Five iPhone Apps to Help You Master Your Card
At the end of the day, the key ingredients to mastering your card are discipline and diligence. For most, this means devising and implementing a system that works for them to keep their finances in check. While the 1.0 logistical whizzes fastidiously scribe their ledgers, balance their checkbooks and wield their hipster PDAs, those of us wealthy and fortunate enough to have an iPhone can get a leg up from 2.0 technology. Check out these five apps for personal finance – it may just transform that money draining iPhone into something that can save you a few bucks.
1. Mint
If you don’t already have a Mint account, get one now. That is if you’re interested in setting up budgets, bill reminders, quick snapshots of your finances and being able to view all of your transactions in all of your credit, savings and checkings accounts in the same place. Mint.com puts all of this on one page and the Mint.com iPhone app puts it all in your pocket. You can even view your investments, auto loans and mortgages, too.
Master Your Card with Mint
So how does Mint help you master your credit card? On the most obvious front, it gives you real time monitoring of your credit card transactions and balances. Knowing that you are close to your credit limit at the touch of a button can save you fistfuls of cash in over-the-limit fees. You can also peak at your budget every now and then to see if you’re spending too much on fast food, funky shoes or whatever limitations you’ve put on yourself. With the Mint iPhone app, it’s all about self-awareness – something you’ll definitely need if you’re going to rein in your creditworthiness.
Price: Free
Download Mint for the iPhone from Mint.
2. Loan Shark
Keeping Loan Shark in your pocket may keep you from getting in over your head in a treacherous sea of finance fees. What does it do? Simple: Loan Shark takes a purchase you are thinking about putting a credit card and tells you exactly how long it will take to pay it off and how much it will cost you in the end. Not only that, Loan Shark lets you compare rates from different banks and shows you a full amortization table, too.
Master Your Card with Loan Shark
Loan Shark is another handy self-awareness tool, but with a brainy dose of number crunching to boot. For instance, while shopping for TVs, you can determine what’s in your budget range by plugging in the amount you can afford to pay on a monthly basis and Loan Shark will spit out the price of a reasonable TV for your income. Or, if you come upon some extra coin and are debating whether to spend it on a one-time indulgence or apply it towards your credit card debt, Loan Shark will tell you how much less you’ll be paying if you do decide to the do the responsible thing. Whether you’re financing a new electronic gizmo or a house, Loan Shark puts things in perspective.
Price: $5.99
Download Loan Shark for the iPhone from FoggyNoggin.
3. Amazon
Amazon has become somewhat of a behemoth when it comes to online retailing. You can buy nearly anything under the sun at Amazon, from books and DVDs to organic dog food and folding chairs. The Amazon app for iPhone lets you read reviews, check out prices and even buy products, just like you would from your computer at home.
Master Your Card with Amazon
The handiest use of Amazon while you’re on the go: comparison shopping. Impulse buys, by nature, aren’t very conducive to bargain hunting. In fact, sometimes an impulse buy is based off the perception that you are getting a killer deal. But next time you are considering making an off the cuff purchase, plug it into your Amazon app first. You can find out if you really are getting the best price and whether the item is garbage or not. You can even take a snapshot of the item and send it to Amazon as a reminder. While you sleep on it, Amazon will hunt down some similar items that may be cheaper or better.
Price: Free
Download Amazon for the iPhone from Amazon.
4. Chase Mobile Banking
If you’d rather manage your Chase credit card directly, rather than through Mint, you can use Chase’s official iPhone app. Chase was one of the first big banks to let users use mobile devices to handle their accounts. They even have apps and web access for other devices. But the iPhone app is by far the slickest. Chase Mobile Banking also lets you pay bills, transfer money between your Chase accounts, send wire transfers and view account balances.
Master Your Card with Chase Mobile Banking
The application of Chase Mobile Banking should be obvious. It doesn’t have the analytical bells and whistles of Mint, but if you have security trepidations or want to pay bills and move funds around, Chase let’s you do so directly.
Price: Free
Download Chase Mobile Banking for the iPhone from Chase.
5.Bank of America Mobile Banking
Shortly after Chase opened the doors for iPhone banking, Bank of America followed. Now those of you with BoA accounts or credit cards can enjoy mobile banking. Like Chase, you can pay bills, view accounts and transactions and move money around, all from your iPhone.
Master Your Card with Bank of America Mobile Banking
Bank of America’s mobile banking app adds one handy feature: a branch locator. This can save you from the $2.00 (or more) transaction fee from those non-BoA ATMs as well as help you find a real live banker when you are traveling. The branch finder uses iPhone’s location capabilities –you don’t even have to punch in your zip code or address (which is particularly handy to those who are truly lost).
Price: Free
Download Bank of America Mobile Banking for iPhone from Bank of America.
What applications do you use to master your card? Let us know in the comments section.
Photo by William Hook.
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