August 2008
Follow your plan electronically
You can easily track your spending with a pad, pencil, and calculator, but you might save time using an automated tool. Recently,
we tried three free Web sites that offer budgeting functions and comply with Consumer Reports WebWatch guidelines on privacy, service, and other factors. Be sure to check sites' privacy policies before you sign up to see how your information
may be shared.
- Buxfer is a user-friendly site that lets you create and track an overall budget and individual spending categories. And it lets
you know how much you've spent, including checks that haven't yet cleared, so you won't overdraw your account.
- Geezeo allows you to create budget categories with ease and helps you track your progress toward meeting specific financial goals.
It hosts a forum where members can share tales of savings triumphs and woes.
- Yodlee MoneyCenter makes it easy to sort your expenditures into subcategories such as medical, business, tax-deductible, or reimbursable. It automatically alerts you when certain bills are due and when your transactions exceed set limits in numerous categories. You also can use it to monitor investments, check your home's value, and calculate your net worth.
