Sites help you get your finances in order

House prices are falling, and the cost of gas and food is on the rise. Specialized software and sites can help you manage these financial changes. And if you use the right resources, it won't cost you a thing.

Create a budget

The first step to taking control is to understand how you spend your money. Start by determining your basic living expenses such as housing, food and transportation.

Then, list other monthly expenses. This may take some work. So pull out your bills and credit card statements. Fortunately, free software can make light work of organizing it all.

SimpleD Budget (Windows) is a small program that helps you track expenses. You enter your monthly expenses and income. After allocating your money to certain categories, you enter payments as you make them.

You'll see when you're approaching the limit for a particular category. You'll also get an idea of how fast you're spending money.

Buddi (Mac/Windows) works much the same as SimpleD Budget. However, it can also help you generate various reports. For example, you can see how your net worth has changed over the months.