The 25 Best Web Sites
Our favorite sources for stock-market commentary, insurance quotes, prescription-drug prices, travel deals and more.
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, November 2007
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There's something on the Web to help with every aspect of your financial life from investing to money management to spending wisely.
Our list of favorites includes the best sources for stock-market commentary, insurance quotes, prescription-drug prices, travel deals and more. We've laid out our picks in text format below, or you can check them out in our slide show.
Investing
BEST INVESTING INFORMANT
SeekingAlpha.com
The site's large roster of contributors includes traders, bloggers and money managers. Nifty extras: a comprehensive section on exchange-traded funds and Q&As with CEOs.
BEST FOR BONDS
Pimco.com
At this leading fixed-income specialist's site, fund managers and bond analysts, including the highly regarded Bill Gross, opine on the big picture and what to expect in every area of the bond market, from Treasuries to municipals to high-yield, or "junk," bonds.
BEST PORTFOLIO TRACKER
Quotestream.com
For $15 a month, you get unlimited real-time quotes for all U.S.-traded stocks (except those on the pink sheets), plus interactive charts and news alerts.
Financial services
BEST FREE CREDIT REPORT
AnnualCreditReport.com
Get a report from each of the three major credit bureaus at one sitting. You'll need to answer a few questions to verify your identity, but you have to enter the information just once.
BEST PLACE TO GET YOUR CREDIT SCORE
myFICO.com
A crystal ball isn't necessary to find this magic number. It costs $15.95 to get your FICO score from Fair Isaac, the company that compiles the most widely used credit score. The site includes advice on boosting your score.
Check out Kiplinger's guide on Demystifying Your Credit Score.
BEST FREE BUDGETING
Wesabe.com
Keep tabs on your expenses while you share your financial know-how with others and benefit from the group's collective expertise. We like the site's ease of use and emphasis on security.
See Kiplinger.com's primer Build Your Budget to learn the basics of budgeting.
BEST TAX CALCULATOR
kiplinger.com/money/taxes
If you regularly get an income-tax refund, you're paying Uncle Sam too much. Give yourself a pay raise with our oh-so-simple tax-withholding calculator.