Top 5 Personal Finance Apps and Websites

Gone are the days of simply balancing our checkbooks and managing a credit card or two. Today, many of us have multiple credit cards and bank accounts with money automatically flowing out in all directions. It can be overwhelming, and we can quickly lose track of where our money is going.

Fortunately, we have a lot of options to help get back on track. There are several personal finance apps and websites available today, right at our fingertips, to help us link accounts, track spending, send out reminders, and manage our finances overall.

Especially when you’re looking to start saving for a home, getting your finances under control is a high priority. Read on for the top 5 apps and websites you can dig into to help you pinpoint problem areas and start saving.

1. Dough Roller

Dough Roller is a website with a simple mission: to help people make sense of the complicated world of personal finance, investing, and money management. Its creator and team tackle hundreds of topics under these main categories:

• Credit cards
• Investing
• Banking
• Personal finance
• Debt
• Insurance

The website is packed with articles, videos, podcast episodes, app reviews, how-tos, and listicles. From the moment you enter the homepage, you can select one of two tracks: managing money or investing your fortune. 

Dough Roller’s articles have been featured on Forbes, Wall Street Journal, HuffPost, Business Insider, and more. The site also has tools to help you track mortgage rates and bank rates, and file your taxes.

2. EveryDollar

EveryDollar is a finance app centered on budgeting — the zero-based budget method, to be exact. This method means all expenses must be justified for each new period, so you can take control of every dollar you make. The app was created by finance expert Dave Ramsey.

With EveryDollar, add in your monthly income and use a customized template to plan expenses and keep track of spending. Connect your bank for a streamlined experience, add due dates to bills, and create funds for savings goals. 

You can use a free version of EveryDollar for budgeting purposes, or pay $129 a year for additional features and support. With the paid plan, you have the option of connecting with support on the phone.

3. Prism

Prism is a star at managing bill payments, so you know exactly where your money is going. Choose all your billers after you download it, connect the billers to the app, and everything is synced in one place. The app will automatically pull in important bill statement information into a calendar or list. 

With all your accounts in one place, you can check all balances at a glance. You also can schedule bill payments the same day or weeks in advance. There’s no fee to use Prism, but they do offer some exclusive payment options.

If you’re interested in getting a mortgage to buy a home, your credit score is very important. Prism can help you maintain a healthy credit score — or boost your current score — by making sure you never miss a payment. 

Prism’s goal is to give you control of your monthly finances, which just might be your key to greater financial health.

4. The Penny Hoarder

The Penny Hoarder is a website dedicated to helping people take control of their finances and make smart money decisions. They execute this mission through actionable articles and resources that show you how to save, manage, and earn money.

On The Penny Hoarder, you’ll find hundreds of articles containing steps for negotiating salary, how you might be overpaying for insurance, budgeting for marriage, paying off debt, saving for retirement, and much more. 

You’ll find guides for healing credit scores, filing taxes, and home-buying advice. You can sign up for daily tips and a free “financial boot camp.”

5. Mint

Last but certainly not least, Mint is the finance app that always pops up at or near the top of the list when you search for “personal finance apps” on your smartphone. With 4.8 stars from 659,000 ratings, Mint allows you to see everything in one place. This includes:

• Spending
• Balances
• Budgets
• Credit score

This free app lets you connect all your accounts, including cash, credit, loans, and investments. You can receive notifications when bills are due, and you can even be notified when your subscription charges increase to help you stay on top of rising costs. Create custom budgets and receive personalized insights based on your information.

You also have free access to your credit score, and will be notified of any important changes — another big bonus for those keeping an eye on improving their score.

Add home.com by Homefinity to your personal finance team

Armed with these top personal finance apps and websites to help you take control of your budget, savings, and more, you’re now ready to set up the financial future of your dreams.

If part of your financial goals includes saving for a home, contact the home.com by Homefinity team today. We can discuss your unique situation and get you *pre-approved for a loan so you’ll know exactly what your savings target needs to be.

The road to approval is lined with income, credit score, down payment, and debt requirements. Don’t let any part of the process come as a surprise. With a dedicated mortgage loan officer, you can receive honest recommendations about your situation, so you can use your personal finance tools to their fullest potential — and truly take control of your future.

*Pre-approval is based on a preliminary review of credit information provided to home.com by Homefinity which has not been reviewed by Underwriting. Final loan approval is subject to a full Underwriting review of support documentation including, but not limited to, applicants’ creditworthiness, assets, income information, and a satisfactory appraisal.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels