The diary of a media addict.

Recently, I moved into a new apartment and started my senior year at Emerson College. Needless to say, between class, my internship, and a social life, I don’t have a lot of time for work. As a result, I’m kind of broke. I came to this sudden realization during a recent grocery shopping trip in which I almost couldn’t pay for my food that week. So, I decided it was time to take action and get my finances in order. A long time ago I heard of Mint.com but I never really had a use for it, until now.

I signed up for Mint almost a week ago, and if I wasn’t in love, then I wouldn’t be writing about it. Here are some reasons why I think Mint is such a great personal finance tool.

• It’s simple, stupid.
  You would have to be a monkey not to figure out how to use Mint. They make it simple to set up your bank accounts, they ask you if you have any credit cards, real estate and regular bills that you have to pay. Based on your accounts they set up Alerts, bill reminders, and even advice.
• It’s like talking to your momma
  Not exactly, but you get the idea. Like I mentioned, Mint generates personal finance advice based on your account activity. For me, they recommended I started saving money in case of an emergency. They gave me an amount that I should try to save towards, along with the amount I should save each month to make my goal and when I should get there. They also have advice on how to save for retirement, pay off loans, pay off credit cards, take a trip or even improve your home.
• Great for students about to graduate college.
  Like I mentioned, Mint can help you plan to pay off your loans, especially when you graduate college. Most students pay the bare minimum each month when it comes to paying off their loans. Mint gives you a real-life view of how much you should pay each month so that you aren’t in debt until your death.
• It’s even mobile!
  Okay, who doesn’t have a mobile app now-or-days? But at the same time, the Mint app is a really nice looking app. It’s a much more simplified version of the web application (for example, your Goals don’t show up on the app) but it’s just what you need when you’re on-the-go.

Granted, using Mint is only as successful as you make it. If you’re terrible managing your money, Mint may help, but it comes down to you as a person. It’s up to you to put down your debit/credit card and budget your money wisely.

Happy spending!