Debt Apps That Help You Get Out of The Red
Another year has come and gone, and you are still in debt. You’re not alone- most of America is in debt. If you’re like most of us, you would like to see your debt drastically reduce, but how can you make sure next year is different?
Did you know that one major obstacle in reaching a goal is not having a plan? Another is not having the tools you need to reach the goal. If you want to make changes in any area of your life, you need to make sure you are equipped to make those changes.
While there are many methods to do so, reading tips and tricks from Goalry can also help you track and annihilate your debts. You should also consider using debt apps. They can help you create a plan and carry out the steps necessary to create it.
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There are many debt apps available, but the following ten are some of the best. They are either free or budget-friendly. Some offer similar features, while others are different. Consider using several to create your own comprehensive debt management tool.
1. Spreadsheets
Let’s start this list of debt apps with one of the most well known: Spreadsheets. Spreadsheets, whether from Excel, Google, or another source, are excellent for organizing information. You can set your spreadsheet up as you like, or you can use one of the templates available through the application or online.
It’s a very simple way to track debts if you do not want to download new apps. It also makes it easy to print out your debt payment plan to hang on the wall, keep in a budget binder, or keep on you.
2. Mint
Mint is one of several pretty impressive debt apps. It’s a free inclusive app through which you can manage all of your finances, including monthly bills, debts, and even investments.
After your initial setup of information, Mint helps you easily create realistic budgets, reminds you when bills are due, lets you know when your money is low, and more. You can even keep up with your credit score, get tips for improving your credit, and get ongoing recommendations to improve your overall financial outlook.
3. Qoins
Have you ever collected your change in a jar and later rolled it or cashed it in at Coinstar? That’s kind of the way Qoins works. It rounds up the change from your purchases throughout each month and sets it aside. At the end of the month, Qoins automatically sends that change- minus a $2.99 fee- to the debt of your choice.
This works out well for a couple of reasons. First of all, change adds up quickly when saved. Don’t be surprised to find that anywhere from $20 to $100 is saved each month. The total will depend on the number and total of your purchases, of courses, but it can add up to large amounts.
The other upside is that it’s doing it all automatically. You don’t have to worry about remembering to put your change to the side or make a payment. It’s done for you, and your debts decrease with very little effort.
One thing to note here is that this should not be your only form of debt payment. It will certainly help, but if you are in a lot of debt, you’ll need to be paying more on your debts than your spare change.
If you can only manage this amount for the moment, that’s okay. Something is better than nothing. As soon as possible, though, make regular payments on your debts and let Qoins be extra.
4. ChangeEd
ChangEd is very similar to Qoins, but it focuses completely on student loans. It still puts your spare change to the side. When it hits $5, it gets transferred to an FDIC-insured account. Once that account reaches $50, ChangEd sends the payment in. This service costs $3 per month.
5. Debt Payoff Planner
Debt Payoff Planner puts the debt snowball or debt avalanche to work for you, depending on your preference. You input your debt information, and the app puts them in the order you choose and lays out a step-by-step plan. As you make your debt payments, you enter the information into the Debt Payoff Planner, and it will update your plan.
One thing I love about this app is that experimenting you can do. After putting in your debt information, you can see how long it will take to pay everything off. If you are unhappy with the amount of time it will take or any details of the plan, you can change it easily to determine how to meet your goals while saving money on interest and late fees. There are both free and paid versions of this app.
6. Debt Free
Next up on our list of awesome debt apps is Debt Free- the name alone provides some hope in the midst of the storm. Like some of the others here, Debt Free helps to not only organize and track your debts but also to create an effective payoff plan. The default method is the debt snowball, but it does allow you to change it according to your preferences.
One thing to love about Debt Free is the colorful view, which makes it easy to distinguish your debts at a glance. It also provides calculators and simulators so you can compare debt management tactics. The downside is that it is only available for iPhones, but you can download it for 99 cents.
7. Credit Card Payoff
If you are in a lot of credit card debt, the Credit Card Payoff app could quickly become your best friend. Different credit cards have different interest rates, monthly payment amounts, fees, and more. Due to all of these factors, it can be difficult to determine which one you should pay off first.
Good news: You don’t have to do it alone anymore. You can enter information for each of your cards into the app. The app will show you how much of each of your payments actually goes to the principal balance and how much goes to interest.
The information is broken down into easy to read charts and graphs, so you can determine which card is costing you the most. This is invaluable insight when you are working on a debt payoff plan. If you don’t mind seeing ads, this debt tracker app is completely free, but you can upgrade to ad-free for about a dollar.
8. Clarity Money
Another favorite on this list of debt apps is Clarity Money, and it’s not what most people would consider a traditional debt app. However, a big part of debt management is budgeting and finding areas you can cut back to make extra payments. These are specialties of Clarity Money, which is why it has a place on this list.
As the name suggests, Clarity Money gives you a clear view of your finances. You link your bank and other financial accounts, and the app gives you a simplified snapshot. It shows you where your money is currently going, helping you to find areas to cut back. Optimize the results of this app by checking out Debtry for tips on cutting down your budget.
Additionally, it points out subscriptions you pay for that you might be unaware of. Subscriptions can be sneaky little things. Maybe you signed up for a free trial of something and forgot to cancel it. Or maybe you paid for the first month of Ipsy for your teenage niece, but she was supposed to decide whether or not to continue it.
If you are not paying attention, you might find yourself paying for these things for months- even years- without noticing. However, Clarity Money shows you any detectable subscriptions so that you can cancel them and start saving that money.
Also, you can open a high-yield savings account through Clarity Money. Current earnings are 0.50 percent APR, which is really good. You can save money in that account to make debt payments each month.
By utilizing the full features of Clarity Money, you can take a good look at your current financial state, find ways to change it, and get out and stay out of debt. It’s completely free to use, so take a look for yourself.
9. Undebt.it
Undebt.it is another debt tracking app that helps you create a debt payment plan. One of my favorite parts of this app is the simple, easy to use interface. Of all the debt management apps I’ve seen, this one seems to have the best at a glance view.
Undebt.it is free to use, but they have a premium version for a few bucks a year. Personally, I’m all about free stuff, but I’ll be the first to admit that this premium membership is worth it. With it, you get the same debt management features as with the free version, but they add on:
Bill management
Savings challenges
Payment reminders through texts
Account tracking
Projections
Autopay
Amortization tables and much more
The fact that you can manage so much in one place makes it worthy of careful consideration. Using all of these features can help you not only get out of debt but stay out of it.
Premium features are a very affordable $12 per year, but there are sometimes deals to bring it even lower. As we are talking about debt, it’s always smart to consider extra purchases like this.
Fortunately, you can try out Undebt.it for free for 30 days- no credit card required. So you can give it a whirl and decide if it’s the right fit for you before you buy.
10. Goodbudget
You have likely heard of the envelope system and how great it is for budgeting. You might be wondering how to put it to work, though, when you do everything digitally. Goodbudget can help.
Through this app, you set up digital envelopes and then assign income to them. One great thing about it is that you can share these envelopes among family and friends if you all work to pay for the same things.
For example, you and your spouse might be working together to go on vacation, buy a house, and pay off debt. With Goodbudget, you can set up envelopes for these categories and then work together to save.
Or you can use it specifically for debts by labeling an envelope for each. Either way, it is a great tool to use for getting out of debt and meeting other financial goals- no green paper necessary.
The free version gives you up to 20 envelopes, debt tracking capabilities, and access from two devices. If you need more, there is a premium version that gives unlimited envelopes and access from up to five devices.
The premium version is $7 per month or $60 for the year. It’s a little pricey, so I suggest trying out the free plan first. If it seems to be helping you and you like it, you can always upgrade.
Conclusion
These debt apps can help you devise a clear plan and give you the confidence you need to follow through. Take the time to educate yourself through Debtry for the wisdom you need to stay out of debt. Also, keep your eyes out for Debtry’s upcoming debt app.