Favorite things
The curated list of my favorite things
I’m asked all the time what tools I recommend for those looking to get started with their finances. From budgeting to investing to saving a little extra money, here are all my favorites!
budgeting
You Need a Budget (aka YNAB) is hands-down the best budgeting app I’ve seen. I personally use it for both my personal and business finances. Unlike traditional budgeting apps that just track your spending, this one forces you to get super intentional about your budget in a way I’ve never seen before.
Read More:
For Net Worth Tracking
Personal Capital
Personal Capital is an online wealth management tool that allows you to connect to and track all of your financial accounts. You can look at the big picture of your money and track your net worth and your progress toward your financial goals.
For robo-investing
Betterment
For those who don’t want to be super hands-on with their investments, a robo-advisor like Betterment is a great choice. You tell Betterment your financial goals and time horizon, and it’ll choose suitable investments on your behalf.
for high-yield savings
Ally Bank
Ally Bank is my favorite high-yield savings account, earning roughly 10x the average savings account. Ally has a “buckets” feature that makes it easy to split your savings up into several different financial goals in a single account.
for student loan refinancing
Credible
Credible allows you to compare rates from more than a dozen student loan refinancing companies, which can save you thousands on your student loans.
for cash back
Rakuten
Rakuten is a cashback app that allows you to make money from your online and in-person purchases. Nearly every store will give you cash back, and then you’ll check a check once per month with your earnings.
for business finances
QuickBooks
If you’re making money from a business or side hustle, you need to be tracking your business finances. QuickBooks is my favorite tool for that. And it pairs seamlessly with TurboTax, the tool I use for my taxes.
Note: This page contains affiliate links. I only recommend the products that I love and have used myself.
CREDIT CARDS
There are few things I love more than earning cash back and travel rewards on purchases I’m already making. I put all of my expenses on a credit card and pay it off each month, allowing me to maximize my rewards. Below are my favorite credit cards for travel, cashback, and first time credit card holders.
for TRAVEL
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a welcome bonus of 100,000 points (aka $1,250 for travel)! You’ll earn 5x points on travel, 3x points on dining and groceries, and 1x points on all of your other spending.
for TRAVEL & CASH BACK
The Chase Freedom Unlimited combines the benefit of a travel card and a cashback card. Get a $200 signup bonus, 5% back on travel, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on everything else.
for cash back
The Capital One Quicksilver is the perfect card for cash back. You’ll get a $200 signup bonus and 1.5% cash back on all your spending, plus 0% APR for the first 15 months. A great card for first-time credit card users.
for first timers
The Discover it Card is hands-down my favorite for newbie credit card users. It’s easy to qualify for, simple to use, and allows you to earn 1% cash back on your spending, plus 5% back on one rotating bonus category.