5 OTHER GOOD APPS
This is a handy app for investors who want to stay on top of the latest stock market news — and to get real-time data on stocks, commodities, and currencies. It allows you to track your stock picks and see stories related to those stocks — so that you can stay up-to-date on your investments. It also has detailed stock quote pages with key trading information.
MARKETWATCH PRICESPY Shopping around can save you hundreds, even thousands — but many of us simply don’t have the time to do so. The Pricespy app does your shopping around for you — allowing you to find out the best price for particular goods in nearby shops. It covers items such as white goods, mobile phones, TVs, toys, cookers, and cameras.
It includes items sold in various main street shops such as Smyths and Powercity — and online-only shops such as Amazon. The price of products featured on this site is regularly updated. “The information (about price, pictures, product properties, availability and delivery times) comes from the shops themselves,” states the Pricespy website. “Therefore, even if we do our very best, errors may occur.” For this reason, when using Pricespy it is always best to check a shop’s own price and description of the product before deciding to buy something.
EXPENSIFY
This app, which is suitable for small businesses and the self-employed, is a handy way to keep track of your expenses. It allows you to record, report and submit expenses and to track mileage. This app allows you to transfer money abroad. Transferwise says that it is up to eight times cheaper to transfer money through its app than it is through the banks. Transferwise is authorised by the British regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority.
TRANSFERWISE AIB MOBILE BANKING
AIB recently updated its mobile banking app, which allows new customers to open a current account with the bank from the comfort of their home. A passport is needed to verify a customer’s identity when opening an account — and this will be done through a live video call with an AIB agent. You can easily check your account balance with this app — and set up alerts to notify you when your balance falls to a certain level. The app also has a MySpending feature — to allow you to analyse spending and income across various categories. You can use Apple Pay with this app. Most of the other banks have mobile apps too. With KBC’s banking app, you take a selfie to prove your identity when opening a current account with the bank — and you must also take a photo of either your driving licence or passport.
TIPS BEFORE DOWNLOADING APPS
Avoid downloading too many apps onto your mobile phone, as they can use a lot of space and slow it down. Remember, many apps have desktop versions, so if you run out of space on your phone, use the app on your desktop or iPad instead. Only download apps which are easy to set up — and to use. Avoid using apps which are too complicated — or which target you with a lot of ads.