Stick to your budget so you can focus on your studies

As students, it can be a new challenge to handle your finances when you move abroad. You might not be able to totally eliminate the financial worries associated with attending college, but sticking to a budget can significantly reduce financial stress while you’re in school. Here are the top five budgeting apps that can help you save money and reduce stress.

1. MINT, for everything budgeting

Mint is one of the highest-rated free budgeting apps. Using Mint, you can sync various accounts, including savings, monthly bills, credit cards, and investments.

Mint helps users save more money and track their target goals by providing a feature referred to as "Mindsights." Another crucial part of this app is how it tracks your expenses and organizes them in budget categories, which can also be personalized. You can also set your limits; the app will alert you when you approach them.

Mint also shows its users their credit card score as well as net worth. The best part about this app is how it provides tons of support, including a detailed FAQ.

Cost: Free.
Google Play Rating: 4.3
Apple Store Rating: 4.8

2. YNAB (YOU NEED A BUDGET), for a zero-based budgeting system

YNAB is an award-winning budgeting program. This app is designed in a way that plans on the user's present financial decisions without referencing past transactions.

Features include financial goal tracking and providing online workshops to make budgeting understandable. However, the critical part is the "zero-based budgeting system" it follows. This feature makes you create a strategy for every penny you earn.

YNAB also offers plenty of educational resources describing how to properly budget and use the app. This app works on the desktop, phone, iPad, Apple Watch, and even Alexa.

Cost: Free for the first 34 days, $14.99 per month or $99. For college students, the app provides a free subscription for a year.
Google Play Rating: 4.6
Apple Store Rating: 4.8

3. Expense Manager, for bringing your expenses back on track

For students moving abroad, the change in currency can create a lot of confusion. But with Expense Manager’s “currency converter,” there’s no confusion.

Expense Tracker helps you quickly input expenses and income and monitor your budget based on Accounts, Categories, periods, etc. This is backed by bar and pie charts, which will visually analyze your finances.

Cost: Free
Google Play Rating: 4.3
Apple Store Rating: 4.0

4. Fudget, for budgeting without syncing accounts

When syncing bank accounts with budgeting ones, there is always an increased risk of your data being compromised. If you are wary about sharing your bank information, Fudget will help you budget without syncing accounts.

Fudget is user-friendly, and the layout is simple, making it easier to use. If you upgrade to the pro account, you can also access features like exporting your budget. With Fudget, you don’t need to worry about your bills because if you set up a due date, it sends you an automatic reminder.

Cost: Free for Fudget, but payable for Fudget Pro
Google Play Rating: 4.7
Apple Store Rating: 4.8

5. Pocket Guard, for simplicity

Pocket Guard is an effective budgeting app widely recognized for its ability to display simple numbers (the amount you have, how much your bills are, and how much is left).

A vital feature of this app is the “customizable pie chart,” which shows you which expenses consume most of your budget. In the app, you can also set limits to stop yourself from overspending.

Another essential feature is the “My Pocket” feature that helps you manage your cash flow by displaying how much money is left over after paying your bills. This allows you to stick to your budget and achieve your financial goals.

Cost: Free with subscription options
Google Play Rating: 3.8
Apple Store Rating: 4.7

Budgeting for the first time may seem daunting, but with these apps, it will be easier to manage your finances. Maintaining a financial balance will help you focus more on your studies and less on your pending bills. Any of these apps will be able to help you, but do your research to find out which one suits your needs best.

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