Almost everyone has set bill and spending budgets, and most people do a great job of staying within those boundaries. Unfortunately, many budget-followers rely on remembering to save receipts, then entering them manually into a separate ledger. As much as technology has advanced, the basic process is the same, but some terrific personal finance management apps for the iPhone make keeping track of your budget so much easier than in pre-smartphone days. Here are some of the top budget apps for iPhone users:
1. Budget by Deskescape
While this isn’t a free app, at $1.99, it’s one of the least expensive yet feature-filled available for the iOS mobile device. Transaction and item entry is so easy with the pre-defined item labels that rarely do users require custom settings. You can even dictate how much you’re allowing yourself to spend at your local coffee shop each month, and with the touch of an icon, you have entered your spent amount for the day. Beyond the basic menu, you have an advanced settings option that expands the choice array to further delineate your spending or refine categories: It’s your budget. It’s your choice. Deskescape’s Budget app also lets you share the budget figures among other iPhones: Picture yourself heading toward the store. You want to make sure your significant other hasn’t already purchased a few items. You send a message or make a call, and in moments, you have the budget figures from the other person: The guess factor is completely removed from the black-red equation. If desired, export your budget figures into a spreadsheet format for later viewing and analysis. One of the best features of Budget app is that you can protect your financial picture with a password. Even if your mobile phone is lost or stolen, no one can casually access your budgetary picture. Also, with password protection, you can use the iPhone Share feature by sending bogus budget information to the missing iPhone and fool anyone who might hack into it. Recurring expenses, quarterly and yearly expenses, category sorting, expense highlighting and tracking of over-budget items and amounts, as well as reminders for due bills compose only a short list of beneficial options for iPhone budget-followers.
2. iReconcile
This is also a paid app, but for $0.99, it’s hardly a waste of money – not with all the features and options included. Check registers, clear spending graphs and extensive reporting options only start list of tracking and entry options for iPhone users who budget their money. Extensive online back-up is also available via this app. Although it has no Share feature with other iPhones, the information is available when connected to the Internet. If your iPhone breaks, you still have your budget: Log onto the account online and review the same information. Never restart a budget again: Just access from a different Internet device and review the back-up files you have stored. Users have the ability to outline budgets with categories, by-item entries, sub-categories exclusion and a very handy roll-over option carries excess or needed funding annotations into the next tracked period. If you overspend in one area, the shortfall is noted for budget adjustment in the next time period. Both of these apps are terrific budget tools available for iPhone users, and if money is a concern, don’t leave your preferred one behind.
Oliver Watson is a leading contributor for www.MobilePhones.org.uk . Visit the site for the best deals on mobile phones.
