Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read the article, The 8 Best Budget Apps for 2023
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/best-budget-apps
The article reviews eight budgeting applications that are either free (6) or available with a monthly subscription (2).
Instruction:
Based upon your review, summarize the pros and cons of the applications and select the application that you would use as a budgeting tool.
Write a one-to-two-page summary of your findings.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Best Budgeting Application for Effective Financial Management
Budgeting apps have become increasingly popular tools for managing personal finances. With a plethora of options available in the market, it can be challenging to determine which one suits your needs best. In this paper, we will review and compare the pros and cons of eight budgeting applications highlighted in the article “The 8 Best Budget Apps for 2023” by NerdWallet, and ultimately recommend the top pick for effective financial management.
Summary of Pros and Cons
1. Mint
– Pros: Offers a comprehensive overview of finances, tracks spending, and provides credit score monitoring.
– Cons: Advertisements can be overwhelming, and some users report syncing issues with certain financial institutions.
2. YNAB (You Need a Budget)
– Pros: Focuses on zero-based budgeting, excellent for goal setting and tracking expenses.
– Cons: Requires a subscription fee, which might deter some users.
3. PocketGuard
– Pros: Simplifies budgeting with a user-friendly interface, tracks bills and subscriptions.
– Cons: Some users find the free version limiting in features.
4. GoodBudget
– Pros: Ideal for couples or families to manage shared finances, uses the envelope system.
– Cons: Free version has restrictions on the number of envelopes and accounts.
5. Personal Capital
– Pros: Emphasizes investment tracking alongside budgeting, offers retirement planning tools.
– Cons: Might be overwhelming for users solely looking for budgeting features.
6. EveryDollar
– Pros: Developed by financial expert Dave Ramsey, straightforward budgeting tool.
– Cons: Certain features are locked behind a paid subscription.
7. Honeydue
– Pros: Tailored for couples to manage finances jointly, includes bill tracking and reminders.
– Cons: May lack certain advanced budgeting features compared to other apps.
8. Wally
– Pros: Offers expense tracking and insights, supports multiple currencies for international users.
– Cons: Some users find the interface less intuitive compared to other apps.
The Top Pick: Mint
After a thorough review of the pros and cons of each budgeting application, Mint emerges as the top pick for effective financial management. Mint provides a holistic view of an individual’s financial health by tracking spending, categorizing transactions, monitoring credit scores, and setting financial goals. The app’s ability to sync with various financial institutions ensures real-time updates on transactions, making it easier for users to stay on top of their budgets.
Moreover, Mint’s user-friendly interface and customizable budget categories cater to a wide range of users, from beginners to those with more complex financial needs. While advertisements within the app can be seen as a drawback, they are a minor inconvenience compared to the app’s overall functionality.
In conclusion, Mint stands out as a comprehensive budgeting application that combines essential features with ease of use, making it an ideal choice for individuals seeking to take control of their finances effectively.
Incorporating Mint into one’s financial routine can lead to better financial habits, increased savings, and a clearer understanding of where money is being spent. With its array of features and user-friendly interface, Mint is undoubtedly a valuable tool for anyone looking to achieve financial stability and success.
