4 finance apps to help you save some cash

Times are tough. With the cost-of-living crisis hitting wallets across the UK and the price of some everyday items reaching new heights, people are becoming far more conscious about saving money wherever possible.

Tightening the money belt is never easy, but there are a few digital tools that can help you save cash where needed. We’ve pulled together four of our favourite money-saving apps – each one is unique and helps you with a different aspect of your saving journey.

They probably won’t make you a millionaire overnight, but if you’ve got a specific saving goal you’ll be able to find practical help in one of these apps.

Monzo – to get your spending under control

Monzo quickly found a market as the banking app of choice for young people when it launched a few years ago. This was largely due to how straightforward the app was to use, and the good rates it offered on using the Monzo card overseas.

However the online bank’s continued popularity can be credited to its ability to help people save. A notification pops up on your phone whenever you use your Monzo card, making it easier to keep track of your spending. The app also automatically categorises everything you spend money on, so you can instantly see if you’ve been splurging too much on clothes or takeaways recently.

Splitwise – to make everything fair and square

Figuring out who owes what – why is it never simple? Whether it’s bills in a shared house, paying for a trip together, or just figuring out who owes what after a meal, things always seem to get tricky when dividing up expenses.

Of course, there’s a digital solution to this. Splitwise is a free app which lets multiple users input what they spend, calculating what everyone owes and who they should pay it to. It’s simple to use, free to download, and stops you from over-spending while minimising arguments about who owes what.

Emma – to organise your accounts

Billing itself as the ‘financial super app’, having Emma on your phone feels almost like having a personal accountant who isn’t afraid to hit you with some hard truths.

Emma allows you to connect all your accounts so you can see exactly where all your money is going and where it’s going from, as well as track any subscriptions that have been quietly draining your funds. You can also set bills reminders, so you aren’t caught out when the monthly utilities need to be paid.

When you’ve got things under control, Emma will even give you an option to invest your savings – just remember not to start buying stocks if you’re still struggling to get the essentials.

Moneybox – to start thinking long term

It’s always good to try cutting down on frivolous spending, but what about when you’re trying to do some long-term saving? This is where Moneybox can help.

Offering several types of ISAs, the app allows you to regularly drip small amounts of money into your savings account, watching it slowly grow over time. It can also help you invest in Stocks and Share ISAs. While this obviously comes with a risk, the idea is that by using Moneybox you’ll slowly be saving up for some of life’s bigger purchases, like a deposit for a home.