Personal Finance
Looking for ways to make the most out of your money? Check out the staff-curated money management resources below.
The library also offers other money-related resources on topics including taxes, jobs and careers and businesses and nonprofits.
Personal Finance Resources
Your Money
Your Money
- Financial Fit is an online resource from the library that helps you learn about financial literacy.
- University of Illinois Extension provides information about personal finance topics.
- How Money Smart Are You? is a series of games from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to help you learn about everyday financial topics.
Consumer Help
Consumer Help
- Citizens Utility Board offers tips to lower utility bills and avoid scams.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers information on topics like auto loans, bank accounts, credit cards, credit reports, mortgages and more.
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) maintains stability and public confidence in the nation's financial system.
- Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) protects investors and safeguards the integrity of capital markets to ensure that everyone can invest with confidence.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides information on avoiding foreclosure, housing resources and finding shelter.
- Illinois Attorney General offers information about student loan debt assistance, consumer and health care complaints, crime victims compensation and more.
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission provides information about product recalls. There is also the option to report or search for unsafe products.
Investing
Investing
- There are several online resources from government and regulatory agencies that can help you learn about investing. The library subscribes to two online resources, Morningstar Investment Research Center and Value Line Research Center, that have investment education sections with courses, videos and quizzes.
- Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
- FINRA for Investors
- FINRA Learn to Invest
- FINRA Personal Finance can help with making financial goals before you start investing.
- FINRA BrokerCheck is a free tool to research the background of financial brokers, advisers and firms.
- Tools and Calculators
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) offers a free tool to check the backgrounds of investment professionals.
- Investor.gov provides information from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission about investment products, crypto assets, fraud, and more.
Financial Planning
Financial Planning
- Guides for Financial Decisions including buying a house, paying for college and answers to commonly asked financial questions.
- Budgeting
- Credit & Debt
- Retirement Calculator
- Illinois Secure Choice is a state-facilitated retirement program that makes it easy to save for retirement.
Teaching Children About Money
Teaching Children About Money
- Money as You Grow offers activities to help you teach your children about money.
- Thinking Money for Kids Game
- Money Genius Activity Kit by Beth Kobliner
- Consumer.gov provides consumer information for teens.
