While you undoubtedly face many challenges as a military member, if managing your finances has been one of those challenges, it no longer has to be a source of stress and confusion. There are a variety of budgeting apps and services available to make handling your personal finances as simple as possible.
Learn how to save more money every month and create a military family budget with these top budgeting apps for military families:
Manage your financial accounts with ease. The Personal Financial Dashboard from AWM&T houses all of your information under one login to simplify the process for you. Get real-time updates on transactions and account balances, and track and integrate all of your accounts, including insurance, investments, retirement, and banking.
You Can:
You don’t need to download a separate app to access AWM&T’s Financial Dashboard.
First you will need to acquire a username and password from AWM&T by requesting more information or by emailing wealthmanagement@aafmaa.com directly. Once you have a username and password, simply click here to get started..
Access everything you need in one easy-to-use interface. From the creators of QuickBooks and TurboTax, Mint provides you with an analysis of where your money is being spent and determines the best ways to save or invest your remaining cash.
Mint is considered one of the best budgeting apps available because of its clean user experience. By connecting all of your bank accounts and credit cards, you no longer have to sign in to multiple websites to get a financial update. Set up alerts for upcoming bills to avoid late fees and interest charges, stay up-to-date on amounts you owe so you can devise a realistic payment plan, and get access to your real-time credit score.
Over time, Mint analyzes your spending habits and provides personalized advice that can help you gain more control over your money.
If budgeting isn’t your strong suit, YNAB should be the very next app you download to your phone. Unlike a basic budget tracker, YNAB actually teaches you how to prioritize and plan, so you have money for the things that are most important to you. YNAB’s goal is to help users stop living paycheck to paycheck, and help them pay down their debt with the guidance that “every dollar has a job."
YNAB’s built-in accountability feature ensures you stay on track. In addition, they offer online budgeting classes where you can ask experts specific personal finance questions. Although it is a paid service, the app touts that it is so efficient, its typical user pays off $500 debt dollars in the first 30 days alone!
Check out the YNAB military discount for even greater savings.
This free budgeting tool was developed by the Air Force Aid Society to help Airmen and their loved ones create a military family budget and track their expenses. With the AFAS Budget Builder app, you have the ability to search and sort transactions, and get real-time disaster alerts with information on how to apply for assistance. You can also set spending limits for specific categories to prioritize where your money goes.
Thanks to the Military Pay app from Military.com, you no longer need to rely on complicated tables and charts in order to calculate your service pay. The Pay App continually updates military pay rate information, including BAH, BAS, and special pay—all you need to do is enter your information and the app does the rest.
By having a clear picture of your earnings, you can properly budget, save, invest, and make other sound financial decisions.
Creating a budget is only a first step in the process of improving your financial health. To see results, you’ll actually need to stick to the plan. That’s where Commissary Rewards can help.
As part of the Defense Commissary Agency’s reward coupon card program, the MyCommissary portal allows you to search and add coupons to your Commissary Rewards account, look at previously saved coupons, find your local commissary, and see hours and contact information.
Redeeming coupons is as simple as entering your phone number at checkout.
Becoming a budgeting whiz doesn’t happen overnight, but utilizing some of these military personal finance apps can help your military family start learning how to appropriately spend and save money.
Beyond testing out some new apps and services, here are other budgeting tips to help improve your family’s financial health:
Want to take your financial goals to the next level? The Relationship Managers at AAFMAA Wealth Management & Trust are ready to work with you to plan your financial future. We offer a variety of services to help you budget, save, and invest more efficiently in order to achieve your short- and long-term financial goals. Call 1-910-307-3500 or contact us online for more information about how AWM&T and help you today.