If you don’t have the habit of tracking where your money goes with budgeting apps, it’s probably time you started. You may be in for a rude awakening once you find out how much your thrice-a-week matcha latte habit costs monthly. 

The difficult truth is that not all of us have parents who drilled money management skills into us as children. Most of us weren’t taught how to properly save money until a much later age — perhaps even never. If you’re always left wondering where all your money went by the end of the month or never seem to be able to save some extra money for a rainy day, you might want to start managing your finances. The first step? Getting into the habit of tracking where your money goes. The best part is that there are apps to help you out with that now. 

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At its most basic level, these budgeting—or expense tracking—apps are a great way to see how you spend your money. Being able to see the bigger picture of where your money goes is a good wake up call to cut back on certain less-needed expenses — like ordering food delivery daily. 

 

Other types of budgeting apps will also offer you additional features including a ledger of credited and debited money, setting a monthly budget for specific categories, or even link your credit cards and bank accounts for a more detailed look at your expenses. Some apps even allow you to sync with your partner’s app so you can both manage household expenses together.

 

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Now that we’ve convinced you, it’s time to download some of these budgeting apps to see which ones fit your lifestyle most:

 

  1. YNAB (You Need A Budget) 

Find yourself completely hopeless at managing your money? Then you need a strict budget — specifically this YNAB app. It is originally a web-based application, but you can also download it on your smartphone so you can bring your budget anywhere you want. With this app, you can set a budget for just about any category you’d like, so you know where your money goes before you actually spend it. You can also set budgeting goals for something more ambitious, such as the downpayment for a dream house, or a car upgrade. Setting clear goals will allow you to plan and save money towards that goal. The app isn’t free, but there is a 34-day free trial available and different payment plans. 

Available on: App Store and Google Play

 

  1. Mobill

Not only can you add expenditures into the Mobill budgeting app, but you can also add income and set budgets for specific categories. For example, if you plan on a set budget on bubble tea for the month, you can input that into the app to ensure that you don’t overspend. Adding your income into the app also allows you an overview of the surplus—or shortage—of money you have left. Unfortunately, while the app is free to download, you’ll have to pay for the premium version to unlock these additional features. 

Available on: App Store, Google Play, Windows Phone

 

  1. Wally

With a simple interface and all categories of your expenses laid out in a handy pie chart for your overview, Wally is one of the most popular budgeting apps to try out there. There is an option for you to sync your bank account, where all your online transactions will automatically be logged into the app. The app also has a handy feature for you to scan receipts and warranties, as well as schedule bills and grocery shopping lists. Wally is free to download with extra premium features that you can pay for.

Available on: App Store

 

  1. Household Account Book

    Image: Household Account Book
Image: Household Account Book

 

Budgeting apps tend to have the same look and feel, but if you’re looking for something cutesy, try the Household Account Book. This ultra-simple and basic budgeting app combines cutesy Japanese graphics and a storyline to boot, which makes keeping track of your finances more fun. Household Account Book is free to download. 

Available on: App Store and Google Play

 

  1. Goodbudget

 

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What makes Goodbudget stand out is its ability to add multiple users into your financial planning. This makes it perfect for couples, families, or even friends who live together and often share expenses. If splitting bills and groceries manually seem challenging for you, then let this app do the job for you. Most features on the app are available for free. Upgrading to a premium account allows you to create unlimited expenditure categories, unlimited accounts, and five devices that you can sync to (as opposed to two on the Basic version). 

Available on: App Store and Google Play

 

Want more financial tips? Here are our 7 most effective.