home concept](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFCYYF1F3GR839R64DK42MKC/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700168416.png)
![A person writing with pen and paper in front of a laptop](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFADK5TN7VK9BSM9EBTNBERC/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700083829.png)
![A person writing with pen and paper in front of a laptop](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HFADK5TN7VK9BSM9EBTNBERC/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1700083829.png)
![Man holding several credit cards](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF7MH22XAJ6AT1BVQ6PFT2H2/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699989719.png)
![Man holding several credit cards](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF7MH22XAJ6AT1BVQ6PFT2H2/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699989719.png)
![Finance, budget and banking with a young couple feeling stress, anxiety and worry about savings, investment and the future. Boyfriend and girlfriend planning and talking about bills, taxes and debt](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF52YG1EX6HZY6FN3YN164NY/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699904176.png)
![Finance, budget and banking with a young couple feeling stress, anxiety and worry about savings, investment and the future. Boyfriend and girlfriend planning and talking about bills, taxes and debt](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF52YG1EX6HZY6FN3YN164NY/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699904176.png)
![Gen Z working around a laptop](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2GVT48ASVVA3ANMX2KCVSR/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699834280.jpg)
![Gen Z working around a laptop](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2GVT48ASVVA3ANMX2KCVSR/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699834280.jpg)
![A scene of runners at the finish line of a race](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2GFKH8MNQC6SAZYADYC661/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699835855.png)
![A scene of runners at the finish line of a race](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2GFKH8MNQC6SAZYADYC661/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699835855.png)
![Here’s When It’s Smart to Have Just One Credit Card](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2H2GH49CRBGFY03AX6VC09/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699834424.jpg)
![Here’s When It’s Smart to Have Just One Credit Card](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2H2GH49CRBGFY03AX6VC09/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699834424.jpg)
![Meredith’s Training Diaries: How to Be the Most Supportive Spectator at a Marathon](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2H5KEMM40X46AY6FW67KC6/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699833434.png)
![Meredith’s Training Diaries: How to Be the Most Supportive Spectator at a Marathon](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2H5KEMM40X46AY6FW67KC6/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699833434.png)
![Evil Week: 8 Things People Only Think Are Illegal](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2GQ4BZGRV7B9XR29HMPN9E/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699833647.png)
![Evil Week: 8 Things People Only Think Are Illegal](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2GQ4BZGRV7B9XR29HMPN9E/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699833647.png)
![You Can (Probably) Still Make a Killing on I Bonds](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2GNS5HRCEF5FZWRKFPYCRQ/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699833663.jpg)
![You Can (Probably) Still Make a Killing on I Bonds](https://lifehacker.com/imagery/articles/01HF2GNS5HRCEF5FZWRKFPYCRQ/hero-image.fill.size_245x138.v1699833663.jpg)