There is no doubt that it’s time for many of us to look at our finances. It certainly pays to budget wisely, and saving some money along the way has to be a good thing. Whether to cope with the rising cost of heating, getting around with transport and fuel costs increasing, or simply paying more for grocery shopping and entertainment, it might be time to look into whether budgeting apps could help you.

How budgeting apps can help

There are budgeting apps to help us make savings and become financially fit, help you manage your finances to leave you with more in your pocket, often just by making a few simple changes and seeing where your money goes. Whether you need to hone in on what’s taking your money, work out financial obligations, split bills with housemates or partners or need help seeing where you are wasting money on services that you no longer need, some budgeting apps can help.

Here is our guide to five apps offering a range of features to help you budget better and hang onto your money longer. Some offer a basic free plan, and then it’s often possible to pay for added features if you want further help.

Money Dashboard

Cost: Free

Features: High on the list of recognised best personal finance and budgeting apps. Connect bank accounts, categorise spending and keep track of spending history. Receive balance notifications and set budgets from payday to payday. Track subscriptions and see predicted balances based on current budgets and spending. Knowing your balance after bills can help you track your budget and know where you need to or can make savings.

Airtimes rewards

Cost: Free

Features: Earn cashback from spending with many major brands and retailers and use the credit against your mobile phone costs.

Chip

Cost: Free for basic Chip/ £3 every four weeks for ChipX

Features: Chip helps you make savings and save more by analysing your regular spending and then telling you how much you can save whilst still buying what you need. It will automatically add any excess money to your separate linked savings account, and you can set savings goals to help your savings motivation. 

Snoop

Cost: Free, although you are asked to provide Snoop tips if you make significant savings

Features: Snoop gathers your accounts together and tracks your regular bills to flag when they increase, and it may then offer you a cheaper provider to consider switching. It can help by checking your annual insurance bills and mobile phone costs to suggest cheaper deals. It will also recommend voucher codes, and cashback offers on the brands and shops it recognises from your spending habits.

Splitwise

Cost: Free version with most core features/Around £2.-2.50 for a pro version

Features: Manage bills when multiple people are responsible for paying. Track when and how much they pay. You can also log informal IOUs, create regular bill schedules and set up repayment plans.

What else to do aside from using budgeting apps

So there you have it, some ideas to help you with budgeting and saving and consider carrying out a  personal finance audit when things change throughout the year.