Tools & resourcesVetted picks

Accounts & tools I actually use

Every pick below is something I use myself or recommend to 1:1 clients — for planning, budgeting, saving, and investing. This list is still growing.

Disclosure: Some links below are affiliate or referral links. If you sign up through one, I may earn a commission or bonus at no extra cost to you. I only recommend accounts and tools I've personally used or vetted for clients — never ones I get paid to feature.

Financial planning tools

For modeling your full financial picture and mapping the path to financial independence.

Nauma
AI-driven planning that updates your projections as your real numbers change, instead of a static spreadsheet you forget to touch.
Code: moneywithmay
10% off your subscriptionSave 10%: Nauma (opens in a new tab)
Projection Lab
The tool I personally started with to build my own plan for financial independence — deep enough for FIRE modeling, still usable without a finance degree.
Start planning: Projection Lab (opens in a new tab)

Budgeting apps

For seeing where your money actually goes, without a manual spreadsheet.

Monarch Money
Syncs every account you have — checking, cards, investments — into one dashboard. Best fit if you want the full picture without logging into five different apps.
50% off your first yearGet 50% off: Monarch Money (opens in a new tab)

High-yield savings accounts

Where I tell clients to park an emergency fund or any cash they'll need within a couple of years.

Ally
No minimum balance, no monthly maintenance fees, and a rate that actually moves with the market instead of sitting near zero.
$100 bonus on an eligible new accountGet $100 bonus: Ally (opens in a new tab)

Brokerage accounts

Where money that isn't needed for 5+ years should actually live.

Schwab
Full-service brokerage with no account minimums and no commission on stock or ETF trades — the one I point most clients to first.
Up to $1,000 bonusGet up to $1,000: Schwab (opens in a new tab)

Credit cards

For clients who pay their balance in full every month and want their everyday spending to actually work for them.

Chase Sapphire Reserve
The premium pick if you travel a few times a year — lounge access, solid trip protections, and a points haul that covers the annual fee many times over if you actually use the perks.
100,000 bonus pointsGet 100K points: Chase Sapphire Reserve (opens in a new tab)
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The lighter version of the Reserve — same solid points on travel and dining, lower annual fee, and the one I point clients to if they're not flying enough to justify the premium card.
75,000 bonus pointsGet 75K points: Chase Sapphire Preferred (opens in a new tab)