7 Money Apps for Reaching Your Financial Goals
Technology has ingrained itself into our lives because of the way it makes day-to-day activities exponentially easier. Smartphone apps allow you to lock your doors when you’ve already left home, keep track of your appointments while on the run, or have groceries delivered right to your front door. Smartphones have also made it possible to have all of your financial information right at your fingertips. We’ve outlined several of the best money apps that you can use for everything from protecting your debit card and staying on budget to saving more money and managing your kids’ allowance.
I want to … Get Rid of My Checkbook
Accounts2
If you’re ready to break free from manually balancing your checkbook with pen and paper, you need to check out the Accounts2 checkbook register app. With this app you can:
- Track your checking, savings, and credit card activity.
- Set-up reoccurring ledger entries (such as your rent or student loan or paycheck deposits), as well as individual deposits or payments.
- Track all monthly spending and sort into categories for a big picture of your spending habits.
Touch ID and Face ID safety features are available, along with digital backup copies of your records. The app cost $2.99 to download. Only available for iOS devices.
I want to . . . Grow My Savings
Acorns
This is one of the best money apps you can use when you’re trying to build emergency savings, save for a downpayment on a home, or just buy yourself something special. What’s best about Acorns is that it’s low-stress money management — you’re saving money without really thinking about it.
For every purchase you make, Acorns will round up to the next dollar and the extra money will be saved. When you buy your daily coffee for $3.25, an extra $0.75 will go into savings. You can add more money into your savings when you:
- Set amounts for automatic deposits every day, week, or month.
- Add an occasional lump sum (from work bonus, tax return, birthday money, etc.) to savings.
- Get cash-back deposited into your account for shopping with certain brands.
Your savings are atomically deposited into an investment account for future growth. There is a $1 fee per month for the basic plan.
Learn More about the Acorns App
I want to . . . Track How Much I Spend/Stick to a Budget
Wally
All those small purchases you make every day can really add up without you noticing. If your financial goal is reign in your day-to-day spending, Wally is one of the best money apps to try. Using Wally, you can:
- Get a 360° view of your money — what you earn, what you spend, and what you have the potential to save.
- Scan your receipts to keep track of how much money you spend daily and what you’re spending it on.
- Enter a monthly income, track how much you spend, and see how much you’re on track to save
This is a great app to use if you track work expenses for reimbursement. The basic service is free but you can add premium upgrades that range from $0.49 to $4.99.
Learn more about the Wally App
I want to . . . Teach My Kids About Money
Zogo
Diamond Credit Union has partnered with Zogo to provide teens and young adults (or really anyone) with a new way of learning about finances.
Zogo is a financial education app founded by Duke University professors and Gen Z undergrads which has over 300 fun-sized learning modules on a variety of topics such as budgeting, spending, investing, and more. By successfully answering questions and completing exercises, users will accumulate pineapples (or points) that they can redeem for $5 gift cards of choice from a variety of widely known brands.
I want to . . . Manage My Diamond Accounts
Diamond Credit Union Mobile Banking App
With Diamond’s exclusive, members-only mobile app, you can take care of several common banking tasks at any time, from anywhere such as:
- View account balances and transaction history. With the addition of one swipe viewing, this is easier than ever.
- Deposit checks using your phone’s camera. This means you don’t have to make an extra trip to a branch or ATM to deposit checks.
- Transfer funds between internal and external accounts. This gives you the ability to pay just about anyone and move your money between accounts.
- Set up automatic bill payment for all your monthly expenses or pay one-time bills as they arise. You won’t have to worry about late fees again!
For added security, the Diamond mobile app even works with Touch ID and Face ID authentication on applicable smartphones.
Download Diamond’s Mobile Banking App