A list of personal finance apps to keep you on track while on-the-go

Rein in your spending this year by creating (and sticking to) a budget. Whether this budget is just for you or your household, budgeting apps give you access to hold the power of your finances right in your hand. There are many budgeting apps to choose from in this day and age, from free to paid, personal budgets to envelope style budgeting. Here are some of the top budgeting apps on the market to help get you started and possibly help you find a budgeting style to fit your goals.

Microsoft Excel
If you own a computer or laptop, there is a big chance that you have Microsoft Office installed. Excel is an excellent tool for many different projects, and that also includes budgeting. Excel offers free budgeting templates you can use, or you can create and customize your own from scratch.

If you find yourself without a Microsoft Office subscription, you can customize, download templates, and get similar results from Google Sheets. All you need is a Google account to get started!

Mint
Price: Free
One of the more established and well known free budgeting apps in its market is Mint. Mint offers a range of tools that allows you to handle your finances without worry right from the palm of your hand.

Some features that Mint offers are: 

• Create budgets complete with categories to keep you organized and track where your spending goes. 

• Set alerts to remind you when bills are due, balances are low and unusual spending •

• Check your credit score within the app.

Within the app, you can also connect all of your accounts from your primary bank to loan accounts you may have.

Download the app on the App Store or Google Play

YNAB, otherwise known as You Need a Budget
Price: Free 1 month trial. $11.99/month or $83.99 a year
A zero based budgeting app that allows you to work with the money you have at this current time and helps you break the vicious cycle of living paycheck to paycheck. YNAB encourages you to look into the future when it comes to your money and allocates a certain amount to a specific budget before you even spend it.

Similar to Mint, the YNAB app gives you the ability to sync all of your financial accounts automatically, or you can enter information in manually if you prefer. YNAB allows you to input numbers into different categories (which you can also edit), such as rent or even down to interest and fees.
Other than, of course, budgeting, YNAB also offers: 

• The ability to share your spending and budget with someone else 

• Goal tracking: YNAB wants you to set and reach the goals you’ve set for yourself, and once you’ve met your plan, you can set and reach new ones! 

• If reports are your thing, YNAB also offers 

• Should you need help or want to delve deeper into the YNAB following, there are a monopoly of resources such as how to start your YNAB journey, a YNAB podcast, online workshops, reads and much more. 

• All data is encrypted as security is YNAB #1 priority.

You Need A Budget is great app for those who are very detailed in their spending and budgeting.

Download the app on the App Store or Google Play

Good Budget
Price: Free for basic account or $7.00/ month for the premium account.
Based on the popular envelope budgeting method, Good Budget was created for households with the idea that every dollar needs to be accounted for in a specific category such as groceries, phone bill, insurance, and even vacation planning and placed in its respective envelope.
Within the Good Budget app, you can sync and share your budget with the household. 

• Save for large expenses such as vacations. 

  • Another nice aspect of Good Budget is that you can sync and share your budget with your household so everyone is on the same page about finances and expenses. No more unexpected spending where one person is caught off guard.

Download the app on the App Store or Google Play

MyMoneyMap
Price: Free for FCCU  members inside Online Banking
A free tool for FCCU Members conveniently built right into online banking. Set goals, bring in accounts from other financial institutions and track spending for your financial goals. 

We hope the suggestions above help you get started to crush your financial goals so you can live a more financially confident life.