Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Where would we be without our favorite apps? From tracking our steps to buying our movie tickets, smartphone applications have enhanced and simplified our lives on many levels. According to financial expert and author Eric Tyson, you can also make your financial life easier and more convenient with personal finance apps.

While not every app is right for every person, Tyson, the author of “Personal Finance in Your 20s & 30s For Dummies®” says the following personal finance apps are usually safe bets:

FRED. The St. Louis Fed's signature economic database, FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data), provides a wealth of data on the economy and financial markets through this app, without ads.

Vanguard. According to Tyson, the Vanguard app "has a broad array of cost-effective funds with solid long-term performance.” He also recommends the T. Rowe Price and Fidelity apps, and advises checking to see what apps are offered from your favorite investment firm or bank.

Goodbudget. Tyson likes the simplicity and practicality of this expense-tracking app. The basic version provides up to one year of expense-tracking history in 10 main categories. There’s also a paid or premium version, which provides up to five years of expense tracking with unlimited categories, as well as email support.

GasBuddy. This free app will show you gas prices at various service stations in your area so you can compare and get a good price when you fill up.

Tollsmart Toll Calculator. This is a low-cost app that lets you compare toll costs for alternative routes.

Camelcamelcamel. A price tracker that scans items on Amazon, shows you their price history, and sends you alerts when a product you're interested in drops in price.

PriceGrabber. This app scans items everywhere online, allowing you to save money on commonly purchased items.

Eric Tyson, MBA, is a best-selling personal finance author, counselor, and writer. He is the author of five national best-selling financial books including “Investing For Dummies,” “Personal Finance For Dummies,” and “Home Buying Kit For Dummies.” He has appeared on NBC's Today show, ABC, CNBC, FOX News, PBS, and CNN.

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