To most of us, the words “budget” and “fun” probably don't belong in the same sentence. But there are some ways to manage your money while at the same time making the process of living on a budget a bit more (yes, you guessed it) fun.
The proliferation of smartphones and tablets has completely overshadowed the budgeting techniques our parents used. Today, there are many engaging, and even entertaining, ways to keep track of your spending. The following are just a few of the online money management tools that you can use on any device to make the process of creating a budget less of a chore.
- Mint.com allows you to easily track all your accounts: checking, savings, credit, loan, and investment. It's free, and you only need an email address and a zip code to get set up with a password.
- Budgettracker.com is also free, and may be a good choice if you don't feel comfortable linking your bank accounts directly to a budgeting site.
- Budgetpulse is another program for those who may not want to link their bank account to a site. Budgetpulse makes the list because it allows you to organize your cash flow, expenses, and different bank accounts in one place, and has easy-to-understand charts and graphs that let you see how you're spending your money month to month. You can even personalize your budget by selecting your preferred currency type and time zone.
- Mvelopes is a modern spin on the traditional envelope budgeting method. It's free, and can help you not only manage your monthly bills but also help you plan for future expenses.
The problem isn't always that we don't make enough money, but that we spend too much money. And while there isn't a one-size-fits-all budget, these online budgeting tools might help shine a light on where you could be making some changes to reduce your expenses while actually having a little fun with it.
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