Nowadays, there are apps out there for anything and everything. You can measure how many steps you walked or miles you ran; you can read books, watch movies, and play games too. And yes, there are even apps to help you manage your money and start investing. But which ones are worth it?
1. Mint: Personal Finance & Money
This app helps you manage your cash flows, budgets, and bills all from one place. You can link multiple bank accounts and credit cards to show your overall net worth, and then set reminders for yourself when important bills are coming up. They also provide tips and tricks for reducing fees and saving money. This is a free app made by Intuit (who makes TurboTax and Quicken), and security is extremely important, so all your information is safe. They have been reviewed by many magazines such as "Tech Times", "Best Money Management Apps", "Money Magazine" and "Wired." Tech Times, Best Money Management Apps, Money Magazine, and Wired. Mint is definitely an app worth looking into.
2. Acorns - Invest Spare Change
Acorns is a great way to start investing in a portfolio without having to have a minimum balance like those required by the financial institutions. This is how it works: link your bank account (like Mint, they also care about security, a lot), each time you make a purchase the app will round up to the nearest dollar, when you get to $5, it automatically invests in your portfolio. There are fees, but if you're a student, the fees are waived. You can also schedule automatic deposits and withdraws whenever you want. I started this app with $20 about a month ago (for various reasons I have not set-up the round-ups feature yet), and have already earned $1.24 thanks to the increase in market and a few dividends I have received. Completely worth it!
3. Robinhood
For anyone who wants to get into stock trading, but doesn't know where to start, Robinhood is the perfect app to use. There are no fees for trades like there are with other brokers, and you can invest however much you would like. For example, stock prices for companies like Amazon or Google can be above $500 sometimes, but stocks for many other companies can range from $0.70-$20.00, which company you want to invest in is up to you, and you can sell your stocks whenever you like. There is a three day waiting period for your funds to be accessed once you sell, but the app is starting Robinhood Instant, which means you get your funds right away. If you want to get into the stock market, this is an easy way to do so.
Money Management and investing can be intimidating, but with these apps, it can be a lot easier. Be prepared to watch the market decline on some days, and skyrocket on others. You can be as risky or conservative as you like, it's up to you.
