Lauren Bringle Lauren Bringle is an Accredited Financial Counselor and Content Marketing Manager at Self Financial, a financial technology company that empowers people to build credit and savings so they can build their dreams. Lauren's work has appeared in The Washington Post, Time Next Advisor, Mint, iHeart Radio, VICE, LifeHacker, KTLA, ABC Sacramento and more. She's passionate about empowering women to not just survive but thrive in life, career, and money. About Real Simple Real Simple, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is an award-winning, trusted online resource for for smart, authentic solutions to simplify your life. We reach 11 million readers a month. Our content is written by experienced journalists and fact-checked for accuracy. Learn more about us and our editorial guidelines.