Great Online Tools to Manage Your Finances on the Go

Personal money management has gotten a whole lot easier thanks to online tools that let you take care of your finances from just about anywhere. These new technologies are user-friendly, secure, and best of all, many are absolutely free.

Apple Pay

Apple Pay transmits your credit card information to merchants via your iPhone or Apple Watch. That means you won’t have to carry a bulging wallet or fumble for a specific card at the register. And because Apple Pay assigns each purchase its own unique number and doesn’t store your data on your device, it keeps your accounts safer in the event your phone is stolen. It’s also easy to set up as part of the free Apple Wallet app. Just keep in mind that not every retailer accepts Apple Pay — though you can use it at more than a million stores, including national chains like Kohl’s and McDonald’s, according to Apple.

Level Money

This simple, free budgeting app automatically tracks your spending and saving activity. Just download it to your Android or iPhone; link it to your bank and credit card accounts; and plug in your budget information. It provides clear pie charts that show how much cash you’ve got left to spend each day, week or month.

Mint

Available for Android and iOS, Mint’s free financial tools established the quality standard for financial apps. Options include:

Mint Bills

This tool lets you monitor your bills, bank accounts and credit cards on one convenient screen. You can also track spending, receive alerts and schedule remote bill payments.

Mint Personal Finance

Use Mint to keep tabs on your entire financial picture, including bank accounts, credit cards, loans and retirement accounts. Then track your spending and create a customizable budget with categorized expenses — or sign up for alerts, bill reminders and a free credit score.

Tools from your financial institution

Your financial institution might have its own free tools you can use to keep your finances on track, starting with online banking. It turns your home computer, tablet or smartphone into a virtual branch where you can monitor balances, transfer cash, pay bills, receive alerts and more from wherever you have data service.

Financial institutions like Madison County Federal Credit Union take remote banking up a notch by including MoneyDesktop software in their online banking packages. MoneyDesktop provides tools for budgeting, tracking expenses and aggregating accounts, giving users an at-a- glance picture of their finances.

Financial institutions invest heavily in the security of their online tools, and using this technology wisely supports the safety net. Only download apps from reputable organizations and don’t use public Wi-Fi networks to bank remotely. Additionally, be sure you can disable your phone remotely if it’s ever lost or stolen. Once you’ve discovered the right tools, personal finance can become almost effortless. The end result will be improved financial health that leaves more money in your wallet and more time to enjoy it.

Roberta Pescow, NerdWallet