Do you need help with paying off debt or managing your finances? In this technology age of smartphones and tablets, technology has not only impacted how we socialize with one another, but it has also enhanced the way we can manage our finances. Here are four free online resources for financial management to help you reach your financial goals.

Mint

One of the most popular free Web-based financial management tools is Mint. This user-friendly system allows you to track transactions, budget, and manage your money. Simply sign up for a free account and add your banking, loans, credit card, and retirement accounts. Mint will pull your account data and automatically categorize the transactions. Mint also allows you to create customized categories. The site also has a customized budgeting and financial-forecasting feature. It’s based on your spending habits and can help you budget and manage your money.

ReadyForZero

If you goal is to get out of debt, ReadyForZero is a great online resource and smartphone app that will help. This app helps you create a debt repayment plan and tracks your progress. Sign up for free, add your loan, credit cards, and mortgage accounts to get started building your debt-free plan. ReadyForZero has helped users pay off over $150 million in debt.

Finovera

If you need help with keeping track of your financial documents and bills to make sure they are paid on time, Finovera is a cool online resource to help you do that. Finovera makes the process of receiving, managing, and paying household bills simple, automatic, and effortless. This is a free service that automatically brings all of your bills and statements into one secure digital file cabinet. This online financial storage helps you reduce the clutter and alerts you when something needs your attention.

GoodBudget

If you need an easy way to budget and manage your money, GoodBudget has an online budgeting system and app based on the envelope budget method. Sign up for free, or $5 per month for the enhanced version. Each month, add the amount of your paycheck, and set aside what you need for the month. GoodBudget syncs your budget between your mobile devices and the web and is a great way to keep track of your spending.

Here are three things to consider when choosing the right online resource for help with paying off debt.

• Clarity: Make sure that the personal financial management website or app provides easy-to-understand information and instructions. The websites with detailed charts and confusing instructions may ultimately be useless to your personal finance needs.
• Security: Any financial management websites or apps that request access to your personal financial information, such as bank, loan, and investment account balances, must be secure. Look for online resources that highlight security. Ensure that they use 128-bit bank-level or 256-bit military-level encryption. Verification by TRUSTe, McAfee, or VeriSign is another sign of a secure program.
• Pricing: Think twice before paying excessive fees to sign up. There are many reputable and easy-to-use online resources that are free or less than $5.00 per month. Do not pay for something that you won’t know how to use.

Using free online resources for financial management and help with paying off debt is a good first step to help you manage your personal finances.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

This article was syndicated and originally appeared on the CESI Debt Solutions website.