Girls just wanna have funds, right? It's never a bad time to get your money right, and the first step is getting our budget under control.
Whether you're in a place where you want to switch up how you handle your coins or you have never really thought about money at all, a budgeting app is definitely a must for your phone's home screen. And the best part is, each of these apps offers a free version. These apps have a unique way of showing you how to track expenses, look at your spending habits, and let you know how much you can afford to save.
Get ready to live your best life while keeping your money in check.
11 Best Budgeting Apps For Saving
1.Mint
Mint
Mint has been running the budgeting game for years now. It has already served as the go-to for many of us who know we want to get our money right but aren't quite sure how to start. It lets you sync your bank accounts (which is perfectly safe on this app, of course) and your bills to not only remind you when they're due but also help you develop a system that will make budgeting a breeze. And the clean interface makes it really user-friendly.
2.You Need A Budget (YNAB)
The name really says it all. We all need a budget, but this app does even more than helping you set limits and boundaries for your coins. From letting you know every dollar needs a job, to urging its users to "embrace" their "expenses" and even "roll with the punches" when the unexpected happens, YNAB is an app that understands the realities of saving, spending, and all things budgeting. A bonus is that the app can sync with your computer and phone, so you can have access to it at all times.
3.Albert
iTunes
Albert was one of the first to take budgeting apps to a new level. It goes beyond the traditional way budgeting has been done in the past as it features a Siri-like budgeting friend, named Albert, who can chat with you. He'll tell you how you're doing with your saving goals, let you know if you can afford to eat out for the week, and even give you a friendly side-eye if you start spending more than normal. It's seriously the budgeting friend we could all use.
4.Every Dollar
iTunes
Every Dollar is another budgeting app that has been making major moves in the money industry. This one is a win for those who not only want to budget but also want to develop a plan to get out of debt sooner rather than later. It encourages users to develop a monthly budget, evaluate their spending (and literally track every dollar) while giving them tips on how they can start reducing their debt one dollar at a time.
5.Digit
This is one of the best ways to save money without even missing it. The app, which gives you $5 for each friend you refer, will automatically transfer amounts of money that you don't need into a savings account. This amount is typically between $2 and $17. But no need to freak out because it certainly won't ever transfer more than you can afford. It spends way too much time evaluating your income, bills, and spending habits to make you over-save. The key is that you really won't realize it's gone until you look in the Digit app to see how much you've saved. And you can always request it to be transferred back if you need it.
6.Pocket Guard
iTunes
This just sounds like it has your pockets' best interest at heart. Like many other budgeting apps, it first instructs you to link your credit cards and bank accounts so you can have an overview of your financial structure. It then categorizes your bills and expenses for you so you can see a comparison of your income and your expenses. With the money left over, or as Pocket Guard calls it, "in my pocket," you can spend or save depending on your goals.
7.Goodbudget
iTunes
Goodbudget is a great app for couples and families who want to start budgeting and saving together. While it does offer solo budgeting options, one of its main features is providing budgets for entire households. And for those who want to go back to the traditional envelope system, this app will definitely help you go in that direction, so you're never surprised by a checking account deduction you either forgot about or didn't see coming at all. It also helps couples and families develop a budget so they can spend their dollars on what truly matters to them.
8.Prism
iTunes
Known as "magic for your bills," Prism will have you feeling yourself when it comes to taking care of your expenses. The app gives you a major bird's eye view of your bills to help you stay ahead of them. After all, a key to budgeting is calculating and figuring out bills and what we have to pay each month. So apps like Prism and others on this list ease users' minds by letting them know they don't have to figure it all out on their own.
9.Wally
iTunes
This is an amazing app if you want to track your expenses and update your budget on a daily. While that might be too much for some to handle, for others it's a must, and that's where Wally comes in. From putting your regular bills into categories like home, transportation, entertainment, and clothes, to allowing you to scan receipts so it can update your budget ASAP, Wally is one of the most efficient ways to stay on track with what's really going on with your moola.
10. Personal Capital
iTunes
If you already have your budget intact and want to start investing, Personal Capital is an efficient start. While there's a paid version, the free version has its perks too. You can take advantage of a Net Worth calculator and a Cash Flow reviewer and even track your portfolio, key holdings, and all of the ups and downs that come with investing no matter how long you've been in the game. If you splurge for the paid version, you can get a professional investment management feature and have a portfolio created just for you.
11. BONUS: Acorns
Acorns is another investing app that automatically saves your spare change from purchases you make with a linked credit or debit card using a system called "round-ups". So, if you get your Starbucks fix for $2.75, Acorns will round up to $3.00 and automatically invest the $.25. There's also the option to turn off auto transfers if you ever have times when you need all your coins.
What are some apps you use to save? Let us know!
Related Articles:
The Best Articles On Money For People In Their Twenties – Read More
The 5 Money Myths That Are Keeping You Broke, Sis – Read More
How Disagreements About Money Can Ruin Relationships – Read More
What Your Zodiac Sign Says About Your Money – Read More
- 4 Ways I’ll Continue To Save Money Post-Quarantine - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- How To Start A Budget - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- 8 Things You're Definitely Spending WAY Too Money On Every Month - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- How to Fix Your Credit - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- 2018 Budgeting & Savings Apps Worth Checking Out | Canstar ›
- Mint:Personal Finance & Money on the App Store ›
- Review: The best budgeting apps and services in 2019 | Haven Life ›
- Best Budget Apps | Saving and Budgeting | US News ›
- Budgeting Apps: 10 Best Ways to Automate Your Savings | Best Life ›
- 16 Best Budget Apps for 2019 ›
- The Best Budgeting Apps for Android and iOS | Digital Trends ›
- 8 Best Personal Finance Apps of 2018 ›
- The 8 Best Budgeting Apps to Download in 2019 ›
- Best Budget Apps and Personal Finance Tools for 2019 - NerdWallet ›
Charmaine Patterson is a journalist, lifestyle blogger, and a lover of all things pop culture. While she has much experience in covering top entertainment news stories, she aims to share her everyday life experiences, old and new, with other women who can relate, laugh, and love along with her. Follow Char on Twitter @charjpatterson, Instagram @charpatterson, and keep up with her journey at CharJPatterson.com .
Exclusive: Dreka Gates Talks Farm Life, Self-Mastery, And Her Wellness Brand
Dreka Gates is making a name in wellness through authenticity and innovativeness. Although we were introduced to her as a music manager for her husband, Kevin Gates, she has now carved out her own lane outside of music as a wellness entrepreneur. But according to Dreka, this is nothing new.
In an xoNecole exclusive, the mom of two opened up about many things, including starting her wellness journey at 13 years old. However, a near-death experience during a procedure at 20 made her start taking her health more seriously.
“There's so many different levels, and now, I'm in a space of just integrating all of this good stuff that I've learned just about just being human, you know?” Dreka tells us. “So it's also fun because it's like a journey of self-discovery and self-mastery. That's what I call it. So it's never-ending.”
Courtesy
If you follow Dreka, then you’re familiar with her holistic lifestyle, as she’s no stranger to promoting wellness, self-care, and holistic living. She even lives part-time on a Mississippi farm, not far from her grandmother and great-grandmother’s farm, where she spent some summers as a child.
While her grandmother and great-grandmother have passed on, Dreka reflects on that time in her life and how having a farm as an adult is her getting back to her roots. “So the farm was purchased back in 2017, and it was like, ah, that'll just be a place where we go when we're not touring or whatever,” she said.
“But COVID hit, and I was there, and I was on the land, and I just started remembering back to going to my grandmother's during the summertime and freaking picking peas and going and eating mulberries off the freaking tree in the bushes.
“And she literally had cotton plants. I know some people feel weird about picking cotton and stuff. She had cotton plants and I would go and pick cotton out of her garden. And she had chickens, and I literally just broke down in tears one day when I was on the farm just doing all the things, and I'm like, ‘Oh my gosh. I'm literally getting back to my roots.”
"I literally just broke down in tears one day when I was on the farm just doing all the things, and I'm like, ‘Oh my gosh. I'm literally getting back to my roots."
You can catch glimpses of Dreka’s farm life on Instagram, which shows her picking fruit and vegetables and loving on her animals like her camel Eessa. Her passion for growing and cultivating led her to try and grow all of her ingredients for her wellness brand, Dreka Wellness. However, she quickly realized that she might be biting off more than she could chew. But that didn’t stop her from fulfilling her vision.
Watch below as Dreka talks more about her business, her wellness tips, breaking toxic cycles, becoming a doula, and more.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy
The Fall Staples It Girls From Coast To Coast Are Already Wearing
When it comes to trends, It girls lead, they don’t follow. Keeping one finger on the pulse of fashion and the other on their instincts, it’s their innate ability to dress to the beat of their own heart that makes them stand out amongst everyone else around them.
These women are ahead of their time, forecasting what will eventually be adopted by the masses often years in advance. In most cases, buying into trending items is just a by-product of their love of fashion, however, it's never the key ingredient of a memorable outfit.
As we transition from summer to fall, there’s no need to spend too many coins curating a brand new seasonal wardrobe, especially in this economy. Instead of shopping targeted ads, we interviewed fashion-forward influencers to spark our imagination and gather insight on what they’re already wearing leading into the upcoming season. Keep scrolling to get the scoop on essential items these fashion-forward women are looking forward to wearing this fall.
Helecia Williams, Houston
Comfort
Helecia’s style in three words: “Structured, bold, and explorative.”
Helecia’s outfit inspiration: “I am most interested in comfort as a trend. I am truly enjoying the mix of flats with elevated outfits and the incorporation of street-style elements into the looks. I have seen so much juxtaposition that makes the outfits interesting and intriguing. I love the pairing of fitted caps with [suits] and ballet flats. That mashup is impeccable, and we saw some of that peeking through last fall, and now it's taken on a life of its own.
"As a sneaker lover and comfort sneakers, bringing back flats is just a reimagination of past trends with a fresh twist.”
What color(s) is on Helecia’s fall mood board: “Hands down, red! It's such a bold and bossy color. Now, we see it becoming much more accessible in fashion and realize how easy it is to style and incorporate into a look for that extra pop. It also pairs well with so many other shades and tones. Some of my favorite combos are red and burgundy, red and yellow, and red and brown. Even if you aren't fully convinced that it's the color of the season and still have reservations about it, you can go classic and incorporate it in an accessory or makeup like a red lip.”
Are you bringing anything back from your 2023 fall wardrobe? “I will be returning and recycling all of my 2023 fall wardrobe and just styling it differently or giving it new life. Despite my love for trends, I've curated a wardrobe that I love so I will mix the old in with the new. And not to toot my own horn but a lot of my fashion moments are ahead of the times and still very relevant for this upcoming fall. Expect to see tons of texture, juxtaposition, unexpected color combos, and street style.”
How Helecia is accessorizing this season: “I hate to admit it, but the one trend that has me in a chokehold this fall is bold jewelry, particularly in gold. I've realized that accessories can do wonders, and the Schiaparelli era has me shook. I am a ‘Stan’ of Shop Khoi, a Black-owned jewelry brand that creates some of the most amazing, high-quality fashion jewelry. It just sets off any outfit no matter how simple it may be and easily becomes a conversation piece.”
Courtney Blackwell, New York City
Courtney’s style in three words: “Vintage, oversize, and sexy.”
Courtney’s most anticipated fall fashion items: “The fashion item I am anticipating wearing is vintage leather in all colors!”
Courtney's color picks for fall: “Cherry reds, forest greens, and different shades of gray.”
The trend that has Courtney in a chokehold this season: “Skirts! I’ve never been a skirt girly, well mini skirts girly, but I think I’m going to step it up with the minis this fall.”
Shaniqua Jordan, New York City
Timeless
Shaniqua’s personal styling tip for fall: “I hate to admit it, but the one trend that has me in a chokehold this fall is any oversized outerwear piece, especially oversized blazers. And as basic as it may sound, I can't get enough of them. They instantly elevate any look, and they're so versatile, whether I'm going for a polished vibe or something more casual. Plus, they are perfect for layering as the weather cools down.
"I know most people wouldn't typically opt for suede, but if you've been following my style, you know I'm all about my outerwear. I love adding texture to my looks, even if it's subtle, and a good suede jacket does that for me. The soft texture and rich hues of suede add that cherry on top for any fall look. Whether I'm rocking a bomber style in a jewel tone or a tailored trench in a neutral shade, a suede jacket is one piece I'm looking forward to wearing to elevate my fall wardrobe.”
These colors are all over Shaniqua’s fall mood board: “The colors on my fall mood board are rich earth tones like deep browns and olive greens paired with classic neutrals like camel and cream. I'd like to throw in a pop of butter yellow. I know it might seem more spring-like, but I love how it pairs with deep browns, oxblood, and even grays. It's the perfect way to brighten up those cozy, moody fall vibes. I'm also loving pops of bold jewel tones like emerald and burgundy to add a bit of luxe to the season. These shades give that cozy yet elevated feel I'm always aiming for in my fall wardrobe.”
Shaniqua describes her fall wardrobe in three words: “If I describe my fall wardrobe in three words, they would be chic, layered, and timeless. I love combining unique pieces with a classic touch, creating looks that stand out without trying too hard. It's all about finding that perfect balance between staying true to timeless fashion and adding my own signature flair.”
Are you bringing anything back from your 2023 fall wardrobe? "I am definitely an outfit repeater, so not only will I bring back pieces from my 2023 fall wardrobe, but I also have so many oldies but goodies that I’ll be incorporating into my fall 2024 looks. I think that's what really helps convey my personal style; buying pieces I genuinely love and being able to work them into my style season after season. It's all about longevity and staying true to what I love."
Alasia Allen, Los Angeles
Provocative
Alasia describes her style in three words: “Opulent, sleek, provocative.”
The fashion item Alasia anticipates wearing the most this fall: “I’m really into gloves this season. Whether it’s biker style or long, sleek, leather gloves, they add an interesting take to a fall look.”
The fall colors catching Alasia’s eye: “I’m loving navy or a super deep purple this season so I’ll be adding those into my wardrobe. They’re both so sophisticated and a good alternative to black.”
The fall staple Alaisa plans to bring back from her 2023 wardrobe: “Every year, I wear a shearling coat. It’s timeless, it’s warm, it’s my thing. There’s something very elevating about shearlings that have drawn to me year after year, and that’s what makes them my favorite style of outwear.”
The accessory that has Alasia in a chokehold this season: “Boots. I love a good boot as my go-to accessory for the fall/winter season. My favorites are boots that have a little flair to them and an interesting shape.”
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image courtesy