The choice of apps to help you manage your money is almost endless. There is a huge amount of choice, with everything from apps for high street banks to online only banks, and apps that help you to invest small amounts every time you spend. So, we thought we’d take a look at just a few of them and pick out the ones that we think are the best on the market in 2019.
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Mint
If you find yourself regularly wondering where on earth all your money is going every day, then Mint is the app for you. It has a simple and deeply intuitive interface that brings together all of the information you need to take more control of your personal finances.
The beauty of Mint is the elegance with which it presents all of this information. It never feels like there is too much going on, but you can also dive deeper into the figures if you need to. From daily budgeting to helping you to have a healthier relationship with debt, Mint is the perfect (and free) way to begin to take back control of your money.
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You Need A Budget
Debt can very quickly become a crushing burden if it isn’t managed properly. But it is can also be very difficult to know where to start sometimes, and so a debt management app like You Need A Budget is a huge help. Like the firm, confident voice of a good financial advisor, YNAB steps in and gives you just what you need, when you need it most: a plan.
It is absolutely packed full of hand tips and even more detailed tutorials that will help you to begin to manage your debts. And, most of all, it also provides you with the tools you need to manage your budgets, day in and day out, as you begin to find ways to reduce your debts. You need You Need A Budget.
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Acorns (Savings)
Ever wished there was a way that you save money, but without any pain? Well, it is possible, with a micro savings app like Acorns. This app makes investing super easy in two ways.
Firstly, you can directly invest small amounts into an investment portfolio, whenever you want to – it costs an initial $5 to start (and then a $1 per month from then on). Or, you can ask the app to round up the amount every time you buy something on your debit or credit card.
Of course we’ve seen this kind of gradual ‘micro investing’ before, but it is a great way to save and Acorns does it particularly well. They also seem pretty committed to helping people understand the basics of investing too, with plenty of content to read through for paying members.
Ultimately, while all of these apps are helpful tools, they are just that – tools.
Managing money is also a matter of personal discipline and like any new skill it can take time to learn to do it well.
The beauty of these apps is that they all make that process just a little easier.