Saving Money with Moncton’s Quber
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Quber, but all opinions and commentary are completely my own.
I remember the day my relationship with money changed for the worse. It was the day I first paid for a store purchase with my bank card. (A purple corduroy shirt from Bluenotes circa 1996, for those wondering.)
Suddenly, all the ways I had learned to keep track of my money began to slip away. My impulse purchases were no longer limited by the cash I had on hand; this magical card was connected to all my savings and the little voices telling me “go for it, you deserve it, you have the money” gained power.
I didn’t tumble into complete financial distress immediately. In fact, I’d like to believe I’ve never been in real trouble when it comes to money. But I will own up to the fact that, ever since that first electronic transaction, I’ve never felt fully in control of my own spending. My teenage method of stashing babysitting money in an old ice cream bucket and depositing my lifeguarding paycheque directly to my bank account was much more accountable and responsible than my haphazard financial planning in this digital age.
So when I saw early promotions about Quber, I was intrigued. This locally-made app takes that old ‘stash your savings in a jar’ method and brings it into the 21st century. A way to regain control of my saving habits AND support a New Brunswick tech start up? Sign me up!
That’s just what I did: signed up for the beta testing version. I’ve been using it since Christmas and I’m hooked! I can’t wait for everyone to join me, now that the app’s official launch is set for March.
Quber connects to your bank account – and that alone had me doing a happy dance! If you’ve ever spent time mulling over your bank statement, trying to add up just how much you spent at each grocery store, gas station, and take-out food for the month, STOP! Quber does this for you now! Ever wondered how close you were cutting it with the cash flow? As soon as you open the app, there it is: money in, money out this month. Being able to see this at any moment on my phone is pure gold for helping me stay on track and feeling up-to-date on what’s happening, as the transactions are calculated in real time.
The REAL gold comes when you set up your savings jars and accept Quber’s challenges for fun ways to fill them. Remember when you paid for things with cash – and at the end of the day, you had a pocket full of change and small bills that you could drop into a piggy bank? Quber lets you do that digitally!
First, decide what you really want to save for. These are your jars, your virtual piggy banks. A family vacation, the kids’ dance and hockey fees, a home reno project – big or small, it’s your choice. You name it, you set a goal for how much you want to save, and by when. Then Quber helps you decide HOW to make that happen.
You can choose to round your coffee purchases up to the nearest dollar and put the change in one jar. Round up iTunes purchases and put that in another jar. Challenge yourself to spend $20 less each month at a certain store and put that money into a jar. There are even plans to have it so that you can reward yourself each time you hit the gym or go for a run.
I’ve tried using an automatic rule that transfers money from my chequing to savings account before, but it was always too easy to turn it off. With Quber’s challenges, I feel like I’m easing myself back into that saving habit by showing myself how quickly the ‘little things’ can add up. With Quber you can also set rules for automatic deposits to your jars, based on a certain date or deposit; the notification you get when the money is moved is great motivation!
Another lovely option: donate to charity via Quber! Know how you get asked by the grocery cashier each visit if you’d like to donate – and you don’t always want to say yes, but feel guilty saying no? Now you can use Quber to make a donation of your choice to the charity of your choice each time you shop at a certain store!
All this, and you’re supporting a New Brunswick-based company. What’s not to love? I’m honestly so excited to be using Quber to help our family make a dream vacation come true – what will you be saving for? Tell us below so we can all cheer each other on!
Follow Quber on Facebook, download the app, and start saving with me!
As mentioned, this post was sponsored by Quber. Pickle Planet only partners with companies that we believe offer value to our readers and to our family, and we only share honest opinions and create our own message to reflect that. We especially love when those partners are local! If you’re interested in working together to share your story, please contact us.
Cool! Yay Moncton start-ups!!
Thanks Bev ? we are excited to build a company here in NB!
So exciting to have so many ways to support local folks!
Woah, that sounds fantastic!! Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Carmen, Thank you – At Quber, we are excited with what we are doing and look forward to seeing you on Quber.
It’s a great tool for saving – and no jars to take up physical space! 🙂
Interesting, I’ve not used any apps to track spending or help budget but I think it’s definitely time!
Colleen,
Yes , Quber is more than a budgeting app. We look forward to on boarding you on Quber soon.
Regards,
Victor
The challenges are so fun – great even for folks who DO have a handle on where money is being spent!
Sounds very interesting! 🙂
Thanks Caroline! We hope you’ll give it a try and let us know what you think.
It has the potential to be a bit addictive, trying to meet the challenges you set! It’s so fun!