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The Good Life For Less: Apps To Save You Money

Smart phones have helped keep us connected; you can keep in touch with old classmates on Facebook, follow your favorite sports star on Twitter, and check up on the latest weather report all in the palm of your hand.

But those handy little ways of keeping you up-to-date with information can also save you money. I'm talking about those apps that keep all your financial business in order. There are ones that can help you prevent overdraft fees, make sure your monthly bills go through on time, and help you juggle multiple banking accounts.

One newer site that can help you sort through all that digital media and discuss it with other people who have used it is Appitalism.com. Launched last November, they set out to create a "social community" for apps.

The site put together a list of the top apps to view your overall banking accounts, financial records and daily banking transactions from your phone. Here's what they think are some of the best:

Bankarama ($2.99 for the iPhone) – If you are getting charged for overdraft fees -- you could be losing out on a lot of money. Bankarama can be used quickly to record transactions while your receipt is printing -- in 2-3 seconds! This app helps you do the job the old balanced checkbook used to do -- with a lot fewer mistakes.

Account Tracker Free (Free for the iPhone) – This is the free version of Account Tracker, which helps you track income, spending and balances across multiple accounts. It has all the features and functionality of the full version but since it is free, it is limited to 25 transactions.

QuickBank Checkbook with Desktop Exporting ($0.99 for the iPhone) - This can help you manage your daily transactions, balance your checkbook, track of credit card charges and cash spent. You can even share all of your expenses for use with Quicken, Microsoft Money, Excel and other desktop programs.

Mobile Banking (Free for the BlackBerry) – If you are away -- your financial management skills can still play. This app allows you to make financial transactions while on the move. No need to stop by the bank, you can view your account balances, history, make transfers, and pay bills.

*Note: Don't forget that many banks also offer their own free apps, but they don't let you track accounts from other financial institutions in most cases. The apps mentioned above are available on other locations as well, not just on Appitalism.com, so look around for one that fits you. And of course, make sure they have good security before buying. The point of banking apps are to help you prevent overdraft fees and financial fraud -- not cause it.

Later this week, I'll post my Q & A with Appitalism.com CEO, Simon Buckingham.  I got a chance recently to ask him a few questions about personal finance apps, the things to look out for when choosing them and his personal favorites, so stay tuned.

I want to know: what is your favorite financial app? If you have one or know of any other deals, share them with other 'Good Lifers' in the comment section. You can also read more money-saving blog posts here and text WCCODEALS to 84816 for a 'deals of the week' reminder.

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