For those who identify with my predicament, the Internet is a good source of tips and tricks to help stretch that buck a little more. Meenal Sharma, a housewife, cannot stop talking about the financial planning info she found online: "People would talk about fixed deposits, dividends and yields, and I had no clue what those terms meant." It took her three months of online research but, today, Meenal invests in shares by following market reports online.

Let's start with this Money Central quiz, which assesses whether or not you have a spending disorder. Results tell me I have a 'credit management problem'. As if I didn't know that!

Once you identify your problem, the site also has a step-by-step guide to saving. If that's not enough, Web Monkey covers online banking, the filing of taxes, stocks, bonds and investments.

Let's say you want to retire early, with a hefty bank balance (God knows I do). This page has a simple action plan that can help with that dream. If money management is simply not up your alley, go for this online glossary, especially its sections on budgeting, and making money work.

Moneyminded debunks five myths, including the common 'Money is too complicated for me to understand' and 'If I take risks with my money, I might lose it'.

Meenal mentions that she picked up a lot from iVillage and WealthFront. The former has a cash flow calculator that helps you set your budget. It also boasts interactive quizzes that identify your 'money' personality and test your 'shopping IQ'. WealthFront contains useful tools that allow you to check your net worth or calculate how deep in debt you are. There is also data on taxes, investment and retirement planners, and budgeting tips.

So, do women make better money managers? Thousands managing home budgets would nod. This Budget Primer can be used as a diary, and comes with a lot of advice.

Sushil P, a businessman, believes that investment information online has helped him make many decisions without seeking professional advice. "There are a lot of sites that help in all areas of finance - money, credit cards, investment, loans. I use them extensively." For more in-depth information on loans, credit cards, investments and time-shares, try PaisaPower. Money Control can help you understand oft-mentioned terms like capital appreciation, deferred tax, face value and indexing.

When it comes to budgeting, I sometimes think that students manage it a lot better than adults. For those on a monthly allowance, these 10 tips will be a Godsend. Parents, on the other hand, can also start teaching their kids about money management. If only my mom had the Internet when I was growing up…

There you have it: all you need to feel, and be, richer. One last, vital question: how long will it take you to become a millionaire? According to this handy tool, it will take 20 years if you save Rs 1, 000 every month, at an annual interest of 12 per cent.

Seems like a lifetime to me. Suggestions, anyone?

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