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Manage Your Credit With 10 Online Tools
Managing your credit and personal finances can be an exhausting task to take on all alone. Regardless of whether you’re in debt or in the clear—or whether you’re a financial whiz kid or not at all financially minded—online tools can help you successfully manage your credit.
1. Mint: Manage your credit and finances with this free online tool that syncs bank accounts, credit cards, loans and investments. Mint reports on where your money is going and allows you to set budgets for yourself.
2. ClearCheckbook: This money management tool allows you to balance your checkbook online, view spending reports, automate recurring payments and set budgets. You can update your account online or on your cell phone.
3. SmartyPig: Set your own savings goals and deadlines, and SmartyPig will automatically withdraw payments from your checking account each month. You can also give friends and family access to your goals so they can help you reach them.
4. CalcEnstein: This “ultimate” online calculator determines interest, savings, exchange rates and business finances, among many other tasks. But the calculator is good for more than just your finances: Determine your body mass index, how much fertilizer your lawn needs or your blood alcohol content.
5. CardTrak: The CardTrak calculator can determine how long it will take you to get out of debt by inputting the amount you owe, your interest rates and how much you’re paying down. It also analyzes available credit card offers to determine which has the lowest interest rates and best rewards programs.
6. Bankrate: This site can help you compare mortgage, CD, savings and credit card interest rates, among others. It also helps you calculate how quickly you can get out of debt, determine how much money you will need to retire with and estimate your creditworthiness.
7. CNN Money: This comprehensive website provides calculators for everything from retirement to monthly mortgage payments. The site can determine your net worth, how quickly your savings will grow, how quickly you can get out of debt and how much you will need to save for your child’s college tuition.
8. Practical Money Skills for Life: In addition to financial and debt management articles, this site offers auto loan payment, mortgage payment, retirement and even holiday budgeting calculators. Put some fun into managing your credit with the site’s “Financial Football” interactive game or its “Smart Money Quiz Show.”
9. Mapping Your Future: This free online resource provides career, college, financial aid and money management information, with a strong focus on students and their parents. The site offers tools and calculators for balancing a checkbook, determining a budget, establishing a savings plan and managing student debt.
10. CreditReportsandScores.com: Manage your credit by obtaining detailed reports on your credit history and credit score, as well as information on how your credit score was determined and what it means. Receive immediate alerts of changes reported by any of the three credit reporting agencies.
