Library of Links Related to Financial Matters
A constantly updated listing of online resources
This listing is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to be an endorsement of any website
College Savings:
CFNC.org: College Foundation of North Carolina website - wide variety of information regarding the college process from start to finish
Savingforcollege.com: A wealth of information regarding college financing. One noteworthy feature is an extensive comparison of 529 plans - state by state
Credit & Banking:
Annualcreditreport.com: This is the site that actually lets you check your credit reports for free. A good strategy is to check one of the 3 credit bureau reports every 4 months, therefore you have a consistent cycle each year
Creditkarma.com: This site will give you your credit score for free once you register. You also receive information regarding the various components that make up your credit score. The data comes from Transunion, one of the three major credit reporting companies
Findacreditunion.com: A website that lists all of the credit unions within a specified radius of your location. You may be able to find one for which you are eligible
Health:
Medicare.gov: All of the official information regarding the Medicare program. One particularly useful link is "Compare Medicare Prescription Drug Plans" where you can compare plans in your area
Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP): - This is a North Carolina program that provides extensive Medicare information and includes an option to compare prescription drug plans
Insurance:
eHealthinsurance.com: Widely recognized website for those shopping for their own health insurance coverage
Investments:
Google Finance: There are lots of investment research websites out there, but this one provides a great deal of information in a very user friendly format
Realclearmarkets.com: The site includes a collection of research and commentary on financial, economic and political topics
Job Related:
Aftercollege.com: Website with job resources for young people coming out of college or those in college looking for internships, etc.
Indeed.com: One of the two main "aggregator" websites in the job search world (simplyhired.com is the other). These sites pull data from thousands of sources. You may find Indeed.com to be a little more useful as it has the estimated salary as one of the primary filters.
Linkedin.com: A business related social networking site that has become a staple among business professionals. The site gives the user a gateway to experience social networking without taking it to the level of Facebook and Twitter
Careeronestop.com: Website with numerous job search and job related resources. One feature is a section where the user can key in their job skills and be matched up with relevant occupations
Legal:
Legalzoom.com: Website to assist with common legal documents including incorporations, LLC's and wills
Miscellaneous:
Gazelle.com: Website that will pay you for your old electronics, or at least help you recycle them if they have no monetary value
Real Estate:
Trulia.com: Comprehensive real estate search site - includes information on all types of homes, apartment rentals, recent sale prices, and more.
Zillow.com: Everything real estate. Tons of information if you are buying or selling a home
Retirement:
Encore.org: A free non-profit website that provides resources for older, experienced workers to connect to organizations with a social purpose for a second career
Expatexchange.com: This website provides a wide variety of information about the logistics of moving or visiting over 120 countries, including direct feedback from expats all over the world
Internationalliving.com: Many Americans are retiring overseas in places such as Panama and Costa Rica. This website provides a wide range of information for someone considering retirement overseas
Kiplinger.com/links/retireetaxmap: You or someone close to you planning their retirement? This link provides data on various tax burdens for all 50 states
Retiredbrains.com: A website that offers a wide variety of resources for helping baby boomers & seniors find employment
Retirementrevised.com: A wide variety of retirement-related topics
Savings on Everyday Purchases & Expenses:
Diyornot.com: A website that details a wide variety of home improvement projects and provides insight as to whether you should tackle it yourself or hire a professional
Freeshipping.org: A website that scours thousands of online shopping sites and provides free shipping codes and information
Groupon.com: A marketing website that promotes a "daily deal" where the deal is given only if a minimum number of people commit to purchasing. Many of the items are "wants" rather than "needs", so it is important to maintain the proper amount of self control for your financial situation
Mommysavers.com: A destination website for a wide range of savings ideas from coupons, special deals, free online items, etc.
Points.com: An interesting site for those with points from several loyalty programs such as airline miles, bank points, etc. You can track your balances from numerous sites, plus trade points with other members or purchase more points
Sitejabber.com: A website for customer reviews of various retail websites. A place to check on a new website's reputation.
Wisebread.com: A website that focuses on stretching one's dollar and living a frugal lifestyle. Check out the Best Deals tab for a daily listing of online deals
Taxes:
Energytaxincentives.org: Website outlining details of tax credits available for those making energy efficiency improvements
Guidestar.org: Website providing details related to non-profit organizations nationwide including addresses and tax ID numbers
Travel:
Airfarewatchdog.com: Monitors airfares and can provide email alerts for specific routes
Bing.com/travel: A cool feature of this travel search site is the price predictor that gives you airfare history and tells you whether you should buy now or wait. The hotel search results tell you if the rate is a deal or in line with historical rates
Kayak.com: Aggregator website that searches the various travel-related websites simultaneously
Vehicle Costs:
Truecar.com: A comprehensive source of information when you are in the market for a new vehicle