Best Money Saving Apps of 2024 & Why Use Them

Save? Why would you save when the newest gaming system or another pricey piece of tech just came out, and you could have it right now? The temptation is just too much to resist, and once it’s in your hands, it all feels worth it — for a split second.

You understand the importance of saving. If your parents or skill didn’t drill it into you, necessity did. Unfortunately, many people lack the motivation, discipline, or more importantly, the ability to put aside a part of their paychecks every month. Like in the case above, saving slipped your mind. You need accountability, and that’s how using an app to save money can help you take saving seriously.

Which is the best app to save money for you? It depends on your financial needs and goals, so here are a few to consider:

Earnin is an app that allows you to access up to $500 of your paycheck before payday, but it also offers its previously mentioned Tip Yourself feature to help you save in small increments. That’s not all, though — for every $10 you save, you’re entered for a chance to win exciting prizes.

Mint is an incredibly popular app for money management. Mint allows you to track all of your money coming in and going out, as well as monitor your investments and credit score from one convenient location.

Saving money for yourself is different than saving with a partner. If you’re in a relationship that combines finances, then you have two incomes and shared expenses you can account for. Twine helps couples save for their goals together.

Do you find the stock market confusing? While you work on improving your financial literacy, you can use Acorns to invest. The app invests in various stocks on your behalf and grows your profile according to your risk comfort level, allowing you to make passive income you can save for later.

Saving is essential, but you don’t have to do it manually. What financial app to save money will you take advantage of?

Maybe one of the reasons you neglect saving is that you forget to deposit a percentage of your paycheck into a separate account whenever your paycheck comes in. Or, perhaps you find the process of moving money between accounts too tedious, so you hold both your spending and “savings” funds in your checking account (you promise yourself you’re mentally keeping track).

That kind of financial behavior is risky. Financial apps with fun UX make it easy to deposit money into a separate account (or hold onto it in another way, so you remember to deposit it later) and get you into the habit of setting aside whatever you can spare every month. For example, you can use Earnin’s Tip Yourself feature to stash a few dollars away every time you work out, eat well, or do anything you’ll associate with saving. Once you have a bit of momentum, saving gets easier.

Similarly, using an app to save money holds you accountable. Let’s say you’re on the verge of buying that new gaming system, but a notification pings on your phone that reminds you it’s time to save part of your most recent paycheck. That’s a few hundred dollars you get to keep for something else, and you can buy the system once you’ve saved enough that you won’t be in a tight spot if an emergency arises.

Many financial apps connect to your various cards and bank accounts to provide you with a comprehensive view of your finances. If you’re not keeping track of how much you make compared to how much you spend on rent, utilities, groceries, recreation, subscriptions, loan repayments, and other expenses, it’s easy to make a financial mistake and end up in more debt than you can manage. Don’t try to keep everything in your head — learn how to save money with an app that monitors everything for you. That way, you’ll always know what you can afford at any given time.

An important point to make is that “saving” is rather vague. Are you saving up to buy a house? A car? To pay for school? An emergency fund? Retirement? Whatever you’re saving for will influence how much money you put aside (you may even want separate accounts for each goal), and you are likely saving for more than one purchase at a time. An app can help you keep your saving efforts distinct from one another, so you don’t accidentally put a portion of your vehicle fund toward your house.

Financial apps with friendly layouts can help you visualize your progress. Seeing how much you’ve saved is encouraging, and the higher that number reaches, the more you can push yourself. Saving can be daunting, but when you see you’re several thousand dollars closer to your goal than you were a year ago, it’s easier to see the end in sight.