Guides
Free plain-English walk-throughs of the stuff our tools analyze. Read any of these to understand the basics — or skip straight to the $9.99 analyzer if you just want a verdict on your specific document.
Apr 13, 2026
How to read your homeowners insurance policy (2026 guide)
A complete walkthrough of every section of a modern homeowners policy — declarations, coverages, exclusions, sub-limits, endorsements, and deductible math — with real claim examples and the specific numbers that matter.
Apr 13, 2026
How to beat the ATS (Applicant Tracking System) in 2026
A complete 2026 playbook for getting your resume past Applicant Tracking Systems — formatting rules that actually matter, keyword matching without stuffing, parseable section headers, and a tailoring workflow for applying to multiple jobs.
Apr 13, 2026
How to ask for a raise in 2026 (without getting shut down)
A tactical, scripted playbook for asking for a raise in 2026 — when to ask, how to research market rate without overreaching, the anatomy of the conversation, and what to do with a lowball counter or an outside offer.
Apr 13, 2026
The homeowner's guide to reading a contractor quote (without getting screwed)
A line-by-line breakdown of what a fair contractor quote looks like in 2026 — the markup ranges that are normal, the line items that get padded, how to verify material prices yourself, and what a good payment schedule looks like.
Apr 13, 2026
Every contract clause you should never sign without reading (2026)
A clause-by-clause field guide to the eleven contract terms that quietly transfer risk, money, or rights away from you — with fair versions, predatory versions, and real-world examples of each.
Apr 9, 2026
Should I sign this lease? 9 clauses to check before you do
Leases are full of small clauses that compound into thousands of dollars in surprise costs. Here are the nine specific things to check before you sign any residential lease.
Apr 9, 2026
7 red flags in a freelance contract that will cost you later
The specific clauses that show up in freelance agreements and quietly transfer all the risk to you. With the counter-language to propose for each.
Apr 9, 2026
Is my raise actually good? The 3-number test every employee should run
Most "good" raises aren't good. Here's how to do the math in 30 seconds — inflation-adjusted, market-adjusted, and peer-adjusted — plus a 4-sentence counter-offer script.
Apr 9, 2026
Is my contractor quote fair? A 5-minute zip-code check for homeowners
How to spot an inflated contractor quote in five minutes without getting three more quotes. Covers the markup ranges that are normal vs. predatory, line items to watch, and a free pushback script.
Apr 9, 2026
How to tailor your resume to a specific job description (in 10 minutes)
Generic resumes get filtered out by ATS before a human sees them. Here's the 10-minute process to tailor your resume for a specific job, ATS-safe, with the exact bullet rewrites that actually work.
Apr 9, 2026
How to actually read your insurance policy (without falling asleep)
A plain-English walkthrough of the only 6 sections of your homeowners or renters policy that actually matter, and the specific numbers to check in each one.
Apr 9, 2026
How much should a bathroom remodel cost in 2026? A zip-code calculator
Fair bathroom remodel pricing in 2026 varies wildly by zip code. Here's the range for each major cost category, plus how to spot when a contractor is padding a line item.
Apr 9, 2026
Do I actually need flood insurance? A decision framework for homeowners
Flood insurance is expensive and nobody wants to pay for it — but one flood will wipe out your savings. Here's how to decide in 10 minutes whether you actually need it.
Apr 9, 2026
What's the average raise in 2026 — and is yours actually competitive?
The average US raise in 2026 is around 3.8% — but that national average hides huge variation by industry, role, and location. Here's what competitive actually looks like, with benchmarks.