Research Guides: Personal Finance: Budgeting & Saving

Consumer Finance Today

Budgeting & Saving Advice

America Saves
Find tips, tools and inspirational stories about saving money.
Ask CFPB
Search or browse the FAQs from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for answers to personal finance questions.
Better Money Habits
Watch videos based on financial goals, like paying down credit card or student loan debt and saving for big ticket-items.
Budgeting Your Money
Get personal finance and budgeting advice from the law website Nolo.com.
Household Budgeting Money Guide
Read New York Times articles about spending and budgeting.
Managing Your Money
Basic information from Consumer.gov, including budgets, bank accounts, debit cards, prepaid cars, phone cards and more.
MyMoney.gov
Explore personal finance basics.

Emergency Fund

Build an emergency fund for unexpected expenses.
Saving automatically is one of the best ways to build a fund.
You can also save with a Prepaid Card or Cash, although those are not as secure as a bank or credit union account.

Free Tax Preparation

Federal Tax Help

Get Free Tax Preparation online or locally by appointment through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or a Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) location if you meet any of these conditions:

Your income is $54,000 or less
You are 60 years old or older
You have a disability or speak limited English

Use this IRS locator tool to find a VITA or TCE site near you.

Foundation Community Prosper Tax Help

The Prosper Tax Help program opens for 'year-round services' from

June 25th, 2024 to October 15th, 2024.

Foundation Tax-Aide Help

AARP's Tax-Aide Locator lists locations offering free tax preparation.

Apps & Tools

Best Personal Finance Apps
The Balance editors have researched, tested, and recommend what they consider the best Finance App products and services.
Best Budgeting Apps Of December 2023
Forbes has compiled what they consider the best budgeting apps and personal finance tools for any budget.
Finatopia - Free Finance Calculators
Savings, Inflation, Retirement, Simple Loan, Loan Comparison, Salary, and Debt Calculators.
Mint
See all of your financial accounts in one place and use budgeting tools with this free site and app.
Pocketsmith
This personal finance app includes cashflow forecasting, with free and at-cost plan options. It does require making an account.

Classes & Coaching

One-on-One Financial Counseling
Free virtual financial coaching if your household income is under $55,000 per year (offered by Foundation Communities).
Home Finance 1:1 Coaching | Business & Community Lenders of Texas

Financial Literacy Online

360 Degrees of Financial Literacy
Free website with finance calculators, free financial plan creator.
Financial Wellness - ALA
Build financial stability using free financial health tools and articles.
Credit and Debt - Consumer Advice from the FTC
Strategies for budgeting, buying, dealing with credit, debt and resolving consumer problems.
Personal Finance
Learn about consumer credit, estate planning, home ownership, retirement, saving and investing, use finance calculators and watch free webinars.