Going through phases of organization and utter chaos with your budget? Join the club. You aren’t the only one who avoids budgeting because you’re afraid of what you’ll see. You can stop putting off your next organizing binge and get things back in order faster than ever with the tools BudgetSimple provides.
Whether you’re bogged down with debt or simply have some ambitious savings goals, there are tools to make a plan and execute it with as little pain as possible. Pain-free budgeting? Is it possible? I think it might be.
Giving Budgeting a Try
There are a lot of ways to budget and it’s important to realize that what works for one person may not work for the next. Just like trying on clothes, trying out different budgeting tools is crucial to finding your perfect fit. You want something you can stick with and get real, measurable results from. So take your time to find your perfect budgeting tool that will help you get organized and back on track with your spending and savings goals.
With the BudgetSimple app, it’s super simple and stress free to begin. All you have to do is register in order to have access to the free version for as long as you want. From there you can log all of your purchases and spending into different categories so that you’ll know what you’re spending and where you’re spending it. This is the easiest way to keep track of things and stay within your limits.
The Pros
- Free basic version makes it easy to try out the program and get your budget on track without spending anything.
- The $5 guarantee gives you assurance that if you use the paid version for $4.99 per month, they will be able to save you over $5 to cover the cost of the app.
- The mobile app that comes with the paid version is a big bonus since you’ll be able to keep track of your finances and budget easily from all of your devices.
- The ability to link bank accounts is also a bonus that comes with the paid version that can really be helpful to keeping track of money going in and out of your accounts.
- The reports given for both the free and paid versions is a very useful tool that can help you refine your budgeting strategy and visualize your money usage much easier. They do the hard work for you!
- The BudgetSimple blog is a great resource for those who want to learn more about budgeting and how to get the most out of the BudgetSimple program.
The Cons
- The order of transactions could be confusing since they are all arranged in the order of the date that they were put in. You can put the date that the transaction was made but the app will still arrange it in the way that you entered it.
- The month to month style of the budget format could make it hard to plan for longer budget goals. The app is able to track only on a month to month basis so for some this is a great feature for keeping it simple but for others it could be harder to plan long term goals.
- The BudgetSimple app is really simple and lacks features that may be found in other budgeting apps.
- The system will not work with some credit cards so make sure to verify if this works before purchasing the paid version if linking accounts is your primary need for this software.
The Lowdown
One of the great things about the BudgetSimple software is that you can get the basics for free. It’s easy to try it out and get a sense of how everything works before buying. You can even continue to use the Basic version if you’re happy with how that version works. There’s no pressure to buy and there are no time limits. If a simple budget app is all you need, you can have those features for free, which is awesome.
The features included with the Plus version may or may not be a selling point for you. The mobile app and being able to link your bank accounts can be positives or negatives depending on how you prefer to budget. Also, if you want to try out the Plus version, it’s less than $5 per month so it may be worth a trial month to see if those features are something you’ll make use of.
BudgetSimple’s guarantee that they’ll find at least $5 worth of savings for you each month is a great incentive to sign up for the paid version. It essentially ensures that the monthly cost will be risk-free for you. It isn’t clear how they actually back up this claim but if you don’t find that much savings with even the Basic version, something is wrong. If you’re worried about spending extra per month when you’re trying to save, make sure to measure how much you can save with the Basic version vs. the Plus version. Try each for a couple months- it could be well worth your time in the long run.
A Need for Simplicity
The BudgetSimple software and app really shine when it comes to simplicity. The downfall of many budgeting programs is how complicated and intimidating they are. This can really turn people off and make it hard to consistently keep track of their finances when it seems so overwhelming. Simplicity is a much needed tool in and of itself. For beginner or busy budgeters, this program could be the perfect fit. For those who appreciate more features and options, it may not be the best solution.
Overall, I love this app for how true it is to its name. It does what it says and that’s perfect for the right people. Budgeting can seem so complex so a little simplicity and order is all we need to get things back in order.
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