If you're having a hard time figuring out your finances with your basic pen and paper, maybe it's time to get a little more technologically advanced. There are a lot of online financial calculators that can make your life a lot easier. Whether you're trying to figure out a mortgage loan rate you can afford or how much you need to pay each month to get rid of that debt, there's a calculator to help your goals.
Here are a few examples of what you can do with some of these online tools.
Mortgage Calculator
Calculate your monthly mortgage payments using these financial tool. Buying a home is a significant undertaking, and if you don't know how much you'll have to pay each month on that mortgage, punch in the numbers to find out if your mortgage rate and amount makes sense for your finances.
Loan Calculator
Outstanding student loans or personal loans can be a financial drag. Use loan calculators to help you budget your monthly and annual payments. You could even use these tool for multiple calculations to see if consolidating your loans under one rate is a better option for you.
Retirement Calculator
Do you know how much you'll need for retirement? These calculators can help you find out. Calculate how much you want to live off of each year and how often you'd like to make withdrawals.
Auto Loan Calculator
Purchasing a car can be exciting, but you don't want to finance it with a car loan you can't pay for. Those monthly payments could haunt your dreams. Calculate how much you can borrow before you bread your budget and what the best auto loan rate is for your needs.
The great thing about financial calculators is that there are many different types that can help you figure out your specific needs. There are a variety of different calculators for mortgage payments alone. Spend some time to see which ones you like the most.
What calculators do you find useful?
Henry Truc is a personal finance columnist for www.GoBankingRates.com. He covers a wide variety of money topics including saving, debt, mortgage and investing. Follow him on Twitter @HenryTalksMoney.