School has already started for some and is right around the corner for others. Most people will be starting a daily grind that is quite contrary to the laziness of summer. And that is perfectly perfect!
Busy lives, however, call for time-saving measures - especially when it comes to managing such dizzying lifestyles.
One of the perks of technology, because I have made no bones about the fact I think technology is a two-headed beast, is the apps available to make our lives easier.
And there are at least four apps that every homeowner should have at their disposal. Apps that can move you toward the financial wealth you deserve!
App #1 - MINT
Want to get your personal finances on a budget? Need to pay down debt so your disposable income can be just that - disposable? Need to save for college or retirement?
Enter MINT.
MINT, powered by Intuit and advertised as a budget tracker and planner, claims to make managing your money simple by keeping all your accounts in one place. MINT is the #1 most downloaded personal finance app, and it has special encryption and authentication failsafes to keep your information private.
The basic service is free, but you will deal with ads. The ad-free version is .99 cents a month. A premium version, also ad free, costs $4.99 a month.
Download MINT and start on your budgeting journey today!
App #2 - GROUPON
I think we all want to be the king/queen of coupons, but time and energy are in short supply, especially if we have children or work more than one job.
Enter GROUPON.
GROUPON offers deals and special prices on everything from pest control, to spas and vacations, to oil changes. You name it - GROUPON probably has a discount.
Signing up for GROUPON is free. Once you are in the system, you give some information about yourself. You can then purchase a voucher for a product or service. Redeem the voucher by entering the PIN or using it at the store. You can also use GROUPON for online shopping at most retails and/or large name stores.
Go to GROUPON to find our more or to sign up!
"The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
App #3 - QAPITAL
Budgeting is not only helpful to creating financial wealth, but goal-setting in regards to your personal finances is equally important.
Enter QAPTIAL.
An award-winning app, QAPTIAL takes your mind off your money by automating your financial plan with set-and-forget money tools that fit right into your daily life. While MINT provides budgeting tools, QAPITAL provides tools for setting goals toward financial wealth.
It does offer a free 30 day trial. After that, users have the option to purchase three different tiers of service from $3 to $12 a month.
Go to QAPITAL to learn more or to sign up.
App #4 - SHOEBOXED
Recipts running out of your wallet? Do you have a box where ALL the recipts get plunked every year, and then you spend days sorting them at income tax time?
Enter SHOEBOXED.
SHOEBOXED, the #1 receipt scanner app and used by over a million people and businesses, large and small, provides expense management for your recipts. It turns your receipts into data with automatic data extraction for expense reporting, tax preparation, and more.
Forbes, in 2022, declared it to be the #1 best receipt tracing app.
Plans cost from $18 to $54 dollars, but you can try any of the plans for free for a limited time.
Go to SHOEBOXED to find our more or to sign up.
Take control of your finances
Like Emerson said, we don't really desire the money. We desire the freedoms and benefits money has to offer us.
Feeling too busy to manage your money? Apps can help you not only gain control of your finances, but they can move you toward the financial freedom you so much want.
After all, its your your story and your future, and you are ready to write years and years worth of chapters!
Donna Hechler Porter is a real estate agent with Keller Williams Elite Realty in Baytown, Texas. An educator, a published author, and an arm-chair historian, Donna runs a small publishing business in addition to educating people about how to build future wealth through home ownership. Feel free to contact Donna at dhporter@kw.com.