These days there is an app for everything. There are apps to help you keep fit, there are apps that teach you how to read music, there are apps that teach you to drive; if you can think it, there is a good chance there is an app for it! Some of the best and most popular apps, however, show you how to save money, particularly when it comes to areas such as home loans, life insurance and running a car. There are also some excellent apps to help with personal finance; here are seven of the best and most effective apps to help you keep control of your finances when you’re feeling the squeeze.
1. OnTrees (iPhone and iPad)
This app will allow you to see all your bank accounts in one place and make it easy to track your spending. It will give you a breakdown of your spending in areas such as grocery shopping, eating out and household bills. Price: FREE.
2. Money Lover (Android)
Money Lover is Android’s version of OnTrees. It’s another simple way of tracking your personal finances on your mobile device. Price: Also FREE.
3. Billguard (iOS, Android)
Billguard will alert you when there are unexpected charges on your debit or credit card, such as hidden fees. It then makes it easy to take action if you find fraud. This price is also FREE. It’s probably worth the time as there are unfortunately people who will scam you out there.
4. UK Salary Calculator 2014-2015 (iPhone and iPad)
This nifty calculator will work out your take home salary from your annual, daily, weekly, hourly or monthly wage. It takes into account student loans, pension and National Insurance contributions, making it a better choice than many similar salary calculators. This one is also FREE!
5. Meter Readings (iPhone and iPad)
This handy app makes it easy to monitor the energy that your household uses. As well as being able to compare the prices of different energy suppliers, users can input their meter readings and data from paper bills in order to find out how much energy has been used, and how much it will cost. This will probably cost you a couple of bucks. But is probably worth it as electricity bills can be really pricey. At one point we owed something like $450 dollars for a single month of electricity usage. Definitely learn how you can trim this back.
6. Debt Manager (iPhone and iPad)
This app will help you track, organize and pay off your debts. It will also help you develop strategies to make this doable. It also retails for under two dollars. That said, instead of tracking your debts, consider paying them off.
7. My Budget Book (Android)
My Budget Book will, as the name suggests, help you create and manage a budget, be it for a certain event or for something like the weekly food shop. Budgeted amounts that aren’t used roll over to the following month. This app will also help you keep track money spent and money earned as well as help you manage your money more effectively. I think its going for under five bucks.
As a final note, don’t forget that most of your major banks, like PNC, Wells Fargo, etc. – also have smart phone applications. If you are downloading apps for your smartphone don’t forget about these ones. Some great brokerage firms like Loyal3 and Charles Schwab also have pretty good applications as well.
Finally no application is going to replace the value of good old-fashioned savings, discipline and thrift – but they can make the process a lot easier.
James Hendrickson is an internet entrepreneur, blogging junky, hunter and personal finance geek. When he’s not lurking in coffee shops in Portland, Oregon, you’ll find him in the Pacific Northwest’s great outdoors. James has a masters degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelors degree on Sociology from Earlham College. He loves individual stocks, bonds and precious metals.
