You are a young college student with a full-time class schedule and a part-time job, maybe two. On top of that, you join a club for extra-curricular purposes. The last thing you have time for is managing a budget. To help you out, here is a list of the current top three free budgeting apps. Forgetting to pay bills and over-drafting on your debit card will be a thing of the past.
Mint
Recommended by various people, Mint conveniently brings all your financial accounts together. It offers an overview of your financial situation, making it easy for you to keep track of your money. Expenses can be organized into categories, drawing attention to where you spend your money most (Starbucks, anyone?) and how you might need to change your spending habits to save more. Not only does Mint link to all your bank accounts, but you can also pay your bills and check your credit score all in one place. Worried about security? Mint uses the same security that banks use. More details are offered on their website: www.mint.com. This app is available for Android and iPhone users or can be dowloaded to your laptop.
GoodBudget
Compared to other apps, GoodBudget takes a more simplistic approach to money management. It follows the envelop system, allowing users to categorize money in “envelopes” for spending, saving and important things like rent. It is not linked to bank accounts, so there is less concern for security as the user digitally fills up their envelopes when receiving income. There is a free version and a paid version of this app, but the free version offers enough for budgeting. Users will get charts to can see where their money is going and 10 envelops for categorizing money. It allows two devices per account. It is available for the Android and iPhone. You can also download and check it out at www.goodbudget.com.
Spending Tracker
This app is noted for its easy and simple-to-use features. Like the other apps, there are financial categories users can add and edit. Interactive reports are on the app as well, allowing you to see where your money goes and offering an overview of your spending history. It is available for free at the App Store, on Google Play or the Windows Store. More information is on their website www.mhriley.com/spendingtracker.
As a bonus for all those who are graduating and want to get out of debt, You Need A Budget, is a highly talked about app for getting and staying out of debt. It is not free, but if you go to www.youneedabudget.com there is a 34 day trial you can use to check it out.
