Budgeting and spend tracking is zero fun, but we found an app that takes out all the hard work, so you can easily stay on track. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers...
How many times have you tried building a budget, only to throw it out the window when it got too complicated — or you blew through your spending limit within a week?
It’s happened to the best of us. No shame.
The thing is, there are so many apps and websites out there that promise to make sense of your spending and encourage you to save, but nothing feels like it fits your exact needs. Sometimes it seems like the only way to get any real insight is to hire a pricy financial adviser or design a 100-line, formula-laden spreadsheet.
But that’s no longer true.
Enter a new app called Simplifi, built by the personal finance whiz kids over at Quicken.
It’ll create an easy-to-follow spending plan for you, so you can work toward your money goals — whether that’s affording rent next month, buying a home or bulking up an emergency fund.
Show Your Money Who’s in the Driver’s Seat
So what makes Simplifi by Quicken better than the gazillions of other money-management apps out there?
After you connect your financial accounts, Simplifi automatically creates a personalized spending plan for you based on your own bills and income. Think of this like a roadmap for your spending.
And this plan is totally flexible, and you can even customize it. Which spending categories do you need? What goals, big or small, do you want to save for?
Think of Simplifi like a GPS — but for your bank account. It shows you where you are now and the path to get you where you want to go. If any roadblocks pop up along the way (like an unexpected bill, for example), it’ll help you reroute.
Simplifi also helps you plan for your future. Yes, that includes mini savings accounts for your long-term goals, but we’re also talking about the immediate future — like how much takeout you can afford to order this month.
Choose Your Destination and This App Shows You How to Get There
Getting started with Simplifi is, well, simple.
It takes 30 seconds to create an account and pick your plan. Your first month is free, and, right now, you can get 25% off. That means it starts at just $2.99 a month for an annual plan.
Once you’re in, you’ll connect all of your money accounts. Each one takes less than a minute to log in to through Simplifi’s app, then you’ll see your customizable dashboard and can tap into your monthly spending plan.
The New York Times Wirecutter named Simplifi the No. 1 budgeting app of 2020. But if you’re still unsure, remember you can try it out for one month — totally free.
So go ahead, get started, and put your spending and saving on the right track.
Kari Faber (kfaber@thepennyhoader.com) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. Her savings goal is a historic, yet modernly renovated Brooklyn brownstone.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.