Joey Viola

Tools

What my split actually runs through.

The two budgeting apps first, because they are what tell you whether the rest of it is working. Then the accounts the money actually moves through: it lands, it sits, it gets sent to friends, it gets taxed once a year. Then, at the bottom, the one thing here that isn’t money. Every one of these is something I use myself. Some of the links pay me a small commission if you sign up; each one says so right next to it. Nothing here is on the list because it pays. And if you’re outside the US: I’m American, so most of these are US-only — I’ve marked which, so you don’t click through and hit a wall.

  • Tracking the five numbers

    Monarch

    Every video I make ends with five numbers and no proof anybody hit them. Monarch is how I check. I really like the UI, and it makes a paycheck easy to understand even for someone who does this all day. Free for 7 days, then code SMARTMONEY takes 50% off the first year.

    Try Monarch free →US only · affiliate link — pays me a commission at no cost to you

  • The other one I’ve tried

    Copilot

    The other budgeting app I use. It is really clean — REALLY clean. The UI is lovely and I genuinely just like the colours, which sounds like a small thing until it’s the app you open every week. The automation is the other half: it categorises your transactions on its own and it is spooky good at it. iPhone only, and there’s a free trial, so you can see the whole thing before you pay for any of it.

    Try Copilot free →US only · affiliate link — pays me a commission at no cost to you

  • Where the paycheck lands

    Chase

    Chase is where I got my first credit card, so in a way it was my first love. But seriously: amazing customer service, online and in a branch, and a website and app that just work. Every split starts here, because this is the account the money hits.

    chase.comUS only · no commission — I just bank here

  • Where the 15% long-term and the cash sit

    Robinhood

    The cleanest UI and the best UX of any money app I’ve used, and the deals are genuinely hard to beat — one of the highest cash rates I’ve seen, and a card that pays cash back on everything. Full disclosure, I used to work on their social team, so take that however you like. I’d still be here if I hadn’t.

    robinhood.comUS only · no commission (yet)

  • Paying people back

    Venmo

    Who doesn’t use Venmo? Easy and quick, every time. The debit card is the underrated part — it turns the balance friends send you into money you can actually spend without moving it anywhere first.

    venmo.comUS only · no commission (yet)

  • Once a year, the 10% you don’t get to keep

    TurboTax

    The best self-service tax software I’ve tried. I use it every year because the flow is clear, it’s reliable, and for a simple return like mine it’s free.

    turbotax.intuit.comUS only · no commission (yet)

  • Not money: the boost to keep grinding

    Life Happns

    The one thing on this page that isn’t money. My favourite is Level Up. Sometimes I need a little boost to keep grinding, but I don’t want to overdo it on coffee, so I take a Level Up instead of another cup. (It does still have some caffeine in it, and it was sold out when I wrote this in October.) It’s great to have options, and there are three more: Pour Decisions for a night out (liver support and hydration), Chillax for stress, and Do Not Disturb for sleep, without melatonin.* Code JOEY takes 15% off your order, and the link below puts it in for you.

    Get 15% off with JOEY →US only · affiliate link: pays me a commission at no cost to you

Links marked affiliate pay me a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. I list what I use, and I say when it pays. Everything here is education, not individualized financial advice: I’m not licensed, I don’t know your situation, and product terms and rates change — check them on the product’s own site before you decide anything.

*What each Life Happns product is for is the brand’s own description. Those statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and the products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.