Photo by Fabian Blank on Unsplash

Budgeting can be tough for us all, but it’s absolutely necessary as we get older and become more responsible. Without it we can quickly find ourselves in a bind that could have easily been avoided. We’ve come a long way since pen and paper, and there are a ton of ways to budget. You just have to figure out what’s right for you. Apps can be super convenient because you can access them right on your phone. We tend to have our lives in our phones so why not do your budgeting there as well? Check out these cool apps that make your life a little easier when it comes to managing your money.

Mint is a free, online personal finance service that can also be used as an app. It really helps you to get a handle on your money. Connect all of your bank accounts, loan accounts, and credit card accounts to get real time updates on your balances, due dates, and spending habits. Customize it to help you meet your spending goals and have everything displayed in an interactive graph or chart. Plus you have access to your free credit score!

Credit Karma offers free credit monitoring, insights, and reports, which is an integral part of budgeting. Utilize it online or through the easy to use app. Keeping track of the loans you owe, your lines of credit, as well as your credit score will directly impact how you handle your finances. One thing that has the power to make or break your future financial plans is the status of your credit, so make use of this app to save you any unexpected surprises in the long run.

Daily Budget is a free app that helps you keep track of how much you should be spending each day. Input your salary and fixed expenses and the app will calculate what your daily value is. Then enter whatever you spend each day and the app will let you know how much you have left to spend, even if you go over. It’s a pretty simple app without the super complicated setup that can be powerful for your finances in the long run. It does all the calculations for you, so all you have to do is monitor your spending.

The Fudget app is also a simple, free tool you can use to create your own personalized budget. It allows you to create lists of your incoming expenses as well as income. Customize it to have certain expenses repeat monthly, weekly, or however often you’d like, and that’s it! You’ll be budgeting like a pro in no time.

If you want to not only save but also dabble in investing, Acorns is a great app just for that. For as little as one dollar a month it’ll invest your spare change into a variety of stocks and bonds specific to your personal portfolio. Your portfolio is created out of the information Acorns gathers from your financial situation and how much of a risk you’re willing to take. All of this is backed by professional economists so you can trust that you’re getting the best possible deal. Think of investing made easy! One great thing about this app is if you end up wanting to withdraw some of your funds, you’ll have to wait a few days until the transaction is complete. This stops you from making rash decisions and spending all that you’ve got. Read up more on it here.

In addition to all of these cool apps, don’t forget to download your personal bank and credit card apps. Nothing beats having real-time updates of all of your accounts straight from the source. Be mindful of not overwhelming yourself. Try these apps out but stick to the one that fits you best. Having too many ways to organize your money can leave you confused and you may end up regretting getting into budgeting in the first place. Luckily the goal of each app is to make things simpler for you. Happy budgeting!