Alright friends, lets talk about that little thing none of us like to talk about: Money {and saving it!}
While I sometimes spend most of my posts talking about the latest trends and what’s in my shopping cart – I have been trying my hardest to save money in the last few months. Call it a personal challenge – but I’ve been giving up a few of my vices to keep myself a little more honest in the bank account department. I’ve been swapping Uber’s for public transit, making less trips to Whole Foods and avoiding shopping like it’s going out of style {clearly, the latter is the hardest part!}
To keep me honest {and to make sure I’m staying on top of everything} here are a few of the best financial apps that are helping me keep myself on a budget.
Square Cash: You know that awkward moment where you suddenly realize you’re at a cash only restaurant with your besties? It’s usually around the time when the bill comes, and you awkwardly start twiddling your thumbs and trying to figure out what exactly you can do. Square Cash makes it crazy simple to safely and securely send money to friends – and best of all, they don’t even have to have an account to send it their way! You can use it for businesses and for free with friends/family, and your money will transfer before the waitress brings the bill back to sign – making it the fastest way to pay your friends. Best of all? There’s no cashing out, and money deposits directly to your friends bank account – making it a no brainer to download right now 😉
Mint.com: My personal accountability buddy, this handy app tells you exactly how much you’re spending at restaurants, your favorite stores and everything in between. I always thought I knew how much I was spending on groceries, bills and transportation, but I was completely shocked after seeing how much money I was actually spending. It’s helped me set goals for the next month, tells me {kindly} when I’ve exceeded those goals, and gives me a virtual high five when I don’t spend my entire paycheck at the Whole Foods deli.
Level Money: I like to play this little game called, “How much money can I spend today” game. It’s mostly a challenge I give myself, but I love the fact that Level Money actually tells you how much money you should spend today, this week and even over the month by syncing with your bank account and credit cards. The easy to use app looks at your income, bills, and how much money you put in your savings to tell you how much you can afford in an easy to ready infographic. It’s pretty magical, and helps you stay on track throughout the month!
Walla.by: I’m embarrassed to say it, but after years of putting it off, I finally got a credit card this year! I was hesitant after college of falling prey to credit card debt, so I decided to put it off as long as I could swing it. Now that I have a credit card, I am all about using my rewards points and Walla.by cleverly helps you maximize your credit card rewards points with the places you already shop. Basically, Walla.by tells you which of your credit cards will give you the most rewards or cash back instantly. It’s easy and helps you optimize your hard earned points to help you get your hard earned heels -or whatever you choose to spend your reward points on 😉
Any other apps you swear by? Please share! I’m trying to get my bank account to love me again, so any help would be much appreciated 🙂
A big thanks to Square Cash for sponsoring this post! And thank you for supporting the opportunities that help keep Charmingly Styled up and running.
I LOVE mint.com. I’ve been using that app for about four years now. It has helped me so much. Only down side… I see just how much I spend at Starbucks! 🙈
I don’t use any apps for my finances.On the last day of every month I pull up all of my accounts and punch the numbers into a big spreadsheet so I can see how my net worth is doing compared to last month, last year, etc… (assets – debts = net worth) I’ve been doing this for over 5 years now, and the numbers have been steadily increasing since I started! The numbers increase faster when I’m paying closer attention to every purchase as you appear to be, but this trick on its own has made a hell of a difference.