Taryn's Heart Ventures

A blog created by a nurse with a passion for teaching others how to make travel attainable for all

My Favorite Budgeting and Money Saving Apps

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My Favorite Budgeting and Money Saving Apps!!

In today’s post I wanted to share how I manage my money as well as use apps to elevate my purchases in the form of cash back or miles. I like to maximize the value I get out of purchases, so these are some of my favorite apps to do that! The first app I will talk about is my budgeting app that I use! Then I will share my favorite cash back app that you NEED to be using! Lastly, I will share how I use American Airlines shopping portal to earn a little bit of extra miles.

  1. Copilot

I just started using Copilot at the end of 2023 when I heard that Mint was shutting down. I love Copilot to keep track of my finances because the interface is clean, easy to use, and is compatible with all my bank accounts and credit cards. Copilot has an app for both your laptop and phone so it is nice to use it on any of my electronics.

I took some screenshots from the App Store of the interface so you have an idea of what it is like here:

I love that you can see your subscriptions so you know exactly what you’re paying for each month!
I love that you can see your subscriptions so you know exactly what you’re paying for each month!
You can see all your investing in one place!
You can see all your investing accounts in one place!
You can see your assets and debt as well!
You can see your assets and debt as well!

Cost: Copilot has a $95 yearly fee, but you can sign up for a 2 months free trial if you use my code! I find that the fee is well worth paying because the interface is so easy to use and copilot gives you statistics on your spending.

Use my referral code PQ97B3 to get 2 months free https://copilot.money/link/ebMxzhtoYEGLoctg8

  1. Rakuten

I have been telling my friends and family about this app for the past two years! Rakuten is a cash back app (or you can earn AMEX points) where you earn a certain percentage of cash back for shopping at stores online. They have a promotion where if you use my code if you spend more than $30 you receive $30 cash back! I used this to purchase an apple air tag for my mom last Christmas and ended up only paying $1 for the airbag because I used this code and got $30 cash back! All of my friends were skeptical because it seems to good to be true right?? But sure enough, my friend used my code this year and then she texted me saying she got her $30 cash back check in the mail! Normally Rakuten sends checks every 3 months with all of the cash back you earned from the past few months, so it is a little bit of a delayed gratification, but I will take it. In this next check, I have $129 coming in a check for the cash back I earned.

Here is a screenshot of how much I have earned this period and you can see my lifetime earnings as well since Dec 22
Here is a screenshot of how much I have earned this period and you can see my lifetime earnings as well since Dec 22
Here are some shops you can earn cash back at!
Here are some shops you can earn cash back at!

Rakuten has lots of different online stores you can shop from and earn cash back. All you have to do is go into the app, search the store you want to buy from (i.e Urban Outfitters) and it will take you straight to the Urban Outfitters website and from there you shop like you normally would! I have gotten cash back from shopping at Anthropologie for a friend’s wedding gift, Marriott Bonvoy on a hotel I stayed at in palm springs, and Blue Apron, Factor, and Hello Fresh! There are so many different stores and if you are not using the app for your online purchases you are missing out on some nice cash back!

Here is my code for $30 cash back after you make a purchase greater than $30!

www.rakuten.com/r/TARYND222?eeid=44749

  1. Airline Shopping Portals

I just started using airline shopping portals to shop this past year! I haven’t earned too much money from these, but when I have an online purchase I need to make and Rakuten isn’t offering cash back for that site or the cash back is really low, I will check out shopping portals! I have used American Airlines shopping portal because I don’t fly American too much, so it’s nice to earn miles through the portal in case I need to book a flight with miles