This is a guest post.
We could all do with a little help managing our finances from time to time, and one of the best free resources out there is the internet itself. If you’re reading this blog, you probably already know some of the top places to look, but here’s a few more in case you missed them:
Free money-managing apps. Free apps for your iPhone, like Balance, not only help you keep track of how much you’re spending and where, but make you more conscious of when you’re spending. By making yourself enter all your purchases, you’ll get a feel for just how often you’re tapping into your bank account – and you’ll soon begin to identify areas where you can make savings.
Free debt advice. Organizations like the National Foundation for Credit Counseling provide free and expert advice on a wide range of issues, from financial education to housing, bankruptcy assistance and improving your credit score. Unlike for-profit organizations, the advice they provide is unbiased and designed to get your finances back on track as soon as possible. Many debt charities also provide a free helpline for one-to-one advice.
Free property valuations. Property valuations may seem like a long and expensive process, but in fact there are several sites that can help you if you want to sell your house fast. This is a great alternative to the traditional property market if you need to access the cash tied up in your property quickly, or if you have a sudden change in circumstances that means you have to relocate to another state.
Free budgeting sites. Web-based financial management tools have become much more sophisticated in recent years, and can even link directly to your bank account to provide real-time information on how your incomings and outgoings are doing. Yodley MoneyCenter is free and provides visual representations of where your money is going, as well as allowing you to transfer funds and pay bills.
Free price comparisons. This doesn’t just mean shopping around to find the best deal for your electricity and utilities providers, although you should definitely do that! There are price comparison sites for the gas you put in your car, your weekly groceries and many other things your spend money on every day. By always shopping around to get the best deal available, the savings will quickly add up.
This is a guest post by Sam Rodgers.
I always like to do a quick internet search for a coupon code just as I’m about to purchase something online. RetailMeNot is probably my favorite site for discount codes. If that doesn’t work, I try to get cash back from FatWallet or Ebates.
I’m showing my age here, but I have never heard of these sites. I like the idea of hte app for my iphone. Thanks for the information. I’ll have to check them out.
Free money management apps like mint.com and if you are a USAA member are terrific tools. Keeping track of your budget and staying within your spending limits is important to do no matter what stage of life you are in. I might also say I have used the net to sell my home on Craigslist several years ago and I also found my 1999 Audi A6 there as well. The advantages of utilizing the internet to shop around, compare prices and really figure out what is best for your unique situation is important for anyone that is budgeting.
mint.com is really an irreplaceable service at this point. Craigslist is also a good budgetary tool, you just have to be very cautious and only walk into safe situations.