Modest Money is here to help you take control of your financial life. Here are some tools to increase your knowledge of personal finance, better manage your money, and grow your wealth. Each of these products and services is an awesome resource that we use and recommend. This is just the tip of the iceberg; Once you start using these tools to improve your finances you won’t want to stop. But as a starting point, this handful of resources can make a huge difference in your financial life!
Investment
Betterment – We love Betterment. For many people considering investment for the first time, it all seems overwhelming. Betterment makes the process of investing easy to understand. By making smart allocations for you, you can enjoy Betterment’s “Set it and forget it” approach to investing. When you’re ready to get your hands dirty, you can use their powerful tools to move your money around just the way you want it.
Lending Club – Lending Club is another great P2P lending source. As a borrower, you’ll have a pool of lending competing to give you your money at the lowest rate. You’ll know what you qualify for in minutes, and the cash will be in your bank in a few days. Lending Club users are loving how they can save by “taking out the middle man” of traditional lending institutions. Lenders love getting a solid, reliable return on the money they lend.
Money Management
Personal Capital – There are plenty of money management resources in your web and mobile life, but few are as strong as Personal Capital when it comes to investment! This is a tool for people who have already figured their finances out, and are ready to step up their wealth-building game. Personal Capital is elegant and powerful, an amazing resource to continue building your financial life.
Financial Books
The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing by Terry Larimore – There is possibly no better book to get your feet wet as an investor. But Bogleheads’ offers so much more. Even if you’ve been investing for years, this is a wealth of information about all of the myriad approaches to investment. A basic strategy for the beginner drawn throughout, one that will serve you well for the rest of your financial life.
The Millionaire Next Door by T. Stanley and W. Danko – This is a great book that continues to be updated and read nearly 20 years after its first publication. I like this book for beginners because it lays out 7 finance characteristics common to America’s wealthiest citizens. This isn’t one of those “7 Quick Steps” books. It’s the result of more than two decades of research and analysis on the part of the authors. It’s simply one of the best finance books a young person could hope to read. But no matter your age, these techniques will pay huge dividends in anyone’s life.
Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki – While not a financial book per se, Kawasaki’s book is the perfect guide to getting your start at your financial goals. Whether you are starting a business or just hoping to dig yourself out of a lifetime of debt, this book will show you how to form your unique battle plan. So many people have a goal, but never get momentum. This guide will motivate you to make it happen, and provide a lot of other resources along the way, for your personal and financial life.
Other
HostGator – This tried and true web hosting provider is perfect for websites large and small. If you are getting a web host for the first time, HostGator can be your best friend, with service to meet your needs no matter how big your little site grows. They guarantee 99.9% up time, and have world class customer service to answer all your questions. Their customer base tends to stick around, with many users still loving the company after more than 10 years. So if you’re looking for web hosting, I suggest you look no further.
Free Downloads and Money-Saving Tools – Check out this list of great free tools and downloads to help you save money. It includes a free budget template. This is provided by fellow blogger Canadian Budget Binder.