How do I start managing my money?

Start by tracking your income and expenses, then create a simple budget that prioritizes needs first. Our Budgeting Hub has beginner-friendly guides.

How to save $10,000 in 3 months?

Aggressive saving requires cutting major discretionary spending, increasing income through side hustles, and automating savings. See our Saving Hub for detailed strategies.

What is the 50/30/20 rule for managing money?

The 50/30/20 rule allocates 50% of income to needs, 30% to wants, and 20% to savings or debt payoff. Visit our Smart Budgeting Hub for practical examples.

Sarah’s Favorite Budget Apps (and How She Really Use Them)

After testing zero-based budgets, envelopes, and survival mode, I knew I needed a tool that would keep me honest without requiring three spreadsheets and a pack of paper envelopes. Enter: budget apps.

I didn’t fall in love with every app. Some were too complicated, some felt scammy, and some wanted me to track things I didn’t care about (sorry, I don’t need a pie chart of my oat milk consumption). But a few apps actually made budgeting feel doable — even kind of fun.

Rocket Money

Rocket Money was my wake-up call app. Within 10 minutes, it showed me three subscriptions I had forgotten about. (Apparently I was still paying for a free trial from six months ago. Ouch.)

👉 Bee Tip: Use Rocket Money once a month to do a “subscription clean-up.” It’s like spring cleaning, but for your bank account.

YNAB (You Need a Budget)

YNAB is basically the zero-based budget on steroids. Every dollar gets a job. It’s strict, but if you like control, it works. I used YNAB for three months, and it definitely stopped me from “accidentally” overspending on Amazon. The learning curve is steep, though — my brain hurt those first two weeks.

Mint (RIP-ish, but worth a mention)

Mint used to be the go-to budget app, and I used it back in college. It was free, it linked my accounts, and it gave me a decent snapshot of my money. But it always felt like it was tracking me more than helping me. (Also: ads. So many ads.)

Goodbudget

If you loved the idea of the envelope system but hated carrying cash, Goodbudget is the digital version. I used it for “Dining Out” and “Fun Money” categories, and it actually kept me from blowing through my Friday paycheck by Saturday brunch.

My Current Combo

Here’s the truth: I don’t use just one app. I use Rocket Money to clean up, YNAB for planning, and my boring bank app for quick balance checks. It’s not about finding “the one,” it’s about finding what works for you.

Sarah’s Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4 out of 5 bees)
Budget apps aren’t magic, but they’re powerful when you use them intentionally. Just don’t download five at once and expect your money life to fix itself overnight.

Up Next: Savings Challenges That Don’t Feel Like Punishment — because if it feels like a crash diet, you won’t stick with it.