Best iPhone Apps to Help Maintain Budget
By odihost on January 29th, 2012The iPhone has revolutionised technology and mobile communication, taking it to a whole new level. Not only has it allowed us to communicate in new and easier ways, it has also brought with it alternative ways to shop online, the ability to check emails on the move, and download a number of useful applications.
These applications, known as apps, can be used to find out the latest news, play games, check on up-to-date sports results and keep a track on our finances. The latter is the focus of this article as we will be looking at some of the best iPhone apps that you can download in order to help maintain budget.
As the cost of living continues to rise and daily expenses mount up, an app that can accurately track what you’re spending your money on and when can be hugely beneficial. There’s nothing worse than running out of funds towards the end of the month, with days or even weeks until your next payday. This can leave you short when it comes to paying off bills and buying essentials. An effective app can help you plan your finances in advance, avoiding any unfortunate and unforeseen shortfalls. By planning all your financial comings and goings throughout the course of a month, you can allocate funds accordingly and manage spending to ensure that you don’t get caught short.Â
A lot of banks and credit card companies have an application that you can download to your phone that allow you to view your bank balance. This can be extremely useful, although sometimes these apps might not be up-to-date or show when a recent transaction has been made. Other apps allow you to keep track of your spend as you go, so providing you remember to add in what you have spent, you will be able to see current balance and current spend for that day, week or month.
Accounts by SVT Software is a good example of a spend tracking app that will allow users to review balances in real time. After setting up your accounts and entering transactions, the app will calculate the remaining balance you have left and relate it to the relevant account. It also allows you to see reports for current spend and view reoccurring transactions made. Whilst it is a solid application that will provide accurate feedback on your current finances, it does require continued manual input to maintain accuracy. Â Once the data is compiled you can export it to Excel or email and the app itself is fairly easy to use.
Ace Budget is another service which features a similar interface as Accounts. This app allows you to categorise your spend so that you know exactly what you have spent on cloths, food, meals out and fuel. It also lets you look at reports and reoccurring expenses, as well as being able to search for specific items and categories too.
Account tracker, costing £1.79, has received glowing reviews from many customers who have downloaded the app from the Apple store. Designed by Graham Haley, this app is a budget tool with smart added features such as alerts if you are reaching your limited spend or you are about to go overdrawn. The verdict on this app: a relatively cheap one in the financial market and well worth considering.
There are a host of other budget apps available such as PocketMoney (£2.99), Mint (free), Bloomberg (free) and Gift List Budget Shopper (£2.99); so look around for the one most suited to you before you download them and hopefully you will have better management on your finances come the end of the month.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/best-iphone-apps-to-help-maintain-budget-5608470.html
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