Nico Addai

What can I say? I’m a Taurus and I love money. Not in a greedy way, but in a way that makes me understand the use of a dollar. It gives me security…when I have it. But as it stands, I’m a low income college student now just making their way in their career.

Given, in college I can’t make much since I would be working only part time, but during college it’s important to learn the financial skills that will carry you through your adult life. This millennium is wonderful if only because those skills are now accessible to you in the form of a sexy app.

In no particular order, here are the apps you must have by your sophomore year in college:

1. Yo’ Bank’s App: Not only is the Bank’s app fresher than their desktop website and less intimating than their brick and motor sites (If they even have those anymore (AllyBank is one of many new online banks)) most allow for easy transfers and tracking of money. They calculate your balance according to whatever you’ve swiped your bank card for, and take 3 to 5 business days (read A WEEK) to clear any check transfers. Unless you’re using Zelle. But I never use that.
2. Credit Awareness Apps: Credit Karma and Mint allow you to glance at your FICO, TransUnion and Equifax credit scores. (Yes, you have multiple credit scores.)
3. A Finances Tracker or Budgeting App: Mint: You can now be ever aware of your total net worth, including your student loans, credit cards, bank statements and more with this handy little app by Inuit.
4. A Side Hustle App: This could be anything from learning a new skill to making money passively. For example, investing in penny stocks, learning a new language, learning how to code, a news app that curates the most important people in your field’s business or anything that moves you to do more. I’ve been using Acorns and STASH Invest for over a year and have had 10% return on both on them in the past year. It’s not much now, but many drops make up the mighty ocean.