I hear an ad for a new debt settlement company almost everyday. Frankly, most are pretty shady, and I would never recommend their services to someone looking for debt help.

The last thing people in debt need is to give their hard-earned cash to someone else to "hopefully" make their problems go away. I mean, even if the company is legitimate, what does anyone learn from that? What's to stop the person from making the same mistakes again in the future?

Instead, what most people in debt need is a simple plan to follow and something to help them stick to it. For some, all it takes is an Excel spreadsheet and the determination to finally get out of debt once and for all. For others, more guidance is necessary, and this is when an online tool like DebtGoal can provide some much-needed structure and strategic planning.

There's nothing magic about what DebtGoal does, but I compare it to the likes of Jenny Craig. Nothing's magic about Jenny Craig's weight loss programs either, but thousands of people find great success in following the meal plans, interacting with others in the program, and tracking their progress towards a final goal.

DebtGoal is similar. It's like a Jenny Craig for debt junkies. You follow a personalized plan, lean on the community for support when needed, and track your progress along the path to your end goal—financial freedom. By the time you get there, you've hopefully learned enough good habits along the way to never fall back into debt again.

If you're out of work and have no income or other means to make monthly payments, let me make it clear that DebtGoal isn't for you. This tool is targeted for individuals who have the means to pay down their debt, but lack the structure or discipline needed to make it happen.

In short, here are the top 3 things I like about what DebtGoal offers its users:

1. You can choose to manually enter all your data, or you can automatically link your accounts (similar to how Mint.com or MoneyStrands.com works). Providing both options allows those who worry about online data security to benefit from the tool as well.
2. The interface is really clean, simple, and easy to use. You can view all your accounts in one spot, easily choose from different payment strategies, and adjust your plan based on recommendations that will help you reach your debt-free goal faster.
3. Money is a great motivator when tackling debt, and DebtGoal will show you exactly how much you're saving by sticking to your personalized plan. Knowing that you've already saved thousands of dollars just by paying bills smarter makes the $14.95 per month (after the free trial is over) quite bearable.

If you want to learn more about DebtGoal or sign up for a free trial today, check out our full DebtGoal.com review as well.