How to Set an App Store Budget and Stick to It

App Store spending has a way of sneaking up on you. A subscription here, an in-app purchase there, and suddenly you're spending far more than you intended each month. Setting a budget — and actually sticking to it — can save you hundreds of pounds a year.

Step 1: Find Out What You Currently Spend

Before setting a budget, you need to know your starting point. Check your Apple purchase history or bank statements for the past three months and add up all App Store charges. Many people are genuinely shocked by the total.

Step 2: Categorise Your Spending

Break your app spending into categories:

• Essential subscriptions — Cloud storage, productivity tools you use daily
• Entertainment — Streaming services, games, music
• Impulse purchases — Apps you bought and barely used
• In-app purchases — Game currency, premium features, tips

Step 3: Set a Realistic Monthly Limit

Don't try to cut everything at once. A realistic app budget typically looks like:

• Light user: Under 10 pounds per month
• Moderate user: 10-25 pounds per month
• Power user: 25-50 pounds per month

Whatever your number is, the goal is to be intentional rather than spending on autopilot.

Step 4: Use Apple's Built-in Controls

Apple provides several tools to help manage spending:

• Remove saved payment methods — Add friction to impulse purchases by requiring manual payment entry
• Turn off in-app purchases — Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases
• Enable Ask to Buy — For family accounts, require approval before purchases

Step 5: Audit Subscriptions Monthly

Set a recurring calendar reminder to review your subscriptions on the first of each month. For each one, ask yourself:

1. Did I use this in the past 30 days?
2. Would I sign up for it again today at this price?
3. Is there a free alternative that would do the job?

If the answer to all three is no, cancel it.

Step 6: The 24-Hour Rule

Before buying any app or making an in-app purchase, wait 24 hours. If you still want it tomorrow, go ahead. You'll find that most impulse purchases lose their appeal overnight.

Step 7: Use Apple Gift Cards for Fixed Budgets

One clever strategy: buy yourself a fixed-amount Apple Gift Card each month and use only that balance for App Store purchases. When it runs out, you're done for the month. This creates a hard spending cap that's impossible to accidentally exceed.