You already have a pricey cell phone heating up your pocket, but if it's an Android phone or an iPhone, you can use it to help keep an eye on -- and even save -- money. Here are five great apps that do just that -- and they're all free.
Mint.com: This app syncs all your bank accounts to one place, giving you a visual and clear overview of how you are spending your money. The website now has an app for iPhones and 'Droids.
Google Finance: Whether you are a penny stock trader or just want to keep an eye on your mutual funds, Google's finance app syncs to the stocks you need to keep watch over and gives you updated news on the stock market.
Financisto: That old checkbook balance ledger is so 20th-century. Financisto takes the same concept and digitizes it. Punch in the numbers on this Android-only app to keep track of your daily spending -- particularly your cash on hand -- and even back it all up to a Google Docs file.
Amazon Price Check and Google Shopper: During the holiday season, you probably spent some cash on gifts. With the Amazon Price Check (iPhone) and Google Shopper (Android), you would have been able to suss out whether you were paying too much or could have gotten something on sale.
Our Groceries: One of the biggest ways to get stuck with a huge bill when food shopping is to go in without a grocery list. If you sign up using your e-mail to a free account, this Android- and iPhone-friendly app can even sync grocery lists -- including recipes. Saving your most shopped-for and used lists means never forgetting what you need or buying doubles of what you already have.
