Americans with a budget feel more confident, secure, and in control of their finances, according to data from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. One of the most important responsibilities that one needs to take over as an adult, for themselves and/or their family, is managing the financial aspects of the household. Managing the finances of a household would include keeping a keen eye on the income and expenditures, maintain a good savings rate and prepare a nest egg that can be used for any unforeseen future expenditures.
Though an important task, it can be a very complicated one and many do not know the first step to managing their finances. Though many people opt to get help from financial advisors that have a degree in masters in finance, they can provide some insight but these professionals are generally costly.
However, with the development of today’s technology, free help is available on your smartphones. There are many financial management apps available on your phone which can help you manage your money for free.
The Best Budgeting Software of 2021
- Best overall: Mint and Acorns
- Best budgeting app for hands-on users: YNAB
- Best tool to evaluate investment accounts: Personal Capital
- Best app for stopping spending: Mvelopes and Wally and GoodBudget
- Best app for banking and budgeting: Simple and Spendee
I downloaded dozens of the best budgeting tools and narrowed down the best out of the bunch. My overall ranking system was predicated on how easy it was to help you do one thing and the number one rule in personal finance: spend less than you earn.
Here are a couple more rules to follow before choosing:
The budgeting app should be simple to use
No need to get fancy — you should be able to download and start using your budgeting app without any major complications. Creating a monthly budget should be easy but if you need a tutorial to get started — use another one.
It should be cheap or free
When you are looking to create a monthly budget — don’t spend any money and start saving money. There are a lot of apps out there that are free and allow you to budget without cutting into your budget. Start with something simple and cheap and stick to it!
The best budgeting tools and apps can help you easily monitor, save and invest your money.
Best overall: Mint and Acorns
Mint
Mint is one of the most popular financial management applications among money-savvy individuals looking to handle their money better. Mint offers its users the opportunity to link in their investment accounts along with the budgeting tools that they offer. However, they are primarily known for the great work that they have done with making it easy to keep track of spending, create budgets you can stick to, and you can track your bills with ease.
Pros
- Pulls all financial information into one central location.
- Automatic syncing of all your spending.
- A very easy way to create a budget and stick to it.
Cons
- Ad targeting — recommended products and services.
- Some bugs and glitches.
If you like to have a pre-determined and well-developed plan of how to use your money in the following month, then this tool is right for you. Mint allows you to create multiple categories for your budget and transactions. The app, once linked to your account, will pull transaction information from there to have it in one location. Mint can also be programmed to remind you to pay bills on time.
Download:
- iTunes – FREE
- Google Play – FREE
Acorns
Acorns function primarily as an investment app rather than a budgeting app. This application will help you take the first step into investing your money. The application starts by taking virtual change out of one’s bank account, splitting the difference and then investing the amount with basically no effort.
Pros
- Automatically invests spare change.
- Cash back at select retailers.
- Educational content available.
Cons
- Small investment portfolio.
- High fee on small account balances.
The app will help you with rounding the transactions, set up recurring withdrawals and one-time transactions. The app has a shopping feature, Found Money, which when used to buy certain brands, these brands will auto-invest in your Acorns account.
Download:
- iTunes – FREE
- Google Play – FREE
Best budgeting app for hands-on users: YNAB
YNAB
YNAB, which stands for You Need A Budget, is a paid app with a monthly subscription of $6.99 where the first-month fee is waived. The app claims that it has been able to help users save up to $200. If not as much, you will still end up saving a good amount of money.
The app helps you with making early decisions as to where the money is going to go. You will be asked to think ahead of time to the future commitments that you are going to put on the money that you have. this can range from investing to save up for a vacation to paying the bills to buy basic groceries. The app, like most other management apps, lets you link to your bank account.
Download:
- iTunes – FREE
- Google Play – FREE
Best tool to evaluate investment accounts: Personal Capital
Personal Capital
Personal Capital is considered to be one of the best finance management applications currently available on our phones. The application can be used to track one’s budget and link it with the various investment accounts to have that information show alongside. The intuitive and easy to use interface is very visual and is available on all platforms; desktop, laptop, phones, and tablets.
The application provides your investment information in graph form, categorized as an asset class, investment account or individual investment. One can also get professional help from investors. The primary advantage is the inclusion of investment accounts into the financial equation, giving a more wholesome picture.
Download:
- iTunes – FREE
- Google Play – FREE
Best app for stopping spending: Mvelopes and Wally and GoodBudget
Mvelopes
This application takes more of an old school approach to budgeting and saving money. Early in the day, people will divide up their cash in envelopes for specific tasks and only spend that much. Mvelopes create virtual envelopes in which the user can divide up their cash for specific categories.
The application goes through your credit-card and digital spending and creates a cash equivalent budgeting system and tracks the expenditure. The application takes care of most of the heavy lifting. The envelope isn’t free and has a beginner’s plan of $4 per month.
Download:
- iTunes – FREE
- Google Play – FREE
Wally
Wally functions as a simple budgeting and financial management app, but it comes with some extra bells and whistles which, though an extra add on, are very interesting to explore. One of the features which have made Wally a fan favorite is that it supports all currencies, perfect for an international business official.
Every log in reminds you of the money in the bank account and the money left in the monthly budget. One can also save all receipts in the form of pictures for any future purpose.
Download:
- iTunes – FREE
- Google Play – FREE
GoodBudget
Good Budget, like Mvelopes, earlier discussed, is based on the old budgeting technique of using envelopes. In the beginning, the user is given ten envelopes, but one can boost this to unlimited envelopes after upgrading by paying $6 per month. Once one envelope is empty, you must stop spending, or move money from another envelope.
The application gives you the option to create a budgeting system for the whole home which is can be shared among the members.
Download:
- iTunes – FREE
- Google Play – FREE
Best app for banking and budgeting: Simple and Spendee
Simple
Simple doesn’t function just as a budgeting app, but it’s like a whole bank and it basically replaces your old account and comes with new budgeting features which can help you become more financially stable. Since the bank and budgeting app is on the same platform, everything becomes much easier for you.
The app tracks income and spending by itself and provides you with a goal feature to help you get motivated. The app will keep your spending on track using its copyrighted Safe-to-Spend feature.
Download:
- iTunes – FREE
- Google Play – FREE
Spendee
Spendee is another visual money management app whose purpose is to track and categorize one’s transactions once synced with their bank account. The application also allows the user to share parts of their budget with other users.
The application can be linked with other virtual wallets and help keep on track with your budget. Though the app helps you share your budget with your friends, it gives you the option of how much can be shared to maintain privacy.
Download:
- iTunes – FREE
- Google Play – FREE
PocketGuard
PocketGuard is a finance management application designed to not only help you budget your monthly spending but also actively find savings in your daily expenditure. The app is linked to your account and keeps an active eye on your transactions, after analyzing which the app will give the necessary advice to build a better budget.
PocketGuard will keep track of the recurring bills and at the same time look for better deals and plans that one can apply for. The application can also help with tracking individual bills and month-to-month trends.
Download:
- iTunes – FREE
- Google Play – FREE
How to Budget on Low Income?
If you are looking to improve your budget (even if you’re living paycheck to paycheck) then I can help you with some sound advice. In case you already know about the 50 20 30 budget rule, here are the easiest ways to budget for what life will inevitably throw your way.
College debt
Your education is the most important factor in your future success. Even so, college debt can be the biggest burden on a young adult. Be sure to be diligent in your studies and do not waste your opportunities in college. With all of the scholarship opportunities that are dependent on maintaining grades, you have to be certain that you are going to maintain your GPA to keep those scholarships. Also, be sure to choose a college that is within your budget so that you don’t start your adult life in massive debt. If your grades prevent you from continuing your education, it may prevent you from completing it.
Reliable transportation
Do not buy an extravagant vehicle. Find a well maintained pre-owned vehicle and keep it well maintained. Be sure to weigh maintenance costs when purchasing an automobile. What may seem like a good deal may end up turning sour if you have to keep pouring money into a car just to keep it on the road. And weigh the cost of maintaining your current car with the cost of trading in for one that is more reliable. You may want that fancy car now, but a young person needs to focus on the future. Once that is secured, then you can consider a reliable and economic new automobile.
Buying a house
This will be the biggest financial decision of your life. Don’t jump blindly into it. Research home values, the neighborhood, and your own preferences on features you want your home to have. This is a decision that can affect your life for decades. Be sure to weigh every single option. Do your homework on the property and make sure that there are no structural defects. Also, make sure you are not in a floodplain. Examine the trees around the property for signs of rot or disease.
Retirement funding
Be sure, above all else, that you pay yourself first. Be sure to take advantage of your retirement options. Contribute to your 401(k) early and often. You may have to sacrifice when you are young, but it will pay off greatly when you are in your 60s and beyond.
Credit cards
Choose your credit options responsibly. Avoid debt at all costs. Just because you have a card doesn’t mean that you have to use it all of the time. The key is, never spend more than you bring home. And always, always, always pay off your balance every month.
Remember all of these things. Hard work will get you through tough times that are to come. Always keep your future in mind. Save when you can, and avoid going into debt at any cost.
Personal Finance Statistics to Know in 2021
- 58% of Americans have less than $1,000 saved.
- 8% of US citizens believe they will never recover from the recession.
- Millennial Americans have a median emergency savings of just $2,000.
- 20% of Americans don’t save any of their annual income.
- 50% of American households live paycheck to paycheck.
- Only 32% of US families maintain a household budget.
- Americans hold a total of $1 trillion in credit card debt.
Our earnings are less, while the cost of living is getting higher. This is why it is important to have a good budgeting app handy to help you curb your expenses. This can help you make the right plans for your financial future.
More budgeting resources for you
If you want to work on your budget but aren’t sure an app is the right way to go, there are other options you can try, such as:
- Use a free saving checklist to help you save even more money.
- Exploring other online savings accounts for interest that adds up in your family’s best interest.
- Reading up on how to create and manage a budget.
Sources:
- National Endowment for Financial Education
- MarketWatch
- The Wall Street Journal
- USA Today
- Money
- Schwab 2019 Modern Wealth Index
- Gallup
- US Census Bureau
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Employee Benefit Research Institute
- GOBankingRates
- Northwestern Mutual
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