It’s an easy-to-use accounting software that helps you keep track of all your spending in one place, so you can see where your money goes.

Maybe you have tried budgeting the old-fashioned way and want to try something else. A personal finance app like Quicken may be the answer!

By using Quicken, you’ll have a clear picture of how much money is coming in, pay bills and track due dates, and how much is left over for fun and savings. It’s never been easier to take charge of your finances!

In this Quicken review, we will look at the benefits of using Quicken and talk about the new features that can make a difference in your budget.

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What Is Quicken?

Quicken is one of the best personal softwares available. It helps you gain control of your spending and savings so that you can live the life you want and achieve financial freedom.

Quicken has been around since 1983. It was first introduced as a DOS program account software by Intuit Inc, but in 2016 Quicken was sold to Equiline Partners. 

It’s a personal finance management tool that helps you keep track of your spending and saving.

It’s easy to use, so it’s perfect for beginners or anyone who wants to take control of their money.

You connect your membership with your bank accounts, credit cards, investments, loans, and other financial institutions, so everything is automatically updated.

That way, you always know where every dollar goes and how much money you have leftover at the end of the month.

The software has come a long way since it first hit the market, and there are now different versions to suit everyone’s needs.

There’s a Quicken for Mac and Windows users, plus there’s a Quicken mobile and web companion app. They also offer Quicken Home and a Business version.

Who Benefits From Quicken?

Quicken has become a popular accounting software with several different types of Quicken users:

People who want things simpler

Quicken is helpful for people who want their budget to be simple to understand and can check it on the go. Some other companies will have you pay for features you don’t need

Simplifi by Quicken is the newest program designed specifically for people who are new to budgeting, who want advice on how to save and make the most out of their money.

It also has automated sorting- so when you buy things, it gets placed in a category right away so you know how you’re doing. You’re out buying some groceries?

Simpifi will know, and you’ll both know right away if you’ve got to spend less on groceries! It’s so helpful to get alerts for overspending and unusual spending, Simplifi and Quicken make it easy and do all the leg work!

To learn more, read our full Simplifi Review here. 

People who like details

Quicken is a great accounting software solution for people who want to track their spending and understand where their money goes each month.

People can create budgets and see how well they’re doing each month and do a better job managing their money.

Investors

Quicken is also popular with investors. Not only can people track their investment portfolio and see how investments are doing, but they can also create detailed budgets for each investment.

Budget newbies

Now we’ve been budgeting for a very long time, but we know some of you are new to the game! Budgeting doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but it can be difficult knowing where to start exactly.

Not every Quicken program is made for big businesses with billions to keep track of. You can find the perfect option for you with Quicken to budget your money without being bogged down by the financial minutia.

Simplifi by Quicken is made for those who want a simpler want to budget that doesn’t bewilder you with financial jargon or have you pay for a bunch of features you won’t use!

This option is perfect for college students just starting out who need help saving money or college graduates who want a good plan for paying back their student loans.

Not only is it a great option for college students/grads, but it’s also for people who like the simpler visualization or for busy people on the go – powerfully simple.

Business people who want to track both home & business in the same place, separate but together

Quicken is a great way to keep track of business expenses and get business accounting software that works for you.

It can create different spending categories for business expenses to track how much is being spent on things like office supplies and any other expenses that are relevant to doing business.

People who want accessible personal finances

Have you noticed how some budget programs aren’t exactly cell phone friendly? It can be frustrating not having access to your budget when you’re on the go.

You can check your spending as you shop with Quicken and make sure you aren’t wrecking your personal finance stats!

Well, Quicken created Simplifi specifically for us techy folks who want a Quicken mobile app budget that is quick and practical- and, of course, usable at all times!

People who don’t trust the cloud

Quicken is popular with people who prefer not to connect their financial institutions and personal information with the cloud.

They don’t want to use mobile apps and like keeping everything on their computer to be accessed very easily. You can opt to add in your transactions manually or let Quicken do it for you.

Quicken Pricing & Programs

Quicken is an accounting software that uses a subscription model with its users.

They have four packages/subscriptions that offer different features, ranging in price from $28.68 to $71.88 when you pay annually.

Quicken is available at electronic stores, online on their website, or through Amazon. If you choose to subscribe to Quicken, there are automatic updates on all versions of Quicken for one year for free.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee, but you lose automated downloads from financial institutions on Quicken if you choose to cancel your subscription.

Each package comes with the Desktop version and Quicken web & mobile companion app. You can also create a simple one-month budget with each package, sync your bank accounts (if you want), and pay bills online with the bank bill pay feature.

The packages Quicken offers are Simplifi By Quicken, Quicken Starter, Quicken Deluxe, Quicken Premier, and Quicken Home & Business. Let’s take a look at each package!

Simplifi By Quicken

Price: $28.68 per year 

Features:

Simplifi by Quicken was built for web and mobile, whereas the Quicken packages work best on desktops.

It’s made for people who are new to budgets, who don’t need excessive features to manage their money.

Its most notable features are the custom monthly spending plans, their updated pies and graphs (great visuals!), easy-to-navigate financial reports, and it has some investment account tracking options for your portfolio, unlike Starter and Deluxe.

It’s simpler than the experienced investor features you get with other Quicken plans.

Quicken Deluxe 

Price: $35.88 per year

Quicken Deluxe helps you track all of your financial accounts and provides easy-to-use charts, graphs, and reports. Setting up your budget at the beginning of the month/year is easy. 

Features:

Quicken Deluxe lets you create custom reports and track loans, investments, and retirement accounts.

Quicken Premier 

Price: $50.28 per year

Quicken Premier offers even more features for the advanced investor.

Features:

Quicken Premier includes every feature of Quicken Deluxe, plus the ability to pay your bills through the software and see the current fair market value of your home through Zillow.

Quicken Premium also offers front-of-the-line access to Quicken support.

Quicken Home & Business

Price: $71.88 per year

Quicken Home & Business is the most comprehensive plan Quicken offers and is suitable for people who want to track their home and business/rental finances all in one place.

Features:

Quicken Home & Business is available to Windows users.

It includes every feature of the other Quicken plans, plus you can create invoices and track your income and expenses related to your business.

The dashboard is easy to navigate and has personal and business financial data features.

Some additional features are:

• Rental property management, where you can view your rental properties’ information, your rent receipts, your rental property tenants, and much more
• Personal property management, where you can add the assets you own and their estimated property value
• Tenant management, where you can record rental payments, track tenant information, and more
• Vehicle management, where you can add your car’s information, including the make, model, year, and mileage
• Tools for checking the security prices every 15 minutes and the “What ifs” of buying and selling investments

Quicken Features 

Like any personal finance app, changes get made along the way to be better for you!

The most recent changes were made in 2021 during the pandemic, but many of the 2021 features for Quicken are just tweaking old stuff.

However, a few updates may be of interest to potential users:

Tracking Spending/Expenses 

One of the changes that Quicken made was to change the spending dashboard to see all your spending and expenses in one place.

You can view all your accounts in one place and make sure your bills are paid and that you aren’t overspending.

You can now see your spending by category, merchant, or date and even break it down by household members. Doing this will help you quickly and easily identify where you are overspending in your budget.

Another feature of Quicken is that you can check your transactions to make sure they are legitimate transactions, giving you an extra layer of protection to your finances.

Financial Planning- Money Tracking

Financial planning with Quicken 2021 is made a little easier with the ability to create budgets, long-term financial plans, and tax planning.

You can also use the Debt Reduction calculator to help you reach your financial goals.

The budgeting tool in Quicken is one of the most popular features that allows you to track your spending and savings to make sure you stay within your budget.

You can set it up to automatically create a budget for you based on your income and expenses.

Another popular feature is the Savings Goals feature. You can set it up to automatically save money for a specific goal, like a vacation or a new car.

The Savings Goals feature helps you make sure you reach your short and long-term goals by setting a deadline and showing you how much money you need to save on a monthly or yearly basis.

Quicken also offers a Tax Center. The Tax Center includes the option to all the information you need to file your taxes, including how to report income and expenses, what deductions you can claim, and more.

Bill Management (Bill Pay)

Bills are a huge part of personal finances- and making sure your head is above water!

That’s why Quicken makes it easy to handle your bills by paying directly from your checking account.

In August 2020, Quicken moved from a Bill Pay platform to a new platform called Quicken Bill Manager.

The new platform has the latest features and is available to Premium package users and higher. Starter and Deluxe users can add it to their packages for $9.95 a month.

The Quicken Bill Management feature allows you to do everything from one place in the Bills dashboard.

You can track your bills, pay your bills, stay up-to-date with all your account balances, plus even download a copy of your invoice.

Online payments can be made through a Quicken service, either online or by mail to anyone in the United States.

Investment Tracking

Quicken investments are available for users on Quicken Deluxe, Premiere, and Home and Business.

Investment management software is important for investors to know how their stocks and bonds are doing, plus other investments like cryptocurrency.

Quicken connects with over 14 million financial institutions, so you can be sure your investment changes will be tracked at any moment. 

What I like is that Quicken can track your investments, but also it can also calculate capital gains and losses on your portfolio options.

Retirement Overview

The retirement tool in Quicken allows you to get a summary of your retirement accounts.

You can see exactly how much money is available to you at certain times throughout the year and what your monthly income would be if you started drawing from this account today.

The 401(k) retirement tool is helpful to project how long your current savings will last in retirement.

It doesn’t take the place of independent financial advice but it is valuable for those who are nearing retirement and want to know what their options are.

Quicken For Mac

Now we all know that some programs don’t translate well to Mac products, and vice versa for iOS systems.

However, Quicken for Mac is their way of making sure Mac users get all the same benefits and less of the glitches!

Before the updates, Quicken was slower on Apple devices- graphs were slow to load, account linking would take more time, etc.

But they revamped things to be twice as fast, with better graph designs and better Portfolio views.

The dashboard is all new for users, so your Home runs smoothly- it has 5 category cards: Income, Expense, Spending by Category, Recent Transactions, Uncategorized Transactions, and Top spending Payee.

Some users still think the PC version runs smoother than Quicken for Mac, but I don’t feel like it’s all that lacking when we use it.

I do use it mainly from our computer rather than the mobile app, and mobile is for quick peeks at all your accounts, so there could be some lagging on the go that I don’t see very often.

Account Synchronization 

One of the best features of Quicken is that it can be synchronized with all your personal finances, including investment accounts and credit card accounts.

Hooking up your financial institution or other accounts gives you the most benefits with Quicken’s features.

This means that all of your financial information is in one place, and you don’t have to worry about tracking multiple websites to see your account balances.

The synchronization process is simple and can be done in a few minutes. You enter your information on the Quicken website, and it will connect your accounts and download all of your transactions.

Then you choose which accounts and categories you want to be synced with Quicken and click “Update Accounts.”

Some people choose not to synchronize their accounts due to security concerns. Quicken gives assurance about the robust 256-bit encryption security of Quicken data transmitted. 

Quicken Interface

The Quicken interface is one of the most popular features of the software.

The interface is very minimalistic but has a straightforward layout that is easy to navigate. Different functions are available on the home page, but they are all tucked away neatly in one place.

If you have never used Quicken before, then there is a Resources page on their website where you can watch tutorials and get more information about various features of Quicken like One Step Update or the Investment Tracker.

Signing Up With Quicken 

Quicken is a subscription model that you can pay month to month or annually, and you get access and help with your finances as long as you’re a current user.

You can access Quicken immediately upon signing up and get all your budgets lined up quickly and efficiently.

The signup process takes about 5 minutes- all you have to do is enter your name and email address, select a password and security question, and then confirm that you accept the terms of use.

Then download the software, and you are ready to go and get your finances under wraps!

Not everyone likes Quicken, so you can try the 30-day trial first, but you can also check out other options to track your money.

Pros & Cons

There are many benefits of using Quicken, which is why it has been such a popular personal finance software for over 40 years.

Here are some of the key pros and cons of the Quicken software.

Pros 

• Different versions to suit your needs – There is a Quicken for everyone, no matter your needs, and it’s usable on multiple computers, Windows devices as well as Mac products.
• It’s secure – Quicken uses bank-level security, so your information is always safe.
• A clear picture of your finances – With Quicken, you can see all your spending and save in one place. This gives you a clear picture of how much money is coming in, what bills are due, what your net worth is, and how much you can afford to spend on fun things.
• It helps you stay organized – Quicken helps keep you organized and on top of your finances, which is especially helpful if you have to keep track of multiple bills to pay or investments.
• Budgets and bill reminders – Quicken makes it easy for you to set up a financial plan by creating a budget so you can start saving more money. And you can also set up bill pay reminders to never miss a payment again.
• Excellent customer support team – The support team is available online and by phone. Live chat representatives are available during regular business hours, and you can email inquiries 24/7. Phone support hours vary depending on the day of the week but are typically open from 8 am to midnight EST. There is also an active online community plus a Resources page for users.
• Small business version – It helps people who have small businesses keep track of their expenses and income related to their business.
• Investment tools – This tool can help you make smart decisions about where to put your money.
• Ability to connect to your bank and download transactions directly into the program – This helps keep track of your balance and prevents you from over-drafting your account.

Cons

• The program is not free – The full version of the software is $5.99 per month, billed annually for businesses. There are free programs and Quicken alternatives like Mint, with fewer bells and whistles, but the cost is zilch!
• Quicken can be complicated – Some people can be overwhelmed by everything Quicken offers, and it can take some time to get used to the program.
• A subscription model means a monthly or annual fee to us – To keep using Quicken, you have to pay a yearly subscription fee. The price depends on the version of Quicken you have and the current price at the time of renewal.
• Quicken’s Mac version lacks some features compared to the Windows version – Some of the features that you can get in the Windows version aren’t available on the Mac version, making it less useful for some people.However, it is highly rated by Quicken for Mac customers, especially over the past 3 years.
• It may not sync with your bank – Quicken may have trouble syncing with some banks, which can be frustrating.

Quicken Alternatives: Other Money Management Tools

Not sure Quicken is the personal finance app for you? Well, Quicken is great but it isn’t the only option to track your finances and better manage your money.

If you are looking for alternative personal finance trackers, two great options are Mint and Empower.

Mint 

Mint is a free, ad-supported program that offers many of the same features as Quicken but is less complex and less customizable, making it suitable for those who want a simple program to help them with their finances.

Mint also has an excellent mobile app that enables you to keep track of your investments on the go.

You can hook up your bank account, savings accounts, and even credit card accounts and get a clear picture of where your money is going and how much money you have at any given time.

If you want a more detailed comparison, read our Mint Vs. Quicken rundown to get a better idea of which is better for you.

Empower (Formerly Personal Capital) 

Empower is another option if you are looking for a more user-friendly alternative to Quicken.

They have a free version and a paid version with other features, but they really shine as an investment tracker!

We love Empower because we can track our income and spending, but we can also keep a close eye on our investments and make sure we’re on track for our retirement plan.

It is similar to Mint in some ways, but investors particularly like Empower because it offers comprehensive investment tools that are easy to use.

Empower tends to push users to focus on their wealth management services, which is the big draw of the program, and some people prefer Quicken to avoid the upsells. 

Check out our in-depth Empower Review to find out how well the app can manage your finances and investments! 

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for personal finance software that can help you track your spending, save money, and manage your investments, Quicken is a great option.

Overall, Quicken is a great program for personal finance that can help you keep track of your budget, bills, and investments.

It has various features that cater to different needs, plus can be used on computers, Android phones, and iOS mobile devices.

As we mentioned earlier, it is one of the most popular personal finance programs available, and it has a lot of features to offer.

However, it can be expensive and complicated to use, so be sure to consider all of the pros and cons before deciding if it’s right for you.

Quicken

Take complete control of your finances with Quicken! Plan for today and tomorrow with their award-winning software and apps.

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Most Americans spend a ton of money on brand new cars, but these depreciate in value as soon as you drive them off the lot.

Many people have to debate between buying a new or used car, but we think it’s crazy to go for a new car instead of buying a used car!

Here at The Savvy Couple, we are all building wealth, which means we’d rather you didn’t buy something that would lose value- especially one that will drop immediately.

So in this article, we will discuss how to buy a used car since you can save money and find plenty of cars for sale in good condition.

Let’s get started!

How To Buy A Used Car

1. Make a Budget- And Stick With It!

Set your budget so that you don’t wind up going broke over a car!

If you create a budget and save money each month, it means you’re less likely to need financing when buying a car- or you can at least reduce your monthly payments and make things easier on yourself.

If you don’t want the hassle of a handwritten budget, you can check out Mint and Empower (formerly Personal Capital) to handle your finances!

Stick to your budget when buying a used car and always make sure you know how much money you need after all the fees, taxes, price of the car, and down payment are calculated.

If you have a car now, you can sell your car for a good price, so knowing how much it is worth will add money to your used car budget!

2. Research and Find Your Top Picks

Go to the car dealer and decide what kind of car you want. Do your research online, using sites like Cars.com and Kelley Blue Book.

Know exactly what kind of vehicles you want before shopping around in person. Places like Kelley Blue Book will give you background details and act as a guide.

This will make it much easier for you to focus on specific cars when shopping around so that you don’t waste your time looking at cars that don’t interest you.

Kelley Blue Book can also help narrow down details of what you want, from price range to safety features. And you can’t forget about their fair price indicator!

Know that there are many different types of used cars available including specialty vehicles, classic used cars and even sports cars.

As you move forward, build a list of three target car models to research in more detail. Then, research in detail to find a target car model and make your selection of the correct car model for you.

3. Check Out Affordable Financing 

There are only two ways to buy a car: paying cash or taking out a loan.

Even with a loan, you’ll need some cash as a downpayment. We recommend putting about 10% down and financing your car for three years; that way, you have reasonable payment plans.

Whether you use a bank or credit union, make sure you compare payment options and rates!

You should also take a look at your credit score – sites Credit Karma make it easy and quick to know where you’re at.

But as always, be wary of payment plans and make sure to compare all the rates you can.

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Here are some options to check out and find a payment plan that works for you:

Credit Unions

Oftentimes, your local credit union will offer better car financing rates than other places. You can usually get a much lower interest rate on these cars and feel good about helping out the community as well.

Community Banks

For the same reasons as credit unions, you can usually get better car rates through community banks for used cars. However, you may find that these options are more limited in what they offer.

National Banks

If you want to purchase a used car, consider checking with one of the big national banks. You can usually get very good rates through these places and feel good about getting a loan from an established company.

We recommend checking out Lend Key, Chase, Chime, or Discover.

Online Banks

If you want to buy a used car, consider checking out online banks. These are great because they usually offer lower car financing rates than other places and have multiple locations across the country.

You can get good interest rates on these cars and feel good knowing that your money is going to an established company instead of just any old used car dealer.

Finance (Lending) Companies

For the same reasons as community banks and credit unions, you can usually get much better rates with a finance company for used cars.

These places often have multiple locations across the country depending on where you are. Be sure to check what kind of car financing they offer before going in so that you know what kinds of options are available to you.

Dealership

If you’ve decided on a dealership to buy a car from, then be sure to check their financing options for used cars.

But be careful of any car dealership monthly payment plans for your cars- the rates are the important part, even if it seems easier to finance with them! A bad rate will mess up your whole budget.

Many dealerships offer great rates and have tons of locations across the country. Just be sure to do your research before going in so that you know what kind of interest rate they will charge you and get ready to compare.

4. Pick Who/Where You’ll Buy From

Private Sellers

Buying from a private seller is likely to be the cheapest option for buying a used car.

However, there are a few drawbacks.

First, it may be harder to obtain a loan for a private sale; no one really wants a monthly payment, but not everyone has a few grand laying around for a used car either.

In addition, you should know exactly what kind of condition the vehicle is in before committing to buy it.

You can ask the seller questions, but not everyone is informed about their car or really understands the condition it’s in.

A private seller won’t have as much information or a vehicle history report on a used car as a dealership does, but you can still look up Carfax details and do your own look-see to avoid having buyer’s remorse.

You need the car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) to get any information like this, but if someone won’t provide it so you can look it up, that’s already very telling!

You can get great deals on private seller cars but be sure that they aren’t selling you a lemon or trying to pull one over on you.

Be sure to test drive the car and get a good feel for how it’s running. If you know a mechanic or have a friend of a friend, you can have them check out the car from a private party to play it safe.

Independent Used Car Dealers

Used car dealerships that are independently owned will have the same cars you would find at a big dealership and still offers vehicle history reports for the cars they have.

Even though these places are often smaller in size, they can still make you an offer for your trade-in and give you great financing options.

You just want to do some research before going into one of these used car dealerships so that you know what kind of cars they have and what kind of deals are available to you.

Superstores

These are basically the same as independent car dealerships except that they have a lot more locations around.

The nice thing about these places is that they will usually offer you really good financial options if you need them so that you can afford the used car of your dreams. Just be sure to check out what kind of cars they have available before committing to buy from them.

Franchised New Car Dealers

If you want to buy a used car, then consider checking out new car dealerships. Many of these places will sell used cars as well and can give you cost comparisons of buying a used car from them or leasing a new car.

These used car dealers usually have a lot of options available to you and can be one of the best places to buy a used car for your needs. Just be sure that you do some research into what kind of options they offer on their used cars before committing to buy from them.  

This way, you know if they can actually help you or if they’ll try to sell you a loan that isn’t in your best interest.

Buying from the manufacturer can be good too, because they are selling vehicles just like the dealerships and are often very competitive on their price.  

They may also offer excellent financing options depending on who is running the finance area of the shop.

5. Don’t Forget About Certified Pre-Owned Options

One great option that you can look into is getting a Certified Pre-Owned car. This means they’ll have the car inspected before anyone buys it.

‘Certified’ means that the car is in a certified preowned program. CPO cars are very popular and include an extended factory warranty.

Private-party sellers are pretty relaxed about this. If you liked driving the car, and it seems to be in good condition, you should take it to a mechanic.

You really don’t need to take a CPO car to your own mechanic, but some dealers might give you pushback if you have any doubt about the car’s condition.

You should also check the warranty on the vehicle before buying it. Many of these vehicles come with at least one year worth of free coverage if not more, which is a great deal for your money.

Remember: When buying a used car, you must always check its history and try to find any damage around the vehicle or anything like that before agreeing to buy it.

Many people don’t do their research on these cars and end up spending way more than they should because of this.

6. Go For Some Test Drives

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, go for some test drives. From a quick online search, you’ll be able to find which used car lots in your area carry the best cars for your needs.

But there is no way to know the condition of a car without taking it for a test drive and getting a feel for it. You may like it online but decide once you’re in it that it’s too uncomfortable or too large for your needs.

The test drive is also the time to inspect the car to find issues, especially if you can’t have a private-seller car inspected thoroughly. You should always see cars in person to check for rust or any kind of damage!

When you test drive the car and find out you can’t turn the wheel comfortably, then you may not know if the alignment on the car has been messed up or if you have an issue with the tires that aren’t letting it spin properly.

If something is worn down and weak, it will usually only show itself during the test drive when moving at higher speeds or in more stressful conditions, but don’t go crazy speed racer.

7. Narrow Down To One

Once you’ve decided on the model and year, you’ll need to look in your area for dealerships selling them or for a private party seller.

You’ll want to look through a few of them before deciding where you are going to buy from, as some may give you better deals than others or different models may be available.

8. Get A Vehicle History Report

You should always make sure that you have a vehicle history report on your car before agreeing to buy it.  

This will show you whether there was any major damage or issues in the car when it was purchased and what has happened since then.

You can get this for free online through many different websites, so there’s no reason not to do this before buying the vehicle.

If you don’t, you might end up spending way more than you should because of the damage that’s already there.

Title Status, Ownership, & Registration

You should also check the history report on the car, which you can do before buying it.

This will tell you about all of its previous owners and if any major accidents occurred, that might cause problems for you in the future.

Accidents

Accidents involving other cars can cause a lot of damage that might have to be fixed soon, which is something that you’ll want to avoid.

Fire, Flood, or Other Damage

This can happen if the car was in a flood and moisture got into certain components or if it caught fire for some reason.  

These kinds of things are quite common and will bring down the value of the car significantly.

Maintenance & Service History

You should also check to see if the car has ever been in for repair of any kind and what was done.  

Additionally, you’ll want to know what kind of maintenance it received each year with which brand of oil or other lubricants were used.  

The reason for this is that some brands are better than others, especially with older cars.

If it was never serviced, then you should have them do a full checkup before you buy it and make sure that all components are in proper working order.  

The last thing you’ll want is to drive home with your engine light on or be stranded on the side of the road because something gave out without warning.

9. Get A Car Inspection

Used cars can be a great way to save some money and get a “new car” for less than you would otherwise pay, but they require more responsibility on car buyers.

If you are looking at buying from a dealership, then they will most likely have it checked out beforehand to make sure there aren’t any major issues with it.

10. Negotiate for A Better Price

Now, if you are going to go through an individual seller instead, then you can expect to bargain with them a bit more.  

If the vehicle is in good condition and they are asking for more than it’s worth, then try and talk them down by a few hundred dollars.

11. Look Into The Fixings

You should also check to see if they will still be in effect after you buy the car.

While it’s unlikely that anything is wrong with it, you might as well want to know these things before agreeing to a purchase price.

12. Finish the Paperwork and Drive It Home

If everything checks out and you feel comfortable with the price, then you should go ahead and finish the deal.  

They’ll probably have all the paperwork ready for you to sign before you leave.

Always make sure you get auto insurance before you drive off with your new used car. 

At this point, you can now take it home and use it as your own personal vehicle!

Making the Most Out of Your Used Car

If you are looking to use the car for commuting back and forth to work, then you’ll probably want to keep a good amount of gas in it at all times.  

This is an important thing to consider as well because if you find that you’re going through more than normal, then something might be wrong with the engine or other components.

For long road trips, then you can certainly stick to a budget and try not to go over it.

Additionally, as mentioned before, you’ll want to make sure that the fuel filter is clean and that there isn’t any debris or other contaminants in the gas tank.

In addition, if you are going to be carrying heavy loads, then you’ll want to be sure that the tires aren’t worn out or need replacing.  

This will ensure a safe ride and better fuel economy as well because it will take less effort to push down on the road when they are in good condition.

Maintenance and Upkeep

Another thing to consider is maintenance.  While it’s unlikely that you’ll have to do much on a vehicle, it helps if you know how to handle basic tasks such as changing the oil and even checking the air in your tires.

If not, then hopefully, there are people around where you live who offer services at a cheap price because most shops will probably be more expensive.

Another thing to consider is keeping everything clean.

A lot of times, people don’t do this simple task either, and it’s best not to let that happen because a dirty car looks terrible and will probably get noticed by other people when you’re out driving around.

FAQs

What are the best tips for buying a used car?

First and foremost, the best tip I can give you is to stick to your budget and review the care reports thoroughly.

You want to get the most for your money, and you need to make sure your “new” ride is safe for you and your family.

Check the Carfax report and go for a test drive- get a feel for the car and see if anything sounds weird or looks off.

The U.S. Department of Motor Vehicles also have a used car checklist with some advice to help you purchase a used car successfully, especially if you’re working with private sellers. 

What red flags should I look for with a used car?

My first red flag is any large damages that may have been an unreported accident. Like bumper replacements, the headlights being totally replaced, or doors being swapped with a  new one.

Plus, Carfax will tell you if there are any reported accidents that may have caused underlying issues or things that haven’t been fixed yet.

When you’re test driving, listen for loud noises that are out of place or anything that sounds like metal-on-metal scratching or grinding.

How many miles is best on a used car?

The appropriate miles on a used car will take a bit of math.

Of course, getting a car that’s only a few years old would be best since it’ll have better safety features- and don’t forget that backup camera!

But the mileage is what really stands out as a good or bad deal on a used car.

For every year a car has existed, the max mileage we’d expect would be 12,000. So multiply 12,000 by the years to get the estimated mileage.

So if you’re looking at a 2018 used car, a good deal would be anything under around 72,000- since it’s been around for around 6-ish years as of 2023.

It’d be a much better car for you if it has less mileage, so check that dial and avoid anything that has a higher odometer than you expect.

What are some disadvantages of buying a used car instead of a new car?

When it comes to buying a used car, there are many benefits and negatives. In this article, we focused on some of the good- like being less expensive!

But buying a used car also has some disadvantages you’d want to consider.

A used car has more mileage, and hopefully not much, but the more mileage on a car, the more wear and tear it might have lived through.

Besides the possible accidents it may have had, the parts may need updating and replacing after so many years.

Meaning you’ll need to pay for some changes that a new car wouldn’t have.

Besides that, most used cars don’t have a warranty or customization as they would when you get them new from the dealership.

New models have more bells and whistles, plus warranties to cover any problems and damages.

Final Thoughts 

Buying a used car can be an exciting and rewarding experience with the right steps to help you along the way.

However, it’s important to remember to do your research and check for any red flags before making the purchase.

It’s also important to consider additional costs like auto insurance and maintenance when budgeting for a used car.

By following our car buying steps, you’ll be sure to find the best car that fits your needs and budget. Good luck!

If you’ve never shopped at one before, then you need to get right to it. They’re a great way to save money, but it’s even better than that.

We love brick-and-mortar thrift stores and online consignment shops for buying, but using them to earn extra income is even better!

We’ve learned a lot about selling flea market finds, and suggest you get involved in retail arbitrage too.

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17 Best Online Consignments Shops 

Not all consignment stores are in-person shops- you can find online stores to sell to easily!

Some online stores are geared for one thing or a few things in particular, like old electronics and clothes, but others buy vintage or name-brand items from you.

Let’s take a look at the top 20 online consignment stores and apps so you don’t have to haul things into stores for selling.

1. Decluttr

Decluttr is at the top of our consignment stores list because we know everyone has a few old phones, iPods, and other tech lying around unused.

Decluttr is the best place to sell old electronics and make money online from stuff you don’t need anymore.

2. eBay

We couldn’t not mention eBay! eBay was one of the first online marketplaces and is still going strong.

We recommend using eBay as your online consignment store because you have so many people searching for things to purchase.

It isn’t hard to sell on eBay, you can sell whatever used stuff you have or even resell thrift store finds.

They have small fees, including 10% off of the final sale price. So if you sell $100 worth of stuff, you’ll be paying about $10 in fees.

3. Kidizen

Kidizen is a cool online company where you can set up a virtual shop and upload your gently used clothing to sell.

They do charge marketplace fees as well as a small fee for each transaction, just like you would see on eBay and other sites.

They give you the option to sell your kids’ clothes on your own or wor with a Style Scout to get things listed and sold,

For a Style Scout, they work with you to pick what will or won’t sell and then they price everything for you so things sell fast and you get what things are worth.

4. Poshmark

Poshmark says that they are the largest social marketplace for fashion.

After uploading your listing you can share it with your network to get even more people to see it.

All orders with Poshmark ship with USPS priority mail and you are given a prepaid label.

5. OfferUp

You can sell anything on OfferUp such as your clothes and shoes, but then also things like cars or home goods.

A nice touch is that you can communicate with buyers through secure messaging.

6. Facebook Marketplace

One of the most popular places to sell your used items online is on Facebook Marketplace.

People can easily find you that are local to you and browse either by category or in general.

The best thing about Facebook Marketplace is that there are no fees.

7. Mercari

Mercari is a newer app on the block and seems to be very popular as an online consignment shop.

It is free to list on Mercari but you will be charged a 10% flat fee when your item sells.

8. Worthy

Do you need to sell any jewelry online? If so, Worthy is the website for you.

It’s an online auction site where expert gemologists will assess your items and prepare your jewelry for auction.

Sell Your Jewelry Now

9. thredUP

thredUP says that they are the largest online consignment shop that acts like an updated thrift store.

They will send you a ‘clean up kit’ in which you can pop your items to sell and send them.

The best thing about thredUP is that they do all of the hard work for you. They will take photos and write the descriptions.

They will also package up and post out the items that you sell to the buyers.

10. Carousell

Carousell is a community marketplace that helps you to sell your items, from clothing to houses and jobs!

You can create an account for free and list 30 items for sale, with 10 free listings.

11. The RealReal

Do you have designer clothing that you want to sell?

The RealReal is the place that you want to head to.

They offer free virtual consignment appointments and free consignment kits to get you started. So helpful!

12. Rebag

Rebag is the place to sell any designer bags that you have.

On the site you can find your bag, find the condition, and generate its current resale value. Handy!

13. Re-SEE

Re-SEE is a good consignment shop to sell your clothes, bags, and shoes.

You can propose your items directly online or schedule a personal appointment with a Re-SEE buyer.

They shoot, stock, and ship your items for you.

14. Chairish

Chairish is a site on which you can sell your chic and unique furniture and home decor items.

There are different plans available, starting with Consignor and Professional which are both free.

It then switches to the Elite plan which is $149 a month, and then Wholesale which is free but on a selective basis.

15. Vestiaire Collective

Do you have high-end items to sell? Vestiaire Collective is one to add to your list.

There are brands on there such as Hermes, Rolex, Louis Vuitton, and more.

They say that you can upload something to sell within 60 seconds.

16. LePrix

LePrix is another good online consignment store when you need to sell your designer clothing.

You can get a free consignment kit when you sign up, with a prepaid shipping label for you to ship and sell.

17. Depop

Depop is an app that is popular with the younger generation, but anyone is able to use it to buy or sell.

You can sell your clothes, sneakers, accessories, and more.

10 Best Consignment Shops Near Me

We’ve looked at the best online stores and apps for consignment shops, but they aren’t your only options for selling used items and clothes.

You can still sell stuff in person at a brick-and-mortar consignment store, so now it’s time to take a look at some options:

18. Plato’s Closet

Plato’s Closet is focused on selling teen and young adult clothes.

They ask that they are in good condition with no marks. They pay cash on the spot and you don’t need an appointment to go in.

I’ve been in a few times to shop mostly, and they do focus on certain brands- so if you’re selling, you should H&M, Nike, Forever21, and more to get the most money back.

19. Once Upon a Child

At Once Upon a Child, you can sell your children’s clothing, shoes, toys, and baby gear.

Take in your gently used items, and a store employee will then check them over to give you their best price.

If you accept the offer, then you will be paid cash straight away. 

You can also call as you’re going through your kids’ closets to see what items Once Upon a Child is looking for!

The mina things is that the clothes should be in good condition, ready to wear, and be safe for kids to wear still.

20. Play It Again Sports

Have you got any old sports or fitness equipment that you want to sell?

Play It Again Sports is a great local spot to sell your sports gear and make use of something you don’t need anymore.

For basic sports gear, like helmets, show, pads, and more, they’ll make you an offer on the spot.

For large equipment, like treadmills, ellipticals, etc., they’ll determine whether they want to sell your item on consignment or pay you cash straight away.

21. Guitar Center

Guitar Center is a different consignment shop in that you can sell your used musical instruments here.

If you have old instruments laying around, this is the best option to get cash for unused stuff. 

Guitar Center typically buys guitars (real shock, I know!), but don’t be afraid to see what your drums, keyboard, and more are worth.

However, I think the smartest thing for instruments is to get them priced at a few consignment shops to see where will pay you the most.

22. Buffalo Exchange

At Buffalo Exchange, you can sell your clothes and accessories in the store.

Not only that, but you can request a Buffalo Exchange bag online, fill it up, and drop it off at UPS.

UPS handles the delivery and Buffalo Exchange will sort out the rest for you!

23. The Wasteland

Head on over to The Wasteland consignment store and bring the shoes, clothes,or accessories that you want to sell.

They buy every day from 12-6. The buyer will look through each of your items and decide what to buy and how much to price it for.

You will then be paid 35% of the marked pieces on the spot.

24. Style Encore

Style Encore is a consignment store where you can sell gently used clothing, shoes, jewelry, handbags, and accessories.

They buy from almost one hundred brands, so they can be a more eclectic buyer to get as much of your closet cleared out.

25. Music Go Round

Did you try out a new instrument during the pandemic and found out you aren’t musically inclined?

My friend can’t read music and tried to learn piano on his parents’ old keyboard- he has since decided to sell it for some extra cash!

Music Go Round is another store where you can sell your used musical instruments, and that old keyboard and more are worth selling.

Music Go Round will pay you straight away by check, and you can take it right to the bank for fast money.

26. Awoke Vintage

There are 3 Awoke Vintage local consignment stores located in Brooklyn. If you have vintage clothing then this is the place to sell it.

The great thing about this company is that they are very active on social media and people can shop on their Instagram.

They focus on name brands and want stuff that’s trending- and since the 90s and 2000s styles are coming back, this may be time to do a deep clean on old styles! 

27. Crossroads Trading

Crossroads Trading is a consignment store that buys your clothes, shoes, and accessories – but not jewelry.

What I like about Crossroads is that you can get paid with store credit or cash.

If you want store trade-in credit, you’ll get 50% of what they’d price your time- if they think it’s worth $10, you’re getting $5 in credit.

If you want cash, you’ll get 30% of what it’s worth- in that same example, then you’ll get $3.

To sell clothes to Crossroads Trading, you need to be over 18 and have some valid I.D- so if you’re a teen looking to make money on clothes, bring your parents along.

Why Consignment Stores?

When you need to buy something, it’s going to be worth checking local consignment stores to see if they have it.

If you have kids then it’s always a good idea to do some shopping in best consignment stores for their clothes.

Kids grow so fast! The things that you need to buy for them can get out of hand really quickly.

It’s important to know where your best consignment stores are to help you save money.

Who knows you might even be able to pick up some free clothes. 

So, why sell at in-person or online consignment stores? A good task to pop on your to-do list is having a bit of a declutter.

Most of us have things in our house that we don’t actually need or use.

When you’ve collected your pile of stuff that you want to get rid of, it’s time to find your best local consignment store.

It’s a good way of getting rid of some items that are cluttering up your house and make some money from it too.

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Final Thoughts

If you’ve got items lying around your house that you don’t use, they’re a waste of both space and money.

Taking these items to actual consignment stores or online stores will get you some money and for little effort.

It’s an easy way to get rid of some things without selling them individually.

When you want to start living a frugal life, this is a good place to start.

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Rocket Money is a personal finance tool that helps you take control of your finances by giving you the ability to see where your money is going- and if you’re being overcharged.

Like most people, you’ve probably been overcharged by your service providers at least once (and likely more than that!). These charges can add up quickly, whether it’s an errant late fee or an unannounced rate hike.

These situations are frustrating, but Rocket Money can help save money each month and smooth out your financial life.

Rocket Money

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Overview: Rocket Money Review 2023

Before we get into all the details, here’s a quick overview of Rocket Money: 

• You may recognize the name Truebill, but it is no more, and now the money-saving app goes by Rocket Money.
• Rocket Money offers a free and premium version of their app.
• They also offer a free 7-day trial of the Rocket Money Premium subscription.
• The free app includes financial tracking, budgeting, and credit score features.
• The premium account includes additional features, such as balance alerts, a Smart Savings account, etc.
• Rocket Money is primarily a bill negotiation service: one of the best premium features is that Rocket Money will scan your bills and then negotiate with the company to get the best rate.
• They also provide bank-level encryption to ensure the privacy and security of your data.

What Does Rocket Money Do?

Rocket Money is an excellent tool for helping users to live a frugal lifestyle and avoid overspending. It is simple to use and includes several functions that can aid in managing your finances.

One of the app’s main features is its budgeting tool, which helps users track their spending and stay within their budget to help avoid lifestyle inflation.

The app also provides users tips on saving money and services such as negotiating lower prices on bills and subscriptions.

The premium subscription of the software offers even more features and advantages that may help you lower your bills to save more money every month.

Get Refunds On Fees & Outages

The Rocket Money app will scan your bank account and bills for fees, like an overdraft fee or late fee. They will work to get you a refund for those fees to help you lower your bills each month.

It’s a good perk if you are unaware of the credit card and bank fees you’re paying or don’t have the time to negotiate bills on your own.

One of Rocket Money’s most valuable functions is reporting service outages and attempting to get back money for these disrupted services.

The service may keep track of cable, phone, and internet provider service failures and then ask for a refund on your behalf.

Manage & Cancel Subscriptions

Do you know how much you are spending on subscriptions and recurring bills? No? You’re not alone! It’s easy to lose track of how much you spend on monthly subscriptions.

Rocket Money can help you keep track of your subscriptions and even cancel unwanted subscriptions on your behalf. It’s a great way to save on things you may not be using anymore.

You can decide which subscriptions you want to keep and which ones you want to cancel.

For example, if you have a gym membership that you never use, Rocket Money can cancel it and save you a monthly fee.

The app will also work to negotiate better rates for the subscriptions you want to keep, like a lower rate for your cable bill, for example.

Rocket Money Plans

Rocket Money has a free and paid version of its app. They also offer a free 7 -day trial of their premium features.

The Rocket Money Premium subscription feature is on a “Pay What You Want” price model. The Rocket Money cost means that you decide what you pay, anywhere between $3 – $12 per month.

One downside, though! Rocket Money does charge a 40% savings fee on the savings you make in the first year.

Free Features

• Budgeting
• Financial tracking
• Balance alerts
• Credit score

Premium Features

• Syncing your balance
• Premium Chat
• Cancellations Concierge
• Custom Categories
• Unlimited Budgets
• Smart Savings
• $120 Pay Advance
• Real-Time Account Sync

5 Steps To Lower Your Bills

Rocket Money is a free service at first. It does look for savings in various ways with the free version. You have to sign up for the premium service and pay a monthly fee to get the more significant savings.

Rocket Money charges a “savings fee” of 40% for every dollar from the subscription services Rocket Money can lower. You aren’t charged if Rocket Money’s bill negotiation is unable to save you money.

So how do you let the app know which bills to look for savings? It’s actually all automatic, with very little input on your part!

Here’s how Rocket Money works:

1. Select Your Provider

The list of bill providers on Rocket Money is pretty comprehensive. Some of the companies on the list include AT&T, Comcast, and Time Warner Cable – all big names that offer various services.

If your provider isn’t listed, you can submit a request for them to be added.

2. Connect Your Bill(s)

Okay, this is the step that some people don’t like because they wonder, “Is Rocket MoneySafe?” But not to worry, Rocket Money uses Plaid to provide bank-level security and encryption when connecting to your accounts.

In this step, you will give Rocket Money access to your monthly billing statements by connecting or linking your Rocket Money account with your bill providers.

Connecting the two accounts can be done by entering your bill provider login information or uploading an image of the bill on the Rocket Money portal.

3. Fill Out Some Info

After you’ve connected your account, you will need to provide a little more information (your mobile number and Account Pin) and decide if you want to enable “TrueProtect.”

TrueProtect allows Rocket Money to try to lower your recurring bills (like your cell phone bill) by negotiating on your behalf.

4. Add Your CC

In this step, you will add a credit card.

If Rocket Money saves you money, they will charge the one-time success fee to your credit card, aka the 40% charge from the subscriptions it successfully negotiated that we mentioned earlier.

5. Start Saving!

After you’ve completed all the steps, sit back and relax. Rocket Money will analyze your bills and work to save money. The company has a pretty success rate, reportedly saving users an average of $180 per year.

If you’re not happy with the service, you can cancel.

Budget & Tracking

Rocket Money’s Budget and Tracking feature is simple. It allows users to see their spending habits and easily track their monthly budget. The feature is easy to use and helps users stay on top of their finances.

Free version users can create two budgets, but with Rocket Money Premium, users can create multiple budgets.

The budgeting feature can be found under “Start a budget” on your Rocket Money dashboard.

The tracking feature of Rocket Money is one of the most simple we’ve seen. You can instantly see your cash flow and how much you’ve spent this month when you open the app.

Under the spending tab, you can see all your transactions. There is a filter to search for specific transactions made on any linked accounts. There are also monthly reports that you can generate to show where your money is going

Rocket MoneyPremium Services

While the free version of Rocket Money offers some great features, the paid version is even better. For just $3 – $12 per month (billed annually), you can get access to:

Syncing Balances

One of the Premium features we like is syncing your bank account balance. It makes it easy to keep track of your money in one place. You can link all your bank accounts and transactions to see how much money you have left in your account.

To get started, connect your bank account and credit card accounts to Rocket Money. Then, go to the settings tab and select “Enable Balance Sync.”

Premium Chat

You may have questions from time to time. With the chat, you can connect with Rocket Money’s excellent customer service to answer your questions quickly.

If you don’t want to chat with support, you can find the answers in the Rocket Money knowledge library, or you can email support for help.

Cancellations Concierge

Rocket Money saves you money with its premium services feature bill called cancellations concierge. This feature is excellent if you have a lot of bills and don’t have the time to cancel subscriptions.

Rocket Money monitors and works to help you cancel your services – from your cell phone plan to your cable subscription.

You have to provide the concierge with your account information, and they’ll take care of the rest and cancel subscriptions for you.

The free version provides you with instructions on canceling subscriptions and getting bank fee refunds, but you don’t have to lift a finger with the paid version!

Custom Categories

Rocket Money lets you create custom categories to help you organize your finances. Custom categories are beneficial if you have a lot of expenses and want to track them by category.

For example, you could create a custom category for “household” and then add all of your household expenses to that category. This would let you see how much you’re spending on household supplies each month.

Unlimited Budgets

This feature allows you to track as many budgets as possible without any additional fees from Rocket Money. You can create budgets for anything, including food, entertainment, and travel.

For example, you might want to create a budget for your weekly food expenses. You can limit how much you want to spend on groceries, and Rocket Money will track spending habits and alert you if you go over budget.

Smart Savings Feature

What we love best about Rocket Money is how it has automatic features to save you money, and Smart Savings is another perfect example of that.

Rocket Money provides sub-savings accounts with a Premium service called Smart Savings, which you can use to simplify saving for small and short-term savings goals.

With this feature, you can move money from your checking account to an FDIC-insured bank account to reach your financial goals without thinking about it.

You may opt to have automatic transfers run, establish limits to avoid overdrafting and withdraw funds from your savings accounts at any time.

For example, you could use your Smart Savings account to withdraw $50 a month from your checking account before Christmas to pay for gifts.

The Rocket Money app makes it easy to keep setting aside money for general savings or special gifts, and it’s all in the palm of your hand!

Pay Advance

You can use Rocket Money to get cash early- simply apply for your pay advance up to 15 days before your payday.

Once your check arrives, Rocket Money deducts the money you owe from your checking account. This service comes with no interest, so you can focus on your finances without worrying about additional fees.

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Rocket Money Vs. Trim

Rocket Money and Trim are companies that offer similar services.

Both companies offer bill negotiation services that will help you lower bills like the cable company bill each month.

Here’s some info on Trim to see why people use it:

Trim

Trim has a philosophy that they want “to help all hardworking Americans be financially healthy!”

Trim is simple to use and offers a variety of features that can help you manage your finances. You can use Trim to track your spending, lower monthly bills, budget your money, and even cancel your unwanted subscriptions.

Here’s a list of what Trim offers for free:

• Subscription Cancellation
• Monitor daily bank transactions
• Negotiate Medical Bills
• Bank Negotiation – Lower credit card APRs and get bank fees refunded
• Simple Savings (automate your savings)
• Car Insurance Comparision
• Liabilities Calculator

Trim and Rocket Money both offer bill negotiations with over 15,000 financial institutions. The big difference between Rocket Money and Trim is the amount Trim charges for bill negotiation.

Trim recently lowered their fee to 15% of the total first year of savings. Remember, Rocket Money’s success fee is 40%.

But like Rocket Money, if they cannot negotiate savings and lower bills for you, there is no charge.

FAQs

Is Rocket Money safe to use?

Yes, Rocket Money is a safe and secure way to manage your finances.

This financial app uses the Plaid service to connect with different financial institutions and encrypt your data with bank-level security to ensure that your information is safe.

Who would benefit from Rocket Money?

Rocket Moneyis an excellent tool for anyone who wants to lower their monthly bills. If you’re looking for a simple way to keep track of your budget, detect potential savings, and lower bills, Rocket Money is a great option.

How much can I save with Rocket Money?

You may be wondering, “Can Rocket Money save me money?”

Rocket Money says they can save you an average of $180 per year. However, your savings will depend on your specific financial situation.

Our Thoughts

Rocket Money is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to better handle their spending and save money each month on their road to financial freedom!

Keeping track of your spending is possible with a free budgeting app, but Rocket Money goes a step further and makes it easy to see where you can save and gets the ball rolling for you.

The app is easy to use and offers a variety of features that help manage your finances. The paid version is even better, offering more features and benefits that can help you save money each month.

If you are looking for an app to help you keep track of your budget, we recommend Rocket Money.

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Monarch Money is a new financial planning app that simplifies tracking and budgeting your accounts.

In this blog post, we’ll provide an in-depth Monarch Money review, from its best features to its pros and cons.

Monarch Money

The modern way to manage your money!

Track all of your accounts in one place, collaborate with your partner, and create a long term plan to achieve your goals. Get personalized advice along the way.

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Monarch Money Review: Key Takeaways

Here’s a few quick things you need to know about Monarch Money:

• With Monarch Money, you can connect all your financial accounts – bank accounts, credit cards, and investment accounts – in one place. This makes it easy to keep track of your balances, transactions, and investments.
• The Monarch Money app analyzes your spending patterns and provides insights on optimizing your budget. You can set up custom categories and budgets to monitor expenses and avoid overspending.
• Monarch Money also tracks your investments and provides performance analysis. You can see how your portfolio is doing and get personalized investment recommendations.
• The app helps you create a financial plan based on your goals and income. You can set up savings goals, debt reduction plans, and retirement plans to stay on track with your financial objectives.
• Monarch Money has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to navigate through different features. You can customize the dashboard to show the information that matters most.

What Monarch Does

Monarch Money is an app that helps users track their income, track their expenses, and create budgets.

The app’s features are designed to help users stay on top of their financial accounts and make sound financial decisions.

The app allows users to set up multiple accounts and connect them to the app to track their spending and budget to save money easily.

Monarch Money also features various tools that make it simple to view accurate financial reports and monitor account activity.

Monarch Features

Account Syncing (Bank Integration)

One of the most powerful features of the Monarch Money App is its ability to sync with over 11,200 financial institutions.

Monarch is different from other companies because it uses multiple data aggregators to get more information from different sources other than financial institutions.

It allows you to see all your financial institution account activity conveniently in one place on the app dashboard.

You can easily view all your primary bank accounts’ transactions, including deposits, payments, transfers, etc.

It’s also possible to sync up with realtor apps to see your home’s value, which can help you decide when to sell your house.

Monarch Dashboard

The Monarch Dashboard is an interactive money management tool that allows users to analyze their financial habits over time so they can grow their net worth.

The dashboard shows graphs and charts that illustrate trends in income versus expenses.

You can get an objective overview of how much money you make or spend each month or year and your net worth.

The dashboard also provides personalized budgeting tools like bill reminders and debt payment plans so you can tackle debt easier than ever.

Create Financial Goals

Creating financial goals doesn’t have to be complicated with this financial app.

With Monarch Money, you can set up as many goals as you need in seconds!

With the financial goals, you can specify how much money you want to save each month, how much you want to invest, or any other financial objectives.

And with the Monarch Money intuitive dashboard, you can easily add those goals and track your progress!

Just input the amount you’ve saved toward each goal and watch as the progress bar fills up- it’s that simple.

Track Income & Expenses

If you’re like most people, keeping track of all your income and expenses can be challenging. Not everyone has the time to learn to budget, and we get it.

That’s why Monarch Money App makes it easier to track spending and see where all your money is going.

The app automatically syncs with your bank account to track your income and expenses in real-time.

That means you don’t have to manually put in any information or have tedious spreadsheet updates- everything is taken care of for you automatically!

Investment Tracking

If investing is part of your overall financial plan, then Monarch Money can help you track investments and create a financial plan.

With the app, investment tracking your entire portfolio is easy, including your 401(k) plans and taxable brokerage accounts, and you can see how they’re performing over time.

Users can view detailed analytics such as profit/loss, return on investment (ROI), overall performance, etc., all essential information when making decisions about investing strategies.

It also provides helpful insights into which investments may be best suited for meeting different goals depending on individual needs and risk tolerance levels.

Net Worth Tracker

The Monarch Money net worth tracker is a tool that allows you to view your total assets and liabilities in one place.

With this single view, you can easily see where your money is going and track your progress toward your net worth goals.

And it’s all updated in real-time, so you always have an accurate picture of your finances.

The app also provides visualized charts and graphs that help you see changes in your net worth over time and keep tabs on your overall progress.

Bill Center

The Bill Center feature helps users stay organized by keeping track of all their recurring bills in one place.

You can add payments due each month or create customized payment plans for each vendor or creditor if needed.

The Bill Center will send notifications when bills are approaching their due date, so you’re always aware of upcoming expenses.

However, don’t mistake Monarch Money for your bank- it doesn’t pay the bills for you, only tracks them and reminds you to pay them on time.

Personalized Financial Advice

The Monarch Money App also provides personalized advice tailored to users’ needs and goals.

After analyzing a user’s financial data, the app will provide helpful suggestions on managing their money and reaching their desired objectives faster.

This feature is especially valuable for those new to managing their finances or who need more experience.

Whether it’s budgeting advice or investment strategies, it can provide detailed guidance to help you make informed decisions about how best to manage your money.

Plus, all advice is free of charge- no hidden fees or extra costs!

Monarch Pricing

Here are your current options for a Monarch Money account:

Free Trial

Monarch Money doesn’t offer a free account, but it provides a 7-day free trial to test its features.

After the 7-day free trial, Monarch Money charges a subscription fee.

Premium Account

Premium is their main account as of this writing, and you have 2 ways to pay for the same great features:

• Monthly Plan: $14.99 per month
• Yearly Plan: $99.99 per year

You can expect the same service and benefits regardless of your chosen payment plan.

It ultimately comes down to personal preference and what works best for your budget and usage needs.

Monthly plans are ideal for users who want to test a service or product for a short period before committing to a longer-term plan.

However, choosing the yearly plan can save you some money in the long run.

The yearly payment is cheaper even though it’s an upfront cost. It comes to about $8.33 a month.

How To Sign Up For Monarch Money

1. Sign Up Page

• Go to Monarch Money.
• Click the “Sign Up Button” at the top.
• They send a verification code to your email- verify it to finish up.
• Set up a strong account password.
• Then set up your account.

2. Select Payment Plan

• You can choose to sign up first with the FREE 7-day trial.
• Or, sign up for a monthly or yearly plan.

3. Pay & Start Using

• Enter your payment information.
• Click Enter.
• You’ll then be ready to set up your Monarch Money dashboard.

FAQS

Is Monarch Money safe to use?

So, is Monarch Money safe to use?

Absolutely! With its emphasis on security and privacy, you can trust Monarch with your financial information.

Monarch uses Plaid as its primary data aggregator, the industry leader in data aggregation, and maintains strict security standards.

This means that your financial information is protected by one of the most trusted names in the business.

To further enhance security, Monarch offers multi-factor authentication for account logins, so even if someone has your password, they need additional verification to access your account.

How easy is it to start budgeting?

We found it very easy to use Monarch Money for budgeting, and you can undoubtedly use it quickly and easily to manage money.

Once you download the financial app from the App Store or Google Play, create an account and link your financial accounts.

From there, you can start tracking your expenses and setting up a budget that fits your lifestyle.

Can people outside the U.S. use Monarch?

At this time, Monarch only works with the United States dollar as a currency.

You might be able to connect accounts with different currencies (Euros, British Pound Sterling, etc.), but the numbers would be shown as United States dollars and might be inaccurate.

We don’t recommend doing this, especially if you mix accounts with different currencies because it can be more complicated and inaccurate compared to other budgeting apps.

Can you make shared accounts with Monarch?

Yes, Monarch Money offers the option to create shared accounts for couples and families.

This feature is especially useful for financial planning with joint finances or households with multiple income streams.

To share an account, simply move your cursor over the account you wish to work with, click the gear icon, and select “Share Account” from the menu.

When you invite someone to your household in a Monarch Money account, they receive a separate login and view all the same data and financial info you do.

They can edit and add things as needed, just like you can, which is great for couples to update their income and make sure all credit cards are added to track everyone’s expenses.

Other Budgeting Options

One of the best things about the Monarch Money app is its user-friendly interface. You don’t need to be a financial expert to use this app – everything is laid out clearly and concisely.

The app provides personalized financial advice based on your spending habits and goals.

But Monarch Money isn’t the only customizable finance app that people use to track their money- and there are some free options out there to use.

Here are three other budgeting apps and other options that can do just that:

The Savvy Couple Budget Binder

Are you interested in budgeting templates so you can do budgeting by hand rather than using your phone?

The Savvy Couple Budget Binder is a great budgeting option that likes paper-based financial planners to track their financial progress rather than digital software.

This binder includes everything you need to set up your budget, including forms, charts, and worksheets.

It also provides helpful tips on how to stay organized and keep track of your complete financial picture. Plus, it’s very affordable at just $27 on sale right now!

Empower

Empower (formerly Personal Capital) is another great option if you’re looking for a budgeting app that automatically does the work for you.

It’ll help you stay on top of your personal finances without feeling overwhelmed by too many bells and whistles.

Empower offers automatic savings programs that make sure your money is going towards long-term goals like retirement or emergency funds instead of frivolous spending.

It also has credit score monitoring and keeps track of it so you can make informed decisions about when to apply for new loans or credit cards.

Empower also sends actionable alerts, so you know what steps to take next to reach your financial goals faster!

Read our in-depth Empower Review to see what features they offer to manage money and investments.

Mint

Mint is one of the most popular free personal finance apps- and it’s easy to see why!

Mint allows users to sync all their money accounts into one platform to get a comprehensive view of their financial situation at any given time.

With Mint, users can easily create custom categories to categorize expenses into different buckets, such as “entertainment” or “groceries,” which makes tracking spending much easier.

Plus, they can set up customized budgets based on these categories, so they always know exactly how much they should save each month!

Check out how Mint compares to other financial accounts in our Mint Vs. Empower article!

Our Thoughts

Gone are the days of blindly earning and spending money- it’s time to spend wisely and save more so you can reach financial freedom fast!

Monarch Money is an excellent budgeting app for those who want an easy-to-use platform for managing their financial accounts.

From budgeting tools to investment tracking, it has everything needed to keep track of your money without searching through multiple websites or applications.

Monarch Money is a paid service at $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year, but this fee is quite reasonable compared to other platforms offering similar features and services.

So if you are looking for an all-in-one personal finance app for managing your money, try Monarch Money today!

Many business owners don’t have a large, established track record before they start their business, making it difficult to get approved for a business credit card.

If you’ve recently started a business and are looking to get your hands on a business credit card, you’re in luck!

This blog post will break down the ins and outs of startup business credit cards with no credit.

Best Online Banking Alternative

Chime

A bank account should not cost you money. Chime has your back with no monthly fees so you can build credit and more.

Start Saving Now

Quick Picks

When you start a business, you should skip the personal credit card and get a business card with benefits to help you get your business on the right track.

Here are our top picks for the best business credit cards:

• Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card
• Capital One Spark Classic For Business
• Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card

BONUS! Low-Cost Business Ideas

And just as a bonus, here are my favorite low-cost businesses you can start regardless of your personal credit:

• Blogging
• Proofreading
• Freelance Writing
• Bookkeeping

Startup Business Credit Cards With No Credit

Using a credit card is an important part of running a successful business. A business credit card can help you manage cash flow, take advantage of rewards and discounts, and build strong business relationships with vendors or suppliers.

But if you have a limited or nonexistent business credit history, finding the right business credit card for your needs cannot be easy.

Fortunately, several business credit cards are available for startups with no established credit.

1. Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card

The Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is an excellent option for a business credit card.

It’s made for those with a limited credit history looking to build their credit score without the hassles required by traditional business credit cards. 

There are no minimum deposits, no annual fees, and no credit checks- all while enjoying automated payments that save you from late fees.

The only drawback is that you need to be a Chime banking customer to get it! But their savings account is also worth its weight in goal, so having both could change your life.

And with this business credit card, you’ll be able to build your credit history with your own money as a security deposit- so you can start improving your score right away.

Plus, activities on this business credit card are reported to the three major credit bureaus, making monitoring your progress easier than ever and improving your score bit by bit.

Card Features

• The card is secured and includes lost and stolen card assistance and cardholder inquiry services.
• The Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card can be used at many ATMs.
• You must have at least $200 in your Chime Spending Account before applying for the Chime Credit Builder card.
• With Chime Credit Builder, you can have automatic monthly payments from your account.
• Your credit card limit will decrease if you use money from your original deposit to pay your bill.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No personal credit history check
• No security deposit
• Credit limit is based on the money in a linked Chime account, not your personal credit score
• Can’t overspend on the business card
• Reports to the major credit bureaus to build business credit

Cons

• Only available with a Chime account
• Don’t offer spending rewards or cash back

2. Capital One Spark Classic For Business

The Capital One Spark Classic For Business is the perfect business credit card for small business owners with limited credit history.

The Capital One Spark Classic For Business is a great choice for those who want to earn rewards without worrying about spending limits or category restrictions.

With no annual fee and a low APR, it’s an affordable way to build your credit while earning rewards.

With this card, you’ll earn unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase, no matter where you shop or what you buy.

Plus, you’ll get 5% cash back on hotel and rental car bookings made through Capital One Travel℠.

You’ll also enjoy secondary rental car insurance, roadside assistance, extended warranty protection, travel accident insurance, and more.

Card Features

• Access to helpful tools such as fraud coverage, account alerts, and online banking services.
• Benefit from 24/7 customer service support and the ability to manage your account online or via the Capital One mobile app.
• You can manage your business credit card account online or with the Capital One mobile app.
• If you have employees, you can get a card that gives you cash back on all your purchases. There is no limit to how much cash back you can earn.
• With this business credit card account, your rewards will never expire. You can cash in your rewards at any time.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Earn unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase, everywhere, with no limits or category restrictions
• No annual fee
• Secondary rental-car insurance and roadside assistance included
• Extended warranty coverage on eligible purchases
• Solid rewards program for those with an average or fair personal credit score

Cons

• High APR if you don’t pay off the whole bill month to month

3. Capital One Spark Miles For Business

Capital One Spark Miles for Business is a great business credit card option for business owners looking to earn rewards and build their business credit history.

With the Capital One Spark Miles for Business Credit Card, you can easily track your spending and build your business credit score over time. 

This will help you qualify for better rates from other lenders in the future and make it easier to apply for other types of financing, such as loans or lines of credit.

With no foreign transaction fees and generous rewards opportunities, this card will surely be a hit with small business owners everywhere!

Card Features

• 25.24% variable APR with your Spark 2X Miles card.
• Get up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® application fees.
• Earn unlimited 1.5X miles on every purchase, with no restrictions or blackout dates.
• Earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase you make.
• Redeem your miles through Capital One Travel or get reimbursed for travel expenses made with your card within 90 days of purchase.
• Earn an unlimited 2 Capital One Rewards miles per dollar spent on every purchase with the Capital One Spark Miles card.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• $0 annual fee for the first year
• Get 50,000 extra miles if you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months after you open your account
• You can use your miles on flights, hotels, and vacation packages
• You can also transfer them to any of 15+ different travel partners

Cons

• The annual fee is $95 after the first year
• You can’t earn other rewards like most business credit cards- this business credit card offers a set number of miles for every purchase; it’s mainly travel rewards
• 25.24% variable APR is high for many people
• A very high penalty APR of 33.65% applies to all late payments

4. Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card

The Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card is a perfect choice for small business owners who want one of the business credit cards to earn cash back rewards on their purchases.

The card offers a generous welcome bonus of $900 in cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account.  

With no annual fee and an unlimited 1.5% cash-back reward on every purchase, it’s easy to see why this card is so popular.

Plus, you can take advantage of a 0% introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers and purchases.

Card Features

• You’ll benefit from additional perks, such as no foreign transaction fees and employee cards at no additional cost.
• Access to Chase Ultimate Rewards points when you combine your points with other Chase cards.
• Plus, you can take advantage of the Ink Business Cash Credit Card and the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card, which offer different reward structures but no annual fee.
• The Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card also provides additional benefits such as travel protection, purchase protection, extended warranty protection, and more. 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No annual fee
• Generous welcome bonus
• Simple rewards structure
• 0% introductory APR

Cons

• No bonus categories- there’s a flat rate of return on all purchases
• Foreign transaction fees do apply if you buy products or parts overseas

5. Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card is one of the best business credit cards for businesses looking to maximize their rewards.

With its generous sign-up bonus and rewards program, it’s easy to see why this card is so popular among small business owners.

With this business card, you can earn 3X points on shipping purchases, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines, and more.

It’s a great all-around business credit card that offers valuable rewards and benefits for buying things for your business. It’s perfect for businesses that make large purchases or ship a lot.

If you’re looking for business credit cards that offer excellent rewards and benefits, the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card is worth considering.

Its competitive rewards program and purchase protection features make it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes with little to no credit history.

Card Features

• You’ll also get an impressive 100k bonus points after you spend $15000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy quality purchase protection that insures eligible items against damage or theft for up to 120 days from the purchase date.
• Get access to travel benefits with this business card, such as trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Earn 3X points on shipping purchases and more
• Enjoy 25% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• No foreign transaction fees on international purchases
• Complimentary travel insurance and purchase protection for eligible expenses
• Enjoy a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months

Cons

• Annual fee of $95
• Variable APR of 14.99%-20.99% after the introductory rate
• Late payment penalty fees of up to $39 per violation
• A balance transfer fee of 5% or $5, whichever is greater

6. Brex Corporate Card For Startups

The Brex Corporate Card for Startups offers a range of features that make it ideal for startups and enterprises without involving your personal credit.

The Brex business card is only for businesses, not people, so your personal credit score is not involved.

To get the Brex business credit card, your business needs an Employer Identification Number (EIN), not a Social Security Number (SSN). The business also has to be in the United States.

This card works differently than personal credit cards. 

The business owner can’t keep a balance on the business credit card account from one month to the next. The balance must be paid each day or each month.

Daily repayments may affect your business finances and stop you from spending more money, as your credit limit will be the same as the balance in your Brex Cash account.

The card limits are based on your company’s financial information. You don’t need to put up your personal guarantee as collateral.

If your company goes under, you only lose business assets, not personal ones, which won’t affect your credit score.

Card Features

• Insured up to $250,000 by the FDIC through the Brex Cash program banks.
• QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, Concur, Expensify, Gusto, and Rippling integrations help you save time on your business finances.
• You can send wire transfers for free. You can also send as many checks, ACH, and wire transfers as you want without paying fees—even if they’re going to another country.
• With this card, you don’t have to give a personal guarantee. This means you can get a higher credit limit than other cards that use your personal credit.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No annual fee
• Dynamic credit limits
• Build business credit over time
• No personal guarantee- no personal assets are up for collateral

Cons

• Less generous rewards
• Card must be paid in full month to month

7. Discover it Secured Credit Card

With the Discover it Secured Credit Card, you can build your credit score while buying products and essentials for your business.

You can make a security deposit starting at $200 up to a maximum of your credit limit, which your creditworthiness will determine.

Plus, Discover will automatically match all the cash back you earned at the end of your first year. This is an amazing opportunity to maximize your rewards and build your credit score!

Another great feature of this card is that no personal credit score or personal guarantee is required for approval.

It makes this secured credit card an ideal choice for those who are just starting with their personal credit journey or have had some missteps with business and personal finances or credit cards.

Card Features

• A great feature of the Discover it Secured Credit Card is Freeze It, which allows you to freeze your account with one simple click if your card is ever lost or stolen.
• You can earn two percent cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter.
• You can also earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• It comes with various benefits such as concierge service, TSA Pre-check, auto rental coverage, travel accident insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Online protection liability
• No annual fee
• Free FICO score
• Refundable security deposit

Cons

• 26.74% Standard Variable Purchase APR 
• $41 flat late payment fee

8. American Express Blue Business Cash Card

The American Express Blue Business Cash Card also offers a straightforward rewards system that’s easy to understand and use. 

And with no annual fee, this card is an economical way to get rewarded for your business spending.

With this card, you can earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.

Plus, you’ll get a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in the first three months.

You don’t have to worry about complicated points or miles calculations with this business credit card; instead, you can simply enjoy the cash-back rewards from your purchases. 

Card Features

• Employee Cards – You’ll earn rewards on purchases that employees make that are eligible, plus you can track employee spending with alerts and summary reports.
• Connect to QuickBooks – If you use QuickBooks for your business, you can save time by enrolling in the auto-expense categorization feature.
• Online Statements – You can view your purchase history, prepare reports, and budget expenses.
• Account Manager – When you designate an Account Manager, you can allow trusted individuals – like an assistant or business partner – to access and manage your Business Card account.
• Account Alerts – Setting up account alerts can help you remember to pay your bills on time, tell you if something strange is happening with your account, and help you track how much money your employees are spending.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Receive a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first 3 months.
• No annual fee
• 0% interest on purchases for the first 12 months
• Cash back starts at 2% on everything up to $50,000; then you still get 1% cash back after that

Cons

• Late fees up to $39

9. OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card

The Secured Visa OpenSky Credit Card is one of the best business credit cards for people with bad personal credit who want to build or rebuild their credit.

The OpenSky Credit Card offers many benefits, making it an attractive option for those looking to improve their credit score.

There are no annual fees, foreign transaction fees, or penalty APR associated with this card.

This card doesn’t require a personal credit check or bank account, making it an ideal choice for those with poor credit.

With this Secured Visa, you can get approved regardless of your personal credit score, and you have the opportunity to choose from a broad range of credit limits.

To use this card, you must put down a refundable cash deposit which will be held as collateral in case of default, rather than your personal assets.

Card Features

• Zero Risk to Apply – There’s no risk involved in applying for the OpenSky Credit Card, making it a great option for those just starting with credit.
• Low Annual Fee – The annual fee for the OpenSky Credit Card is low, making it an affordable option for those on a budget.
• High Approval Rate – The OpenSky Credit Card has an 85% average approval rate, which means you have a good chance of getting approved if you meet the requirements.
• Low-Security Deposit – You only need to put down a $200 security deposit when you apply for the OpenSky Credit Card.
• Credit Limit Increases – As you use your card responsibly and make payments on time, your credit limit will increase over time, allowing you to access more funds as needed.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No personal credit check is required to apply
• High approval odds
• Variety of credit limits
• Refundable cash deposit
• Focuses on helping build your credit

Cons

• $35 annual fee
• No rewards or cash back for purchases

10. First National Bank Business Edition Secured Mastercard Credit Card

The First National Bank Business Edition Secured Mastercard Credit Card is a secured credit card for businesses looking to build or improve their poor credit score. 

This card offers businesses a way to separate their business and personal expenses while enjoying online account access, no annual fee, and the ability to request your credit limit.

With a secured credit card, you can take control of your credit history and help rebuild your credit with business-secured credit cards. 

This credit card also offers rewards such as cash back on all purchases, allowing you to earn points that can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, merchandise, and more. 

Additionally, this secured credit card provides fraud protection with 24/7 monitoring of suspicious activity on your account.

Card Features

• A low introductory APR of 0% for the first six months allows businesses to save money on interest payments.

• The ability to request your own credit limit between $2,000 and $100,000 (multiples available). This allows businesses to have more control over their spending and budgeting.
• No annual fee, making it an affordable option for businesses.
• Rewards program with up to 3 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases. This allows businesses to earn rewards while they shop.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Build up your business credit and control your spending
• Request a credit limit between $2,000 and $100,000
• Rewards for purchases

Cons

• $39 annual fee
• A security deposit to open can be as high as $100,000
• The security deposit determines the credit limit

11. Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured

The Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured card lets business owners earn cash-back rewards on all purchases.

With this card, you can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, and there is no annual cap or expiration date on the rewards like with other personal credit cards.

Plus, you can get a $300 statement credit bonus after spending $3,000 within 90 days. The minimum security deposit required to open the account is $1,000.

This card also offers a variety of other benefits, including fraud protection, travel and emergency assistance services, and exclusive discounts and offers from select merchants.

Card Features

• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, everywhere, every time, with no annual cap and rewards that don’t expire.
• Get a $300 statement credit sign-up bonus after spending $3,000 within 90 days.
• A minimum security deposit of $1,000.
• Designed to help business owners build or improve their business credit score.
• Manage your account online or with the Bank of America mobile app to track spending and rewards points easily.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Unlimited 1.5% cash back
• $0 introductory APR
• Easily build or improve your business credit score
• Fraud protection and 24/7 customer service are available
• Access to online banking tools and mobile apps to manage money on the go

Cons

• The minimum security deposit is $1,000
• 26.49% APR

Our Thoughts

Don’t let your personal credit get in the way of your money-making business idea!

Startup business credit cards offer many benefits for entrepreneurs with no credit who need access to financing but don’t have a personal credit score or an established credit history yet.

These business credit cards give you access to funds to keep personal expenses separate and build up a new business credit score over time.

If you’re looking for business credit card issuers to finance your small business without breaking the bank, consider applying for one of these specialized credit cards today!

Best Online Banking Alternative

Chime

A bank account should not cost you money. Chime has your back with no monthly fees so you can build credit and more.

Start Saving Now

Whether you’re trying to get credit card accounts, purchase a new car, or open a line of credit, understanding your credit score is essential.

Thankfully, several credit monitoring apps can help you keep tabs on your credit score, get a detailed credit report whenever you need it, and make sure it’s always up-to-date.

In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the best credit score apps available so that you can pick the best option and better manage your money and up your score.

Credit Karma

Get your free credit score now. Easy, quick, and always 100% free.

Check Your Score Now

Quick Picks: Best Credit Score App

Before we get into the full list, here’s a quick list of our top picks for the best credit score app, plus some other apps to help you manage your finances this year:

• Best App Overall – Credit Karma
• Best Money Management App – Empower
• Most Budget Friendly Budget App – Mint

9 Best Credit Score Apps

1. Credit Karma

Are you looking for a reliable and user-friendly credit score app? Look no further than Credit Karma!

As one of the best credit monitoring apps available, Credit Karma offers a range of features that can help you stay on top of your credit reports.

First and foremost, Credit Karma provides users with free access to their credit scores from two major credit bureaus: TransUnion and Equifax.

Additionally, Credit Karma offers personalized recommendations for improving your credit score based on your unique financial situation.

But that’s not all– Credit Karma also provides users access to various financial tools and resources on top of that.

For example, you can use the credit monitoring app to monitor your credit reports for any errors or fraudulent activity.

Overall, if you’re looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly credit monitoring app, look no further than Credit Karma’s free credit monitoring service.

To learn more about the app’s amazing features, check out our honest Credit Karma Review! 

Pros

• Free credit scores: They provide free credit scores from two of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion.
• Free credit monitoring: You’ll receive alerts for changes to your credit report, such as new accounts or inquiries, which can help you detect potential fraud early on.
• No impact on your score: Checking your score won’t impact your credit score.
• Free credit score simulator: You can see how credit usage affects your credit history and how future purchases and stuff can change your score.

Cons

• Credit Karma provides information from two of the three major credit bureaus
• Scores provided use the VantageScore 3.0 model, which may differ from the FICO score used by lenders

2. Mint

Mint is a popular credit score app that can help users stay on top of their financial situation, but it’s not without drawbacks.

The Mint app makes it easy to track your finances in one place. You can see all your transactions over time, create an organized budget, and even get bill reminders. 

In addition, the credit monitoring app also offers personalized tips and insights for improving your overall financial health.

However, some users may find the interface too basic. There are limited customization options that could be more user-friendly and fewer investment options than other apps offer. 

Pros

• Free to use: $0!
• Interface for beginners: Easy to use, with a user-friendly interface
• Real-time updates: You can easily check for changes to your credit score, especially to check for fraud purchases; it provides explanations for why your credit score changed, too
• Education & Resources: Features helpful advice and resources for improving and maintaining your credit score. 
• Finances all in one place: Ability to track all your financial accounts in one place, making it easier to manage and budget your finances. 

Cons

• Limited access to detailed credit reports 
• Not all lenders are included in Mint’s database 
• Difficult to dispute errors in transactions

3. CreditWise

CreditWise is a fast, secure, and easy-to-use credit monitoring app to get your free credit score.

With CreditWise, you’ll receive alerts when changes to your credit report or suspicious activity could indicate fraud.

CreditWise is available to everyone, not just to Capital One customers. You can download it from Google Play and the App Store, making it accessible no matter your smartphone type.

And if you’re worried about security, don’t be – CreditWise uses top-notch encryption technology to keep your information safe.

Pros

• Free account: CreditWise is free to use
• High-level account security: Bank-level security features keep your information safe. 

Cons 

• Only update your credit score and report once a week
• Uses the VantageScore model instead of the FICO score
• Only monitors your credit report from one credit bureau (TransUnion)

4. Aura

With Aura, you can monitor your credit report and receive alerts if suspicious activity is detected. Plus, their identity theft protection service sends fraud alerts, giving you peace of mind knowing that your finances are secure.

But that’s not all – Aura also offers a credit score tracker that shows your progress over time and explains why your score is what it is.

The credit score tracker can be incredibly helpful in understanding how to improve your credit and achieve your financial goals.

And with their all-in-one digital protection credit monitoring service, you can rest assured that you and your family are safe from identity theft while doing everything online.

Pros

• Antivirus Protection: you get additional checking to keep viruses off your accounts
• Identity theft insurance: $1 million in insurance
• Accurate credit monitoring: Your score comes from all three major credit bureaus
• Encrypted internet: it offers a Virtual Private Network (VPN) feature that encrypts your internet connection

Cons

• Users called it confusing to use in some reviews
• The monthly plan is a bit expensive

5. Credit Sesame

Another great option is Credit Sesame. Credit Sesame is a platform that offers many helpful services to help you manage your credit.

The core features are completely free! You can get a free credit score and report analysis, personalized loan and credit card recommendations, and even tips on improving your credit score.

Credit Sesame does offer a paid subscription called Credit Sesame Premium for more features on your account.

With this subscription, you’ll get automatic monthly updates on your credit score and a detailed report, more frequent monitoring for fraudulent activity on your accounts, and personalized advice on improving your credit.

You can also access financial tools like tax preparation services and insurance quotes. So it may be worth paying for the Premium options!

Pros

• Free option: Credit Sesame core features are free
• Tailored suggestions: You can get suggestions to improve your credit score
• Identity insurance: $50,000 worth of identity theft insurance for free

Cons

• Some features are paid options
• Shows your VantageScore, which isn’t used by all lenders

6. myFICO

With myFICO, you can access your FICO Score and reports anytime, anywhere, through their app or website.

90% of top lenders use the FICO® Score when making lending decisions, hence why people like myFICO!

You can monitor your FICO scores regularly and get alerts for changes or suspicious activities.

By knowing your credit score, you can take control of your finances and make informed decisions about loans and credit cards.

Moreover, myFICO offers credit education resources to help you understand how your credit score works and how to improve it over time. You can also join their forums to connect with other users and share your experiences.

Pros

• Customized credit report: You can customize your report as it relates to your goals.
• Personalized advice: It gives tips and training to help you improve your credit score.
• Identity theft insurance: $1 million in insurance

Cons

• No free plan or free trial
• Reports aren’t in real-time

7. IdentityForce

As a leading provider of proactive identity, privacy, and credit protection, IdentityForce is a TransUnion brand.

It offers top-rated solutions for individuals, businesses, and government agencies. And it does a lot more than just monitor your credit score!

With over 40 years of experience in the industry, they have consistently delivered advanced detection technology and real-time alerts to keep your information secure.

One of the standout features of IdentityForce is its anti-phishing and anti-keylogging software. These tools help prevent cybercriminals from infecting your computer with malware and stealing sensitive data.

Because of the extra protection, their basic plan starts at $17.99 per month, and the next level plan is $23.99 per month. They come with free trials so you can get a feel for their services first.

Pros

• Non-stop credit monitoring: Offers continuous monitoring of your identity, privacy, and credit
• Extra security offerings: Offers cyberbullying, phishing, and ransomware protection; the mobile app will scan your phone for apps that could be harmful, like spyware.
• More Identity theft insurance: All plans come with identity theft restoration services and insurance.

Cons

• Credit monitoring isn’t included in the basic package
• The plans they offer are higher priced than their competitors

8. Experian

With a commitment to helping consumers protect, understand, and improve their credit, Experian is a leader in the industry. 

They offer free credit reports, FICO credit scores, and tools like Experian Boost that can instantly raise your score with the credit bureaus.

Plus, their app makes it easy to access your Experian credit report and credit score on the go.

But Experian isn’t just about credit reports. As a global information services company, they provide valuable insights and data to businesses and individuals alike.

From buying a home or car, sending a child to college, and getting a personal loan, Experian is there for life’s big moments.

Their basic account is free, with premium and family accounts to get more details and advanced theft monitoring.

Pros

• Most detailed credit report: The Experian credit score report provides detailed and thorough credit information with their
• Free: Free credit monitoring services; Experian and FICO reports
• Identity theft insurance: $1 million for insurance

Cons

• Not all lenders and creditors report to Experian, so your credit report may not be complete
• Monthly fee for some services, such as credit monitoring and identity theft protection
• Some users have reported issues with customer service and difficulty resolving disputes

9. TransUnion

With the increasing importance of maintaining a good credit score, TransUnion offers a one-stop shop for all things related to credit.

Their services allow individuals to stay on top of their credit scores and reports, which can impact their ability to secure loans or even rent an apartment.

TransUnion is a credit reporting agency that provides consumers with credit scores, credit reports, and credit monitoring services all in one place. 

This makes it easier for people to monitor their credit and make sure they’re aware of any changes or potential issues that could impact their financial well-being. 

Additionally, TransUnion offers a credit monitoring App that allows users to check their credit report anytime and anywhere without negatively impacting their score.

Pros

• Versatile credit reports: You can lock and unlock your TransUnion and Equifax credit reports.
• Daily reports and updates: You can have consistent credit monitoring and instant alerts
• Identity theft insurance: up to $1 million in theft insurance

Cons

• Premium account is expensive
• Transunion is the only credit score you can access (not all three bureaus)

FAQS

Which credit app is the most accurate?

Are you looking for credit monitoring apps that accurately explain your credit score? Look no further than Credit Karma!

They’re our top pick for accuracy and price, and it’s easy and accessible for everyone.

With over 120 million members, Credit Karma is a trusted source for accessing your credit profile and getting personalized recommendations to help you make the most of your money.

What sets Credit Karma apart from other credit apps is its use of data from TransUnion and Equifax credit bureaus to provide a more comprehensive view of your credit score.

Why should I check my credit score?

Your credit score is a number that shows how good you are at paying back the money you borrow.

It can help you understand where you stand financially and make informed decisions about borrowing or applying with credit card companies and other lenders.

Lenders also use your credit score to decide if they will lend you money and determine what interest rate to offer you.

If your credit score is high, you are more likely to get approved for a loan and have a more favorable interest rate for paying it back.

Checking your credit score regularly with Credit Karma can help you determine your credit score and how you can make changes to bump up your score.

You can also detect any errors or fraudulent activity on your credit report, which negatively impact your score, and report it to the three credit bureaus.

What is a good credit score?

A credit score is a three-digit number that represents your creditworthiness. It ranges from 300 to 850; the higher the score, the better your chances of getting approved for loans or credit cards. 

Here are the different credit score levels for FICO 8 and 9 Consumer Range:

• Poor: 300 to 579
• Fair: 580 to 669
• Good: 670 to 739
• Very Good: 740 to 799
• Exceptional: 800 to 850

Which credit apps are free?

If you’re looking for free credit apps, several credit score monitoring apps are available to monitor credit reports and payment history.

Credit Karma, Mint, and CreditWise are all great choices for free credit score monitoring.

These credit monitoring services allow you to check your credit score and report for free without needing a credit card.

But remember that paid services or premium accounts are likely to come with more theft protection, as well as extra monitoring services and more detailed reports.

What free credit app is best?

If you’re looking for a free credit app to help you keep track of your credit report and credit score and monitor important changes to your payment history, several great options are available.

After researching and comparing various apps, we’ve found that Credit Karma is the best overall free credit app, even though they have reports for two of the three credit bureaus.

And their scores are actually closer to the actual FICO scores when compared to other apps.

Credit Karma offers a user-friendly interface and gives users access to their TransUnion and Equifax credit file to see their credit utilization, new accounts they have opened, etc.

Our Thoughts

Today’s world runs on credit scores, so ensuring your score stays high enough with all three major credit bureaus is important.

That way, you can qualify for favorable interest rates on loans or get easily approved for mortgages or credit cards when you need them.

No matter which app you choose to check your credit score, it’s important to regularly use credit monitoring and actively check your credit reports to catch any potential fraud early on.

We suggest using the free Credit Karma app to check out your credit score and see how you can improve your finances today and reach financial freedom sooner.

No matter your financial goals or stage of life, access to accurate FICO scores is essential for staying financially healthy, and Credit Karma can do it for you.

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Some free personal finance apps only offer basic budgeting tools or limited investment opportunities, but the Simplifi app provides users with a full suite of financial services.

Enter Simplifi by Quicken, the revolutionary personal finance tool designed to help you track, budget, and save like a pro.

From tracking your spending and income to helping you create detailed budgets and keeping track of investments, Simplifi by Quicken is a money management app that has it all!

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Here’s why Simplifi is quickly becoming the most popular personal finance app of 2023:

Simplifi Review 2023: Key Takeaways

Here are some of the top key takeaways for our Simplifi Review:

• Simplifi is a great Quicken program that provides an overview of cash flow and a versatile view of your financial health.
• It offers a simple, understandable way to view your financial accounts and learn instantly how much money you have left.
• You can track your spending by category and manage monthly expenses more effectively.
• You can use it to create a personalized spending plan to increase your net worth over time.
• With Simplifi, you can generate detailed financial reports and access investment tools for better insights into your finances at a relatively low cost- after a free trial, it’s only $5.99 per month or $2.99 with the annual plan.

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Simplifi Features

Simplifi by Quicken is a powerful personal finance app that helps you manage your money quickly, easily, and securely.

It provides a dashboard for tracking your finances, budgeting tools for making sure you stick to your goals, and security features to ensure your data stays safe from hackers.

Whether you’re a first-time user of financial software or a seasoned user who wants an easier way to manage your money, this budgeting app has something for everyone.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the features that make this budgeting app stand out from the rest.

Financial Overviews (Enhanced Reporting)

Simplifi’s design makes it easy to track all your accounts in one place with reports and financial overviews.

Its dashboard shows you how much money is coming in and going out without having to go through multiple screens or scroll through long lists of transactions.

You can also customize the dashboard to display only the information that is important to you.

For example, if you want to focus on managing your debt or savings goals, then you can add those widgets to the dashboard, so they are always visible.

Spending Planner

The Spending Planner on Simplifi is one of the most robust features of this app. It allows you to view all your expenses in one place and compare them against your income, so you know what you have left to spend (or where you need to cut back).

It divides your monthly spending plan into four parts – Net Income after bills and savings, Planned spending, Other spending, and Available.

It helps us keep our budgets in check, especially our grocery budget so we don’t overspend and splurge on groceries when we’d rather save for our next vacay!

Income Tracker

The Income Tracker feature on the Spending Planner lets you track all your income sources in one place.

It lets users enter all their different income sources—such as wages from a job or rental income from an investment property—and then provides a detailed overview of how much they’re making each month.

With the income tracker, you can make sure that all sources of income are accounted for so that everything runs smoothly when it comes time to pay taxes or manage investments.

Spending Monitor

The Spending Monitor helps users monitor their spending patterns in real-time to stay on top of their cash flow.

It tracks day-to-day purchases and larger spending categories over time (like car repairs or vacations), giving users a comprehensive look at their monthly expenditures.

This feature also provides alerts and spending reports when spending reaches pre-set thresholds so that users are always aware of what’s happening within their financial space.

Savings Goals

One of the most useful features of Simplifi is its Savings Goals feature.

The Savings Goals feature allows users to set up multiple savings goals to save money — whether it’s saving for a vacation, an emergency fund, or just general savings.

From there, the app displays a timeline of how long it will take you to reach your goal and any extra payments you can add to your savings account to achieve your desired results faster.

Watchlists

The Watchlist feature on Simplifi helps you keep an eye on your spending. You can use it to track and monitor your spending in specific areas to stay on top of your finances.

The website’s Watchlists feature includes interactive graphs showing how much money you have spent in a month. This can help you to budget your money better.

You can create watchlists using different categories, payees, or tags and set a monthly target for each area.

There is no limit on the number of watchlists you can create with Simplifi. When you create a Watchlist on Simplifi, you can also turn on Watchlist Notifications.

Investment Tracker

Your investment and retirement accounts can be added to the Simplifi Investment Tracker to help you keep track of them and feel more secure.

Once you add your investment accounts, you can see your investment portfolio in the Accounts List.

Simplifi doesn’t yet have investment tracking to track individual transactions, but you can view some details about what you own, like the Ticker Symbol, Number of Shares, Price per Share, and Today’s Change values.

Simplifi Pricing & Fees

Simplifi by Quicken is an affordable option for those looking to track their spending and budget better. There are two pricing plans available. Both plans offer the same features.

• Annual Plan – Billed annually at $35.99 after the 30-day free trial. The discount for paying annually is applied. The Simplifi cost comes out to $2.99 a month.
• Monthly Plan – Billed monthly at $5.99 after the first one-month free trial.

The good news is that there are no additional fees or hidden Simplifi costs associated with using Simplifi by Quicken.

If you use a third-party service provider through the app (e.g., a bank account or credit card company), you may incur fees depending on how you use their services.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Incredibly user-friendly. Setting up an account takes just minutes, and the dashboard is clean and easy to navigate.
• Great security features to protect your data. All data is stored securely in the cloud, so your financial information will be safe and accessible.  
• Easy to create watchlists. Convenient watchlists to track spending can easily be created.
• Comprehensive analysis: Simplifi provides comprehensive financial details into your spending habits and even your upcoming bills, allowing you to make better financial decisions in the future.

Cons

• Paid app: Simplifi by Quicken is not a free app but a paid money-tracking app. Most of the other money-tracking apps are free.
• Cannot track investment transactions: You can only see details about your investment such as icker Symbol, Number of Shares, Price per Share, and Today’s Change values. You cannot see the investment transactions yet on Simplifi.

Other Budgeting Apps

Are you looking for a budgeting app to help you with basic financial tracking but want something different from Simplifi?

There are other personal finance apps you might be interested in to get different help with personal finances.

Empower (AKA Personal Capital)

Empower (previously Personal Capital) is a great free alternative to Simplifi, offering comprehensive financial tools and services that can help you take control of your financial picture. 

With Empower, you can access wealth management services and free financial management tools, such as an investment checkup, a 401(k) fee analyzer, and a spending tracker.

The Empower app is available on both Google Play and the App Store, allowing you to monitor all your financial accounts, investments, and retirement with one portfolio tracker. 

You also can use their investment management services coupled with financial advisors for personalized investment advice and strategies at a lower cost than traditional advisors. 

With our Empower review, you can learn more about the app’s features and what the program looks like.

Mint

Another one of the most popular money management out there is Mint. It is completely free and offers a comprehensive suite of features that make it easy to manage your financial picture from your phone.

Some of the features Mint offers include:

• the ability to take control of your financial life and create monthly budgets
• track your discretionary spending
• set financial goals and get personalized advice from finance experts
• link all of your bank accounts and also your savings accounts in one place
• has investment features to view all your investments in one place
• set up automatic bill payments. 

Comparing Mint vs. Quicken can help you learn more about budgeting and financial planning with both money management tools and the key difference between the two.

You Need A Budget (YNAB)

YNAB (You Need A Budget) is another popular budgeting app that focuses on helping users take control of their finances by creating a personalized budget.

With YNAB, users can connect their financial and bank accounts in one place; view their spending trends over time; set up custom goals; receive reminders when bills are due; and sync data across multiple devices.

FAQS

Is Simplifi by Quicken worth it?

It depends on the financial goals and budget of the individual, but Simplifi by Quicken is a great finance tracking tool that can help people get a handle on their entire financial life.

It offers features to manage your budget, comprehensive spending tracking, saving for long-term goals, and more.

Who can use Simplifi?

The Simplifi mobile app and website are great for US-based consumers who want to get their financial life in order, gain insight into their spending and upcoming bills, save more money, and reach their personal finance goals and net worth – no matter what their current situation.

The app only links with US-based financial institutions. Unfortunately, it is not accessible to non-US residents and cannot connect with non-US financial accounts.

Is using Simplifi better than Mint?

Ultimately, whether or not Simplifi is better than Mint depends on your individual needs and preferences as a user.

If you’re looking for an app with more features and no ads, then Simplifi might be the right budgeting tool.

However, if you’re looking for something with a free version that is easy to use, then Mint could be the better option.

What are other Quicken programs?

Quicken offers several different programs to meet the needs of various users.

• Quicken Deluxe is designed for individuals who want to manage their money and save. 
• Quicken Premier provides advanced investment analysis capabilities such as portfolio performance monitoring and cost basis calculation. 
• Quicken Home & Business is tailored for those who need to track personal and business finances. 

Quicken offers powerful financial tools to help you stay on top of your finances. You can learn more about budgeting, tracking investments, and creating forecasts with their comprehensive review and analysis in our Quicken Review.

Final Thoughts

Quicken has so many great offerings to help you budget, and Simplifi is an excellent option for those looking for an easy way to organize their finances and track account balances to help them save money.

You can keep track of your spending habits without manually entering data or maintaining multiple spreadsheets.

The comprehensive suite of features makes it ideal for both novice and experienced investors who want more detailed insights into their portfolios.

Whether you are just starting with budgeting or are an experienced investor looking for deeper insights into your portfolio performance – Simplifi has something for everyone!

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Using a service like Credit Karma is a great way for anyone who wants to build or maintain a good credit score.

But you may wonder if Credit Karma is the best choice for you to improve your credit score in 2023.

Keep reading our Credit Karma Review to learn why many people rely on Credit Karma to monitor their credit scores and get great financial advice.

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Credit Karma Review: Key Takeaways

Here are a few key takeaways from our Credit Karma Review:

• Credit Karma provides free credit scores and credit reports, with the information provided by Equifax and TransUnion for scores.
• The company has over 120 million members and helps people understand their finances and credit.
• Credit Karma provides valuable insights into factors that affect credit scores, including payment history, the age and number of credit accounts, credit utilization, hard inquiries on your credit report, and negative marks.
• The platform uses your profile to show you curated offers and provides tools for consumers to improve your finances and credit.
• Credit Karma Money Spend is a checking account option that allows users to manage their money and track their spending.
• Credit Karma Money Save is a high-yield savings account to earn more money on your savings.

Credit Karma Pros & Cons

Pros

• Free credit monitoring: Credit Karma offers free credit monitoring on your computer or with the Credit Karma app on either the Google store or Apple store.
• User-friendly interface: The platform has a simple and clean interface that makes navigating and understanding your credit profile easy.
• Daily credit scores: Your credit scores from the two bureaus Credit Karma works with are checked daily, which helps you stay on top of important changes or discrepancies in your report.
• Personalized recommendations: Credit Karma provides personalized recommendations based on your credit profile, such as credit card offers or loan options that may suit you.
• High-yielding savings account: Credit Karma Money accounts offer a high annual percentage yield (APY) on their savings account, so your money can earn more money as it’s being saved.

Cons

• Only two credit bureaus are included: Credit Karma provides information from Equifax and TransUnion, so you may not get a complete picture of your credit history from all the credit reporting agencies.
• VantageScore instead of FICO score: While VantageScore is a legitimate credit scoring model, it’s not as widely used as FICO. 
• Limited credit report access: You can view your credit report on Credit Karma, but you can only access some of the details that a lender would see.

What Is Credit Karma?

Credit Karma is a personal finance company founded in 2007, and in December 2020, Credit Karma became a brand of Intuit- the people who help us with our taxes!

With over 120 million members, Credit Karma helps people gain insight into their finances and credit.

The company first aimed to provide consumers with free access to their credit scores and reports. Today, Credit Karma doesn’t just stop at providing you with your credit score.

Credit Karma’s tools help consumers improve their credit reports, such as personalized recommendations on improving their score, alerts for important changes to their credit limit and credit rating, and even curated offers based on their credit profile.

Key Features

These Credit Karma features give you the information and tools needed to make better decisions about your financial future.

Let’s look at some key Credit Karma features that make Credit Karma stand out from other credit services.

Free Credit Score Tracking

One of the most important features of Credit Karma is its ability to track your credit score for free.

This includes an Equifax and TransUnion score, updated every seven (7) days so that you can monitor important changes in real time.

Not only does this help you keep tabs on your overall credit health, but it also allows you to spot any unusual activity and take action quickly if necessary.

You can even check out the factors that influence your score, like loan amounts or payment history, to understand better how it works.  

Credit Score Reports

In addition to tracking your credit score, Credit Karma will also show you what’s impacting them with detailed credit reports from Equifax and TransUnion.

One of the great things about Credit Karma is that they make it easy to understand your credit reports. They break down each section and explain what it means for your overall score.

Plus, they offer helpful tips for improving each aspect of your report, such as paying down debt or disputing errors.

And if you have any questions, their customer service team is available to assist you.

Another benefit of using Credit Karma is that they offer regular updates on your credit score. You can receive alerts when there are changes to your report, such as a new account being opened or a missed payment.

This allows you to stay on top of your credit and take action if necessary.

Credit Score Simulator

Have you ever wondered how certain actions can affect your credit score? Look no further than Credit Karma’s Credit Score Simulator.

The Credit Score Simulator is a tool that allows you to explore different scenarios and see how they could impact your credit score.

Whether you’re considering paying off debt, paying off auto loans, opening a new credit card, or making other financial decisions, the Credit Score Simulator can help you make informed choices.

It’s important to remember that the outcomes provided by the Credit Score Simulator are estimates and not predictions.

However, this tool can still give you valuable insights into how different actions may affect your credit score with the different credit reporting agencies.

Credit Karma Money

Credit Karma offers a new money experience with their Credit Karma Money accounts.

It offers two ways to make the most out of your money – Credit Karma Money Spend and Credit Karma Money Save.

Credit Karma Money Spend Account

Credit Karma Money Spend is an online checking account that’s 100% free to open and has no overdraft fees or penalties.

Plus, you can enjoy free withdrawals and never worry about maintaining a minimum balance with this bank account.

With Credit Karma Money Spend, you can enjoy free withdrawals at over 55,000 ATMs nationwide.

And if you get the Visa® debit card, you can earn cash back rewards for select debit purchases and build low credit while saving money. It’s a win-win situation!

If you’re interested in opening an account, visit their website and confirm your personal information while logged into your Credit Karma account.

Credit Karma Money Save – High-Yield Savings

Credit Karma Money Save is a high-yield savings account with competitive interest rates and no monthly fees.

This makes it easy for users to save money without worrying about hidden fees or low investment returns.

The interest rates offered by Credit Karma high-yield savings account are now over 10x the national average (4.10% vs. 0.4%) – meaning more money in your pocket!

Plus, no fees and minimum balance requirements exist so that anyone can take advantage of the Credit Karma Money Save savings account. 

The accounts are FDIC insured up to $250,000, so users can rest assured that their money is safe even during an economic downturn.

The account also comes with 24/7 customer support, so customers never have to worry about being left in the dark with any questions about their account.  

Tax Software

Are you a Credit Karma member looking to file your taxes? You’re in luck because Credit Karma now offers tax filing through TurboTax!

TurboTax is a paid service for filing taxes, but they offer discounts and coupons, and some people qualify for free filing!

If you qualify for free filing, TurboTax will provide step-by-step guidance throughout the entire process to help make sure your taxes are done right.

Plus, using TurboTax helps ensure you get the maximum refund possible by identifying deductions and credits you may have missed.

To use this service, you must e-file your federal tax return with TurboTax and have or open a Credit Karma Money Spend (checking) account.

There are still benefits to using Credit Karma’s tax filing through TurboTax- mostly for the quick convenience and the great reviews from their other users!

If you want to use Credit Karma’s tax filing through TurboTax, review the terms and conditions carefully before proceeding. 

And don’t forget to gather all your necessary financial documents beforehand, so the process goes smoothly.

Loan Marketplace

Not sure how personal loans work or which one is right for you? Credit Karma is here to help.

Their website offers resources to help users understand how personal loans work and weigh their options. 

Credit Karma’s Loan Marketplace allows you to compare rates from top lenders and apply instantly online easily, letting you have all the necessary details and info in one place.

Credit Karma has a variety of financial products, including personal loans, credit cards, and insurance services.

Credit Karma’s Loan Marketplace not only offers convenience but also peace of mind when you’re looking at a lot of options.

The platform shows you various loan options and helps you identify what could be the right one for your needs.

Whether you’re looking to consolidate debt, pay off credit cards, or finance a large purchase, Credit Karma has got you covered.

Plus, with reviews of various lenders on their site, users can make informed decisions about which lender to choose for their personal loan needs.

Identity Monitoring

Are you worried about identity theft? With so much of our personal information online, it’s easy to feel vulnerable.

Hey, don’t worry! Credit Karma has got your back with their free identity monitoring tool.

What exactly is identity monitoring? Essentially, it’s a service that monitors your personal information and alerts you if anything suspicious happens, like identity theft.

We can’t always check every credit card and every email every day to make sure everything adds up and that there isn’t something suspicious going on.

Credit Karma can track this stuff for you and take one more thing off your plate!

Their theft monitoring includes reviewing new accounts, new credit cards being opened in your name, or changes to your credit report that don’t match your usual activity.

Plus, Credit Karma’s free ID monitoring alerts you when your personal information is involved in a data breach or other security incident.

And the best part? It’s completely free!

You don’t need to sign up for any paid services or subscriptions to get these benefits. Just create an account with Credit Karma and start monitoring your identity today.

Relief Roadmap

The financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone. Fortunately, Credit Karma has created a personalized Relief Roadmap.

This free tool is designed to give you the support you need during these challenging times.

It helps connect you with government stimulus programs, debt relief opportunities, loan options, and other helpful financial tools.

The Relief Roadmap is easy to use and tailored to your specific needs and financial situation, which can really help your family during tough times.

Whether you’re looking for information on how to apply for government assistance or need help managing your debt, the Relief Roadmap has got you covered.

Simply answer a few questions about your financial situation, and Credit Karma will provide you with a customized action plan.

One of the best things about the Relief Roadmap is it is completely free. There are no hidden fees or charges – just helpful advice and resources to help you navigate these uncertain times.

Cost

Are you wondering about the cost of using Credit Karma? Well, the good news is that it’s completely free!

Yes, you read that right. Credit Karma doesn’t charge any fees for its services, and as you’ve seen, there are a lot of features for being totally free. 

You can access your credit reports and scores from Equifax and TransUnion without paying a dime and get advice that can help your unique financial situation.

Other Credit Score Apps

Whether you’re applying for a loan or want to know where you stand financially, your credit score can be an important indicator of your overall financial health.

Plenty of credit score apps and other apps offer free credit scores, budgeting, loan information, and high-yield savings accounts.

Let’s take a closer look at other money management apps that can help you with your money, credit score, and more:

Mint

Owned by Intuit, Mint offers a comprehensive solution for tracking your finances and monitoring your credit score.

It provides helpful tips on improving or maintaining your credit score and even offers automatic alerts when changes occur.

Mint also allows you to set a budget to track how much money you spend in various categories. This way, you can become smarter with your money and live a frugal lifestyle.

Additionally, it can help you find ways to save money with its recommendations based on your spending patterns. 

Credit Sesame

Credit Sesame is another alternative for tracking the credit score that emphasizes identity theft protection and provides financial advice tailored to you.

It offers a free Experian Score, a Vantage 3.0 credit score, updated monthly, daily monitoring of your accounts, and real-time alerts if any suspicious activity is detected.

It also includes educational resources such as blog articles and videos about budgeting and debt management so users can learn more about good financial practices.

One big draw to Credit Sesame is its identity theft insurance, which covers up to $50,000 in identity theft cases.

Chime

Chime is a smart option if you want to get more with a high-yield savings account.

Chime is a financial technology company that offers innovative solutions to help you manage your finances.

One of their most popular features is the Chime FICO Score program, which allows you to track your credit score for free within the Chime app.

In addition to its credit-building tools, Chime offers a high-yield savings account (HYSA) with an annual percentage yield (APY) of 2.0%. 

This means you can earn interest on your savings without worrying about monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements. 

To learn more, read our full Chime Review here.

FAQs

Is Credit Karma safe to use?

Are you concerned about the safety of using credit monitoring services? You’re not alone.

With so much personal and financial information at stake, you need to have trust in your credit app!

The good news is that Credit Karma is a legitimate and safe service to use. They use industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including encryption and two-factor authentication.

Additionally, they do not sell your information to third parties- everything stays between you and Credit Karma.

Is Credit Karma free?

The answer is yes! Credit Karma provides free scores and reports from two major credit bureaus, TransUnion and Equifax. In addition to this, they also offer various tools and resources to help you improve your credit score and manage your finances.

How accurate is my Credit Karma score?

Are the credit scores on Credit Karma accurate? It depends on several factors, such as the completeness and accuracy of the information in your report.

If there are errors or missing information in your report, it can affect your score, and what lenders see isn’t the same. Especially if they have info from all 3 credit bureaus!

Each lender may use a different scoring model or have an internal scoring system.

So while your Credit Karma score may be close to what a lender sees when they pull your full credit report, it’s not guaranteed to be the same.

How does Credit Karma work?

Credit Karma uses two of three major credit bureaus to give you your free credit score. These numbers come from TransUnion and Equifax.

This score comes from things like how much money you owe (loans especially), how many lines of credit you have, and how much you have available/unused from your credit balance.

How does Credit Karma make money?

Credit Karma makes money by partnering with financial institutions and offering its users personalized loan and credit card recommendations for their businesses.

When a user applies for a recommended product through Credit Karma, Credit Karma makes a commission from Credit Karma’s partners.

It’s similar to our blog and affiliate marketing links, or even like influencers’ links to Amazon products and other neat things.

In addition to these partnerships, Credit Karma also offers paid services such as tax preparation and identity theft protection.

These services are optional for users but can provide additional revenue for the company.

It’s important to note that while Credit Karma does make money through these partnerships and services, they are still committed to providing free scores and reports to its users.

Why do different apps give me different credit scores?

If you’ve ever checked your credit score on multiple apps or websites, each gives you a slightly different number.

It’s important to understand that several different types of credit scores exist. The FICO score is the most commonly used type, ranging from 300 to 850.

However, other scoring models exist, such as VantageScore and TransUnion CreditVision, and credit and loan businesses choose which ones they use.

Each scoring model uses a slightly different algorithm to calculate your score, meaning the number can vary depending on the model used.

Additionally, each app or website may pull information from a different credit bureau (Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion), affecting the score.

Is a Credit Karma account worth having?

In our opinion, the answer is yes! If you’re looking for a free way to monitor your credit score and report, we recommend you try Credit Karma.

We’ve used Credit Karma for years, and we like the features they offer –

Getting our free credit scores, easy-to-read reports from TransUnion and Equifax, and credit score improvement tools have actually made a difference in our personal finances.

We believe they can help you learn about your credit score and improve it this year.

Our Thoughts

Credit Karma is an incredibly useful service for anyone who wants an in-depth look into their financial standing with free credit reports, like some other sites charge for similar services.

It offers valuable insights into one’s current financial situation and educational resources that can help anyone understand credit score basics and how to budget your money so it goes up!

So if you’re looking for an easy way to keep tabs on your finances while gaining knowledge along the way – definitely give Credit Karma a try!

Credit Karma

Get your free credit score now. Easy, quick, and always 100% free.

Check Your Score Now

Your birthday is the best chance to get as much free food, drinks, gifts, so much more free birthday stuff!

Let’s check our list of birthday freebies to sign up with before your birthday.

Quick Picks

Want some other options to get free stuff or a free meal that you can get more often than just your birthday?

You could get free gift cards besides free food!

Here are the best sites to earn free gift cards before your next birthday:

• Best Website: Swagbucks has a $10 sign-up bonus. You can earn gift cards via surveys, watching videos, and playing games. 
• Best App: Steady is the best side hustle app ever. You get to earn money on your own terms when you need it most. 
• Fastest Way to Earn: InboxDollars has a $5 sign up bonus to get you started with plenty of ways to earn. 

Restaurant Birthday Freebies & Deals- Free Food!

1. A&W All American Food

When you join their Mug Club, you’ll get exclusive deals and coupons straight to your inbox. 

That includes a free root beer float on your birthday! Now I know not everyone is a fan of floats, but a free root beer float can be a great free dessert for the end of your birthday.

Join the Mug Club today! 

2. Applebee’s

If you join Applebee’s eClub, then you’ll get a free appetizer just for signing up!

On your birthday, they like to keep it a secret as to what you’re free birthday gift actually is, but it could be a free appetizer or free dessert.

Join Applebee’s eClub today!

3. Auntie Anne’s

 When you join Auntie Anne’s My Pretzel Perks program, you’ll get a free pretzel on your birthday. 

Sign up and get your free pretzel today!

4. Baskin Robbins

When you sign up for an account on Baskin Robbins, they promise tons of great deals AND SPRINKLES. 

You’ll get a free scoop ice cream cone on your birthday! The perfect free dessert for your day!

Sign up for Baskin Robbins today!

5. Bruegger’s Bagels

When you join Bruegger’s Bagels Inner Circle, you’ll get a free bagel with cream cheese and on your birthday, a free treat to start your day right. 

Sign up for the Inner Circle here!

6. Champps

If you’re looking for a fun night out, consider Champps for their awesome loyalty program. You can get $10 off $30 just for signing up!

You’ll get a free surprise deal (maybe a free meal!) sent right to you a few weeks before your birthday. 

Sign up for Champps’ MVP loyalty program today!

7. Chipotle

Chipotle has a rewards program where you can earn points to use for freebies, including a free drink, meal, and more.

Your free birthday reward is chips and guacamole, but you need to purchase something at least $5+ to get it.

Some places don’t ask for a purchase, but if you’re at Chipotle, you’ll need to grab some tacos or a burrito to get your freebie.

8. Cinnabon

Cinnabon Rewards offers you 10 points in rewards for every $1 you spend at Cinnabon.

For your birthday, you’ll get a free special offer- free coffee!! You’ll get a 16 oz. cold brew drink when you go in on your birthday.

9. Cold Stone Creamery

Cold Stone Creamery has a great rewards program that will let you turn in accumulated points for dollars off your purchase. 

When you sign up, they’ll preload a Buy One, Get One FREE Creation for your free birthday gift. More free dessert for you- you don’t have to share, we won’t tell!

Join the program now!

10. Dairy Queen

If you join the Blizzard Fan Club, you’ll get an extra-special coupon on your birthday. 

Even just for signing up, you’ll get a BOGO Blizzard coupon- a free dessert is perfect! 

Join Dairy Queen’s Fan Club today!

11. Denny’s

When you join Denny’s rewards program, you’ll get new and fresh deals sent straight to your inbox. And, you’ll get 20% off your next visit after you join!

On your birthday, you’ll get a free Grand Slam Breakfast for your big day! 

Join Denny’s for a free birthday reward this year.

12. Dunkin’

When you join the Dunkin’ rewards program, you’ll get a free drink on your birthday- so you can snag a free coffee to start your day off right!

Usually, other stores make it the smallest size, but Dunkin lets you choose whatever you want. Get your free birthday drink this year!

13. Firehouse Subs

Want a free meal for your birthday?

You can get a free medium sub for your birthday by signing up for Firehouse Rewards.

Now for Kelan, a free medium sub may not be a full meal, and he always wants some snacks with it, but I find it very filling and a great free lunch on my birthday!

14. Friendly’s

When you become a Friendly’s BFF, you get some amazing perks! 

You’ll automatically get 25% off your next purchase and a free medium sundae as your free birthday gift. 

Become a Friendly’s BFF today!

15. Grimaldi’s

Are you a fan of pizza? Then Grimaldi’s rewards are for you!

AS long as you get a pizza per year, you’ll be able to get a free 16″ pizza on your birthday.

16. IHOP

On your birthday AND on each anniversary of your sign-up, you’ll get free pancakes for a free meal. 

Sign up for MyHop today!

17. Jamba Juice

When you join the Jamba Juice Insider Rewards program, you’ll get exclusive offers delivered to your inbox. 

One of those is a free small smoothie on your birthday. 

Check out their rewards today!

18. Joe’s Crab Shack

When you sign up for updates from Joe’s Crab Shack, you’ll get a free appetizer just for signing up. 

On your birthday, you’ll get a free treat. Sign up to get started!

19. Krispy Kreme

When you join the Krispy Kreme rewards program, you’ll get a free doughnut just for signing up!

You’ll get a free gift- maybe a free dessert?- with this program!

20. Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt

When you sign up for Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt rewards program, you’ll get access to many things, such as exclusive deals and flavors. 

They’ll give you $5 off on your birthday, as well!

Sign up for Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt today. 

21. Moe’s Southwest Grill

Sign up for their Rockin’ Rewards and you’ll get a lot of free appetizer nachos with a drink purchase.

On your birthday, you’ll get a coupon for a free burrito.

Sign up for Moe’s Southwest Grill today!

22. Nothing Bundt Cakes

The first I tried Nothin’ Bundt Cakes was actually for my birthday, and I was hooked! 

I was very happy to hear they have an eclub where you can earn rewards and get a free Bundtlet on your birthday.

23. Olive Garden

At Olive Garden, you’ll get a free appetizer or free dessert on your birthday by signing up for the eClub.

If you love endless pasta as much as we do, then you’ll have to save some room for these delicious treats. 

Sign up for their eClub today!

24. Orange Julius

When you sign up for Orange Julius, you’ll get a buy one, get one free coupon. 

You’ll get the latest news and handshakes, according to their website. 

Sign up for this deal now!

25. Outback Steak House

When you join Outback Steakhouse’s Dine Rewards program, you’ll get 50% off every 4th time you visit. 

That’s amazing! On your birthday, you’ll also get a free dessert. 

Sign up for the program today!

26. Panera Bread

Join MyPanera and get a bonus reward on your birthday, plus a reward just for signing up. 

The great news is that they send you personalized news based on the food you already love. You’ll also get a free pastry on your birthday. 

Sign up for MyPanera today!

27. Papa John’s

When you join Papa John’s Papa Rewards program, you’ll get a birthday promo code sent to your account or a free dessert. 

The great news is that the code lasts 14 days, so you can go after your birthday and still get the reward. 

Sign up for Papa Rewards today!

28. Perkins

At Perkins, you’ll get 20% off just for signing up for the MyPerkins program.

On your birthday, you’ll get a free birthday treat delivered right to your inbox. 

Sign up for the MyPerkins program today!

29. P.F. Chang’s

When you join the P.F. Chang’s Rewards Program, you’ll get your first 1,000 points, which puts you halfway on your way to getting a free entree. 

On your birthday, you’ll get a free appetizer or free dessert. 

Sign up for rewards now!

30. Pinkberry

When you sign up for the Pinkberry PinkCard program, you’ll experience so many more deals on the app. 

You’ll get a free birthday gift-  plus free dessert rewards for visiting! You can get free frozen yogurt for every 10th visit. 

Sign up for Pinkberry today!

31. Pizza Hut

When you sign up for Pizza Hut’s Hut Rewards program, you get to earn pizza faster. 

You get points that you can exchange for pizza and breadsticks. You’ll get a free treat on your birthday, as well. 

Sign up for the Hut Rewards now!

32. Planet Smoothie

When you sign up for Planet Smoothie’s eClub, you’ll get exclusive offers and be the first on the block to know about new smoothies they’re rolling out. 

On your birthday, you’ll get a free smoothie. 

Sign up for the eClub now!

33. Pretzelmaker

When you sign up for Pretzelmaker Perks, you get a free pretzel up to $3.15. 

You can celebrate your birthday with a special pretzel treat and earn points as you go. 

Sign up for the perks today!

34. Red Lobster

When you dive into the My Red Lobster Rewards program, you can start earning points to a reward immediately. 

On your birthday, you’ll get a surprise- maybe a free meal? Who doesn’t love surprises?

Sign up for their rewards program today!

35. Red Robin

When you sign up for the Red Robin Royalty program, you get every 10th item free and exclusive rewards. 

Not to mention, on your birthday, you get your choice of a free burger out of 24 gourmet burgers they have. 

Sign up for the Royalty program today and look forward to your free birthday burger!

36. Ruby Tuesday

When you sign up for the So Connected program at Ruby Tuesday, you’ll get a free appetizer. 

Then, on your birthday, you’ll get your choice of either a free burger or the garden bar. 

Sign up early to ensure your free birthday burger!

37. Sbarro

When you join the Slice Society at Sbarro, you’ll receive a free slice of their XL pizza with a purchase of a beverage. 

You’ll also get coupons sent to you and a birthday freebie surprise. 

Sign up for the Slice Society today!

38. SmashBurger

When you join the SmashClub at SmashBurger, you’ll get triple points and some juicy rewards. 

On your birthday, you’ll get a free side or shake with any purchase. BUT if you spend $100+ with the rewards program, you can earn a free burger or a free meal!

Sign up for the SmashClub today!

39. Sonic

When you sign up for the Sonic Drive-In app, you get to order ahead and be the first in line. You also get half prices on slushes and drinks.

On your birthday, you get a free birthday treat, which may be a free birthday drink like a slushie or free food, and I always hope it’s free tots!

Sign up for the Sonic app today! 

40. Spaghetti Warehouse

I love getting Italian food, so it was a no-brainer to sign up for Spaghetti Warehouse’s rewards.

You get a free appetizer when you join and buy your first entree, but on your birthday, you also get a free meal to enjoy.

41. Sprinkles

How does free dessert sound? If you join Sprinkles Rewards, you get 5 points for every dollar you spend, and 300 points gets you a freebie!

On your birthday, you also get a free cupcake to sweeten your special day.

42. Starbucks

If you’re not already a member of Starbucks’ rewards program, then you definitely have to join!

On your birthday, you’ll receive a free drink of any size (free coffee!!. 

If getting a free Starbucks drink ) on your birthday isn’t enough, you can always earn free Starbucks gift cards year-round. 

Sign up for the rewards program today!

43. Steak ‘n Shake

When you sign up for the Steak ‘n Shake eClub, you’ll be the first to hear about special deals and new menu items. 

Members receive a free double ‘n cheese ‘n fries when joining and a free specialty milkshake on their birthdays. 

Sign up for their eClub today!

44. Texas Roadhouse

When you sign up for updates with Texas Roadhouse, you get birthday gifts and other free stuff throughout the year. 

On your birthday, you’ll get a free birthday treat. 

Sign up for updates with Texas Roadhouse today!

45. TGI Fridays

Just for starters, when you sign up for TGI Fridays’ rewards program, you’ll a free appetizer and free dessert. 

Not to mention, on your birthday AND half birthday, you’ll get a free treat. 

Join the rewards program today!

46. The Melting Pot

At The Melting Pot, when you join Club Fondue, you’ll get updates from the location nearest to you (that rhymes, by the way). 

They offer fantastic features for membership, including VIP events and beer and wine tasting. You’ll receive a complimentary box of chocolate-covered strawberries just for signing up and birthday vouchers. 

Sign up for Club Fondue today!

47. Uno’s Chicago Grill

When you sign up for the Uno Insider’s Club, you’ll get deep savings and delicious rewards. 

You’ll get a free welcome gift for signing up and a birthday gift on your special day. 

Join the Insider’s Club today!

48. Waffle House

Are you a Waffle House Regular yet?

If not, time to join the club to get coupons, news, and other free stuff in your inbox. You’ll get a free birthday treat on your big day- maybe a free waffle is in your future! 

Sign up for the eClub today!

49. Wendy’s

When you sign up for an account at Wendy’s, you get to save time, save money, and save your favorites. 

You’ll get $1 off any premium combo as a special birthday gift. 

Sign up for a Wendy’s account today!

50. Zaxby 

Zaxby offers great treats with their rewards program , where you get rewards for every dollar you spend and a free treat for signing up!

And every year on your birthday, you get a surprise birthday offer.

Entertainment Birthday Freebies

51. AMC Theatres

When you join the AMC Stubs program, you get to enjoy a refill on your large popcorn and access to Tuesday ticket savings. 

On your birthday, you’ll get a free large popcorn order. 

Sign up for the Stubs program today!

52. Dave & Buster’s

When you sign up for Dave & Buster’s rewards program, you get monthly email savings and ways to earn rewards on your Power Card. 

On your birthday, you get free credits toward playing games. 

Sign up for the rewards program today!

53. Medieval Times

If you enjoy a taste of history, check out Medieval Times on your birthday!

You’ll get free admission with the purchase of a full-price adult. 

Join the birthday fellowship and be the first to know about special offers!

54. Regal Movie Theater

When you join the Regal Crown Club, you’ll receive special updates. 

On your birthday, you’ll get a free small popcorn order.

Sign up for the Crown Club today!

Retail Birthday Freebies- Free Stuff!

55. American Eagle

At American Eagle, you get exclusive rewards for signing up, such as jeans and bras after 5 purchases and points. 

When it’s your birthday, they give you 15% off. 

Sign up for American Eagle’s rewards program today!

56. Anthropologie

Anthropologie has a loyalty program, where you et special promos and early dibs on new merch.

During your whole birthday month, you get an extra 20% off your orders.

57. Banana Republic

Bana Republic’s rewards program is great because you get free shipping on orders over $5-, get bonus points on orders, and get exclusive offers in your email.

 You get a random extra perk on your birthday, which changes every year for us so far, like extra discounts or $15 towards a purchase of $50.

58. Charming Charlie

When you join the Charm Club at Charming Charlie, you earn points with every purchase and get exclusive offers. 

On your birthday, you get a birthday gift reward to use in-store. 

Join the Charm Club today!

59. Clothes Mentor

When you join Club CM, you earn style points on all your purchases, which turn into Club CM rewards!

You can even schedule a personal shopper service with their app. On your birthday, you get 20% off your purchase. 

Sign up for Club CM today!

60. CVS Pharmacy

At CVS Pharmacy, you can join the ExtraCare Beauty Club, where you can get your pretty party started and enjoy the perks. 

You’ll get $3 ExtraBucks rewards when you spend $30 and you get a free gift on your special day. 

Sign up for the ExtraCare Beauty Club today!

61. DSW Shoe Store

As a DSW VIP, you get offers, perks, and exclusives created just for you. 

You also get free shipping and points toward your purchases. On your birthday, they give you $5 off. 

Sign up to be a DSW VIP today!

62. Famous Footwear

At Famous Footwear, when you join the Famously You Rewards program, you get free shipping and rewards cash to earn, shop, and save!

On your birthday, $5 in birthday rewards cash and 2x the points on all your purchases during your birthday month. 

Sign up for the Famously You Rewards program now!

63. Godiva

When you join the Godiva Rewards Club, you get early access to exclusive items and free shipping for one order. 

On your birthday, you get a special chocolaty treat. 

Sign up for the Godiva Rewards Club today!

64. JCPenney

When you join the JCPenney Rewards program, you get access to an online account with rewards for you to use on the go. 

You also get a faster checkout process and the latest coupons and sales. 

Sign up for the JCPenney Rewards program today!

65. Kirkland’s

When you join the K Club at Kirkland’s, you get exclusive member-only deals and 20% off your next purchase. 

On your birthday, you get a free birthday surprise. 

Sign up for the K Club today!

66. Kmart

With the Shop Your Way program at Kmart, you get to shop, save, and get rewards with their point system. 

You’ll get a free birthday surprise on your big day. 

Sign up for the Shop Your Way program at Kmart!

67. Loft

When you sign up for the LoveLoft program, you get a $5 reward for every 500 points. 

You also get a birthday gift during your birthday month. 

Join the LoveLoft program today!

68. New York & Company

When you join the Runway Rewards program at New York & Company, you get 15% off each purchase. 

On your birthday, you get $10 off. 

Sign up for the Runway Rewards program today!

69. Payless Shoe Store

At Payless Shoe Store, you get deals and discounts delivered straight to your inbox. Great for all year round!

On your birthday, you get 20% off your purchase. 

Sign up for rewards today!

70. Sephora

When you join the Beauty Insiders program at Sephora, you get free beauty classes and, depending on your level, even a custom makeover!

You get a free birthday gift, which is usually makeup samples you can pick from. 

Sign up for the Beauty Insiders program today!

71. Target

Who isn’t a fan of Target??

You can join the Target Circle membership and get extra rewards every time you buy at Target.

And on your birthday, you’ll get an extra 5% off coupon to use during your birthday month.

72. The Body Shop

At the Body Shop, when you join the Love Your Body Club, you’ll get 10 points for every $100 you spend. 

On your birthday, you’ll get a $10 reward. 

Sign up for the Love Your Body club today!

73. Things Remembered

When you sign up for emails at Things Remembered, you’ll get $5. 

On your birthday, you’ll get a $10 reward as your free gift. 

Sign up for Things Remembered today!

74. Ulta

With the Ultamate Rewards program at Ulta, you shop, earn, get points galore, and redeem (in that order)!

They have different membership levels, but you get a free gift with each one. 

Sign up for the Ultamate Rewards program today!

75. Vera Bradley

At Vera Bradley, when you sign up for updates, you can enjoy extra savings on purses, wallets, and more. 

On your birthday, you’ll get a free birthday coupon. 

Sign up for Vera Bradley rewards now!

76. Victoria’s Secret

When you become an Angel Card member at Victoria’s Secret, you get new benefits and all-new reasons to shop there!

On your birthday, you’ll get $10 off your purchase. 

Sign up for the Angel Card now!

Kids Birthday Freebies

If you have kids, you need to know where they’ll eat for free and where they’ll get freebies!

Here area  few places to get free birthday goodies for your kids this year:

77. AMF Bowl

When you become an MVB (Most Valuable Bowler), you earn rewards and receive $20 just for signing up!

On your kid’s birthday, they can have a special party, and bowling offers, and sometimes a surprise-free gift for your fun night. 

Sign up to be an MVB today!

78. Barnes & Noble

When you sign up for an account at Barnes & Noble, you get discounts and savings on books. 

And, on your kid’s birthday, they get a free cupcake as their sweet free gift. 

Sign up for Barnes & Noble rewards today!

79. Bob Evans

When you sign up for Bob Evans’ email club, you get delicious deals sent to your inbox. 

On your kid’s birthday, they get a free meal off the kid’s menu. 

Sign up for Bob Evans’ updates today!

80. Perkins

At Perkins, we already discussed the adult perks, but the kids get them, as well!

On their birthday, they get a free kid’s meal. 

Sign up for KidPerks today!

81. The Children’s Place

At The Children’s Place, with the My Place Rewards program, you get rewarded for shopping (and even more as a cardholder). 

Your kids will get 20% off on their birthdays. 

Sign up for the MyPlace Rewards program today!

Final Thoughts On Birthday Freebies

Wow, so many amazing deals you can use on and around your birthday. You could go around town and rack up the birthday freebies to sweeten your special day!

Free birthday stuff can include free dessert (free cupcake!) and free food, which means you could get a free meal in just a few stores.

Sign up for all types of programs to earn discounts, deals, and those sweet freebies!

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But we’re here to make money management much easier and help you fill your savings account and keep more money in the bank.

There are 9 steps in organizing your personal finance. After following these steps, you should have a very clear picture of what your personal finance looks like.

Not only do we have easy steps for you to follow, but we also have a few money management tips to help you gain focus- so let’s get into it!

9 Steps For How To Manage Money Effectively

It’s never too late to learn how to manage your money, and we’re happy to help you get it together and put you on the right path to success.

It’s time to share our personal finance strategy that will help you manage your finances like a pro with a simple straightforward approach that’s easy to follow. 

For these money management steps, you’re going to need to be logged into your bank account, loan account, and whatever else you got- and grab your calculator!

Let’s talk about the main factors of managing money and taking better control of your money:

1. Calculate Your Net Worth (Assets and Liabilities)

The first step to money management is knowing what you own and what you owe, which leads to you’re net worth. 

Many people believe that calculating your net worth is difficult. In actuality, it’s probably the simplest step in starting or learning to manage your finances.

To calculate your net worth, subtract your total debt from your total assets (Assets – Liabilities = Net Worth).

Assets: These include money from your checking and savings account, retirement funds (IRAs), vehicles, stocks, bonds, annuities, and home equity.

Liabilities:  This includes student loans, mortgages, car loans, personal loans, credit card balances, and any other debt you might have.

Write down everything that has value to you, and write down all of your debt- check your bank account for money and check your credit cards for debts. Then subtract liabilities from debt to get your net worth.

If your debt is higher than your assets and cash flow, resulting in a negative net worth, it’s not a great sign!  It likely means you need to start learning more, paying off debt, and get saving.

2. Earning Vs. Spending Money: Income vs. Expenses

The next part of money management is checking your bank account more closely to see how much you’ve earned and how much you’ve spent. 

Figuring out your cash flow and creating a budget is critical in getting your finances organized.

The first 2 steps provide a great overall picture of your personal finance. They show how you are doing financially as a whole, which is very important. Equally as important is understanding your monthly cash flow.

Income: This includes your hourly wage, salary, bonus, side hustles, side business, etc.

Expenses:  Fixed expenses (that don’t change price often) include rent, mortgage, insurance, student loan payment, cell phone bill, internet, gym membership, etc. Variable expenses (that change cost) include utilities, groceries, discretionary money, donations, gas, etc.

List all the income you receive in a month. Then write down all of your monthly expenses. Subtract your expenses from your income, and you’ll know how much money you have available for other things like savings and vacation.

If you’re just starting to organize your personal finance, pen and paper work great. Keep it simple write everything down with a name and dollar amount.

Other options include an excel spreadsheet or using a free website like Mint. It has free overviews of your money and can create graphics for you to check out.

Or check out Empower (formerly Personal Capital), which is like the next step up- where you can track your investments, get financial advice, and more!

3. Calculate Your Overall Cash Flow

Now that you know how much money you’re making and spending, you can use those numbers to figure out your cash flow.

This is also a simple equation. To calculate your monthly cash flow, take your income and subtract your expenses (Income – Expenses = Monthly Cash Flow).

In money management, your cash flow is basically your “money in and money out.”

Your overall cash flow is probably the most useful tool in your efforts to manage your finances because it gives you a constant checkpoint to see how effective your various financial strategies are.

As your income goes up and expenses go down, this calculation will show you concrete proof that you’re moving in the right direction. 

4. Get a Hold of Your Credit Scores and Reports

You know your overall net worth (Assets – Liabilities) and your monthly cash flow (Income – Expenses). That’s a great start for money management!

The next step in organizing your personal finance is getting a hold of your credit score.

Think of your credit score as an insurance policy to lenders, so they can know you can manage your money and not max out your cards without paying that money back.

Your credit score is extremely important in getting the very best rates on loans. Having a good credit score can literally save you hundreds of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. 

You have lots of free options here. Companies like Credit Karma and other credit score apps will provide you with a free credit score.

5. Evaluate Your Personal Finances From All Of The Above

So we did a bunch of math and have some numbers- now what? What do these have to do with better money management skills?

Having the information is great, but understanding it is a different story.

You need all these numbers to figure out where you’re at, where you can save money, how you can make money, if you have enough money month to month, and so much more.

Now that you have your net worth, cash flow, income and expenses, and credit score, it’s time to start evaluating and see what it all means:

– Net Worth

Your goal with your net worth should always be positive- that’s what financial success typically looks like. If you have more assets than liabilities, you have a positive net worth; congrats!

If your net worth is negative, it’s a good wake-up call to get your finances in check. Knowledge is power. Once you know your net worth, set some obtainable financial goals to increase it.

– Cash Flow

Your cash flow should be a positive number, this is very important. If you have a negative cash flow you are bleeding money from your accounts.

From time to time, you will have a bad month where your expenses out weight your income. If your goal is financial freedom, you can’t let this happen very often.

Always aim to have a positive cash flow every month. Be sure to include any money you are investing or putting into retirement accounts as an expense. This is money that is not liquid and you will not be able to use in the near future.

The entire premise of knowing your cash flow is maintaining a budget and grasp on your financial situation. In tracking your expenses, you’ll have a clear picture of what your biggest monthly expenses are. Y

You’ll also see where you are overspending, and knowing can help you change your spending habits and get things under control.

– Credit Score & Credit Report

Credit is a side piece of money management- when you keep your debts down and work on spending less, you keep your credit up!

Compare your credit score to the graph below from Experian. If your credit score is lower than you like, don’t fret! It’s easier than you may think to increase your credit score to excellent.

Go through your credit reports thoroughly. Understand what is being reported and why. Errors do happen in credit reports, and correcting those are important.

Contact the credit bureau directly to make them aware of the error so they can get started in correcting it.

Negative entries on your credit report will stay active for up to 7 years. After the 7 years are up, the negative entries will be removed from your credit report.

6. Create Monthly and Yearly Budgets

Once you have gotten this far, you should know where you’re at and can manage your money thoroughly Now that you know where you are, you can start planning where you want to be and get into better spending habits.

A budget is a must, and we’ve already talked about it a little, but now is the time to sit down and plan where your money will go, make sure you don’t overspend, and reach savings goals.

For example, you know that Christmas happens every year, so make sure that you start saving a “Christmas fund” at least a few months in advance, so you have enough money for gifts without going into debt.

Add it into the budget for a given month, as applicable, to make purchases you know are coming, such as birthday gifts, back-to-school supplies, or even oil changes. 

Once you’ve set up a recurring but slightly customized budget for each month of the year, you’ve got a chance to see the entire year at a glance.

Make a note of things like the total amount needed for those here-and-there birthday gifts, any party costs, etc.

As the year moves on, you may find yourself able to save for an entire budget item that spans months in a shorter amount of time, freeing up cash in later months to be applied elsewhere. 

Always remember that budgets should be followed pretty strictly, but they should also have room for change if absolutely necessary. 

7. Stay Motivated!

The next step to manage your money is to really keep going and keep a positive money mindset! If you start to have a bad money mindset or resent your money management plan, then things will head south.

People will start a budget and lose motivation and give up on it, and you can’t do that and expect your savings to grow and your spending to stay under wraps.

Figure out the real reason why getting your personal finance organized is important to you, such as attaining financial freedom.

Do you have savings goals so you can start investing or retire early? Do you want to pay off debt quicker and put down more than minimum payments? Set financial goals, stick to your plan, and go after it!

Once you have your purpose and goals, getting motivated will become much easier. 

8. Ongoing Review

After completing steps 1-8 it’s important to continue to review. Set a time each month to check on your finances. If revisions need to be made, make them. Continue to stay informed on what is going on in your financial life.

Don’t fall back into your old ways after learning your financial situation. Mistakes will be made and that’s okay, get back up and start over again. It might be frustrating at first, but once you get a system in place it’s extremely rewarding.

It’s also a great habit of doing a thorough review of your financial situation on a yearly basis.

Compare your net worth from one year to the next; hopefully, you are seeing it grow. Compare your monthly budget from year to year as well.

This is a great way to make sure you are always living under your means.

During this time of review, it’s always a great idea to also go back through your investment accounts to make sure everything is squared away. 

9. Relax

As silly as it may sound, it really is important to stop and take a deep breath once in a while as you’re going through your financial journey. Managing finances can be truly stressful when you have debts and work a lot!

Yes, it’s important to make extra money, pay off debt, and stop overspending, but your finances take time, and you shouldn’t become a ball of stress over it. 

Don’t forget to stop every so often and take some time out to recharge as needed. It’s totally reasonable to budget for an occasional (read:  infrequent) break, sort of like taking a little “vacation day” from all your financial work.

Go see a movie, order takeout, or plan a little weekend getaway. Just make sure you don’t undo all your hard work!

Money Management Tips

Now that we’ve gone over the individual parts of money management, here are some general money management tips to get you started and keep you focused:

Know your financial goals. 

The very first thing to consider with money management is your financial goals. How will you know you have financial success unless you know what it looks like?

We can give you all the quick financial tips you could want, but if you don’t have your goals clearly defined, it won’t matter because you won’t know which tips might apply to you and which would send you in the wrong direction. 

Do you want to retire early? Do you have debts to pay off? Are you a parent who intends to pay for your kid’s college degree, or are you wondering if that’s even remotely possible?

Some people just want extra money in the bank week to week, where others want to become rich.

The specifics for managing money in your 20s are far different than in your 60s. Over time, your financial goals may differ, and you may decide to invest more or pay yourself first rather than do traditional budgeting.

Have a rough path forward. 

Money management doesn’t have to be exact- especially when things change as you go. Flexibility is important to manage your money effectively.

You can have a general outline of what to do and how to reach your goals and keep extra money to your name.

The specifics of your next action steps will depend on the results of the steps outlined later in this article. 

Generally speaking, you’ll want to go into all these steps and any calculations knowing the big picture of how you want to proceed, which in turn tells you which financial planning tips you need. 

Do you want to pay off debts first, then save for retirement, then pay off your mortgage (following the advice from the wise Dave Ramsey)?

Do you want to chip away at debts while saving for a down payment for your first home, then worry about retirement? 

Get Saving!

Do you have an emergency fund or any savings?

If you answered “no” then you need to get on it. Life is unpredictable and things are going to happen. Things like car repairs, surgeries, and death’s in the family are going to happen.

Having an emergency fund prepares you to deal with those situations financially. The last thing you want to worry about in an emergency is “how am I going to pay for this”.

How much of an emergency fund you need varies. The typical rule of thumb is at least 3 months of living expenses. Ideally, you would have more than 6 months of living expenses saved up.

Use the tools you need, and find new ones as necessary. 

There are some great tools out there to manage your money! You just have to decide if you want to do a budget by hand yourself or use a free or paid program that does some of the work for you.

If you’re looking for a simple pen-and-paper solution, try budget templates that have blank spaces and guides to manage your money- check out our Budgeting Binder, which can cover all your budgeting needs!

Some things really do need to be done a little more particularly. While pen and paper work just fine for budgeting, you might find that you need a budget app to have it more automatic and ready to use at any moment.

If you choose not to work with a professional for some of your personal financial management needs, you’ll definitely want to consider investing in some quality money management software, such as Quickbooks.

Final Thoughts

Money management doesn’t have to be rocket science, and we’ve gone over the best money management steps and tips to get you started right away.

We have gotten where we are today by having a clear plan and always reviewing our financial situation monthly. It’s actually really hard for us to imagine not being financially organized; it’s scary.

If you are looking for a digital way to track and organize your finances, try out Empower and test how well it can help you manage your money!

We LOVE our free account and highly recommend them. If you’re not as tech-savvy, a pen and paper always works wonders.

Now that you have the knowledge, it’s time to take action. Get your personal finances organized today!

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