Savvy FinTech For Dads: Oval Money

Savvy FinTech for Dads: How to use Oval Money to save, budget and highlight the missus’ shoe-related overspends.

Oval Money is here! So, hold the press and shout it from the roof tops, because UK high street banks are prime for extinction. Digital banks, such as Atom are blowing their high street competition out of the water with great rates on savings and mortgages. Also, while the high street banks are squabbling over the remaining customers with “switching deals”, Digital banks and FinTech apps like Oval Money are getting together to offer everything and more that a customer needs. Those finer touches and thoughts that high street banks just don’t bother with.

What your getting with Oval Money

Okay, so you’ve tried to be savvy and switched on a great “We’ll pay you to move to us” type deal. That’s great initially, and if you are happy to rinse and repeat with banks you can get great returns as you jump ship repeatedly. But for most they’ll switch and the introduction rates will soon expire. This is where giving your accounts some frugal budgeting bling comes in using the Oval Money App.

What you’re getting with the app is an extremely intuitive UI  which allows the user to link up their bank accounts and cards to allow a number of excellent tweaks to be applied to your saving and spending habits.

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Why Oval Money will revolutionise your monthly financial outlook

Once intstalled, you’ll need to link up your accounts. This is as simple as logging in once and providing a few details. It’s secure and user friendly to do. Then the magic happens in the Oval Money app.

You’ll be able to boost your budgeting skills via the following perks:

1. Oval Money offers a feature to round up spends, meaning if you’re tempted by that £2.75 latte, Oval will up it to £3.00. Don’t worry the 25p extra gets squirrelled away to the best value saving option you have linked to the app. This is great because it helps to make you justify the initial purchase in the first place, but then also build a “savings pot”.
2. You can link activities to saving, run 5k with the linked spot app and Oval can, if you wish, send a set amount to you savings. Or alternatively use it like a “swear jar” and save 10p for every time you give in to temptation.
3. The smartest part it the way it uses data analytics to pull apart your income and expenses visually. This means you’ll truly see how much you’re spending each month on your home, shoes, travel etc. as it’s all catagorised for you without the need to keep a spreadsheet or notepad on the go yourself.

Oval Money is like the app version of your financial conscience

The Oval Money app and the associated FinTech is in a relatively early stage with a waiting list. The app itself worked fine for me when a beta tester let me tinker with the app. However, depending on your platform and device some have reported early issues. Let us know in the comments if you try it out how it works for you.

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The truly great thing is high street banks very rarely try to educated or improve our spending, especially credit branches with their “You’ve been pre-approved for this card” style of approach. But Oval Money are offering something with true potential here. Plus the way the data is analysed means that the app will even advise you if you’re paying more than others in your area for an array of services. Top job Oval, I love it and hope the service goes from strength to strength.

Have you found some great FinTech that helps to spend and save? Maybe you work for a startup trying to launch? Get in though with me, I’m keep to check it out.

Olly