Keeping on top of your family finances is no picnic! With mounting bills and expenses, rising prices and debts, it’s easy to get stressed out.
To take the stress out of managing your family finances, what you need are the right tools and resources.
Whether you’re looking for apps, podcasts or websites, you’ll find all the great advice you need right here.
Apps to manage your finances
1 . Spending Tracker
Spending Tracker is a type of personal finance app, helping users to save money and create a workable budget. With the Spending Tracker app, you can monitor your budget on a yearly, monthly or weekly basis. It’s simple to check out your spending history, export transactions, and keep a log of your income. Users can organize transactions by the date, amount, or name. The app also offers interactive charts and reports to give you an overall picture of your spending habits. With a spending tracker, you can put a fixed budget in place, and carry extra funds over to the following period. If you’re looking to reduce monthly expenses for your family, Spending Tracker is a great tool.
2. Mvelopes
Mvelopes is a budget system based on the concept of ‘digital envelopes’. The envelopes represent different categories for your budgets. It’s easy to customize these envelopes, track your transactions, and assess how much you’re spending. With the Mvelopes app, you can manage your debts, and prevent yourself from overspending. It’s simple to sync transactions, view your accounts, and save. The app helps you to access an accurate budget, with info on exactly how much you have left to spend.
3. Mint
Mint is one of the leading finance apps, and it’s just perfect for family finances.
With Mint, you can link all your accounts in one place, and even get your credit score. The app separates your spending, using various categories, supporting you to create a budget that works. If you happen to have an investment portfolio, you can also view this directly in the app. To start saving money, Mint is a fantastic tool; here you’ll get savings tips, helping you to improve your credit, budget and savings. With Mint it’s simple to reach your financial goals and keep track of your net worth too.
4. Clarity Money
Clarity Money is an excellent app for saving money and budgeting your family finances. Using this application users can track their spending, and manage their money with ease. Clarity Money also allows you to access your credit score, supporting you to visualize your finances. It’s a free tool which uses AI to assess your finances and make handy budgeting suggestions. With Clarity Money, you can make changes to your savings, investments, and savings. Budgeting is one of the most important aspects of improving your family finances. Without a proper budget in place it’s impossible to keep track of your finances and make savings.
5. Wally
Wally is a budgeting application which can support you to make savings and monitor your spending. Using Wally, you can track your earnings, set up frequent payments, create groups, or organize your joint account. The app allows you to create personalized categories to design a budget that works for you. With Wally, you can access two years of history, to assess your spending patterns. Using the application, you can seek to improve your net worth, track your balances, and organize your foreign currency.
Podcasts for financial tips
6. It’s Your Money
Tune into the ‘It’s Your Money’ podcast to get all the latest info from financial journalists Sam Broadbeck and Laura Miller. The show includes plenty of interesting conversations about money, including improving your career, retirement, family finances and student loans. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to invest your money, yet you’re not sure where to start? If so, Laura and Sam have got all the investment tips you need. Whether you want a ‘non boring guide to insurance’ or money-saving travel hacks, you’ll learn plenty here!
7. So Money
Renowned financial strategist Farhoosh Torabi created the ‘So Money’ podcast. Be sure to check it out for some winning money strategies, brought to you by business minds, Influencers, and ordinary people. Expect to hear about a wide range of topics including saving money, passive cash flows, starting a business, or getting out of credit card debt. Each show includes plenty of inspirational stories, with insightful philosophies, failures and successes. Looking to get back on your feet after a financial setback? Want the lowdown on money and relationships? The ‘So Money’ podcast has got you covered!
8. The Dave Ramsey Show
The Dave Ramsey Show is a top financial podcast, helping listeners to take control of their money. Here you’ll get plenty of straight-talking advice on money and on life! Every week millions of people tune in, to get the financial tips they’ve been searching for. Dave helps people from all walks of life to improve their financial future, and reduce their debts. Recent episode themes have included ‘Don’t Carry More Weight Than Your Bank Account Allows You To,’ and ‘How To Weigh Up The Pros And Cons Of A Job Change.’
9. The Financial Well Being Podcast
The Financial Well Being Podcast is brought to you by financial planners Chris Budd and David Lloyd. It’s a podcast about money and happiness, and how the two can work in harmony. Lately, the guys have explored topics such as ‘mental well being and money,’ ‘well being in retirement’, and ‘the personal brand’. Many of us have anxieties about money, especially when we are providing for a family. The Financial Well Being podcast will help you learn how to overcome those anxieties and make practical plans for the future.
10. Cash Chats
Cash Chats is a podcast by finance expert Andy Webb; if you’re looking for some great advice about how to get clever with your money, Andy’s got the tips that you need. Recent episodes have tackled ideas such as, ‘getting the best price when shopping online’, ‘helping food banks and fighting poverty’, and ‘slashing your energy bills’. Grab a pen and your notebook and get ready to learn some seriously savvy money tips. It’s not always easy to see how you can improve your financial situation; but sometimes, all you need are a few pointers to inspire you.
Websites for financial advice
11. The Mortgage Calculator
The Mortgage Calculator UK website is a handy resource, including a mortgage borrowing calculator. Simply input your mortgage amount, interest rate and terms, and press calculate. You’ll access info on your full monthly repayment, interest-only, months, and total interest payable. The site also presents you with a ‘home mortgage repayment’ chart as well as a yearly capital and interest breakdown. Perhaps you’re buying a new home, or remortgaging your current property? If so, Mortgage Calculator UK is a fantastic tool.
12. Money-Saving Expert
Martin Lewis created the Money Saving Expert website; here you’ll find money-saving tips across a huge range of categories including household bills, cards and loans, bankings and savings, mortgages and loans and income and budgeting. There are plenty of great articles, covering a variety of topics from ‘Coronavirus Employee Help’, to ‘Cheap Energy Providers’. You can learn all about income tax, Christmas deals, and saving money on family days out. Next time you need a little bit of financial advice, be sure to head on over to Martin’s website.
13. Money Magpie
Money Magpie is a ‘self-help money site’, for those who want to improve their financial health. Here you’ll find a plethora of resources for making money, saving money, and managing your money. Find out where you can sell your stuff, and get plenty of ideas about making money online. Whether you’re looking to save money on holidays, travel or tech, Money Magpie has got plenty of ideas. There are lots of articles to inspire, including, ‘When To Save And When To Splurge’ and ‘9 Things You Can Swap To Save Cash.’ With the Money Magpie website managing your finances no longer has to be complicated.
14. The Simple Dollar
The Simple Dollar is a one-stop-shop for all the financial advice that you’ll ever need. Here you can research your best options in terms of credit cards, investing, banking, and insurance. Want to know which are the best Roth IRA accounts, or the best credit cards? Need advice on COVID-19 financial support, or debt management? Whatever your financial issues are, you can rest assured that The Simple Dollar has the answer. It can be challenging to know where to find the best deals, and with The Simple Dollar, you’ll no longer have to spend ages doing research.
To start managing your finances right, it can be helpful to set yourself a few goals. With a goal or two in place, you’ll improve your efforts and give yourself the motivation that you need. Your goals might involve saving, debt, investments or budgeting. Whatever your goals may be it’s useful to set a deadline, to stay on track.
Disclosure: this is a collaborative post