The year is winding up, and you’ve made huge plans for the new year, one of which is to get your finances right this new year. Some of these plans are realistic, and some you know won’t last the first month.
As an SME in Africa, planning your finances is key to being successful with your business goals. Finances are the lifeblood of your business, and getting it right means getting your business right.
Getting your SME finance right isn’t an easy task. From planning for your short term SME finance goals to long-term planning for further development in the future. It can all get complicated. But understanding your cash flow is important in managing your SME finance.
In this article, I have gathered five apps to help you get your finances right in the new year. These apps make it easy to plan and be in control of your SME finances effortlessly.
Some of these apps I have personally used and have been very helpful in my planning. Let’s dive right in!
1. Piggy Vest
This is a Nigerian based app that allows you to save and invest. The app name is gotten from the traditional “piggy bank”. Piggyvest allows you to reach your personal savings goals with the feature called “Piggybank”. With this, you can save as much as you want at any time. Withdrawal dates are set at the end of the month, and any withdrawals made before then will attract a fee. This allows you to stay disciplined with your savings.
Target Savings is another feature that allows you to save for multiple goals like holidays and special events. It also has a feature called Safe Lock which allows you to save until a preselected date. This allows you to save your SME finance for future purposes. Piggyvest is perfect for getting your finance right this new year. You can save, invest and track your finances effortlessly!
2. Personal Capital
Personal Capital is a money management app that lets you track your budget and investments. It has a friendly user interface with easy to read graphs. These graphs provide information by asset class, investment account or individual investment. They reveal your investment performance and helping you manage your portfolio. It has a free personal money manager and a paid investment management service. It is available on both android and IOS devices.
3. GoodBudget
This is a budgeting app with a virtual tracking program that allows you to keep up with friends and family by syncing shares and budgets. It allows you to save for big future expenses and pay off debts. The app allows you to differentiate your income into categories like monthly expenses, annual savings and irregular expenses. The app also provides regular reports to help you keep track of your budget trends and provides helpful tips to help you plan super effective budgets. It is user friendly and available on both android and IOS devices.
4. Pocket Guard
This app is special because it not only allows you to grow your savings but shows you what you have available for your daily spending after bills and subscription has been paid. It helps you manage your disposable income, subscriptions and bills and helps you save for long term purposes. When you sign up, the app syncs with your financial accounts and enables you to track your account portfolio. It is user friendly and available only on IOS devices.
5. Financial Calculator
This app helps you calculate the future value and present value of your financial assets. Guess what? With this app, you can calculate interest rates, determine how much you need to pay off debts and carry out other financial calculations with ease! This app is available on both Android and IOS devices.
So that’s it! With these apps, you can manage your finances easily and gain control in the new year!
Do you have questions or suggestions on SMEs in Africa? Kindly drop them in the comment section below!