Below is a list of my favorite financial tools.

Debt Planning

  • Debt Snowball and Debt Avalanche Spreadsheet – The Vertex42 Debt Reduction Calculator offers a free, downloadable Excel and Google Sheets tool to help users create customized debt payoff plans. It supports both the debt snowball and avalanche methods, allowing users to enter their debts and generate clear payment schedules and payoff timelines. The calculator is free for personal use with up to 10 debts, with expanded versions available for more complex needs.
  • Curadebt – CuraDebt is a reputable debt relief company with over 24 years of experience, offering personalized solutions for tax, consumer, and business debt. They help reduce debt through negotiation, have strong industry ratings, and are known for ethical, client-focused service.

Insurance

  • The Swiftest (Top Rated Life Insurance Companies) – The Swiftest compares top 2025 life insurance policies, highlighting prices, coverage, and no-exam options from leading providers, and offers a clear guide to help users choose the best plan for their needs.

Budgeting

  • Zero-Based Budgeting Spreadsheet – The Vertex42 Zero-Based Budget spreadsheet offers a free template for Excel, Google Sheets, and PDF to help users allocate every dollar of income, ensuring a balanced budget with no money left unassigned.
  • Family Budget Planner Spreadsheet – The Vertex42 Family Budget Planner provides a free, customizable Excel template that helps families track monthly expenses and savings, plan for the year, and visualize their budget with helpful graphs.
  • EveryDollar App – EveryDollar by Ramsey Solutions is a zero-based budgeting app that helps users plan and track their spending, with a free manual version and a paid version offering bank syncing and extra features for easier money management.
  • YNAB (You Need a Budget) – YNAB (You Need a Budget) is a personal budgeting app that helps users manage their money using a zero-based budgeting method. It assigns every dollar a job, encourages proactive planning for all expenses, and offers tools and educational resources to reduce financial stress. Available on web and mobile, YNAB is designed to help users gain control of their finances and achieve their goals.

Saving Money

  • PayPal Savings Account – PayPal Savings is a free, no-minimum, no-fee digital savings account through Synchrony Bank (FDIC insured). Users can earn a competitive interest rate, set savings goals, automate transfers, and manage everything in the PayPal app. A PayPal Balance account is required to use this feature.
  • WeBull Cash Management – Webull’s Cash Management account offers up to 4.10% APY on uninvested cash, no fees or minimums, and FDIC insurance up to $2.25 million through partner banks. It’s designed for investors to earn interest on idle funds.
  • Acorns – Acorns is an automated investing and savings app that helps users grow their money by rounding up everyday purchases and investing the spare change into diversified portfolios. It offers features like retirement accounts, kids’ investment accounts, and digital banking, making it easy for beginners to save, invest, and manage their finances all in one place.

Credit Monitoring

  • AnnualCreditReport.com –  is the official website authorized by federal law to provide free annual credit reports from each of the three major credit reporting companies. It helps users check their credit reports for accuracy, monitor for identity theft, and understand factors affecting their credit scores
  • Credit Karma – is a free online platform that provides users with access to their credit scores, personalized financial insights, and recommendations. It helps users understand their financial standing and offers tools to make informed decisions about credit cards, loans, and other financial products
  • Credit Freeze & Thaw – Clark.com’s Credit Freeze and Thaw Guide explains how to freeze and unfreeze your credit with the major credit bureaus to protect against identity theft. The guide details the difference between a credit freeze and a credit lock, highlights that freezing your credit is free and governed by federal law, and provides step-by-step instructions for securing your credit and lifting the freeze when needed.

Retirement Investing

  • Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund (VTSAX) – The Vanguard VTSAX webpage describes a low-cost mutual fund that tracks the entire U.S. stock market. VTSAX offers broad diversification, follows an index strategy, and is popular for investors seeking exposure to all U.S. stocks in one fund.

Estate Planning

  • The LegalZoom Estate Planning Bundle – Lets you create wills, trusts, and related documents online, with optional attorney support. Plans start at $99 and help you protect assets and manage healthcare and financial decisions.