The internet is a fantastic resource for those seeking advice about practically anything. The topic of personal finance is one that some people feel uncomfortable speaking about with friends and family, especially if the question is in regards to them. An online personal finance community can act as a sounding board for those questions. For example, an individual with a question about what to do with an inheritance may feel more comfortable asking strangers than letting people close to them know that they have a large amount of money coming their way.
Unfortunately, just as an individual can ask a question on a website, anyone can answer it. This means that there is no guaranty that the answer is correct. Anyone seeking advice from an online community needs to be discerning in their judgment. There are a few personal finance communities that are better than others.
Cash Commons
One of the better websites is CashCommons.com. Cash Commons provides a platform for any money-related questions, including the following topics such as money-making, investing, and smart shopping.
If an individual asks a question of the CashCommons.com community, anyone can answer the question, but their karma system helps users determine the accuracy of the answer. Users build a reputation by answering questions. If other users deem the answer incorrect, the original person who answered will have a lower karma score. This makes it easy to determine the validity of the answers provided.
CashCommons.com is a free website and does not require users to register. However, registering has benefits to users who are on the site frequently.
Using a similar karma system as CashCommons.com is Reddit.com’s personal finance page. Reddit.com is a social media website that allows users to post content and then allow other users to rate the content. Highly rated content (by a user voting system) is moved to the front page of the website so that it is more visible. Reddit.com covers a range of topics including personal finance. After asking a question, users can consider the highest related answers to be the most reliable.
There is no fee to register for Reddit.com. Anyone can view questions and answers submitted by other users, but registration is required to ask a question or post any type of content.
Clark Howard
Another website that is resourceful for all areas of personal finance is ClarkHoward.com. According to his website, Clark Howard is a radio and television guy who helps you not to get ripped off. Although the website functions differently than CashCommons.com and Reddit.com, there is a community forum where individuals can ask personal finance-related questions.
The internet is an incredible source for information, yet can be overwhelming when considering what to believe and what to ignore. When it comes to personal finance, sites like CashCommons.com, Reddit.com, and ClarkHoward.com can act as a reliable source for information.
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