Five ways to improve your finances using just your smartphone 

Mobile expert Kyle Wilson of mobiles.co.uk reveals five ways your smartphone can make your money go further 

1. Build a budget planner 

Money management can seem daunting. In fact, you just need to know where to start. Budget planners are the perfect way to get all your financial ducks in a row. Doing it with the ease of your smartphone means you can make informed decisions in real-time Websites such as Etsy and Pinterest have purchasable templates to help you organise your money MoneySavingExpert has a free budget planner. Other apps such as Notion allow you to build out a budget planner from scratch

 2. Utilise budgeting apps 

With banking now easily accessible through mobile apps, many now have excellent features that help you budget and prioritise your spending. Popular apps such as Snoop and Starling are great banks for people who want to keep a record of their spending.  Categorise everything you spend.  At the end of each month, you can see where most of your money is going and make informed decisions on where you may need to cut back.

Monzo

Starling

Apple Wallet

 3. Set a spending limit 

 Tracking finances is a great start to money management. People with a habit for overspending are likely to ignore any guidelines they set for themself. Apps such as Monzo now allow you to set a daily spending limit.  You can set two types of spending limits on the Monzo app. You can opt for either a single contactless limit, It won’t allow you to overspend, but if you under-spend you might find yourself with a bit of extra money at the end of the month. 

4. Store your voucher codes 

Many shops now have digital cards that can be easily stored in your smartphone. If carrying multiple physical cards around with you puts you off signing up to membership schemes you can now rest easy knowing they’re not taking up room in your pocket.  Boots, Superdrug, Morrisons and Costa Coffee all have loyalty cards that allow you to accrue points that can be redeemed. Apps such as Apple Wallet or Stocard are perfect for keeping loyalty cards and voucher codes in one place.

 5. Make money on unwanted items 

There are plenty of people online willing to buy your unwanted items. Apps such as Vinted and Depop are great options for easy selling are a hub for selling a variety of unwanted, but still useable items. Declutter your personal space and make some quick and easy money along the way.”