5 apps to help shopaholics watch their spending

Do you love shopping? Do you get a gleam in your eye and exhilaration in your heart when you make a purchase? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you may also classify yourself as a shopaholic. Along with being a shopaholic comes the potential for buyer’s remorse and the frantic checking of your account balance.

If you should curb your spending and pay better attention to your finances, these apps are just the thing for you. Check the list below to see which apps will save you money without compromising your love of shopping.

 

Plan your meals with eMeals

You must subscribe to the eMeals service to take advantage of this app, but for as low as $5 per month, you’ll end up saving more money, making this investment worthwhile. Through eMeals, receive a weekly email with seven days of recipes, a grocery list and the offers you’ll find at your local grocery store for that time period. Just like that, not only do you have dinner ideas, but you are saving the most you can eating the way you want to, all at the same time.

 

Get free magazines with Zinio

Have you ever balked at the cost of magazines at the grocery store? Zinio comes to the rescue with free articles daily. Zinio offers articles in politics, technology, art, travel and many more topics.

Of course, sometimes it’s not enough to just buy deals. There can come a time when even your cheaper purchases add up to more money than you should be spending. To combat this, there are some apps available to help you figure out how much money you have for leisure.

 

Monitor your balance with a bank app

With mobile phones and an increase in the need to have banking information at our disposal, many banking institutions are coming out with their own mobile apps. Bank apps not only show your balance and pending transactions, but many also have functions that allow you to pay your credit card bill, check out your bonus offers and even dive down into your account to view your money market savings graph. There may even be an increased peace of mind in using your own institution’s app if you are worried about accuracy.

 

Get alerts with Mint.com

Mint.com Personal Finance, one of the most popular budgeting apps in existence, is an invaluable resource for those hoping to see where all their money is going. A free app available on both Apple and Android devices, Mint.com makes it easy for you to make financial decisions on the fly and watch your budget. Mint provides up-to-date information about your accounts such as balance and posted transactions. There is also the option to receive alerts when your balance is running low or a bill is due.

 

Record transactions with Coinkeeper

With Coinkeeper, adding and keeping track of your transactions is easier and faster than ever before. On the main page of Coinkeeper, you can view all of your finances, from your budget and financial goals you’ve set, to your income and spending. It only takes the swipe of your finger to record transactions, too. Coinkeeper also works to remind you or upcoming bills and recurring transactions.

With the use of these apps, spending improves, budgets are followed and financial goals are met. The satisfaction from knowing that you’ve taken control of your shopping habits will mean more than the new pair of jeans in your closet.

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“Frugal” image courtesy of Shutterstock.