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The Best Free Tools for Managing Money and Side Hustles
Managing money and side hustles doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, some of the best tools that help track your budget, grow your savings, and manage multiple streams of income are completely free. These tools can make life easier, help you stay organized, and keep your finances on track while you focus on growing your hustles.
Let’s dive into some of the most powerful free tools you can use right now to upgrade your money game and hustle management.
1. Mint – All-in-One Budget Tracker
Mint is one of the most popular free budgeting apps because it pulls all your financial data into one place. Once connected to your bank accounts, Mint tracks your spending automatically and organizes it into categories like groceries, transportation, or entertainment.
What makes Mint powerful is its ability to set financial goals and track them in real-time. Want to save for a new laptop or pay off debt? Mint will show progress and even send reminders if you’re overspending.
Why it’s great for hustlers: When juggling multiple income streams, it’s easy to lose track of cash flow. Mint makes sure you always know where your money goes.
2. Personal Capital – Best for Tracking Investments
If you’re starting to invest, Personal Capital is an excellent free tool. It tracks your portfolio, monitors asset allocation, and even shows your net worth over time.
The platform also gives retirement planning insights, which is key if you want to use your hustle money not just for short-term gains but also for long-term growth.
Why it’s great for hustlers: You can track how much side hustle income you’re investing and see exactly how it compounds over time.
3. Google Sheets – The DIY Money Manager
Sometimes the simplest tools are the best. Google Sheets is 100% free and allows you to create customizable budgets, income trackers, and expense reports.
There are countless free templates online, or you can build one from scratch that fits your exact hustle needs. It’s also easy to share with accountability partners or business collaborators.
Why it’s great for hustlers: Perfect for tracking freelance gigs, small business expenses, or monthly side hustle profits without paying for fancy software.
4. Wave – Free Accounting for Small Business Owners
If your hustle is growing into a small business, Wave is a lifesaver. It’s a free accounting tool designed for freelancers and entrepreneurs. You can manage income, expenses, and even send professional invoices without paying a dime.
Wave also provides receipt scanning and basic reporting features, making it feel like you have a personal accountant in your pocket.
Why it’s great for hustlers: Ideal if your hustle involves clients and invoices, such as freelancing, consulting, or creative work.
5. YNAB Free Trial (You Need a Budget)
While YNAB is technically a paid app, it offers a generous 34-day free trial that can completely transform how you manage money. The philosophy is simple: “Give every dollar a job.”
YNAB encourages mindful spending by assigning every dollar you earn to a category, such as rent, investments, or hustle expenses. Even if you don’t subscribe long-term, one month of YNAB can completely reset your financial habits.
Why it’s great for hustlers: Perfect for learning disciplined money management when your income is unpredictable or comes from multiple hustles.
6. Trello – Organize Hustles Like a Pro
Money isn’t the only thing that needs managing—your time and projects do too. Trello is a free project management tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to help organize tasks.
You can create a board for each hustle, set deadlines, and track progress visually. It’s especially useful if you’re juggling a blog, freelancing gigs, or online store all at once.
Why it’s great for hustlers: Keeps side projects structured and reduces overwhelm when your to-do list feels endless.
7. Notion – All-in-One Productivity Hub
Notion has quickly become a go-to tool for creators and hustlers because it combines notes, task management, and databases in one place. You can create a finance tracker, budget dashboard, or side hustle planner all within Notion.
The best part? The free version is more than enough for most users, especially solo hustlers.
Why it’s great for hustlers: A customizable workspace that helps you stay on top of money, projects, and ideas in one clean system.
8. PayPal & Wise – Free Tools for Global Payments
If your hustle involves international clients, getting paid quickly and affordably matters. PayPal and Wise (formerly TransferWise) make it easy to receive and send payments globally.
PayPal is widely accepted and offers buyer protection, while Wise is known for its low fees and real exchange rates. Both are free to set up and essential for digital hustlers.
Why it’s great for hustlers: Hassle-free payments that don’t eat away at your profits.
9. Robinhood (or eToro) – Beginner-Friendly Investing Apps
If you’re looking to put your hustle income to work, beginner-friendly investing apps like Robinhood (US) or eToro (global) are great free tools. They offer commission-free trades on stocks, ETFs, and crypto.
These platforms also provide educational resources, making investing less intimidating for beginners.
Why it’s great for hustlers: Lets you grow extra income without high fees, helping you build long-term wealth.
10. Canva – Free Tool for Side Hustle Branding
Whether you’re running a small shop, freelancing, or content creation hustle, branding matters. Canva is a free design tool that helps create logos, social media posts, and marketing materials quickly.
With tons of free templates and drag-and-drop features, Canva makes professional branding accessible to anyone.
Why it’s great for hustlers: Saves money on design costs while giving your hustle a polished, professional look.
Final Thoughts
Managing money and side hustles doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. With free tools like Mint, Wave, and Google Sheets, plus productivity boosters like Trello and Notion, you can stay financially organized and focus on scaling your hustles.
The key is not just using these tools but being consistent. Pick two or three that fit your lifestyle and commit to using them daily. Over time, they’ll make a massive difference in how you manage both money and hustles.
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