Mobile Apps Can Help You Manage Money

Whatever financial goal you're trying to reach, there's an app to help you get there. Here are some ways -- many of them free -- to use your smartphone to get control of your financial life.

1. Pay off debt.

Debt Free and Debt Snowball Pro use the popular snowball method to pay off debts, helping you organize, monitor and incrementally pay off all your bills in a comprehensive way. If you just need to pay off a credit card, Credit Card Debt Payoff is a calculator app that will generate a payoff schedule based on how much you owe and when you want to pay off the card, or the amount you want to pay monthly.

2. Stick to a budget.

Mint.com, one of the most popular budgeting apps, gives you a detailed financial picture across all your accounts and categorizes your spending to keep you informed about how well you're staying on budget at all times. Lemon - Receipts Refreshed helps you keep up with what you're spending and where, making it easy to scan paper receipts and put them into a digital format that is easily searchable and taggable.

3. Save when you shop.

Shop Savvy allows you to scan a product's barcode and compare prices on the same item at other nearby retail locations. If you like the discounts available through store loyalty programs but have a hard time keeping up with all those cards, try Key Ring. This app will store all your loyalty card information, allowing you to leave the cards at home but still get the benefits. And if you carry your mobile phone everywhere you go, you'll always have the information with you when you need it. Coupon Sherpa lets you to take advantage of coupons without clipping or printing them out. The app delivers in-store coupons to your mobile phone, and the cashier can scan the coupon directly from your phone.

4. Cut costs.

GasBuddy will locate the cheapest gasoline near you, as long as you're in the United States or Canada. The app allows you to compare by distance and price and to see the prices of all grades of gasoline. Cut Expenses makes it easy for you to economize by keeping track of what you spend with only two quick taps on your phone. Because this app doesn't require you to enter a lot of detailed information, it's easy to keep up with where all your money's going and see how you can cut back.

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