Thursday, May 5, 2011

The 8 Best Personal Finance Apps in America

Wouldn't it be great if you could keep track of your credit card spending, set alerts for bill due dates and even create a budget for getting out of debt -- all on your mobile phone? You're in luck, there's an app for that. In fact, there are several apps for that.

As the popularity of smartphones continues to rise and consumers become more comfortable with mobile banking app developers, banks and financial websites are responding with intuitive applications offering all sorts of functions to save you time and money. 
In addition to our InvestingAnswers feature on the five best banking apps for smartphones,there are a number of advanced applications that help keep your personal finances in order. Here are eight of the best money-management tools with tips on how they can help keep your household budget running smoothly.

Pageonce personal finance appPageonce: There are several apps that organize and track your spending, but the amount of information Pageonce tracks and manages is astounding. In addition to tracking your bank accounts and credit cards, Pageonce also alerts you to upcoming due dates for bills, tracks your investment portfolio, monitors frequent flyer miles and watches your mobile minutes and data -- all in an easy-to-use interface with helpful calendars and charts. Best of all, its free! Available for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.

Mint personal finance appMint: Similar to Pageonce, the Mint app monitors spending from a variety of accounts and also creates a budget based on your spending habits, or allows you to create one of your own. Once you've set up the app with logins and passwords for all the accounts you'd like to track, Mint monitors your checking and savings accounts and credit cards automatically. It also keeps an eye on your investments, such as your 401(k), brokerage accounts and IRAs. Free for iPhone and Android.

square personal finance appSquare: The Square app lets you accept credit card payments with your mobile phone with no contract or monthly fees (though there is a 2.75% flat fee per transaction). Even better, every user receives a free Square credit card reader in the mail for swiping credit and debit cards. While ideal for small business owners, there are no limits to its use, from garage sales to extra income from a side business and more. Free for iPhone and Android.

paypal personal finance appPayPal: When it comes to person-to-person payments, PayPal remains the industry leader. Their mobile app lets you easily send money, manage your PayPal account and deposit funds via remote deposit capture (RDC)technology. The app also offers a "bump" feature that quickly exchanges contacts or sends money when two phones are bumped together -- ideal for splitting a tab or repaying a loan to a friend. Free for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.

groupon personal finance appGroupon: The Groupon app features daily deals for discounts on food and services based on the city you're in. Choose from discounts at restaurants, coffee shops or attractions for tourists, such as go-cart tours, winery bike tours or admission to local museums. This is a great app for discovering new adventures on your next vacation or for spicing up your weekends at home. Free for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.

Bloomberg personal finance appBloomberg: The most trusted source for financial information now has an app for staying up to date with market news and stock quotes. Bloomberg's compilation of the latest news stories for stocks, bonds, commodities and currencies is one of the most comprehensive of all the mobile apps. You can also create a customized list of stocks to follow from markets around the world and listen to the latest podcasts on a variety of topics. Free for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.

Redlaser personal finance appRedLaser: Check with this app before you make your next big-ticket purchase. Simply line the barcode up within view of the built-in camera on your phone, and within seconds you'll have dozens of price comparisons based on web and local searches. RedLaser scans UPC, EAN, UPC-E and EAN-8 barcodes. It's also a quick response (QR) code scanner for the up-and-coming encrypted messaging system. Free for iPhone and Android.

Investing Answers personal finance appInvestingAnswers: And don't forget the InvestingAnswers mobile app, featuring an extensive financial dictionary and expert investing advice -- all at your fingertips. Read hundreds of informative features and educational tutorials covering active trading, fundamental analysis, international investing, income investing, bonds and more. Free for iPhone and Android.

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