Warning: The following post presents a shameless promotion for a financial planning resource. The writer did not receive anything as a result of writing the post (except the sheer thrill accompanying its daily use). Also, there are no pictures.
Today I want to share with you all one of the most important resources in my life right now. It is called Mint.com.
Mint is a free and secure online tool for money management. It has literally saved my life as I have recently made the transition from single to married life. Using bank-level security, it allows you to simultaneously view transactions from all of your personal bank and credit card accounts, providing the best big-picture possible. (To read more about the privacy and security features, go here).
My favorite features on Mint are the ability to create monthly budgets and reclass transactions accordingly. I personally find it confusing when I have multiple things going on between my checking, savings, and credit cards, so this helps to make everything crystal clear. In addition, it allows you to add loans and assets to calculate your overall net worth. You can even create goals and plans for long-term savings, investments, and loan-repayment.
While this resource probably does not offer more features than an accounting software would, I love the fact that it is free and it is online so I can access it anywhere. I would definitely recommend getting some sort of budgeting program if you don't already have a good financial tracking system in place, and I would venture to guess that - even if you do - this one would be easier to use and more efficient.
Mint has definitely helped Ronnie and I stay on the same financial page for the first 6 months of our marriage, and probably been the cause of avoiding many potential money-related conflicts. I fell in love with Mint from the moment my friend Christy shared it with me, and feel completely stingy that I haven't shared it with more people since. If you at all struggle with spending or simple confusion and lack of clarity in regards to your finances, please check Mint.com out; and if you do, let me know what you think!
