¢Uncommon Centsby Justine Lane

Practical money tools

Money makes more sense when you can see the numbers.

Two free tools that put the real numbers in front of you: plan a month that actually works, and find out what a college offer truly costs. No jargon, no sales pitch.

Build a budget Compare aid offers

Educational only · No account · No data collection

Every calculation runs on your own device.
Nothing you type is stored, uploaded, or shared. Close the tab and it's gone.
Spend with intention Save for surprises Let time work Ask better questions
01

The tools

Each one turns a stack of confusing paperwork into a single number you can act on — then lets you take that number with you.

TOOL 01 · BUDGETING

Monthly Budget Builder

A guided, four-stage budget built on the Pay-Yourself-First method: essentials first, savings second, wants third — then decide what to do with what's left.

  • Name every line item yourself
  • Suggestions so nothing gets forgotten
  • Export to Excel, PDF, print, or email
Open the Budget Builder
TOOL 02 · COLLEGE COSTS

Financial Aid Comparison

Put three award letters side by side and find the number schools rarely highlight: net cost after all aid — plus what the loans become once repayment starts.

  • Separates gift aid from loans you repay
  • Estimates monthly payment after graduation
  • Download the whole comparison as a PDF
Open the Comparison Tool

More tools are on the way.

Annual budget tracker
Net worth tracker
02

Why this exists

Most people meet their biggest financial decisions — a first budget, a college award letter — with no training and no time. The numbers aren't complicated. They've simply never been laid out plainly. These tools do the arithmetic so the actual choice becomes visible.

These come out of years spent sitting beside students and families working through these exact decisions, alongside a background in business and technology. Free, because clear financial information shouldn't depend on who you happen to know.