I'm the first to admit that I'm not great at budgeting. Honestly, I don't even like the word "budgeting." It makes me think of being handed a clipboard and told to make your own bed, which is why I'm a big advocate for any tool that makes it easier to save money without having to be as disciplined as my grandmother.
Fortunately, there are plenty of apps out there that can do some of the heavy lifting for you. Here's a rundown of five popular budget tracking apps.
1. Mint
Mint is a free tool that helps you with your budgeting. With Mint, you can track your spending, investing and credit score as well as link all of your bank accounts and credit cards. You can also set goals and track your progress towards them.
The best feature is its ability to set up a budget, rest Mint will monitor it for you. The app runs in the background on your phone while it monitors how much money comes in each month (for example, through an hourly wage or regular paycheck) versus how much goes out (for instance, rent or bills).
If there’s more coming in than going out one month, Mint will suggest ways to put some of that excess cash into savings; if there are months when spending exceeds income, it will recommend ways to cut back on expenses so that next month there will be enough money left over at the end of the month for savings again.
2. YNAB
YNAB is another great option, and it's free. YNAB stands for "you need a budget," and that's exactly what it does—it helps you budget so that you can save more money, get out of debt, and plan for the future.
It also makes planning super simple because there are no complicated formulas or spreadsheets to figure out how much money you have left in your account each month.
You can choose how much to spend on each category (like rent), add the amount that you've already spent this month so far, then see how much is left in your account before spending anything else. This way when something comes up unexpectedly like an emergency vet visit or car repair bill, things won't go over budget!
3. Wally
Wally is a budgeting app that is free and easy to use. It has a free version, but if you want to sync between devices you will need to pay for the pro version.
Wally is easy to use, and it is easy to set up a budget. You can add in your monthly income and expenses, then see how much money you have left over each month after paying bills or making purchases.
Wally will also calculate how long it will take you until your debt is paid off based on what kind of payments each loan has (i.e., monthly vs weekly).
If there are any bills coming up that aren't in your budget yet (such as rent), Wally will alert you when those payments are due so that they don't get overlooked!
4. PocketGuard
PocketGuard is a budgeting app that helps you save money, track your spending and set budgets. The app also helps you set goals and get out of debt.
To use PocketGuard, all you need to do is download the app and create an account. After that, it will ask for permission to access your bank accounts so that it can track how much money you spend each month.
In addition, it will give you several tips on how to save more money or pay off debt faster by making small changes in your daily routine.
Such as buying only what’s on sale at the grocery store instead of buying items full price, or limiting yourself to one drink when going out with friends at night rather than getting drunk... Also could be healthier too.
5. Personal Capital
Personal Capital is a free app that helps you track your spending, income and net worth. The app analyzes all of your accounts (savings, checking, credit cards, etc.) and gives you an easy to use dashboard for tracking them all in one place.
It also has a tool called SmartDeposit that can help you find ways to save money on fees from your bank or credit union. If you’re looking for a simple way to track where your money is going each month Personal Capital may be worth checking out!
So...
You can use these apps to track your spending, create a budget and find ways to save money.
Download one of these apps, and you can be on your way to a more financially-stable life. It’s never too late to change your bad habits!