The way we work, the way we love, the way we live, everything is different now in Reiwa. Experts in various fields will answer the "new money hacks" behind the countless changes. The respondent this time is FP (Financial Planner) Harumi Maruyama.
Why do you have a household account book in the first place?
A household account book is used to keep track of cash flow. What are your monthly income and expenses, and how much are you saving? You can figure out how to make ends meet within your budget.
A long time ago, "household account notebooks" were the mainstream, but now more and more people are using "household account book apps." But that doesn't mean everyone should use the app. Some people say, "I prefer to keep notes like a diary," but it's up to the individual.
However, the app certainly has more features . Now that cashless payments are increasing, if you use the function to link the app and the financial institution, the expenditure will be entered automatically, saving you the trouble of entering it manually.
Depending on the app, there is also a couple sharing function, so it is also recommended for people who live with their partners or who are saving money for marriage. In addition, depending on how you use it, you can also manage assets.
What is the purpose and use of keeping a household account book? What kind of functions do you need and what suits your lifestyle and personality? The functions differ depending on the type of application, paid or free.
From standard to beginners! Recommended household account book apps
If you search for "household account book" on the AppStore, you will find many household account book apps, and some people may not know which one is better. From here, we will pick up some and introduce them, from classic popular apps to apps for beginners.
"Money Forward"
If you have a lot of cashless payments, we recommend "Money Forward". When linked with a credit card, daily expenses are automatically categorized such as "food expenses" and "daily necessities". Since it can be linked with a securities account, it is easy to manage assets such as "Tsumitate NISA". It is noted for its excellent functionality.
The paid version has functions that allow you to view data from more than a year ago and connect with more than 11 financial institutions, but please feel free to try the free version first.
"Moneytree"
The function is almost the same as "Money Forward", but the app is easy to see and use . Up to 50 financial institutions can be registered for free. Recommended for people who use multiple credit cards and electronic money.
The paid version has a function that allows you to set a monthly budget for each category and a function that allows you to check the monthly report of income and expenditure.
"Zaim"
An easy-to-use household account book app for both cashless and cash-based people . Simply by taking a picture of the receipt with the camera, the item name and amount will be automatically read, and the household account book will be easily completed.
It is also a nice point that you can do a "balance diagnosis" supervised by a household planner. It will give you a realistic ratio of expenses to family composition and income, so it will be a reliable material as a guideline.
"Kanahei's saving money management app"
Some people say that if there are too many functions, it will be over spec and you will not know what to do. This app is recommended for those who are not good at managing money and for those who are new to household account books.
It's a simple way to enter the amount of money you spend every day and see how much balance you have. Anyway, the design is cute, and you can read the story in which the character appears every time you turn on the household account book, so you can manage your money while having fun and healing.
Money management is more important than "motivation to start" and "continue". Rather than suddenly using a highly functional app, it is one way to start with such a simple app.
Is it okay to get bored? How to keep a household account book
As mentioned earlier, the meaning of the household account book is to "continue".
First , decide when to keep a household account book once a day . After eating dinner, after getting out of the bath, etc. Do it for 3 days, 1 week, and so on, and it will become a habit.
Try to look back on the month before and after your monthly payday. It is also important to set monthly goals based on self-reflection, such as “Last month, I ate out a lot and my food expenses exceeded my spending, so I will try to cook more at home this month . ”
Looking back on a quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly basis, you can also feel your own growth, such as "Last year I made a lot of unnecessary purchases, but this year I am able to save money."
Also, try to accumulate successful experiences, such as buying what you want thanks to your savings, traveling to places you like, and so on.
In the future, there is a possibility that a large amount of life event expenses such as marriage, home purchase, childbirth, etc. will occur. With that in mind, you don't have to manage as much money when you're single, and now might be the best time to start managing your household budget.
How to make ends meet by checking the money spent, the budget, and the balance every day. Get in the habit of thinking about how much you want to save by when and what you need to do to achieve that. Getting used to managing money will definitely be your strength, whether your family structure changes in the future or not.