Money is one of the biggest argument-inducing topics in any marriage or relationship. Studies show that couples argue the most about spending habits, saving habits, and who controls what. And, that’s if you and your partner are both lucky enough to have come from similar financial backgrounds and have been able to develop healthy financial habits. If not, studies show that arguments surrounding finances tend to get more complicated and frequent.
Marriages are hard enough without throwing miscommunication about finances into the mix, which is why using a budgeting app for couples might be a smart move. Not only will it allow you to personally track your spending, saving, and credit score, but it will let you and your partner to each understand how you save and spend to come up with a better financial strategy together.
Sold on the idea of a budgeting app? Here’s what to look for in a good budgeting app for couples and what to avoid.
What to Look for in a Budgeting App for Couples
First thing’s first: what should you be looking for in a budgeting app that you’ll use with your partner? First and foremost, it should provide you with the ability to connect multiple bank accounts so that you can co-manage your finances.
Along with the ability to connect multiple accounts (this includes savings accounts, checking accounts, and credit cards), you should both be able to have shared access to the app account. You need to be able to add more than one user to the account to view all transactions and updates.
Key among the top budgeting app features (for anybody, not just couples) is also the ability to customize your spending categories, spending limits, and other financial categories in general. Any good budgeting app for couples should also allow you to create specific budgets, set goals, and use helpful tools embedded into the app that offer ways for you to optimize your finances.
The Best 5 Budgeting Apps for Couples in 2021
1. Honeydue
Honeydue is one of the only budgeting apps specifically designed for couples, pushing it to the top of our 2021 list. You’re able to connect all of your accounts, including credit cards and loans, and tag each transaction as one that was shared or individual. Need to clarify a transaction or let your partner know why you purchased something? You’re able to leave a comment on each transaction for your partner to see.
2. Mint
Mint is both a mobile application and a desktop platform that you and your partner can use to manage every single area of your finances. While it’s not specifically designed for couples, it’s easily one of the best all-in-one finances platforms of 2021. You can connect all of your accounts and Mint will auto-categorize transactions (which you can later change) and then create a budget for you based on your spending habits. Not only that, but you can set up email alerts for specific actions and even generate weekly reports!
3. Honeyfi
If you’re willing to pay a bit ($9.99 per month) in order to improve your financial relations with your partner, Honeyfi offers a few unique features that help foster better communication surrounding money and spending. In the Honeyfi app, you’re able to send messages straight to your partner, turning it into a messaging platform of sorts that solely revolves around finances. Tired of your partner nagging you for overspending at Target? Switch on the incognito mode and spend secretly on certain little treats.
4. PocketGuard
We previously ranked PocketGuard as one of the best budgeting apps in general, but it deserves a spot on this list, too. It’s best for couples who are just starting out managing their finances together as it offers a simplified look at more complex budgeting systems. It’s also a great budgeting app for couples that are a bit younger and not yet thinking about IRA contributions, credit scores, and other financial issues. The app simply provides you with an overview of how much money you have after accounting for bills, spending, and savings goal contributions.
5. Every Dollar
If you’re a fan of the zero-based budgeting system them Every Dollar is for you. Designed by Dave Ramsey, Every Dollar is a great compliment to any couple’s financial course of his that you’re taking, too. Aside from focusing on helping couples learn how to budget by using zero-based budgeting (which means you justify and account for every dollar saved and spent), the app is specifically designed to help couples get out of debt.
BONUS: Float Credit Monitoring
While this isn’t a budget app, we wanted to include another financial app for couples that can help improve the types of conversations you have surrounding money. Float is a credit score app for couples that allows you to view your credit score and share that information with your partner (or even friends and family!). You get to choose how much you share, making it a great way to “introduce” finances into your discussions without diving right into specific numbers and figures.
Learn How to Save & Spend as a Couple
It’s difficult to optimize your spending as a couple or even as an individual if you don’t have the right financial products to help you along the way. Aside from utilizing a budgeting app for couples, it’s important that you’re spending with a card that’s optimized to help you save money.
That’s where we come in! The Cheese Debit Card is optimized to earn you cashback like a credit card is (in fact, it offers more cashback in some cases) and comes with zero fees. If you and your partner argue over wasted fees, this is absolutely the card for you.
Plus, check out these perks:
❌ No Monthly Fee 🧀️ $5 cash bonus
❌ No ATM Fee 🧀️ Up to 10% cashback with every purchase/transaction
❌ No Overdraft Fee 🧀️ Potential Double Cheese Cashback
❌ No Insufficient Fund Fee 🧀️ Up to 3% Deposit Bonus
❌ No Minimum Balance Requirement 🧀️ Early Paycheck
Our Cashback Program has also gone live! Check it out and see where you can save more money while spending and budgeting with your partner. And, don’t forget to sign up for your Cheese Debit Card here.
