So Over Debt

Carrie from Careful Cents wrote a post the other day about her favorite smartphone apps for freelancing, then I wrote about my phone obsession on Wednesday. So it’s only natural that those two topics should collide for a discussion of the best financial smartphone apps. Because I’m an Apple fanatic, I can only discuss iPhone apps (sorry, Android users!) but I welcome you to chime in with your own faves in the comments.

My Must-Have Financial Apps for iPhone

PNC Virtual Wallet: You know I can’t make this list without yet another shoutout to my BFFs at PNC Virtual Wallet. (Read my review of the account itself if you need some background.) I can check my balance, view my Money Bar, pay bills, deposit checks, and keep an eye on my Calendar all from the comfort of my phone. This is one of the most-used apps, financial or otherwise, that I have on my phone. Knowledge is power, and PNC is all about helping me stay informed.

ING Direct: My ING accounts are kind of the redheaded stepchild of my financial family, though I do use them a little more now that ING finally offers remote check deposit. Since Jayden’s checking account is through ING, I have to pay attention to what he’s doing (mostly wasting money on his online games). If you have accounts with ING, of course you need the app to go along with them!

ShareBuilder: On a related note, I can’t live without my ShareBuilder app to check obsessively see what’s going on with my Roth IRA. Sure, it’s a little depressing lately, but at least I know what’s happening. I can also check random stock prices and pretend I understand what the market is doing.

ImpulseSave: Remember awhile back when I reviewed ImpulseSave and told you guys how awesome it is? Now they have an app, so I can save no matter where I am. I can also attach a picture to show all my friends on ImpulseSave exactly what I didn’t buy so I could save instead! LOVE!

Paypal: Since most of my income flows through my Paypal account, it’s natural that I can’t live without the app. I can check my balance, send money, request money, and withdraw money to my checking accounts. I also get a notification when I receive a payment, which is nice when I’m working and don’t have time to keep checking my email for a confirmation.

Square: The Square app (and the free credit card reader that comes with it) is the coolest thing ever. I love being able to accept payments in random places. My aunt used hers for a yard sale earlier this summer and people were totally impressed that she could accept their credit and debit cards right from her phone. This is also ideal for me as a freelancer because I don’t have to force clients to use Paypal if I’m meeting with them in person.

Shoeboxed: Paper receipts are a thing of the past. At the end of every day, I take a picture of my receipts with the Shoeboxed app and it files them away for me. It also categorizes and organizes them, as well as allowing me to generate expense reports. No more purse full of wadded up receipts? Yes please!

Numbers: The same spreadsheet app I use on my computer, only in mobile form - it’s a beautiful thing. I can open all my spreadsheets through iCloud, make updates on the go, and the updated versions will be waiting on the computer when I get back home. This one is also one of my most frequently used apps.

QuickTip: I’ll be the first to admit that I suck at calculating tips, especially when I’ve just finished stuffing my face and I’m ready for a nap. QuickTip is awesome because I can tell it what percentage I want to tip, then choose to round up or down if I want to make my total bill an even number. I don’t go out to eat as much as I used to, but it still comes in handy.

There you have it - those are the apps I use on a regular basis to keep my money on track. What financial apps are your favorites? Are there any that you’ve tried but don’t like?