9 Best Budget Apps For Military Members (Some Free!) | Wildchildretire

Key Takeaways:

Best App For Wealth Building – Personal Capital

Best App For Zero-Based Budgeting – Everydollar

Best App For Bill Management – Pocketguard

Looking for the best budget apps for military members?

Look no further! 

Here we’ll show you 9 of the best money-management tools for military families and service members.

Specifically, ones geared at building wealth, preventing overspending, and more.

Let’s check it out!

9 Best Military-Friendly Budget Apps

1. Personal Capital

Price: Free Budget App (.89% Annual Investment Management Fee)

Available On: Web, Android, Apple

Personal Capital is one app you must check out if you want to budget, build wealth, and have a solid retirement plan. It gives you a clear path to your financial goals and offers free tools to get you there.

Also, estate planning, taxes, and insurance–are all complicated topics to wrap your head around. However, with their help and exclusive access to financial experts, you won’t have to go at it alone.

You can also invest in companies with values parallel to your own focused on equity, diversity, sustainability, and so forth. Plus, you can manage your 401k for long-term goals with personalized care from Personal Capital.

2. EveryDollar

Price: FREE limited version, $79 Annually Pro Version

Platforms: Web, Android, Apple

If you’re a Dave Ramsey head, then you’re in luck. EveryDollar is an app he and his team built to help you get your personal finances in order. The app uses zero-based budgeting to help you plan your monthly spending down to the last penny. It’s also not a budgeting system based on computers guessing what’s best for you. You have complete control!

If you want to connect your bank accounts, track your progress over time, and add your irregular income (think: freelance work or side hustles), you’ll have the freedom to do so. This is an excellent app for early-enlisted folks trying to save money.

3. YNAB

Price: $8.25/Month, $99 Billed Annually

Platforms: Web, Android, Apple

YNAB (You Need A Budget) app differs from the others we’ve discussed. Rather than trying to help you save money, it’s focused on helping you change your spending habits. The app does this by getting you to give every dollar a job.

In other words, when you get paid, you need to assign where that money will go before you start spending. This app is excellent for people who tend to overspend when they don’t have a plan. It also works well if you are trying to save for something specific. Like a vacation or a down payment on a house.

4. Mint

Price: Free

Platforms: Web, Android, Apple

One of the more popular money management apps is Mint. And it’s a free budgeting tool! The Mint app is made by the same firm that does your taxes (Intuit). The app communicates with your bank and investment accounts through the internet, automatically monitoring your spending.

Another great feature is that you can see your credit score for free. They also offer bill tracking and payment reminders. And if you’re a member of the military trying to stay on track with your budget or make savings goals, the Mint app may send you alerts if you’re spending more than you planned in one area.

5. Acorns

Price: $3-$5/Month, Free for College Students

Platforms: Android, Apple

Acorns app is a unique budgeting app that helps you save and invest your spare change. It rounds up your purchases to the nearest dollar and invests that money into a portfolio of ETFs. For a young enlisted member trying to start investing, this can be a game changer for keeping you on track with your goals.

You can choose from various risk levels, and the app is free for military folks attending college! If you’re looking to start investing but don’t have a lot of money, the Acorns app is a great option.

6. Digit

Price: $5 per month (1st 6 months are free)

Platforms: Android, Apple

Digit is an app that helps you save money without thinking about it. The app analyzes your spending habits and enables you to budget by pulling small amounts of money from your checking account into a savings account.

The best part? The app is free! And if you’re worried about overdrafting, they have an amazing guarantee. So far, over $1 billion has been saved with Digit.

7. Goodbudget

Price: Free, $8/Month for Plus Version

Platforms: Web, Android, Apple

Goodbudget is a personal finance app that uses the envelope budgeting system. This budgeting method is based on the cash budgeting system, where you would put your money into different envelopes for different expenses.

With Goodbudget, you can budget for both regular and irregular expenses. The app also offers a sync option to budget with your spouse or partner. The free version limits you to 20 envelopes, but the paid version, Plus, offers unlimited envelopes and other features for $8/month.

8. Dollarbird

Price: $3-7 per month

Platforms: Web, Android, Apple

Dollarbird is different than other budget apps because it uses a calendar-based budgeting system. This budgeting method is excellent for military personnel who are visual learners. The app also offers a bit of help with categorizing your expenses to help fit your specific needs.

Whether a one-time event or something regularly, you can add transactions and let their AI categorize them. On your phone, tablet, or even computer, you may keep track of your budget and make plans using Dollarbird. You may also mix things up by using the web version. The app is free, but there are some in-app purchases available.

9. PocketGuard

Price: $0-8 per month

Platforms: Android, Apple

Last but not least, we have the PocketGuard budgeting app. This app is different than the others because it’s focused on helping you save money. The app identifies subscriptions and recurring payments so you can see where your money is going each month. As a military member, you will be pretty busy, so having software track your expenses and help you trim the financial fat will go a long way with your savings goals.

The app also shows you how much you have left to spend after bills and budgeted expenses. This is a great budgeting app for people who want to save money and don’t need all the bells and whistles that come with other budgeting apps.

FAQ

What are the best personal finance apps for military families?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best budgeting app for a military family will depend on their unique financial situation and budgeting goals. However, some popular budgeting apps you can find on google play that may be a good fit for military spouses and members include Mint, Acorns, Digit, and Goodbudget.

How do you budget for the military?

Some budgeting tips for military service members include:

• Use budgeting apps: There are several budgeting apps on the market that can help you track your spending on your debit card and credit cards and budget your money. Some also have mobile app features that manage the cash flow between your financial institutions.
• Stay organized: Keep track of your budget and expenses to stay on top of your finances. It’s crucial to see how much money.
• Communicate with your family: Budgeting is a team effort, so communicate with your spouse or partner about your budget and financial goals.
• Make a spending plan: Have a budget and financial plan to know where your money goes each month. This will help make sure your financial future is squared away.

How can I save money in the military?

Some tips for saving money in the military include:

• Save automatically: Set up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account so you can save money and maintain your account balances without thinking about it. This will aid with financial stability.
• Live below your means: One of the best ways to save money is to live below your means and avoid unnecessary spending.
• Make a budget: A budget can help you stay on track with your financial goals and avoid overspending.
• Hunt for the military discount: Getting a free trial, free gift card, or cheaper annual fee on a product of choice is one of the military benefits you should take advantage of whenever possible.

Is there a budget app you can share with your spouse?

Honeyfi is a budgeting app that is designed for couples. The app allows you to track your spending and budget and communicate with your partner or family member about your finances. It will help your financial planning go a lot smoother.

Can Mint be trusted?

Mint is a budgeting application produced by Intuit, which also produces TurboTax and QuickBooks. With over 20 million happy users, Mint is the budgeting app you can trust. It’s one of the most popular free apps and is available for Android and iOS devices in the app store.

Summary

Now that you know the best budgeting apps for military members, it’s time to put them into practice! These apps can help you control your finances and be a money master. So go ahead and download your favorites and create a budget that works for you. Thanks for reading!

Related Articles:

• How To Set SMART Financial Goals While In The Military
• 11 Ways To Invest Money While Enlisted (By Rank)
• How To Become A Military Millionaire (3 Simple Steps)

Which military-friendly budget app will you use? We’d love to hear from you below!