5 Valuable Websites for Financial Literacy
According to Investopedia, financial literacy is “the ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills, including personal financial management, budgeting, and investing.”
This definition gets our seal of approval and if you are not a financial expert then chances are, from time to time, you will need to do a little online research.
The following five websites are great resources for developing the aforementioned skills and knowledge, staying up to date on the economy and stock market and informing yourself when making financial decisions.
Please note that although these websites are excellent resources, if you have specific questions about your personal or business finances it is best to seek the counsel of a financial professional.
Investopedia
If you type a finance term into your search engine, chances are one or more of the top results will be from Investopedia.
A staple of the part of the web dedicated to investing, finance and financial literacy, Investopedia is an excellent first stop for anyone looking for answers to frequently asked investing questions.
The website has been around for some twenty odd years now, and its ever-growing content base touches on the broad strokes of investing for newcomers, and more detailed and technical information for more knowledgeable users.
Aptly named, Investopedia—an encyclopedia of investment concepts, case studies and terms—emphasizes investment related information.
However, as investing is just one part of a larger financial ecosystem, it is important to address other aspects of personal finance knowledge, such as tax, interest, cost of living, etc. Fortunately, the website touches on these topics and many more.
In addition to its extensive database and various investing tools and simulators, the website is sleek, straightforward, easy to navigate, and search. Investopedia is definitely a site to bookmark.
Nerdwallet
Nerdwallet is all about the best of’s. If you are researching the best credit card to have for your small business or the best broker for new investors, Nerdwallet might help you decide, or at least narrow the list.
CEO Tim Chen cofounded the site alongside Jake Gibson after witnessing the lack of transparency in personal finance.
However, Nerdwallet does not limit itself to comparing finance products. It also takes a broader look at personal finance, providing instructional articles in its Guides & Tips section.
One of the gems of the website, however, is the Calculator section which has calculators specifically designed to help you figure out the numbers when it comes to credit card debt, travel expenses, mortgages, insurance and much more.
The Balance
One of the newer sites on this list, The Balance will become a fast favorite because it stays on top of current events and how they might hit or buffer your pocket.
Though it was launched in 2016, the website boasts a “20-year-strong library of more than 9,000 pieces of content,” if you are wondering how that is possible, it is because the site is a part of the well-established Dotdash publishing family along with Investopedia, Lifewire and many others.
The Balance puts personal finance front and center, from providing straightforward explanations of basic financial terms and concepts to offering context specific financial advice such as How to Get Financial Relief Fast When a Natural Disaster Strikes .
Like Nerdwallet, The Balance has a healthy collection of product reviews for credit cards, banks, brokers and more.
If your personal financial planning leads you to ask questions about small business or career options, well look no further. In addition to their main site, the company has created sites specifically to cater to these domains: The Balance Small Business and The Balance Careers.
Investing.com
Currently taking the top spot worldwide in the finance > investing category on SimilarWeb, Investing.com is a—debatably, the—go to website for market news and information.
The website offers, quite literally, thousands of tools for investors including, real-time quotes and alerts, news, charts, calculators and screeners and, with a free account, the ability to track your portfolio, create personalized alerts, calendars and more.
Whether you are an experienced investor or completely green—in which case you may wish to head over to the Education Center—this website has tools for you.
Investing.com has an edge over many of its competitors because it has a global outlook (it is based out of Europe) and the website “strives to be a one-stop-shop for traders and investors.”
The interface might be overwhelming to newer investors but it is definitely worth bookmarking, particularly if you plan to garner a more technical understanding of investing and investing tools.
The Motley Fool
Not far behind in the SimilarWeb ranking is The Motley Fool, founded in 1993. This site is dedicated to everything investing, particularly market news and analysis.
There is a section for new investors under the Investing Basics tab. Meanwhile, under the Stock Market tab you can find more specific investing information, a categorization of stocks and list of industries to invest in.
The premium services are the bread and butter of the site but may not be accessible to new investors cost-wise. All the same, it might be worth it to hold onto the link for later on in your investing journey.
Personal finance is not forgotten, it can be found on the The Motley Fool’s sister site The Ascent. Though the site spotlights product reviews and rankings, it also has numerous how-to articles and other guides to help you make informed financial choices.
Though there is crossover between them, these resources each have their unique style and angle, however nuanced.
The best way to make informed decisions and verify information is to consult multiple websites and contact a financial professional if you have questions or concerns.
Whether you plan to stay tuned into the financial world regularly, or you just have a question every now and then, these are great sites to have at your convenience.
We would like to hear from you! In the comments below tell us, what are your go-to finance websites? What do you like or dislike about them?
PLEASE NOTE: The information being provided is strictly as a courtesy. When you access these links you are leaving our website and assume total responsibility for your use of the website you are linking to. We make no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided at this website. Nor is the company liable for any direct or indirect technical or system issues or any consequences arising out of your access to or your use of third-party technologies, websites, information and programs made available through this website.
