Read how Amy makes the most of PocketSmith’s bank feeds to keep up-to-date with her expenses and savings.
Tell us a little about yourself?
I live in Southern California with my husband, my 90-year-old mother, five cats, four tortoises, and two parakeets. I am a second career Registered Nurse. My first career was as a bookkeeper and tax preparer. I finally decided to pursue my lifelong dream of having a career in healthcare when I was about 40 years old and have never looked back.
How would you describe your role in your household?
I am a proud wife to my beloved husband who is good enough to have taken the responsibility for caring for my elderly mother who has dementia. As I am a Registered Nurse manager now, I work outside the home five days per week. If it weren’t for his willingness to care for my mother, I would not be able to pursue nursing.
What drew you to PocketSmith?
When I found PocketSmith, I was looking for a way to track our spending. I was still new in my Registered Nurse career and having transitioned from the unpredictable nature of self-employment income to the predictability of a regular paycheck, I was eager to find a system that would help us manage our income responsibly.
I had tried many other services, but none worked as flawlessly as PocketSmith. The other services either didn’t connect directly with bank and investment accounts or if they did, were very glitchy. PocketSmith has continually made upgrades to their service and when I did have an issue with one of our accounts not connecting properly, I received prompt technical support that resolved the issue.
How long have you been with us?
Since November 2017.
What do you primarily use PocketSmith for?
I primarily use the Calendar to keep a check on our balances and expenditures. The calendar function is super helpful for planning purchases. I can see that we have the cash to afford a purchase and how the expense will impact our future balances.
How has PocketSmith changed the way you do money?
PocketSmith shows us exactly what our balances are in all of our accounts at any given time. Prior to having this tool, we had no way to plan spending and saving. Now, we can see our projected balances in all accounts to make decisions that will strengthen our financial outlook.
What are your favorite features?
I love that PocketSmith connects directly with our bank and investment accounts so we can see our projected balances. The Dashboard is also a helpful high-level overview of account balances and expenses. I love the snapshot of expenses coming due in the next seven days.
Got any tips?
Connect all of your accounts — bank, credit card, investment accounts, etc. Knowledge is power when it comes to your finances. If you are having financial difficulties, face them head-on, arm yourself with the facts, and use this tool to help you make wise choices.
What’s the best money decision you made in the past 12 months?
This decision wasn’t in the past 12 months, but it is the best money decision we have ever made. At one time, due to a combination of poor financial stewardship, medical bills, and school expenses, we had severe financial difficulties and credit card debt approaching $60,000. One day we made the decision to cut all of our credit cards up and never use them again. With the help of a credit counseling program, we were able to completely pay off our debt. So the best money decision we have made in the past 12 months has been continuing to never carry a balance on a credit card. We use one credit card to purchase household items to receive cash back and every purchase is paid before the bill comes due. We pay no interest and get the benefit of cashback. Having zero credit card debt is a liberating feeling and solidifies our financial wellbeing.
