This page is a running list of products and services I actually use or feel comfortable recommending.

Everything here has cleared a simple bar for me. I use it myself, I’ve used it in the past, or I would recommend it to a friend or family member if they asked.

How links on this page work

You will see three different types of links. I label them clearly so there is no guessing.

  • Affiliate links. These are links where The Ways To Wealth has a formal relationship with the company. If you click and sign up, The Ways To Wealth LLC may earn a commission.
  • Referral links. These are personal referral links tied to accounts I use. In some cases I may receive a referral bonus. Sometimes you do as well.
  • Non-affiliate links. These links do not include any compensation.

Checking

  • Fee-free ATM account: I use the Charles Schwab Schwab Bank Investor Checking™ account. I do not use this as my main checking account. I keep money in it primarily for fee-free ATM withdrawals, especially when traveling internationally. To open it, you also need a Schwab One® brokerage account, but there is no requirement to fund that brokerage account. This is a personal referral link from Schwab that may give you access to a bonus. There is no compensation on my end.

Budgeting apps, expense tracking, net worth tools

  • Budgeting app: I use Monarch Money for day-to-day budgeting. It syncs reliably, the interface is clean, and it does what I need without breaking. This link is an affiliate link. Monarch occasionally offers promo codes, which I track on a separate Monarch promo codes page.
  • Net worth, retirement and investment tools: I use Empower for retirement and investment checkups. The tools are free and similar to what many financial planners use for high-level planning. I usually sync my accounts and log in once or twice a year for a snapshot of where things stand. The retirement planner gives a probability-based estimate of success based on current savings and projected retirement income, which makes it useful as a DIY checkup. The budgeting tool works for broad tracking, but I don’t use it as my primary budget. This is an affiliate link.

Credit cards

  • Travel credit card: My go-to travel card is the Capital One Venture X. It’s my favorite travel card for beginners because it stays simple while many cards have become more complicated. You earn 2% back on everything, and you can redeem points for statement credits on travel purchases made outside of any portal, or transfer points if you want more value. This link is a referral link.
  • No-fuss credit card: If you’re not interested in travel rewards, I like the Fidelity Investments Rewards Visa Signature card. It earns a flat 2% cash back on everything with no annual fee. There are no categories to track and no spending caps to manage. Cash back can be deposited directly into a Fidelity account. If you travel often, a travel card usually makes more sense. If you don’t, a simple 2% card like this is hard to beat. This is not an affiliate link.

Estate planning

  • Online wills and trusts: I use Trust & Will for my estate planning documents. It’s what I used to create my will originally, and it’s where I keep everything now, including powers of attorney, a living will, HIPAA authorization, and related documents. I pay the annual fee so everything stays digital and easy to update as things change. For me, the value is having all of it in one place and knowing it actually stays current. This is an affiliate link.

Insurance

  • Life insurance (term-focused): I’m a strong believer in term life insurance. For most families, it’s about protecting against risk, keeping it affordable, and then moving on to other financial goals. I recommend Fabric by Gerber Life, which offers fast, fully digital term life insurance backed by an A+ rated insurer. The application typically takes about 10 minutes, often without a medical exam, and rates are locked in for the length of the term. If you’re healthy and just want straightforward coverage without sales calls or complexity, this is an easy place to start. This is an affiliate link.

Investing

  • Personal investing account: I use M1 Finance for my personal investing and IRAs. It gives you diversified, professionally built portfolios similar to what many managed platforms offer, but without an extra management fee on top of the ETF expenses. I use their recommended portfolios to keep things simple and aligned with my long-term risk. This link is a referral link.
  • Investment brokerage with financial planning: I also recommend Vanguard as a place to keep money invested long term. Because Vanguard is client-owned, its focus has always been on keeping costs low, and it offers many best-in-class mutual funds and ETFs. For those who want ongoing guidance, its Personal Advisor Select service offers access to a CFP® for a 0.30% annual fee with a $500,000 minimum. For someone weighing whether to work with a financial advisor, it can be a low-cost place to start. This is a non-affiliate link.

Saving Money

  • Capital One Shopping: This is a browser extension I think is genuinely worth having installed. What stands out are the exclusive offers — I’ve personally seen cash-back rates as high as 70% at certain retailers. The tradeoff is that rewards are paid out as gift cards rather than cash, which won’t appeal to everyone. Still, the upside can be significant if you’re flexible. Promo offers are available from time to time, and I keep a page updated with the latest Capital One Shopping bonuses. This is a referral link.
  • Kudos: Kudos is a cash-back shopping app with a different model. They pass 100% of the shopping commission back to you, rather than keeping a cut, and make money through things like credit card referrals. If your goal is simply to maximize cash back on purchases without juggling multiple tools, this is a strong standalone option. Promo offers change regularly, and I keep a page updated with the latest Kudos bonuses. This is a referral link.
  • Rakuten: Rakuten is the cash-back app I use most often when all else is equal. Instead of taking rewards as cash, I transfer them to Bilt (you can also transfer to American Express to earn Membership Reward points), where I can then use Bilt’s travel transfer partners. If you’re interested in travel rewards, this can add up over time. I keep a separate page with the current Rakuten promo. This is a referral link.