[alexanderstears]

I think the best thing to do is look at each transaction separately, read a few sources, and reflect on what made sense, what the sources were all agreement about, and what seemed like a pitch.

Consumer advocacy agencies usually have excellent advice. Credit unions seem to have well-intentioned advice but the information can be incomplete.

E.g if you're about to buy a car, read a few articles about getting car loans, don't just take the dealership finance person at their word.

I've been meaning to get around to making a decision tree for technical people who never had to bother with this stuff but I don't know how much time I need to dedicate to "please don't buy a jetski if you're unemployed".