Health goals might trump the New Year's list, but money resolutions aren't far behind: More than one-quarter of people vowed to do better by their pocketbooks last year, according to
Fidelity, with saving more, paying down debt and spending less being the top three resolutions. You could stick to your money goal with a notebook or spreadsheet, of course, but the right mobile app can slash the effort — and goose your follow-through. Here are a few to consider.
If you want to … get on the same page as your partner
Try: Honeyfi
Yes, you could schedule regular “money talks” — but we’re guessing it’s not the top thing you and your beau want to do when you’re together. With Honeyfi, you can collab around your money goals — minus the face-to-face conversation. The free app helps couples set joint financial goals, react and comment on specific transactions, and sync with their bank accounts (joint or solo) to track where the money is flowing.
If you want to … stop impulse splurges dead
Try: Joy
If you build a budget with the best of intentions, but then watch it crumble under the weight of Happy Hour get-togethers, cafe pick-me-ups and on-the-fly purchases, check out Joy. The app asks you to review your spending daily and rate how each purchase made you feel. So you can see, at a glance, what type of spending actually makes you feel better (mimosas with the gals!) and which is more driven by inertia (we’re looking at you, morning latte). Joy also links to an FDIC-secured savings account, so you can squirrel away a few bucks each day in a separate account — and feel the thrill that savings brings.
If you want to … negotiate your bills
Try: Trim
We all know that calling the cable company to negotiate our bill is an easy way to keep more money in our wallet — but how many of us have actually picked up the phone and made the call? With Trim, you don’t have to. The web-based program connects to all of your accounts, then crunches the numbers to see which regular payments could be minimized. It will spot and
cancel subscriptions you might have forgotten about and even negotiate the cable bill on your behalf.
If you want to … fight back against price fluctuations
Try Paribus
Most retailers will give you cash back if something you buy goes on sale within a certain period. But who has time to track the prices of things you’ve already bought? This free app does. It connects to your email and automatically searches for eligible receipts from more than 25 major retailers, including Target, Nordstrom and Walmart. If it spots a price drop that’s applicable, it will draft an email requesting the price adjustment on your behalf. Think of it as a persnickety, detail-oriented financial assistant, right in your inbox.
If you want to … stay motivated to pack your lunch
Try: Qapital
Imagine dropping a coin in a “goals jar” every time you followed through on your money resolution? Effective, yes. Efficient, not so much. To make that concept mobile, download the Qapital app. With it, you create a goal — say, pack your lunch on weekdays or read the finance section of the
Wall Street Journal each week or look at your budget at least once a month — and then tap the app every time you perform that new habit. Qapital will transfer a small amount of money into a separate, FDIC-insured savings account, so your dough grows as your habit takes hold. (Whether that stockpiled savings is eventually spent on something responsible or indulgent is entirely your call.)
