Every day, Americans open up their wallets and make a decision about which card they'll use to pay for a purchase. Decades ago, cash used to be king, but now, according to Statistic Brain, over 70 percent of Americans have at least one credit card--in fact, the average American has 3.5 credit cards in her wallet.
With so many cards and accounts to juggle, it can be difficult to manage them all. However, now there's help right at your fingertips, with a number of tablet and smartphone apps that can help you manage your credit cards. Here's a look at what some of these tools can do for you.
Credit Card Calculator by Conatus - Free
Android users can use this app to manage their credit cards and plan debt repayment. The app calculates your total repayment, how much interest you pay and how long it will take you to pay off your cards. It does so in four different ways: paying the minimum; paying a set amount every month; paying above the minimum; and figuring out an end date and having a set monthly payment until you reach that goal. The app also shows a graphical representation of how you're paying off your cards.
Debt Free ~ Pay Off your Debt With Debt Snowball Method by Mobile Innovations LLC - Free or $1.99
This iPhone app gives you a visual representation of your outstanding credit card debt, and then it helps you calculate how to pay it off using the snowball method, where you focus on paying off one card at a time, while maintaining minimum payments on other cards. The free version only allows you to manage debt for two accounts, while the pay version lets you have unlimited accounts.
My Credit Cards - Manage All Your Credit Cards Expenses by Mobee - $1.99
This iOS app lets you track all of your credit card expenses. Register your credit cards, statement date and due date. You can even set a monthly budget to help keep your spending on track. The app also integrates with Foursquare so that you can set the location of where you used your card.
Pageonce Money & Bills by Pageonce - Free
This iOS and Android app isn't just a credit card management tool; it's a complete money manager. You can track all of your bills and even pay them from your phone through your bank account for free or with a credit card, although there's a transaction fee for using your plastic. The app also tracks how much cash you have on hand, your investments and your credit card debt. It will send you alerts about bills that are due, any overage charges and unusual transactions.
Lemon Wallet by Lemon, Inc. - Free
Digitize what's in your wallet with this Android, iPhone and Windows Phone app. Use your phone to take a picture of all your cards, be they credit, payment, ID, insurance or loyalty program cards. The app saves the card information in the cloud so that if you forget your wallet, you can still pay for purchases with your phone. You can connect to your account information to have balances and transaction information handy. The app can also store images of receipts and it will give you rewards based on your spending habits. The system secures your personal data and requires a PIN for access, and if you lose your phone, you can disable the account remotely.
Of course, most banks and credit card companies also have their own apps. American Express and Discover have mobile apps for iOS and Android that allow you to pay your bill, check your balance and review your charges. Many credit card issuers also have mobile apps for use with their cards.
