Budgeting wth Mint

I have never understood why so many debt reduction and budgeting tools cost an arm and a leg. Think about it - if we need the service, then how on earth are we going to be able to spend hundreds of dollars on it?

That's the main reason why I've fallen in love with Mint.com. Mint is an entirely free service which links your bank, savings, and credit accounts, tracks your purchases, helps you keep up with your budget, and even compares your current interest rates and account types with other offers out there, so you can find better deals.

Mint also has a blog called Mint.edu which provides articles on a wide variety of financial issues. No matter how seasoned you are in the realm of things financial, there's bound to be something to interest you there.

The only downside to Mint is that not all banks are supported yet. Smaller banks and those with very advanced security features may not be on the list, so you'll want to check to make sure your institution is supported. As of right now, my bank isn't - but the Mint help section says that Mint is constantly working to expand their network, and has a request form where you can submit your institution's info and offer to beta test.

Even without being able to attach your bank, Mint can be useful - my savings account and credit cards all linked without problem, and the tracking features are wonderful. Take a minute to check the website out; I doubt you'll be disappointed!