Mobile apps to help you become a better budgeter

Technology has become such a big part of our lives that we depend on it to accomplish even the simplest daily tasks – from paying for parking to purchasing groceries, it has become the norm to use the latest technology available to us for many of our everyday activities. If you are wanting to take your budgeting and financial accountability to the next level why not try one of the specialised budgeting applications available in the market?

Budgeting apps can provide great benefits. However, it’s important you are careful with who you share your data. Some of these apps request your banking credentials, including your login and password, to access your internet banking in order to gather your data.

To keep your Heritage Bank accounts secure, you can currently only share account information through Open Banking with accredited and trusted third parties. As part of the Australian Government's Consumer Data Rights Legislation, Open Banking is intended to provide a safe and secure framework for you to authorise accredited third parties, such as app providers, to access your financial information. This allows them to provide you with helpful services like comparing your banking products or calculating your budget.

If the budgeting app provider you’d like to use is an Accredited Data Recipient, you can provide them access to your Heritage bank accounts as part of Open Banking Australia. You can see a list of accredited data recipients on the Consumer Data Right website.

Here's some suggestions for budgeting apps currently available in the market.

Finder

The Finder App launched in 2020 and is free to download on Apple and Android. It helps you to get and track your credit score, see your cash position, dig into your spending and see your chance of approval for personal loans and credit cards. While you should always speak directly to your lender to confirm what you can borrow, this App may help you to understand your finances better and help you compare deals on your phone, internet or health insurance. Learn more about how the App works here or visit Finder.com/App to download the App today. 

Pocketbook

The Pocketbook App really does do a bit of everything when it comes to budgeting and banking. The great thing about Pocketbook is that none of it is done manually and all expenses are automatically categorised into groups such as clothes or groceries, meaning you know exactly where money is being spent. Another great feature of the App is that it can sync quickly with loans, credit cards and other bank accounts. It can also notify you when bills have been paid or if you've even been charged something as simple as a bank fee. 

Goodbudget

Interested in planning your spending and not just tracking it? Based on the simple envelope budget system, the Goodbudget App prompts you to allocate funds for monthly expenses, and then split those funds into categories or ‘envelopes’, such as groceries, gym and transport. During the month, you can then withdraw money from an envelope. However, if you are taking money from your ‘groceries’ envelope, then you must spend that money on groceries alone! At the end of the month, you get to see which envelopes are empty and which have leftovers.

The Goodbudget App can be used on Android and iPhone devices, as well as on the web. It is ideal for households, as it allows multiple people to have access to the same up-to-date information. The more you use the App, the more you will learn about your spending habits and you’ll then be able to create an accurate budget that reflects your needs and wants.

Wally

The Wally personal finance App allows you to set budgets, track and review spending, and scan and save receipts. Designed to be seamless and intuitive, Wally aims to help you take control of your funds, and in the simplest way possible. Useful features include the ability to export data to Excel and location recognition (Wally can identify and categorise a venue for you). The App will also send you notifications for different events, such as when you’ve reached a goal and when an upcoming payment is imminent.

Apps for either your phone or tablet are being created for just about anything you can think of, all with the intention of making your life simpler. When it comes to budgeting, the options are endless and in many cases, such as the three Apps above, they can be downloaded free of charge. 

Have you recently discovered an App that has been working wonders for your budgeting? Leave your answers in the feedback box below.

For more help, check out our real-time SMS and Email alerts and online budget calculator or chat to one of our team for a free Financial Health Check today.