The best apps to help you keep a tight grip on your money

Managing your finances as an expat can be hard work, especially if you’re new to the country and don’t have a great deal of local knowledge.

Getting to grips with a new currency, knowing where to go to get the best deals on your shopping and keeping your personal finances in order can be tough, but there are lots of ways that you can become a Money Saving Expat.

If you’re looking to cut costs and make your money travel further, consider these expat apps.

Currency conversion apps

For those living in countries with extreme currency fluctuations, or for British expats struggling with the ups and downs of sterling, a currency conversion app can be a great way to keep a tight grip on your money.

It can be all too easy to spend money online or in a store without thinking about the ‘real’ cost in your currency; an app can add some context and help you make sensible spending decisions.

XE Currency

The XE Currency app is one of the most popular currency conversion apps on the App Store and Google Play Store, and the good news is that it's free to use. You can calculate prices at the drop of a hat, monitor up to ten currencies in real time, view historical charts for any currency in the world and get access to every currency and precious metal rate in the world.

For expats, the ability to monitor markets and be alerted when a rate changes will allow you to decide the best time to make big currency swaps to get the best value for your money. Oh, and if you’ve got an Apple Watch, you can sync the app to your wrist and access conversions wherever you are, even if you don’t have your smartphone handy.

My Currency Converter

Another popular currency conversion app is My Currency Converter. While XE Currency is great for power users, this app's interface makes it easy to understand, so you won't get confused when comparing currencies or making conversions within the app. What's more, with currency trends and support for new currencies such as Bitcoin and more, you'll be able to manage your money in whatever currency you choose, and make conversions with up-to-date exchange rates. 

Another benefit to My Currency Converter is that it will work even when you’re not connected to the internet. If you’re travelling to a new city as an expat or you don’t have a data plan, you’ll still be able to make conversions; exchange rates are updated every time the app is online.

Splittr

As an expat, the chances are that you’ll invite guests from home to visit you in your new country, and you’ll likely spend time dining out together. The Splittr app makes that possible, allowing you to pay for meals separately and pay in your own currency. So, if you’re an expat in Dubai and your friends visit from the UK, they’ll be able to pay in Pounds, and you can pay in Dirhams.

Available for iOS, the app works offline, syncs with your friends and no registration is required, so you can use the app at a drop of the hat. All major currencies are supported, and bills can be exported to PDFs and CSV files for accounting purposes if you're dining out for business.

Personal finance apps

Emigrating to a new country can be expensive, and it might take several months until you can get a grip on your finances and know where to shop for the best deals. With personal finance apps, however, you can stay in control of your money and ensure you’re budgeting correctly for groceries, household bills and other expenses, and set goals to reduce these costs over time.

Mint

Mint is the ultimate money management tool, designed to help you see all of your finances in one place and create a budget to help you cut costs. It's a free-to-use app, available for Android and iOS, and is centred around saving money and becoming a better money manager. From budgeting for food and utilities to scheduling payments and paying bills, right through to your credit score and understanding how to improve it, Mint is an app you cannot live without.

Chip

If you want to start saving money for trips back home or days out with your loved ones, then Chip could be the right answer. This free app is available on iOS and Android and works by gathering information about your spending before deciding how much you can afford to save. Over time, the app will transfer money from your current account into a separate savings account and uses artificial intelligence to determine whether the amount will be affordable.

Note that the Chip app is only compatible with UK banks at present (NatWest, Halifax, Lloyds, Nationwide, Barclays, HSBC, First Direct, Santander, TSB, RBS, Metro Bank and Co-operative Bank), but similar artificial intelligence savings apps are available around the world.

Cashback apps

Another ecommerce trend that you can take advantage of as a money-saving expat is cashback. Made popular in the United States, cashback allows you to receive a percentage of your purchase back in cash, while the cashback site will also receive a commission for the sale.

It's important to do your research before using a cashback app blindly, as some agents inflate prices in order to provide you with cash back, but more often than not, you can find a bargain.

Znap App (UAE)

Znap is the United Arab Emirate's first cashback app, designed to help you browse, buy, and redeem cashback in only a couple of clicks. Unlike some cashback apps, Znap allows you to earn money on everyday products like eggs, bread, fruits, drinks and more and works with some of the UAE's most popular supermarkets to offer you exclusive deals. Once you've purchased using the app, you'll get cash, which you can transfer to your bank account or PayPal account.

Quidco (UK)

If you're in the United Kingdom, then Quidco could be a great cashback choice. Posting daily offers from top British retailers such as H&M, Holland and Barrett and New Look, you'll be able to go about your usual online shopping and get paid cashback as a result.

Their app also includes additional bonuses, like 3% cashback on all Costa purchases and 10% off Pizza Express orders, so it's worth downloading for the discounts and coupons alone, even if you don't use cashback.

TopCashBack (UK, USA, India)

Described as the United States' most generous cashback website, TopCashBack allows you to join for free, get guaranteed cashback on your purchases and includes major retailers such as eBay and Amazon. Through their mobile app, available on all major smartphones, you can earn more from your in-store purchases, and gain access to coupon codes for supermarket chains such as Walmart and Kmart.

EBonus (Spain)

Living in Spain? EBonus could be the perfect app to help you save money. Unlike some apps, EBonus costs €6 per year, which is taken off of your accumulated earnings rather than as an upfront payment. There’s no minimum threshold for transferring payments to your bank account, and the app offers some exclusive deals, such as 20% off Barceló urban hotels, 3% off Carrefour shopping online, and up to 7% off El Corte Inglés.

Price comparison apps

We all want to get the best deals, whether that's when we're stocking up on clothes, switching to a new broadband provider or buying our weekly grocery shop. The good news is that there are several apps designed to help you get the very best value for money, and shop around to score bargains and discounts. Price comparison apps have exploded in popularity around the world, and are now a staple for money-saving expats who want to reduce their living costs.

United Arab Emirates

If you’re an expat in the United Arab Emirates, then you’ll know that things can be expensive. By using a price comparison app or website when shopping online, you’ll be able to find exclusive discounts and special offers, helping you get more for your money and cutting the cost of living.

Pricena allows you to search products, compare and save money, working with retailers such as Mumzworld, BasharaCare, Axiom Telecom, Buy on Dubai, Let's Tango and many more to offer exclusive coupon codes and discounts. Many retailers offer fixed-price coupons, like 60 AED off of a Bose system, for example. While the savings may not seem extreme, they quickly add up.

Price O Mania also offers discounts, covering everything from technology to books to women's bags, music, groceries and car parts. The site also offers a monthly price chart, so you can see whether or not you're getting the best value for money compared to prices at other times of the year.

United Kingdom

If you’ve moved to the United Kingdom, then MySuperMarket will no doubt be a useful app to install when deciding where to buy your weekly grocery shop. Comparing retailers such as Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Aldi, Lidl, Iceland and many more, you can compare branded products, like Pepsi Max or Bold 2-in-1 Washing Powder, to find the best supermarket price. 

For household bills, like gas, electricity and broadband, then Uswitch could be another app to consider. This app helps you to make comparisons between providers and not only gives you options for the best value for money but ranks and reviews providers based on their service and quality.

United States of America

You can shop and save on millions of products using the PriceGrabber website and app in the United States. Not only can you search by product name, manufacturer's part number or barcode, but you can also search by product category and price to get the lowest-cost products.

Elsewhere

Countries around the world are cottoning on to the growing price comparison trend, offering their own version in virtually every territory. In Canada, you can find Shopbot, in Germany, there's Ciao!, in Spain, you can use kelkoo.es and in India, MySmartPrice is the top choice.

Use Google to find the best price comparison website for your country - and remember to check out the official retailer's website before purchasing to ensure you're getting the very best deal.

How do you keep a grip on your finances as an expat? Do you use an app that you couldn’t live without? Sound off in the comments, or get in touch on Twitter using @MoneySavingXpat.