Smart shopping apps have revolutionized the way we approach our purchases, making it easier than ever to save money and stay organized. With a multitude of choices available, these apps provide various features aimed at improving the shopping experience. They offer everything from price comparison tools and digital coupons to inventory trackers and budgeting aids, enabling consumers to make intelligent choices and optimize their savings.
Whether you’re planning your weekly grocery run, hunting for the best deals on clothing, or simply trying to keep track of your expenses, the 10 best budget apps are here to streamline your shopping journey. Come along as we dive into the top apps that can help you save money, stay organized, and get the most out of every shopping trip!
5 Savvy Shopping Tips for Payday Sales
Pay Bills Immediately
When payday rolls around on the 15th or 30th, resist the urge to dive straight into your favorite shopping app. Instead, start by sorting out your salary. Budgeting tools like GoodBudget and JamJars can help by automatically organizing your money into “envelopes” or “pots” as soon as you get paid. Alternatively, you can first cover your bills and set aside your savings. This method will provide a better understanding of how much you have left for those irresistible payday sales.
Plan your Monthly Spending
Shop smart by making a list of what you truly need. It’s tempting to click “add to cart” when you see a cute bag on sale, but one of the best tips for online shopping is to start a wish list. It helps you stay organized and gives you time to decide if you need the item or if it’s just a spur-of-the-moment buy. Remember, missing out on a payday sale isn’t the end of the world—you can always catch that item on sale again next month.
Buy What is Necessary
Wanting the latest trends is fine but buying clothes or gadgets you don’t need can quickly add up and drain your wallet. Instead, focus on what’s essential and do your homework for more significant purchases. If you’re considering upgrading to the newest device version, ensure the extra features will meet your needs and justify the investment.
Thrifting as an Option
In addition to sticking to what you need, think about buying second-hand items. Check out buy-and-sell sites like Carousell or Facebook Marketplace for gently used items at lower prices. If you prefer shopping in person, try thrift shops—you might find some unexpected designer pieces at great prices. Many second-hand stores or retailers also have social media accounts so you can stay informed about their payday sales and special offers.
Go Mobile
Smart shopping begins with downloading your favorite brand’s app. This way, you get early access to payday sales and promotions and enjoy a more convenient shopping experience. Plus, you can pick up your items at a nearby store to try them on before buying. Sometimes, store apps offer rewards or rebates for each purchase, and some brands partner with mobile payment apps to provide extra discounts. To maximize these benefits, ensure you have an all-day mobile plan to stay connected wherever you shop.
10 Best Budget Apps to Track Expenses Easily
YNAB
This app is designed to help users plan their financial decisions rather than track past transactions. YNAB (You Need A Budget) uses a zero-based budgeting approach, where every dollar you earn is allocated to a specific purpose, such as spending, saving, or debt repayment. Once you get paid, you allocate money to different categories, encouraging more intentional spending. YNAB offers a hands-on experience, complete with a wide range of educational resources on its website, to teach users practical budgeting and app usage. It supports linking checking and savings accounts, credit cards, and loans and is accessible on mobile devices, desktops, iPads, Apple Watches, and even Alexa.
Goodbudget
Goodbudget focuses more on planning your finances rather than tracking past transactions. It uses the envelope budgeting system, which allocates your monthly income into different categories, or “envelopes,” for specific spending purposes. Unlike some apps, Goodbudget doesn’t link to your bank accounts; instead, you manually input your account balances, cash amounts, debts, and income and assign money to your envelopes. You can access Goodbudget from your phone and the web, and the app offers plenty of helpful articles and videos to guide you. The free version includes one account, two devices, and a limited number of envelopes. In contrast, the paid Goodbudget Premium version provides unlimited envelopes and accounts, supports up to five devices, and offers additional features.
EveryDollar
This app provides a zero-based budgeting approach that’s straightforward and easier to manage than YNAB. The free version of EveryDollar lets you manually enter your income and expenses each month, categorize your spending, and set reminders for bill payments without syncing your bank accounts. If you upgrade to the premium version, you get additional features like automatic transaction syncing from your bank, custom reports, and tailored recommendations based on your spending habits. You can also link your savings and investment accounts to get a more complete picture of your finances.
Empower Personal Dashboard
Empower Personal Dashboard, previously known as Personal Capital, is mainly an investment tool that offers valuable budgeting and spending tracking features. The free app allows you to connect and monitor various accounts, including checking, savings, credit cards, IRAs, 401(k)s, mortgages, and loans. It provides a snapshot of your spending by categorizing recent transactions, which you can customize, and shows how much you’re spending in each category each month. Additionally, Empower includes tools for tracking your net worth and investment portfolio. You can use the app on your phone and desktop for convenient access.
PocketGuard
PocketGuard may have a few extensive features on our list, but its simplicity is part of its appeal. The app lets you connect your bank accounts, credit cards, loans, and investments and helps you track your bills. With this information, PocketGuard shows how much disposable income you have left after setting aside money for essentials, bills, and savings goals. You can also monitor your net worth and opt to manually input your financial data if you’d instead not link your accounts. The paid version, PocketGuard Plus, adds features like a debt payoff plan, transaction exporting, and more.
Honeydue
Honeydue connects with over 20,000 financial institutions across five countries to sync all your accounts in one place. It’s designed to help you and your partner manage your finances together by coordinating bills, setting reminders for due dates, and even chatting about transactions within the app. You can create custom categories for your budget, and Honeydue will notify you if you’re getting close to your limit for any category. Plus, if you have shared expenses, you can easily split them within the app.
Simplifi
Simplifi provides a comprehensive approach to managing your finances, including monthly budgeting, debt repayment tracking, investment monitoring, tax planning, and organizing personal and business expenses. The app includes a desktop version for a more seamless experience. To ensure your personal information remains secure, Simplifi uses 256-bit encryption.
Monarch Money
Monarch Money provides a clear and organized dashboard to view all your accounts in one place. It offers various perspectives for managing cash flow, planning, and setting goals and includes an investment tracker that simplifies portfolio management with features like historical data analysis and charting tools. Financial advisors will appreciate Monarch’s collaboration tools, which allow them to monitor clients’ transactions and investments from a single interface. Both advisors and clients can access and export data as a CSV file if necessary, and the platform is accessible on the web, iOS, and Android devices.
CountAbout
If you’re looking for a customized budgeting experience, CountAbout is an excellent option. You can create your budget categories tailored to your personal or business needs. The Premium Plan syncs data automatically from multiple financial institutions—no manual entry is required. It also integrates smoothly with data from other economic tools like Quicken. You can quickly generate reports to track your spending, income, and net worth, giving you a clear view of your finances. Plus, CountAbout is ad-free for a more streamlined experience.
Zeta
Zeta is a fantastic app for budgeting with others in your household. It features personal and joint accounts, making it easy to manage bills, save for goals, and track shared expenses. You can also use the in-app messaging to discuss budget matters with your partner or family. With an average mobile app rating of 4.1, Zeta ensures security through two-factor authentication (2FA) and data encryption, providing extra protection for your financial information.
Conclusion
Smart shopping is about maximizing your budget and finding great deals on everyday items. Begin by creating a budget and checking prices from various retailers for comparison. Use coupon and discount apps, sign up for store loyalty programs, and time your purchases wisely. Consider generic brands, shop online, and take advantage of cashback programs. Looking into second-hand options can help you save even more. By adding these tactics to your shopping habits, you’ll increase your savings and take pride in finding great deals on your regular purchases.
