BUDGETING
We all need to manage our money, but no one likes doing it, so let an app take the strain
> you need A budget
$Free (iAps) From You Need A Budget, youneedabudget.com
Features Budgeting advice + can hook into your bank accounts + goal tracking
THERE’S NO SHORTAGE
of personal finance apps available for the Mac and iOS. They vary widely in quality, however, and it often seems like the best budgeting apps are not Mac compatible.
Also, the advent of open banking means there are a growing number of apps that can move your money around automatically, for example by rounding up the cost of a coffee to the nearest pound and putting
YNAB has a big list of categories so you can be sure you’re entering all your outgoings.
the remainder in your savings account each time you buy another cup. Some of these new– breed apps, though, are tied to specific banks, like Monzo.
For those yet to embrace the banking revolution, there is one budgeting tool available for Mac, iPhone and iPad that stands out from the crowd: YNAB, or
You Need A Budget.
MONEY MATTERS
YNAB has apps for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, and can be used on the Mac via a web browser. It’s built around a key principle: zero–based budgeting. That means you only work with money you actually have in your account. It’s built on four rules, such as “embrace your true expenses” and “aim to spend money that’s at least 30 days old”. However, YNAB also advocates flexibility and does everything it can to avoid scolding you for over– spending. YNAB also recognizes that most of us need help when it comes to budgeting and provides lots of content to coach and tutor users in the budgeting principles it advocates. You can choose whether to connect YNAB to your bank accounts or to enter transactions manually.
If you don’t want to be constrained by YNAB’s rules, or aren’t comfortable with a subscription-based service, Savings 2 and MoneyWiz allow you to import data from your bank, credit card and PayPal accounts and manage them in one place, making it easier to monitor your transactions and budget for the future.