We know budgeting and money planning works best when it fits your life. These tools can help you watch your money without stress — from planning spending to tracking bills to finding real savings. We recommend trying out free options before signing up for any fee version. You want to make sure you are going to use it regularly before committing to a recurring payment.
Budgeting Apps
GoodBudget
GoodBudget.com is a digital version of the envelope system for money categories.
- Lets you plan spending ahead of time using “envelopes” for categories (groceries, gas, fun, etc.)
- On payday, you fill each envelope to the amount you have budgeted. Any funds you have leftover can be applied to debt, saved, or be spent as you wish.
- The app tracks what’s left in each envelope as you spend
- Once an envelope runs out of cash, you have met your budget for that pay period and can no longer spend in that category.
Who it’s good for:
- People who like simple category limits without detailed tracking of every transaction
- People who prefer planning ahead vs. reviewing history
Cost:
- there is a free version that provides a limited number of ‘envelopes’ and tracking
- A paid version allows unlimited envelopes, multiple accounts and can be used on more devices with longer history retention
Spendee
Spendee is a mobile app with budgeting, spending tracking, and categorization tools. Good for people who want more detailed budgeting.
Cost:
- there is a free version that is limited to one cash wallet and one budget
- Paid and premium tiers offer more wallets and reporting
Banking Apps
Many Canadian banks now offer money management features right in their apps, like spending categories and alerts, bill reminders, savings goals, automatic transfers
Bill Monitoring and Reminder Apps
- TimelyBills
- Bills Monitor – Android or IOS
- Most major banks also have apps that allow you to set up bill payment reminders
Keep track of bill due dates and payments.
- Reminds you of upcoming bills
- Tracks amounts and due dates in one place
- Helps ensure on-time payments
- Reduces the chance of miss payments and late fees
Who it’s good for:
- People who struggle with remembering multiple due dates
- Anyone rebuilding payment confidence after insolvency
- People who want simple bill payment reminders without full budgeting software
Expense Management Apps
- Flipp.com – Get your weekly shopping flyerselectronically instead of on paper. If you live in an area where supermarkets price match their competitor’s prices then you can’t live without this app. All of your weekly flyers are found on this app along with a few coupons
- Flashfood.com Flashfood is an app for great deals on fresh, affordable groceries. They partner with grocery stores to take their food nearing its best-by date and list it on our app for 50% off, getting you great deals on groceries while reducing food waste.
- CompareMyRates.ca For when you’re comparing costs for cell phones, Internet, cable TV, as well as mortgages and credit cards.
- GasBuddy.com Find the cheapest gasoline in your city.
- CheckOut51.com If you buy a product that is on their weekly list you upload a copy of your receipt and they give you cash back.
- Caddle.ca works the same as checkout 51 but doesn’t have as many products. They do have weekly surveys as well that they pay you for.
- RedFlagDeals.com can help you save money.
- Splitwise – Helps you split expenses with friends, shows who owes what
Mileage Apps
If you are self-employed, or an employee who travels and is required to track your mileage, two apps that can help simplify this process are:
Tips for Using Apps Well
- Keep it simple: Too many apps can be overwhelming. Choose one or two that solve your biggest needs.
- Look to see what your bank has first, then look to outside apps. Avoid extra fees wherever you can.
- Automate whenever possible: This is the core of our No-Budget Budget approach — automate payments, transfers, and savings.
- Review, don’t obsess: Checking a tool once a week is usually enough to stay on track.
- Privacy first: Only connect apps you trust and understand the permissions they request.