Keeping a good handle on your finances can be tricky. There are bills, last minute expenses, groceries, car mishaps… the list goes on and on. And on top of all that, we have to remember to save and invest for the future. With all those numbers flying around, it can be hard to keep up with old-school budgeting and saving methods. Thankfully, there are tons of great apps to help you manage your money and save on purchases like a pro.
1. Budget for free with Mint.
Mint is an awesome (and free) budgeting app for iOS and Android. It takes a lot of the boring manual work out of budgeting by automatically categorizing your purchases. Just bought some groceries? Automatically in the grocery category. It also gives you the flexibility to create your own budget categories, track cash purchases, and pay bills.
2. Stock up with Acorns.
As if saving for the future isn’t tough enough, choosing your investments can be even more overwhelming. Acorns takes the stress out of saving. It’s a savings and investment app that rounds up the change from your purchases and invests them in diversified funds. For example, if you spend $1.50 on a drink, 50 cents goes into your Acorns account for an even $2.00. The fee structure depends on your account balance, but if you’re a student, Acorns provides free fund management for up to four years.
3. Pay friends with Venmo.
Venmo doesn’t really help you save or budget, but it does make paying your friends and family much easier. You’ll never have to spot people cash or remember who owes you what. Just split up the bill and charge your friends their portion in the app. It also links to your bank account for super easy transfers.
4. Budget like a pro with You Need a Budget.
If you’re committed to getting a handle on your finances, You Need a Budget is a great solution. This tool uses an envelope-based category system to make sure you don’t overspend. YNAB is super flexible and works for iOS, Android, and web browsers. This app does cost money, so check the terms — but there is a 34 day free trial, and your first 12 months are free if you’re a student.
5. Save big online with Honey.
If you browse online with Google Chrome, you’re going to love Honey. Adding the Honey extension to Chrome is sure to save you a fortune on your purchases by making sure you’re paying the lowest price on popular e-commerce sites like Amazon. It also automatically checks and applies coupon codes at checkout.
6. Make every dollar count with Every Dollar.
Every Dollar is another free budgeting app we love. Similar to a dieting app, where you manually enter your meals, you do the same with your transactions. You have to manually categorize your spending (unlike Mint, which does it for you automatically), but that actually helps some people stick to their budget.
Anywho, we hope this quick little list was helpful! Happy budgeting!
