One of the hardest parts of being a university student is financial management. Schooling comes with a ton of financial responsibilities. Unless you are good at budgeting, meeting all these responsibilities with your savings or little pocket money is almost impossible.
However, the good part about uni is that you can study and work at the same time to meet your financial needs. You can take a part-time job during your free hours or weekends. Do not worry if that's the only time you have to complete assignments. You can now hire a reliable paper writer to entrust with your schoolwork as you toil to make money.
The challenge comes in budgeting, but it doesn't have to be hard with corresponding tools and apps for students. Have a glance at some of the budgeting tools that you should try out.
Mint
Mint is the most common personal finance app for students. It is super easy to use and aims to help you stay on top of each facet of your money.
Its amazing interface allows you to create a budget at the beginning of a semester in a few simple steps. With this, you will have a plan of spending and saving. Even better, the app sends you alerts when you need to clear any bills or when you seem to be going past your budget.
The best feature that keeps this budgeting app on top of competitors is that it sends you money maximizing tips every day. For instance, the app will advise you to stop eating out and cook instead or reduce the amount of coffee you buy from Starbucks to save a few bucks.
YNAB
YNAB is the abbreviation for “you need a budget.” The app aims to help you acquire total control over your finances and, in return, get over the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck.
It can be frustrating when you realize that your funds are over, and it is not even halfway through the month yet. You have no extra finance stream, so you have to wait until the next payday to pay bills, eat that favorite meal, or even get yourself a new pair of pants.
Such scenarios force you to start borrowing from friends and colleagues, and before you know it, all of your next month's salary or allowance is not enough to cater to the debts, leave alone your expenses.
The YNAB applies the four-rules method to make budgeting easier for you. The method entails budgeting in real time, providing you with tracking goals, reports, and offering personal support.
Moreover, you are assured of protected data storage as the app has always put security as a priority. YNAB seeks to educate students on how to manage money rather than pushing them to save.
Personal Capital
This tool is super efficient but requires a little money budgeting experience to navigate through the features. It works best for students who are not only looking to budget but also invest.
It includes amazing features such as showing your net worth, analyzing your investments to identify any hidden fees, managing your bank accounts, and even planning for your funds in the coming years.
You will love that its automated analysis feature is free. You enjoy the benefits you would get by hiring an investment PA, but in this case, you do not have to pay for it.
Goodbudget
Goodbudget is the best app if you have a partner. Perhaps, you have a roommate that you share expenses with. It could also be that you are in a relationship, and you feel that it is time you came together and planned your funds as a couple.
With this app, you can track your expenses as a team. It does so by allowing you to share financial information with the other party without any hidden agenda. Even better, you can break down your budget into different categories and delegate the expenses accordingly.
Goodbudget helps you stay organized by simply adding your paycheck to the app and leaving it to do the rest. It will figure out how much you have left after paying the bill and how you can spend it for maximum utility.
Wally
Budgeting is not always hard. The issue comes in tracking your finances.
Wally comes in to make things easier and more manageable for students by helping them track their income and expenses to give them a summary of how to go about their funds. The app shows you what you have left, and you avoid overspending.
Wally can work with any currency; thus, it’s the best for international students. It is a bit complex to use compared to other apps, but it's definitely worthwhile.
Spendee
Spendee is both a budget planner and a money manager. You can therefore use it regardless of your financial goals. It works by tracking your cash flow and helping you understand your spending habits.
Some of its amazing features include a shared wallet if you want to track your budget with a roommate or spouse. Spendee accepts different currencies. You can also customize the app by adding your photo and location.
PocketGuard
As the name suggests, this app aims to protect you from overspending. It helps you gain control over your finances, get better at spending, and automate savings.
The app works by letting you know exactly how much you have on hand so you can keep a tab of your spending. You can also track your bills and lower them if you feel that you are straining financially. Besides, PocketGuard’s autosave feature makes it easier for you to meet your saving goals.
Takeaway
It doesn’t matter how good your budgeting skills are. You are most likely to get off track from time to time but not with the help of any of the highlighted apps.