AARP Money Map offers ways (not just for senior citizens) to navigate budgets, bills, and debt
HOUSTON - Climbing inflation and debt are making it hard for people to make ends meet.
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AARP launched a new online tool to help: AARP Money Map.
You can use it on your phone or desktop. Simply plug in your debt payments or expenses. It can help you set a budget, cut bills, and find ways to reduce debts or payments.
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It's free and for anyone over age 18. You don't have to be a senior citizen or an AARP member to use it.
Let's walk through the site: say you have an overdue medical bill. First, AARP Money Map shows you your rights, and options, like negotiating payments with the provider.
Click on Learn How. It links you to information about how to negotiate bills, or where you can find professional help, such as a patient advocate.
You can also enter your city, state, and zip code, and it will link you to charities that offer help with medical expenses.
"Let’s say you have a bill you don’t know how to pay or so much debt you don’t know how to get started," says Mary Liz Burns, AARP spokesperson, explaining the site can help users find their options.
Here you'll enter the type of debt, like a credit card. Put in your balance owed, minimum payment due, and how much you can afford to pay. If you can't afford the payment, it will make suggestions, such as how to adjust your budget or how to ask a creditor for a reduced monthly payment.
"Or maybe you want to build a budge," said Burns. "We’ve got tools and resources you can access for free 24/7 that help you step-by-step, with guidance and action plan to get those finances and bills under control."
To set a budget, you'll enter your monthly income and click on your expenses, such as rent, utilities, groceries, and child care. Then you enter how much those expenses are, and it will suggest strategies to reduce your expenses.
"We developed AARP Money Map so it’s completely secure and private with your information," said Burns. "We don’t link to any financial accounts. There’s no ad selling you products."
You'll find AARP Money Map here.