Money Management – Best Online Tools of the Trade

For some, “saving for a rainy day” and “not spending more than you earn” was instilled during the early years of childhood. Saving money is like second nature to these folks, who wouldn’t dream of opening a credit card account.

But on the flip side to this, there are millions of Americans struggling under a pile of bills and debt each month. For them, the terms “saving money” and “eliminating debt” sound as foreign as the Swahili language. If this describes you, have no fear! I’m going to share some valuable money management resources that will have you smiling all the way to the bank! 🙂

Dave Ramsey.com – One of the most respected and sought-after speakers in the industry, Dave Ramsey provides men, women and yes—even children—with solid, practical advice to help you eliminate debt once and for all. His famous “7 Baby Steps” include:

• Starting a $1000 emergency fund
• Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball
• Putting 3-6 months of expenses into savings, and more.

His Financial Peace University seminars draw huge crowds, and those in attendance walk away feeling inspired, encouraged and ready to accept the challenge to “Live like no one else now, so you can live like no one else later.”

Mint.com – By pulling all of your financial accounts together, Mint.com is a secure and highly effective approach toward online budget tracking. Some of the most popular features include:

• Creating a workable budget based on your previous spending
• Alerts for those annoying bank fees or when you’re in danger of going over budget
• Ability to view your accounts online or via mobile app
• Safe, read-only service. This means your financial information is as safe as Fort Knox, with no fear of accidently moving funds from one account to another.
• Best part of all—it’s totally FREE!

Crown Financial Ministries – Founded in 1976, Crown provides families with a Scripturally-based approach to money management through a variety of tools such as:

• Financial calculators
• Online envelope budgeting system
• Coaching, seminars and more.

Family Mint.com – Teach your children the value of money right from the get-go! This great resource offers both free and fee-based plans that allow children to track and budget their money safely and easily. Parents can set savings goals, offer incentives (for good grades, etc), and more.

So how do you manage your money? Do you use a cash envelope system or an online tracking tool? Are you working hard to eliminate cumbersome debt or are you a “born saver”? Share your tips and insights with us below.

About Karrie

Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...