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The Mint app is shutting down on March 23, so users have to find alternative options soon.
Mint users can download their transaction history and transfer it to another budgeting tool.
You can also reflect on which features you liked most and test out new budgeting apps.

Mint users will have to say goodbye to the popular budgeting app on March 23. You'll have to option to move to Credit Karma, another one of Intuit's personal finance platforms, or you can try out a new budgeting tool.

If you decide to transition to Credit Karma, keep in mind you won't have access to the same budgeting features as Mint. Credit Karma does let you view your transaction and spending history, though.

To stay on top of your finances, we asked financial experts how to best prepare for Mint's shutdown. Here are three things to do before the app goes away to make your transition to a new app as smooth as possible.

1. Download your transaction history

The first thing Mint users should do to prepare for the Mint closure is download their data, says Marguerita Cheng, CFP® professional, RICP, and chief executive officer at Blue Ocean Global Wealth.

Mint lets you download your transaction history into a CSV file. You can sign in online and click on the "Transaction" tab. If you scroll past your most recent transactions, you'll find a link at the bottom of the page where you can export all your transactions as a spreadsheet. 

If you want to try out an alternative budgeting app to Mint, many options allow you to import your CSV file and incorporate your previous history into the new app. Typically, you'll need to import data through the website application instead of the mobile app, though.

2. Reflect on Mint's features to set priorities for new budgeting tools

To find new budgeting tools, think about which Mint features helped you manage your money best. 

Perhaps you first started using Mint to limit your spending in a specific category and found that creating a budget using a zero-sum strategy made it easier to understand your finances. You can look for budgeting tools that let you categorize expenses on a monthly basis to maintain your budgeting. 

Quick tip: There are many different types of budgeting strategies. If you're looking for additional methods, you can also learn about the pay yourself first strategy, the 50/30/20 rule, or the 70/20/10 rule. 

"When it comes to budgeting apps, I think the name of the game is know thyself," says Sefa Mawuli, CFP® professional and financial planner at Pavlov Financial Planning. "The whole point is to help you monitor your behavior so that you can know when to stop overspending and to notice where your money is going." 

Mawuli points out that there likely isn't a particular budgeting app built exactly how you need it for your life, but you can find ways to create a system that works for you.

For example, you might realize you like budgeting features from two different apps and use both of them. 

Another option is finding other budgeting tools to help you manage your money. For example, Cheng recommends checking your financial institution to see if they have any built-in budgeting tools. 

Some of the best banks have mobile or online banking features that let you create individual savings goals or categorize your spending through a bucketing system. 

3. Test out new budgeting apps by opting for free versions or free trials first

Both Cheng and Mawuli suggest testing alternative budgeting apps through the free versions before committing to an annual subscription. That way, you can see if the budgeting app is a good match.

Many budgeting apps offer free plans or free trials, so you can try the app out first. Keep in mind that free budgeting apps often have limited features. For example, some apps won't let you link your accounts, so you'll have to track data manually. Other apps may have tiered subscription systems, and the free versions will have limited features. You'll want to test a budgeting tool for at least a month to see if it might be a good fit. 

Build a BudgetThe best budgeting apps can help you get your finances in order and track your monthly spending. Top offers include Rocket Money and Quicken Simplifi.