To delete or not to delete, that is the question....

j_netprofit

I have a love hate relationship with my finance apps. I'm sure these are rookie numbers compared to most but I have (counting them now...) 14 (!!!) banking/finance apps.

Most I check daily while others a weekly glance like my vyoung daughters isas/sipps. I like to think I'm a "set it and forget it" type of investor, I don't trade stocks/funds so there's really no need for me to sing in to have a look so often...especially with my pension yet I'm obsessed/addicted to doing so.

Am I in company here???

cloud_dog

TBH I try not to have finance apps installed on my phone, and for the longer term stuff (even though I am approaching the end of my current 'longer term'), I don't install the apps for SIPPs or ISAs (unless required).

flaneurs_lobster

I'll check the 3 accounts that have daily transactions happening against them a couple of times a day. 

The other 30-odd (+ the accounts that are web-only) pretty much get left alone until the regular savers need feeding which I do manually (which is an opportunity to check balances agree with my spreadsheet).

I'm reliant on the notifications generated by the apps to let me know of any activity I might need to check out.

It's really not too healthy to be obsessively checking anything on your device, be it finance apps, email, X or TikTok.

Or MSE.

Sea_Shell

FWIW I've deleted all the apps for accounts that don't need much attention or have much activity.

I do most of my banking on a laptop anyway.

Alexland

It's a constant battle to have a modest quantity of providers to reduce admin while also having the best accounts for each purpose, spreading risk across unrelated institutions, taking signup offers for cashback and test driving new providers. The most annoying are where I have already had the cashback and intend to leave but still need to continue with a provider for a bit longer to avoid clawback.

In terms of apps I only have them installed if they are better than the mobile website in some way I value else mobile website shortcuts are preferable for less phone storage, notifications and app updates.

In terms of checking daily performance I don't see the harm provided you understand what to expect and can control the urge to trade unless you think it's overwhelmingly likely to deliver a better result. Checking performance might help you understand an investment better and/or motivate you to keep adding contributions. It's not always a bad thing.

Eyeful

 I too am a "set it and forget it" type of investor, I look once a week at the most, sometimes not even that.

Wonder if you would get withdrawal symptoms like a drug addict if you do delete?

Albermarle

There was a similar thread some time ago and the point was raised ( by @masonic I think) that there was a potential danger of violent extortion, if having apps on your phone where there were substantial funds involved ( say hundreds of thousands of Pounds).
Of course it would be a very very unlikely event, but something similar had vaguely crossed my mind previously about the wisdom of carrying such info around with you everywhere.
Although not the paranoid type I have since deleted my pension and S&S ISA apps, but kept my bank and credit card apps.

Wonder if you would get withdrawal symptoms like a drug addict if you do delete?

I was a bit twitchy at first, but soon got over it !

wiseonesomeofthetime

I currently have 33 finance apps on my phone, having ditched Zopa and Chip in recent months.

The three I access most are at the top of my finance folder, for ease of use. The rest are alphabetical and usually checked once a month, post deposits or interest added.

happybagger

No apps. Don't see the point when they can all be accessed by web browser (on the phone). No I don't have any "app only" providers, I'd rather have simpler options if I lose/break my phone etc.

j_netprofit

Albermarle said:

There was a similar thread some time ago and the point was raised ( by @masonic I think) that there was a potential danger of violent extortion, if having apps on your phone where there were substantial funds involved ( say hundreds of thousands of Pounds).
Of course it would be a very very unlikely event, but something similar had vaguely crossed my mind previously about the wisdom of carrying such info around with you everywhere.
Although not the paranoid type I have since deleted my pension and S&S ISA apps, but kept my bank and credit card apps.

Joining you here, going to ditch the two main culprits.

I'm at a desktop 5/7 days so it's not like I can't log in the traditional way. The apps, for obvious reasons make it so easy to log in, I don't use any kind of social media but I suppose I'm using the finance apps just like a teenager would use tick tock!

Jami74

j_netprofit said:

Am I in company here???

Me. I have 14 apps and 2 accounts I access via browser. I look at least once a day, sometimes more. I love it, no hate whatsoever. I suspect for me it's a personality thing, if I stopped budgeting so obsessively something else would take over to occupy my brain while life happened around me.