5 Great Online Money Management Tools

As a doctoral student in social work at the University of Alabama, Shani K. Collins was struggling to make the most of her part-time income when she read an article about Mint.com, the online financial management tool. “I was not as disciplined about budgeting as I should have been,” the 31-year-old admits. But after a few months of using the tool to track her spending, “I saw that I was spending 11% of my income eating out.”

Determined to make wiser choices about her money, Collins tracked her budget and cut her dining out expenses by four percentage points. A part-time adjunct instructor at the University of Alabama and Shelton State Community College, Collins has also become more knowledgeable about finances in general thanks to the tips on money management that Mint.com provides. “More than anything, I became aware of areas I’m weak in and how to improve.”

One advantage of using online management tools is that they allow you to more efficiently track your finances, says Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, co-founder of the free financial advice site AskTheMoneyCoach.com. “A lot of people manage their finances haphazardly,” she says. Online money management tools give you one place to record and monitor all your information, and you can access them wherever there’s a Web browser. Some offer mobile apps, so you can keep up with your finances on the go, Khalfani-Cox adds.

Online money management tools can also help you avoid racking up late charges. “A lot of people who make late payments do it because they simply forget,” says Karen Carlson, director of education for InCharge Debt Solutions, a credit counseling organization in Orlando, Florida. Online money management tools typically offer e-mail and text message alerts to remind you of upcoming bills or tell you you’re going over

budget. “We don’t think about our personal finances 24 hours a day, but we want to be thinking about them when we’re $25 away from overdrawing our checking account, and that’s what these tools offer,” Carlson says.

SavvyMoney
(www.savvymoney.com)
Cost: $11.95 Per Month
Trial 14-Day Membership For $1.
If your goal is debt management, try SavvyMoney.
The site recommends the debt-stacking method, in which you focus on the debt with the highest interest rate first, and then pay the debt with the next highest interest rate, and so on. The site also provides a to-do list and payment reminders and suggestions that can help you get out of debt faster, such as negotiating a lower interest rate with a credit card issuer.

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Smarty Pig
(wwwsmartypig.com)
Cost: Free
If your goal is saving, try SmartyPig.
SmartyPig is an FDIC-insured online savings account that lets you

put funds aside for specific goals that can range from a wedding to a new computer. Contributions toward the goal will come from your other checking or savings accounts. You can also synchronize the account with Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to let friends and family see your progress and perhaps donate to your cause.

Moneytrackin’
(wwww.moneytrackin.com)
Cost: Free
If your goal is tracking your spending, try Moneytrackin’.
Moneytrackin.com helps you monitor all your accounts, giving you a bird’s-eye view of your balances and transactions at any given time. You can also set limits on spending in specific accounts. One of its most helpful features enables members who are working on financial goals to share tips with each other.

Buxfer
(www.buxfer.com)
Cost: From Free For Basic
Features – $4.99/Month For
Unlimited Budgeting & Financial Projection Capabilities
If your goal is general money management, try Buxfer.
Buxfer helps you

monitor your spending, set savings goals, and even track debts owed to friends, giving you one place to get a handle on your entire financial picture. Once you set up your budget, spending reports make it easy to see which categories you’re spending the most money in and to set limits in certain categories if needed. You can also have alerts sent to your cellphone.

Turbotax
(www.turbotax.com)
Cost: Free; $99.95 To File Federal Return; $39.95 Additional To File A State Return
If your goal is tax planning, try TurboTax.
TurboTax provides you with step-by-step guidance for filling out your return. It also walks you through dealing with the consequences of important life changes that can affect your tax situation, such as getting married, having a baby, or buying or selling a house. The site can download your investment and savings information directly from your bank.