Top 10 Personal Finance Resources - Bitter to Richer (2024)

These days we have so many resources available to us. In fact, it can be a bit overwhelming. Sometimes it can be hard to figure out which resources are good and which are bad. Fortunately, I’ve put together a list of the top 10 personal finance resources that can help you develop the skills you need for your financial security!

1. My Blog

I like breaking things down for the layman – for people who may not have advanced knowledge of personal finance topics yet. Don’t get me wrong, I like doing a deep dive when I can, but I write everything with the mindset of dropping the jargon and making it readable and usable for everyone – regardless of their professional background. It is my personal belief that everyone should have access to as many resources as possible to improve themselves and their finances, but you can read more about that in my About Me page.

For more personal finance articles, you can find them here. You can find more information on career and professional development here as well.

2. A Host Of Free Financial Tools

Well, I started as a user of Personal Capital, and now (for full disclosure) I am an affiliate. I get some money when people with a large net worth link accounts to it. So, if you click on my links to Personal Capital, create an account, and link 6 figures worth of cash, I do get a little “finder’s fee” of sorts – to keep the site running. However, whether you have a high net worth or not, I recommend Personal Capital (remember, I get nothing for people who just use the free features). Its free features alone are fantastic, and I think the average person trying to work on their finances will appreciate them.

Now, why did I say all of that? For starters, I think full disclosure is important. Additionally, I want to emphasize how much I love the free features and that I recommend Personal Capital whether I get anything from someone signing up or not.

Ultimately, whether something like Personal Capital is good for you ultimately comes down to your personal needs and goals. If you aren’t happy with your current financial tools, or are looking for more tools to use, I’d definitely recommend trying out Personal Capital since their free tools are pretty comprehensive. However, if you’re trying to use the advanced features that aren’t free, be aware of the caveats.

3. Social Media

Social media actually has a ton of benefits, whether you believe it or not. You can make money on social media, but you can also learn core financial skills and how to start a side hustle on them as well.

Don’t believe me? Create a Twitter account and start following major personal finance accounts to help you gain the knowledge you need.

4. Financial Samurai

Financial Samurai started back in 2009. He used to work in investment banking for over a decade and decided to leave to blog full-time. I’m sure you’ve heard of him, since he runs one of the biggest personal finance blogs out there! He has tons of great information on the fundamentals of personal finance, as well as some great information about more complicated topics like real estate investing.

For more information about Financial Samurai, check out my interview with him here.

5. Mr. Money Mustache

Mr. Money Mustache is another huge financial blogger. He is more oriented around frugal living. If you want to read more about him and his tips, check out his blog. He’s been blogging for a while, so there is a wealth of information there!

6. A Good Brokerage

For those of you who don’t know, M1 Finance is a brokerage that offers high customization and automation to help you build your ideal portfolio that can meet just about any preference or requirements you may have. On top of that, it has low fees and minimum balance requirements.

You can create and design your own portfolio – made up of anything from index funds to individual stocks. Alternatively, if you are more of a beginner, you can use their premade portfolios based on your current goals. What separates M1 Finance from its competitors is that M1 lets you deal in fractional shares and it gives you immense control over your own portfolio. Overall, it’s a great brokerage that has the flexibility to give just about everyone (except for day traders) the flexibility they need to hit any goal.

7. Betterment

A service I absolutely love is Betterment. There is a lot to it, but I’ll keep it simple. Betterment lets you set up funds for different things you might be saving up for. They could be for a vacation, a new car, a down payment on a new house, or anything else you can think of. The process is simple, and you can set up automatic deposits into these different funds. The funds can be what is essentially a savings account, or you can put it in investments managed by a roboadvisor.

Betterment makes my life a lot easier. I use it for all of my “short-term” savings – things that I’m saving up for over a few months or a year (maybe two). As I said earlier, I like to keep my finances simple and this helps me do that.

8. Bitches Get Riches

Bitches Get Riches is a phenomenal personal finance blog, which is more geared towards women. I personally enjoy their strong advice as well as their wit and humor – they’re never a dull read! Be sure to check out my interview with them.

9. Tools To Monitor Credit Scores

Good credit scores can help you get bigger loans with lower interest rates. It is nothing but a boon for your finances, and it isn’t particularly hard to maintain a good credit score. As long as you practice normal, healthy financial habits, then you should be set. If you want more information on how to start building credit, or just need a breakdown of how it’s calculated, check out my guide on credit scores.

myFICO is a great resource to use to stay up to date on what your credit score currently is.

10. Acorns

For new or low-income investors, I think Acorns is one of the best options on the market. Acorns offers a service that makes it easier than ever to start saving and investing. These days there really are few excuses for not getting your finances in order – you don’t need to be a finance “whiz” to get the ball rolling. Unfortunately, most people still don’t have enough saved up for an emergency!

If any of this resonates with you, I think Acorns could be helpful. However, if you’re at the stage where you routinely save and invest already, and you are exploring new investment options, I’m not sure Acorns would be a good choice for your current situation. The seeds being planted here grow more into good habits rather than the ideal investment portfolio or amount (although it is a great start).

If you’re interested, go to their site and check them out. Right now they are running a promotion where you get $10 when you make your first investment!

Check out my full review of Acorns here.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed learning about some of the different financial resources you have at your disposal! Not all of them will be perfect for everyone, but I’m sure each has the potential to make your finances better. If you have any other suggestions that you think are worth mentioning, be sure to leave a comment.

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