Much like your abdominals, if you don’t make a daily effort to work on your financial fitness, you might never have a glowing portfolio, stacked 401K, an overflowing savings account or the six-figure income you desire. So the next time you find yourself sweating it out at the gym, make a conscious reminder to spend some time on your financial fitness as well. After all, looks fade, but hopefully your money won’t.
Here are some iPhones apps to get you started on the long road to financial fitness:
Everyday finances
Most banks and credit card companies have launched iPhone apps by now. If yours has yet to launch an iPhone app, you might want to rethink where you are putting your money. After all, secure technology is highly important in the banking industry and if your bank isn’t investing in an iPhone app, chances are it is skimping in other places.
I trust my meager funds to Chase Bank and its free Chase Mobile app. Not only does this app allow you to check your balance, find the closest ATM and transfer funds between accounts, it lets you deposit checks straight from your iPhone. That’s right — just take a photo of the check with the handy software and the check is credited to your account (as long as it is a legit check, people) and you should have your money in a couple days. I’ve tried it, it works like a charm.
For credit, I turn to American Express and its free American Express app. Once I went on vacation without my laptop and forgot to pay my bill. I had to call a trusted friend back home to log in online and pay the bill from my account. Not anymore! Now I can pay my bill no matter where I am with the iPhone app, and keep track of my daily expenditures on the credit card.
Handy financial app tools
If you have more than one bank account you are keeping track of, check out the free Mint.com Personal Finance app. This free financial app is full of tools to keep track of your budget across multiple accounts.
Looking for ways to save? The Money Saving Tools by CalcMoolator app ($2.99) offers users money saving calculators for CDs, mortgages, tax benefits and more.
If you give to charity throughout the year and want to keep track for tax purposes, the iTithe app ($2.99) is an easy way to keep all your charitable giving in one organized app— it was originally meant to keep track of giving to religious institutions, but you can also use the app to fit your giving needs.
Dining out a lot can cause financial headaches in the tip department. If you have always wanted to way your tip based on service, atmosphere and food quality, download the 99 cent youTip – Your Personal Tip Calculator app.
Financial advice from the pros
Ladies, you should check out the free Suze Orman’s Money Tools app for targeted advice on women’s financial issues. This app sets you on the right track to eliminate debt and set up a step-by-step budget to financial fitness.
The free Ask Dave Ramsey app is a valuable tool for advice on real-life money situations. If you have a few minutes on your commute to work, check out this app to find out what Dave Ramsey would do.
And of course, if you want some stellar financial news about the markets, etc., a good place to start is the free CNNMoney app.
Financial Inspiration
If all this app advice has left you feeling a bit overwhelmed, download the Money and the Law of Attraction Cards – Esther and Jerry Hicks app ($3.99) for inspirational messages to keep you focused on the financial fitness task at hand.
