Social media notifications, checking emails on the go, and participating in text conversations have created our heightened phone checking habit. With our mobile device dependency only growing, there are a lot of other more productive reasons to check our phones. One such instance is monitoring your personal finances. Here are the top three most easy-to-use finance apps for your budgeting and investing needs.
Mint budgeting app
If you are trying to break the paycheck to paycheck cycle, utilizing the Mint app to set a budget will help you make each of your earned dollars go further. You can connect all of your different accounts, cards, as well as your bills so you can take care of business all in one place. The app will remind you when bills are due, the total that is due, and what money you have available to pay. Furthermore, it will give you advice on your finances based on your spending habits so you can remain behind the steering wheel of your budget.
Acorns investment app
Perhaps budgeting isn’t your concern. Rather, you are looking for something that will help you invest your money in a simple way. Acorns is a really cool app that allows you to invest the leftover change after a purchase total is rounded up. For instance, if you spend $5.63, the app will round up the purchase to a flat $6, taking that .37 and sending it into your investment portfolio that is diversified with exchange-traded funds according to Nerd Wallet. It is an automated way to invest with only having to pay a small fee to do so. If you are a student with a valid .edu email address, you can qualify for free up to 4 years from the registration date. Others will only have to pay a $1 a month for accounts with balances under $5,000, and .25 percent per year on balances over $5,000.
PocketGuard budgeting app
Another budgeting app that can be quite powerful in helping one spend their money more wisely is PocketGuard. This app is different from Mint in that it gives you a quick breakdown of how much money you have at any given time to spend after paying bills and devoting a portion of your money into savings. This can be a great tool to use on the go if you are out with friends. Many of us get easily influenced when it comes to spending if we are around friends and want to have a good time. This will make sure you don’t get ahead of yourself and remain disciplined when it comes to spending.
Final thoughts
Budgeting has never been easier. With the power of our mobile devices, we can remain consistent and stay within our budgets while meeting our savings goals. Moreover, with apps like Acorns, people who want to break into the investment world with limited knowledge can take their pennies and put them to work. To learn more about why budgeting is important, you can review our article on the subject here.
