5 Smart Budgeting Apps That Will Help You Keep Your Life Together

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Is it about time you get your act together and start budgeting? You don’t have to do it alone. The five smart budgeting apps below will help you understand your spending habits, as well as help you save, whether that be for a small trip or a retirement fund.

1. Mint — Free (iOS/Android)

If you want to take a broad look at how you’re spending while being able to keep tabs on your savings, Mint is the app for you. Connect the app to your bank account and it’ll help you create a budget that fits your needs. It tracks every dollar you spend and allows you to break up your budget into categories like food or clothes. You can also view your credit score on the app. Plus there’s an automatic bill pay option. The team behind the app created Turbotax and Quicken, so you know your personal information is in good hands.

2. Fudget — Free or $1.99 for no-ad version and in-app calculator (iOS/Android)

Do you have a good handle on your expenses, but want to do some smaller-scale budgeting like for a vacation or Christmas presents? Fudget can help. It doesn’t connect to your bank account, which is good for people with that preference. The app allows you to manually create a budget. You enter how much you spend on a daily basis to keep track of what you have left.

3. LearnVest — Free or $19.99 a month to partner with a financial planner (iOS)

Is compartmentalization your thing? If so, you have to try LearnVest. The app allows you to link your bank account while having the option of manually inputting your budget and categorizing your transactions. If you choose to partner with a financial planner, you’ll get one-on-one time to effectively set a budget in place.

4. Pocketguard — Free (iOS/Android)

This budgeting app is particularly helpful in setting a day-to-day budget for anyone who can’t think past the next 24 hours. You connect the app to your bank account, in addition to your credit and/or debit card, through an encrypted, read-only connection. The coolest part? It automatically sorts your purchases and categorizes them so it’s easy to see what you’re spending your money on, which will help you devise your daily budget.

5. Digit — Free (iOS/Android)

If you want to save little by little, Digit is the app for you. It connects to your bank account and allows you to set your desired level of savings from mild to aggressive. It will track your spending habits and take out a comparable amount of money and deposit it into your savings. The app checks in with you every day to tell you how much money you have in your checking account, as well as your savings progress. You can transfer savings into your checking account at any time.