As 2025 unfolds, the challenge of managing post-Christmas budgets and saving for the year’s financial targets is becoming increasingly evident.
It’s tough to set money aside without a clear plan, but thankfully, there are apps designed to assist with just that.
Some apps are great for minimising expenditure, while others offer cashback as you spend.
Whether you’re saving for a holiday, new clothes, a house, a car, or simply for a rainy day, these apps could be crucial in achieving your 2025 savings goals.
Plum
One of the top tricks Plum offers is its smart feature that automatically stashes away funds – no need for manual bank transfers or clicks. This app cultivates a saving habit effortlessly.
A standout feature of Plum is its “round ups,” which rounds up each transaction to the nearest pound and puts the difference into your savings.
For instance, a £1.70 snack run would be treated as a £2 spend, with the extra 30p going straight to your savings.
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Airtime rewards gives you cash back to help save money on your phone bill. (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Additionally, Plum introduces the ‘1p’ challenge, a penny scheme where you save an additional 1p every day, adhering to their motto “tiny extra’s huge difference.”
The app also provides weekly deposit options to bolster your savings, employing AI to determine how much you can afford to save each week based on your income and outgoings.
Airtime
Sometimes, your mobile bill can feel like an unnecessary expense, and that’s where Airtime steps in.
With a slogan of “Shop the brands you love, earning credit that seamlessly pays your mobile phone bill, keeping you connected,” the app helps keep you online by giving you cash back.
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When you link your card to Airtime and shop across over 200 brands, including Asos, Tesco, Aldi, and Boots, you save money with each purchase.
Their website states: “We’re redefining rewards with a currency designed for the mobile generation.
Elevating rewards beyond transactional cashback and pointless points, our connectivity credit enriches every interaction with deeper connections and superior value.”
When you shop with these brands, the app rewards you with between 2-20% cash back, and when it totals to at least £10, you can cash this in and deduct it from your next month’s phone bill.
Splitwise
Splitwise is ideal for those living in shared houses, going on group trips, or who simply enjoy socialising, ensuring that your friends pay you back without the awkward reminders.
This money-saving app helps you to “keep track of shared expenses, balances, and who owes who,” so repaying friends has never been easier.
Through its organisational features, Splitwise evenly divides expenses with any group, whether it’s friends, family, housemates, or colleagues, making splitting the bill simpler.
With this app on your mobile, you can avoid the awkwardness of asking friends to pay you back for that taxi ride, drink, or even their share of the rent, to ensure you always get reimbursed.
Too Good To Go
Too Good To Go is another app that not only helps you save money on food but also prevents wastage. Why not cultivate two good habits simultaneously?
Aldi is one of the brands featured on Too Good To Go, allowing you to pick up food that would otherwise go to waste. (Image: ALDI)
Too Good To Go is the world’s largest marketplace for surplus food.
It “helps users rescue good food from going to waste, offering great value for money at local stores, cafes, and restaurants.”
By downloading the app, you can pick up food that would otherwise be wasted in your local area at half price or less.
With brands like Starbucks, Greggs, Burger King, Krispy Kreme, and more available on the app, you can indulge without hurting your wallet or the environment.