Your smartphone is now your financial advisor? Applications that will set you on the path to financial success.

If you’re anything like us – you’re always glued to your smartphone device. With every application you can imagine, our smartphones have quickly become our navigational system, entertainment system – and our financial advisor? That’s right – there are a ton of very useful (and easy to use) apps out there that will not only help you track your money, but manage it as well. Here are a few of our favourites at Tembo Financial:

Mint

Mint is a free app compatible with both IOS and Androids and allows you to track your finances, let’s you know if you’re about to go over budget, as well as categorize the types of spending you do. We love this app specifically for the later feature. Four dollars a day on a cup of coffee doesn’t seem so bad – but trust us, it ads up quite a bit. Tracking where your money is going to specifically can help you make much smarter financial decisions.

LearnVests

Although this app is unfortunately only available on IOS – it has its major pros (sorry Android users). Similar to Mint, LearnVests helps you track your spending and budget. But what makes LearnVest Different is its focus on financial literacy. LearnVest’s roots are in financial literacy and education, so it offers plenty of reading material in both the app and website, based on topics you select as important to you. We think this is a great feature for anyone who is still new to the world of bills, rents and debt. Understand how to spend wisely, and save will greatly benefit you down the line.

Budget Boss

This super easy app is an amazing way to evaluate the effectiveness of your budget. Creating a budget is one thing, but is it smart? Budget Boss analyzes the budget you’ve created and makes recommendations and estimations based on those numbers. Thinking 5… Even 10 years down the line is a bit of a daunting task. Budget Boss helps you create the smartest budget for your financial future.

Although these are only three out of many financial applications available, we truly believe that investing a little time tracking your spending, and creating a budget that works for you, will set you on the path to financial success.

Tembo Money Tips for a Rainy Day

Here are a few tips on how to save money in case of a bump in the road or a rainy day. It’s always important to consider ways to save money. These easy methods can make a huge difference in your savings and spending habits.

 

Move bank accounts

If you’re paying a monthly fee for your checking or savings account, you would benefit from researching some of newest banking offers out there. Not only do some banks offer sign-up bonuses simply for opening an account and setting up direct deposit, but some offer attractive interest rates to new customers as well or maybe even no fees.

Pay Yourself

Designate a certain amount of your paycheque as your pay and try to be disciplined in spending within the amount. Absolutely be sure to pay your bills and keep up with your responsibilities but try to allocate a piece of your pay that you are comfortable with so you can develop discipline and begin to save.

Automate your finances

If paying yourself first won’t work, consider talking to your bank about automatic deposits into your saving account. Your bank will automatically transfer a certain percentage of your paycheck into your savings account every time you get paid. You can also use automated services for paying bills.

Prepay your debt

You can save hundreds of dollars if you put more towards your debt, and avoid the high interest rates. Increasing your payment by even the slightest can save you a good amount in interest costs.

An emergency, accident, workplace change, increase in debt costs, or higher interest rates are all potential scenarios to keep in mind and to be prepared for. It’s always wise to better manage your money and to be mindful of the financial unpredictabilities of life.