Jean Chatzky answers your financial questions about iPad apps

In honor of Financial Literacy Month, Jean Chatzky, author and financial editor for the Today Show, is personally responding to five consumer questions. Today, Jean answers Laurie’s question about iPad apps.

Question: I just got an iPad…what apps do you recommend? -Laurie

Answer: Hi Laurie – there are so many, and more coming out every day it seems but these are my favorites.

Mint (free). This is a budgeting tool that will help you figure out where your money is going to you can make smart changes, save more and spend less.

CheckPlease ($.99). This app will help you figure out how much to tip (appropriately) as well as how to split the check if you’re dining with friends.

GroceryIQ (free). You know you shop better when you do it with a list. This app let’s you create your list and share them (so that you and your spouse don’t come home with identical half gallons of milk).

Kayak (free). I love Kayak on the web and its app is similarly good for pricing travel and then jumping to buy it to the website that has the best prices. Plus, unlike some aggregators, it gives you the true full airfare picture.

1Password ($9.99). Okay, it’s a little pricey. But if you’ve ever misplaced a password, it’s also worth it. And having recently finished a piece of research that shows how poorly most of us manage our passwords (we use the same one over and over and over, for instance), it’s an important piece of id theft protection.

-Jean Chatzky