Tag: accounts

Appeals Centre Europe Starts Reviewing Social Media Account Suspensions

From today, if your account is suspended by Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube – and you are in the EU – you can challenge the decision to Appeals Centre Europe. 

Every day, people find that their social media account has been suspended. So often these  decisions are automated, and users are not told what they have done wrong.  

Being banned from social media affects people’s lives: from losing touch with friends, to  losing precious memories and – in some cases – cutting off a crucial source of income.  

Recently, however, the EU’s Digital Services Act has given people a new right to refer  account suspensions to certified, independent bodies like the Appeals Centre.  

A New Way to Challenge Unfair Account Suspensions 

If you are in the EU and Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube has suspended your  account, you can challenge the decision to the Appeals Centre free-of-charge. If we do not  think you broke the rules, your account may be restored. 

  1. Click on this link and create an account on the Appeals Centre website.  2. Start a new dispute in our online portal.  
  2. Select “The platform suspended an account that I want restored” 4. Provide basic information, like your username and when your account was suspended.  5. Submit your dispute.  
  3. We request the last piece of content you posted which supposedly broke the rules.  7. Our expert team make a decision and send it to you and the platform. 8. While our decisions are non-binding, platforms are required – under EU law – to  engage in good faith with the Appeals Centre. 

In addition to account suspensions, you can also challenge a social media platform’s  decision to remove your content, or their decision to leave harmful content online that you  think should be taken down.  

What’s Next?  

So far this year, we’ve issued our first decisions, appointed new Directors from across the  EU, co-founded a new network of dispute settlement bodies and expanded our scope to  cover Instagram. This summer, we will publish our first transparency report – with new insights into the cases we have received and the decisions we have made. We will also  expand to other social media platforms later this year.  

The CEO of Appeals Centre Europe, Thomas Hughes said: 

“Losing your social media account is more than an inconvenience, it affects people’s lives in  fundamental ways. Yet – for too long – those with suspended accounts have been stuck  between a rock and a hard place. Before now you could either appeal the decision to the  platform – which often sticks with its original decision – or go to court at great expense.  

Today, however, there’s a new option which is independent of platforms and free-of-charge:  Appeals Centre Europe. So, if your account has been unfairly suspended, do something  about it. Submit a dispute to the Appeals Centre and make your voice heard.”  

Track Every Dollar: The Secret to Smarter Spending and Saving

Budgeting in 2025 doesn’t have to stress you out, and Albert, a top budgeting planning app, makes it super simple. This US-based app offers tools like expense tracking and automatic expense categorization to manage your finances efficiently. Whether you’re a college student or self-employed, Albert helps track spending, pay bills, create financial dashboards, and build an emergency fund. 

This guide’ll show how Albert’s user-friendly features create breathing room in your budget and track your spending. Ready to take control of your money? Let’s dig deep into why Albert is essential for smarter budgeting this year!

Why Albert’s Tools Are Essential for Smart Budgeting in 2025

Albert’s budgeting app is a game-changer for managing money. It offers a free version that syncs bank accounts for real-time expense tracking. Its zero-based budget assigns every dollar of your income to monthly expenses, savings goals, or debt repayment. Automatic expense categorization sorts spending into different categories, like utility bills or streaming services, helping you set spending limits. 

Features like due date alerts ensure you pay bills on time, supporting goals like saving for a down payment or reducing credit card debt. With Albert, you gain insights into your cash flow, making budgeting in 2025 easy and stress-free. (150 words)

Albert’s User-Friendly Design for Beginners

Albert’s budgeting planning app shines for beginners, like college students, with its user-friendly interface on Google Play. A 2024 Bankrate survey found 64% of Americans want simpler budgeting apps. Albert syncs checking accounts and credit cards, offering a clear view of your finances. Its free version includes robust budgeting features, like tracking expenses and categorizing spending, helping you save money without needing a paid version like other apps, such as Credit Karma.

Zero-Based Budgeting for Every Dollar

Zero-based budgeting ensures every dollar of your income has a job, from fixed expenses to savings. Albert’s budgeting features make this easy by syncing banking data to track day-to-day spending. A 2023 Forbes study shows zero-based budgeting cuts discretionary spending by 17%, freeing up cash for an emergency fund or a 401(k).

Creating Custom Budgets

Albert’s custom budgets let you assign money to specific goals, like child care or a savings account, ensuring your monthly budget aligns with your financial priorities and creates breathing room.

  1. Real-Time Expense Tracking Saves Money

Albert’s real-time expense tracking monitors every transaction, from credit card purchases to utility bills. Automatic expense categorization sorts costs into different categories, helping you track spending analysis and avoid overspending. Thus, managing money is simple and effective.

  1. Cash Flow Management Made Easy

Innovative cash flow management means knowing your money coming in and out. Albert’s app tracks income and expenses, ensuring you cover your monthly costs and save. For example, setting aside $15 weekly builds a $780 emergency fund annually.

  1. Syncing Accounts for Clarity

Albert’s app connects bank accounts and tools like Credit Karma to show your net worth and overall finances. Reviewing transactions and credit reports helps you make smart choices, like allocating funds for debt payments or retirement savings, all from your mobile device.

Staying on Top of Due Dates

Albert’s due date alerts help you pay bills on time, avoiding late fees. Syncing accounts ensures you track expenses like streaming services, keeping your budget plan on track across multiple devices.

  1. Debt Repayment and Budgeting Together

Reducing credit card debt while budgeting is tricky, but Albert’s expense trackers make it doable. A 2024 NerdWallet study found that 67% of budgeters with clear plans pay off debt faster. Albert tracks debt payments alongside other expenses, balancing debt repayment and savings goals.

  1. Building Savings Goals with Albert

Albert’s savings goals help you save for a down payment or emergency fund. Regular contributions, like $10 weekly to a savings account, grow with interest rates, ensuring you’re ready for unexpected costs or big purchases like a home.

Why Albert Stands Out Among Budgeting Apps

Albert’s free version offers more hands-on tools than other apps like YNAB or Credit Karma. Its envelope system with unlimited categories and security features makes it the best app for budgeting in 2025, easily accessible on Google Play.

Key Benefits of Budgeting with Albert

  • Free and Powerful: Albert’s free version includes top budgeting features.
  • Real-Time Tracking: Monitor spending instantly with automatic expense categorization.
  • Goal-Focused: Supports savings goals and debt repayment.
  • Secure Syncing: Connects accounts with strong security features.

Budgeting Apps Comparison: Albert vs. Others

App Best For Cost Key Feature Example Budget ($1000 Income)
Albert (Free Version) Beginners, Self-Employed Free Real-Time Expense Tracking $340 expenses, $60 savings
YNAB Detailed Budgeters $14.99/month Envelope System $350 expenses, $50 savings
Credit Karma Credit Monitoring, Basic Budget Free Credit Report Integration $330 expenses, $40 savings
Monarch Money Advanced Users $9.99/month Net Worth Tracking $345 expenses, $55 savings

This table shows Albert’s free app offers unmatched features for 2025 budgeting, balancing cost and functionality.

Final Words

Albert’s budgeting planning app is essential for 2025. It offers real-time expense tracking, zero-based budgeting, and secure syncing. Start using Albert’s free tools to manage money, reduce debt, and easily achieve financial goals!

Revolut launches Flexible Accounts

Revolut, the global fintech with over 35 million customers worldwide, is launching a new alternative to the traditional savings product in Ireland: Flexible Accounts is a smart way for customers to get the most out of their money in times of increasing cost of living. The new Revolut product offers existing and new customers full flexibility, with variable rates of return from 3.50% to 3.95%1 on EUR, the ability to top up and withdraw funds anytime (subject to T&Cs) with smart features including spare change round-ups and recurring transfers, to help them reach their money goals even faster.

When adding money to a Flexible Account, customers are investing in Money Market Funds — offering rates in line with money market rates meaning that, when central bank interest rates are high, Money Market Funds typically offer higher return rates than traditional savings accounts. Customer investments are insured by the Liabilities to Investors Insurance Scheme up to €22,000 (investment risks are excluded from the coverage)2.

Customers will be able to move the money they want to invest into a ‘Flexible Account’ and earn returns overnight. Customers can invest money into their Flexible Accounts selecting between three currencies – EUR, GBP and USD – and hold multiple Flexible Accounts at the same time. The rates of return vary depending on the currency and the subscription plan of the customer. For example, Ultra customers will get up to 3.95% APY for EUR investments, 5.25% APY for GBP and 5.45% APY for USD1. Annual returns are paid daily and customers have the ability to top up and withdraw funds at any time (T&Cs apply).

Albert Codorniu, Head of Savings: “Stretching your savings and making your money go further has never been more important. We’re delighted to offer a product that will help people get the most out of their money. Our Irish customers now have a flexible way to invest their savings in EUR, USD, and GBP, with the convenience of accessing their money whenever needed.

To open a Flexible Account, customers will need to:

Tap on “Savings” in the Revolut app

Tap on “Get started”

Select and confirm currency of the Flexible Account

Accept T&C and sign up for Flexible Accounts by onboarding to Revolut Securities Europe UAB

Decide how much money you want to invest

One WhatsApp account, now across multiple phones

Mark Zuckerberg just announced that you can now use the same WhatsApp account on multiple phones. Finally says WhatsApp users including myself so check out the details below for more.

Last year, they introduced the ability for users globally to message seamlessly across all their devices, while maintaining the same level of privacy and security.

Today, they are now improving multi-device offering further by introducing the ability to use the same WhatsApp account on multiple phones.

A feature highly requested by users, now you can link your phone as one of up to four additional devices, the same as when you link with WhatsApp on web browsers, tablets and desktops. Each linked phone connects to WhatsApp independently, ensuring that your personal messages, media, and calls are end-to-end encrypted, and if your primary device is inactive for a long period, we automatically log you out of all companion devices.

Linking phones as companion devices makes messaging easier. Now you can switch between phones without signing out and pick up your chats where you left off. Or if you’re a small business owner, additional employees are now able to respond to customers directly from their phones under the same WhatsApp Business account.

This update has started rolling out to users globally and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.

Also rolling out over the coming weeks, we’re introducing an alternative and more accessible way to link to companion devices. Now you can enter your phone number on WhatsApp Web to receive a one-time code, which you can use on your phone to enable device linking, rather than having to scan a QR code. We look forward to introducing this feature to more companion devices in the future.

Europe’s largest broker Trade Republic, launches savings accounts with 8 times higher interest rate

Trade Republic, Europe’s largest savings platform, is now giving its  customers 2 percent p.a. interest on their cash balance. This enables them to easily benefit from the  increased ECB rates. Trade Republic offers a market leading effective interest rate for both new and  existing customers. This offer is not time limited and holds until further notice. The interest is  calculated in real time and paid out monthly, thus enabling customers to accrue compound interest.  With the introduction of the interest, Trade Republic now doubles down on its mission to set up its  customers for long-term wealth creation and saving up for retirement.

“With 2 percent effective annual interest per year, we are passing on the benefits of the new interest rate  environment directly to our customers. Every investor can now benefit directly and easily from interest”,  says Christian Hecker, Co-Founder of Trade Republic. “Exactly four years ago, we were among the first  providers in Europe to introduce commission-free investing. Now, we are taking another step on our  mission to make wealth accumulation possible for everyone. Today, Trade Republic is the most attractive  place to save and invest your money.” 

With the European Central Bank rising rates, reversing a multi-year trend of negative rates, interest based savings have once again become attractive. Trade Republic is the first broker to seize on the  opportunity to pay interest on all customers’ uninvested cash assets. With an effective annual interest of  2 percent p.a. for all existing and new customers, Europe’s largest savings platform clearly sets itself  apart from the competition. The duration of the offer is not limited and the interest rates will be valid until  further notice. The interest income is calculated in the app in real time and credited monthly. The offer  applies to cash balances of up to EUR 50,000. The customer funds are protected up to EUR 100,000 by  the deposit guarantee schemes (DGS). 

A Trade Republic account can be opened in only five minutes in the app or via desktop. Customers can  invest in Europe’s largest ETF savings plan offering free of charge. In addition, Trade Republic also offers  fractional trading for almost all stocks. This allows customers to invest any budget, including highly priced individual stocks such as Booking.com or Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.

Trade Republic  is active in 17 European countries and is supervised by BaFin and Bundesbank.

ABOUT TRADE REPUBLIC 

Trade Republic is on a mission to set millions of Europeans up for wealth creation with secure, easy and  commission-free access to capital markets. With over one million customers, Trade Republic is already  the home screen app for many Europeans to manage their wealth. It offers investing in savings plans,  fractional investing and ETFs as well as derivatives or crypto. Trade Republic is a technology company  supervised by Bundesbank and BaFin. As Europe’s largest savings platform, Trade Republic has received  investments by Accel, Peter Thiel‘s Founders Fund, Ontario Teachers‘, Sequoia and TCV. The company  based in Berlin was founded in 2015 by Christian Hecker, Thomas Pischke, and Marco Cancellieri.