A finance mobile app that helps you take control of your finances with confidenceand break free from the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.
Have you experienced a hard time finding leftover money these days? Unexpected monthly expenses arise and you feel like living paycheck to paycheck?
Situations like these occur because people don’t have a budget that make them aware where their money goes.
To find the most common problems why people can't save money, and come up with a design solution for these problems.
When gathering insights it's important to put aside your own opinions and accept what you hear and see. Here, are my sources:
Talk to experts in the field and note down their strong advice.
Talk to experts in the field and note down their strong advice.
Talk to experts in the field and note down their strong advice.
Talk to experts in the field and note down their strong advice.
Engage with Potentialusers by providing contextual interviews
After interviewing some potential users, I wrote down some of the most common problems people are facing when saving money and living paycheck to paycheck.
In this context, the interviews can take two paths. One explores the challenges people face in saving money, while the other delves into how individuals successfully set money aside.
I'm sometimes in control, but unexpected expenses arise frequently. Not every expense is on my radar. I value enjoying life—after all, what's the purpose of work if not to relish its rewards?
I'm sometimes in control, but unexpected expenses arise frequently. Not every expense is on my radar. I value enjoying life—after all, what's the purpose of work if not to relish its rewards?
I'm sometimes in control, but unexpected expenses arise frequently. Not every expense is on my radar. I value enjoying life—after all, what's the purpose of work if not to relish its rewards?
I'm sometimes in control, but unexpected expenses arise frequently. Not every expense is on my radar. I value enjoying life—after all, what's the purpose of work if not to relish its rewards?
One of the biggest challenges I face is resisting the temptation to make impulsive purchases, especially when there are sales or when I’m feeling stressed. Staying disciplined in those moments requires a lot of willpower, and sometimes it’s tough to keep the bigger picture in mind.
I set aside money for savings on a monthly basis, right after I receive my paycheck. By making this the first financial action I take each month, I ensure that saving isn’t an afterthought but a priority.
I use a combination of a budgeting app and a simple spreadsheet to track my savings progress. The app helps me monitor my day-to-day expenses and savings, while the spreadsheet gives me a broader view of my financial goals and how close I am to achieving them.
Yes, I have a specific target amount that I aim to save each month. Typically, I try to save about 20% of my income. This amount allows me to steadily build my savings while still covering my essential expenses and enjoying some discretionary spending
Yes, I’ve had to dip into my savings unexpectedly, particularly for medical expenses. While it was stressful to see my savings decrease, I was grateful that I had the funds available and didn’t need to go into debt. It reinforced the importance of maintaining an emergency fund.
The thought of reaching my long-term financial goals, such as retirement and travel, keeps me motivated to save even when it’s challenging. I remind myself that the sacrifices I make now will lead to greater financial freedom and peace of mind in the future.
Yes, I have a detailed savings plan in place that outlines my short-term and long-term goals. I stick to it by regularly reviewing my budget and making adjustments as needed. I also set up automatic transfers to my savings account, which removes the temptation to spend the money elsewhere.
I prioritize my savings by treating it as a mandatory expense, similar to paying rent or utilities. Before I allocate money to non-essential expenses, I make sure that I’ve set aside the designated amount for savings. This mindset helps me stay disciplined and ensures that saving remains a top priority.
Yes, I use several tools to help me save money, including Mint for tracking expenses and YNAB (You Need A Budget) for creating a detailed budget. These tools provide me with real-time insights into my spending habits and help me stay on track with my savings goals.
I'm sometimes in control, but unexpected expenses arise frequently. Not every expense is on my radar. I value enjoying life—after all, what's the purpose of work if not to relish its rewards?
Overall, I feel good about my current savings habits. I’ve developed a routine that works well for me and allows me to save consistently. However, I’m always looking for ways to improve, whether it’s finding new strategies to save more efficiently or cutting back on unnecessary expenses.
The biggest obstacle I’ve encountered in my savings journey has been dealing with unexpected medical expenses. These costs can quickly drain savings and disrupt my financial plans. It’s a reminder of how important it is to have a robust emergency fund to cover such unforeseen events.
I balance saving money with enjoying life by setting aside a small portion of my budget for leisure activities and treating it as a reward for sticking to my savings goals. This way, I don’t feel deprived, and I can still enjoy experiences that are important to me while keeping my long-term financial objectives in mind.
Yes, I set a long-term savings goal to buy a car over three years, and I’m proud to say that I achieved it. It required a lot of discipline and patience, but reaching that goal was incredibly satisfying. It gave me confidence in my ability to set and achieve other long-term financial goals.
My advice would be to start small and automate your savings as much as possible. Even if you can only save a little each month, it’s better than nothing. Also, track your progress regularly to stay motivated and celebrate small wins along the way. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you face setbacks; just focus on getting back on track.
My environment has a significant impact on my ability to save. Living in a high-cost area means I have to be more disciplined and creative with my budget to ensure that I can still save a meaningful amount each month. However, it also motivates me to be more resourceful and find ways to cut costs where I can.
Single or married people between 25 and 60 years old have already experienced a hard time finding leftover money these days.
After receiving her monthly salary, a young woman attentively begins allocating funds to cover her immediate obligations like rent, utilities, and food. She also has aspirations of saving for an upcoming summer vacation.
Her plans take an unexpected detour when she suddenly discovers that her car broke during the weekend, requiring urgent repairs.
Top Common problems people face when saving money
We analised the top finance apps on Google Play or AppStore to collect negative feedback from actual users and improve it. A budget is useful if it helps you plan and navigate your finances, not just to look at the end of the month and see where you screwed up.
Created the first sketches to produce some ideas. To identify issues, user-flows and try to come up with solutions.
Did mind mapping and brainstorm to produce ideas,functionalities, without constraints.
Connect your bank account to automatically import transactions. This feature allows you to view all your expenses and income in one place, making it easier to track your budget. By linking your bank account, you can avoid manual data entry and reduce the risk of errors.
This step involves setting aside money for savings before spending on anything else. The “Pay Myself First” approach helps you build an emergency fund, save for big goals, or secure your financial future. Set a percentage or amount to save from each paycheck in advance
Define categories within your budget to easily track where your money is going. You can create categories such as groceries, rent, transportation, entertainment, etc. This allows you to see which areas of your life are consuming the most money, so you can adjust your budget accordingly
Automatically import all your transactions from bank statements and other financial sources. This feature allows you to quickly and easily update your budget without manually entering each expense or income. By importing transactions, you always have an accurate picture of your current financial situation
Create a savings goal to motivate yourself to save regularly. Whether you’re saving for a vacation, a new car, or building an emergency fund, setting a goal helps you stay focused and track your progress more easily. Set the desired amount and timeline for achieving the goal.
Allocate your money according to planned categories and goals. This feature allows you to pre-determine where every dollar will be spent, increasing your control over your finances. By using this function, you ensure that all expenses are covered and that savings remain a priority
Created the first wireframes and prototypes to form and test the ideas.
Potential users was consulted, in all processes.
Initially the only way to add transactions was manually through a manual account.
In this way users felt aware of their expenses, but I discovered that this was very time consuming.
All the transactions have been automatically synced with user’s bank account.
This particular feature gave people confidence when they felt down. Sales increased by 22%. Customers who bought the UI kit found it beneficial.
This unique psychological feature provides a boost when feeling discouraged. We are human beings and we need this kind of feature.
You can see, inspect and download the entire budget app made in Figma
