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Recommended resources

Our calculators and guides are a starting point, not the last word. When you want to go deeper — or need real help — these are free, genuinely trustworthy places we'd send a friend. They're official or nonprofit, not sales pitches.

Official & government

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ↗

Clear, unbiased explainers on loans, mortgages, credit, and debt — from the U.S. agency that regulates them.

MyMoney.gov ↗

The U.S. government's plain-language hub for financial basics across saving, borrowing, and planning.

Investor.gov (SEC) ↗

Investing fundamentals and free tools from the Securities and Exchange Commission, including how compounding works.

IRS.gov ↗

The official source for U.S. tax questions — far safer than second-hand summaries.

Help when money is tight

211.org ↗

Free, confidential connection to local help with food, rent, utilities, and essentials. In the U.S., you can also dial 211.

National Foundation for Credit Counseling ↗

A long-established nonprofit network offering low- or no-cost credit and debt counseling with real, certified counselors.

Learn the basics, free

Khan Academy: Personal Finance ↗

Free, beginner-friendly video lessons on budgeting, saving, credit, and investing from a respected nonprofit.

USDA Food Cost Reports ↗

The official monthly estimates of what groceries cost by household size — a solid benchmark for your food budget.

In the interest of transparency

We don't earn anything from these recommendations and we're not affiliated with any of them. They're listed simply because they're reliable and free. Links open in a new tab and lead to third-party sites with their own policies.