The No. 1 rule of personal finance is to spend less than you earn. So if you want to get ahead financially, it's important to save moneywhere you can.

But if you really want to improve your finances, there's the flip side of that equation to consider as well – making more money. With a side hustle or money-making hobby, you can give yourself a raise whether your employer wants to or not.

Here's the truth no one wants to talk about: Learning how to make money can improve your finances in ways that saving money simply cannot. There are only so many ways to save, but there are an unlimited number of ways to earn extra money you can use to pay down debt, save for the future, or actually have some fun.