Here’s all the tools I use on a regular basis to manage my money and investing.
If you would like to know why I use or my experience these money tools then reach out and get in touch.
If you would like to know about how I invest, then have a look at my portfolio page.
Quick Jump: Budgeting & Calculators | Banking | Investing | Books | Blogs & Forums
Budgeting tools & calculators
For when I want to do some maths. Like how much more I’ll take home when my salary changes or what happens when I save more or which ETF is best for my needs.
Make sure you see my guide on budgeting which these tools all complement.
MoneySmart Budget Planner
Input income and expenses, irrespective of if they are weekly monthly or yearly and it'll work out your end of month surplus or defecit. You can download as a spreadsheet to save and reference then at anytime.
Vanguard Fund Compare Tool
Unexciting looking, but use to select funds or ETFs and compare side by side aspects such as cost, risk and return over time.
Compound interest calculator
You put in a starting amount, a recurring investment (if any), a rate of return and time frame. It’ll then tell you the total savings you accumulated over that time.
You can see the difference an extra $50 a month saved makes over 10 years or a change in % of return.
Pay Calculator
Get an idea of what your take home pay will be after tax.
You can work out what that new job or pay increase will actually mean to your back pocket.
You can also adjust your super, tweak your hours worked should a number of different scenarios be required.
Salary sacrifice calc
You can determine for example how an extra $100 a week into your super pre tax might end up costing you (it would be less that the pre tax amount).
Banking
Banking is one area I find people either totally neglect or try and optimise every single week. Spend time setting it up, keep it simple and automate.
Everyday banking – ING
Aa great app, good savings rates and fast transfer turnarounds. ING has one unique feature I love - You get ATM fees reimbursed straight away from ANY atm in Australia.
No matter if it costs $2 or $25, you get your money back straight away. No other bank does this (some reimburse you at the end of the month).
Home loan – loans.com.au
I refinanced from ANZ to loans.com.au a few years ago. The process was all online and over the phone, simple and hassle free.
I got a good rate, which is all that matters. There might be others that have interest rates .01% of .02% better, but I am happy to stay with a competitive business.
Investing tools
If you have some leftover money every month and are looking to grow it these tools can all help.
Sharesight
This is a fantastic product for investors of markets and equities.
It’ll show you real returns and chart the performance vs benchmarks if you wish. You can search any share or fund over a period of time to see how they really performed.
Join through this link and get 4 months free when you sign up to a premium plan.
Raiz
An all in one investing app and platform. Use it to collect spare change or to add to a fully capable investment portfolio.
There are different options depending on your risk tolerance, but it’s so simple you can set and forget.
Join raiz through this link and we both get $5 when you invest.
Selfwealth
If you are looking to make larger, irregular investments or need some trading flexibility then a broker account like Selfwealth would be the go. I use SelfWealth to invest in the ASX via ETFs or direct stock selections.
Using an online broker like this you are all on your own here. You need to make the calls as to what you add to your portfolio.
You will also pay fees for each trade. SelfWealth charge $9.50, so if your invest $1000, that is a .95% trading cost.
Vanguard
Before apps, before ETFs, before the internet there was Vanguard.
They offer Traditional Index Funds which you invest with the need of a broker , can make small ongoing contributions and let the fund do the rest.
I opened an account with Vanguard, dropped in the minimum investment ($5k) and then each month added in more via a scheduled BPay.
Stockspot
Ok, so I'm not actually a customer of Stockspot. I use their resources in two ways.
1) They have a tonne of information and research on ETFs as well as
2) I like to mimic their portfolio constructions.
I believe they have a great mix of assets in their portfolios, but they are a do it for my investment service and I like to do it myself so benefit from their information.
Books
Your best money tool is knowledge.You are lucky cause there are so many books out there on personal finance and investing .
I have a handful picked that I’d like to share. These are all fantastic reference guides that I keep on my bedside table for easy reach.
I Will Teach You To Be Rich
by Ramit Sethi
A structured guide to rebuilding and maximising your money tools and systems - including how to use credit cards, automation and investing.
Happy Money: The New Science of Smarter Spending
by Elizabeth Dunn, Michael Norton
Things don’t make you happy; experiences do. And the memories you make keep you happy.
The One-Page Financial Plan: A Simple Way to Be Smart About Your Money
by Carl Richards
If you are looking to map out your financial future, this is your reference.
Blogs & Forums
I like to read up on finance through one way or another. Either on social media, forums, news sites or blogs. I get a better perspective learning from how others think about money.
Obviously you would have read all my articles before needing to visit any other site.
Ramit Sethi
He authors iwt.com and has a fantastic site as well as Instagram and Twitter presence. A great influence on how I improved my money mindset and building a rich life.
Whirlpool Finance Forums
I love reading the different stories that get posted here. Most of it I take with a grain of salt but there are some great posts on investing, asset allocation, super and what not to do.
reddit.com/r/AusFinance
A quick way to find articles users share on local finance news. Whether it be property or stock market, or how to construct a portfolio – it’s another good place to hear stories.
Anything I missed?
This is my own list of money tools and resources I use and like, so fair chance it won’t match anyone elses.
Let me know if there is something I missed out or your recommend.