Financial Insight Navigator — FIN

FIN helps people explore everyday money decisions through simple what-if scenarios, clear monthly impact, and an optional AI learning coach — no bank login required.

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Inspiration

Financial Insight Navigator — FIN was built around one simple question:

Can I afford my next financial decision?

Many people face everyday money choices such as moving into an apartment, planning a trip, paying down debt, handling an emergency repair, or deciding whether a monthly payment is realistic. These choices can feel overwhelming, and many people do not want to connect a bank account or share private financial details just to learn.

FIN creates a safe learning sandbox where someone can explore a decision before they make it.

What it does

FIN helps users explore everyday financial decisions through simple what-if scenarios.

A user can:

  • Choose an example scenario or create a custom one
  • Enter monthly income, monthly money out, and a decision amount
  • See the monthly impact and yearly impact
  • Review whether the scenario has breathing room or a shortfall
  • Ask an optional AI learning coach for a plain-language explanation
  • Save scenarios locally in the browser
  • Compare saved scenarios side by side

The goal is not to replace financial advice. The goal is to help people slow down, understand tradeoffs, and ask better questions before making a decision.

How I built it

FIN was built as a Vue 3 and Vite web application, deployed on Vercel. The app uses IndexedDB for local saved scenarios and includes progressive web app support so it can be installed and used like an app.

The AI Coach runs through a serverless API endpoint. I also added privacy-focused validation, local scenario storage, accessibility improvements, mobile polish, saved scenario comparison, and a simplified wizard-style flow based on user feedback.

Challenges I ran into

The biggest challenge was simplicity.

Early versions had too many controls and too much information on the screen. Feedback from reviewers showed that users needed a clearer first step, simpler language, and a more guided path.

That led to a better flow:

Scenario → Decision → Consequence → Optional AI Coach → Save and Compare

Another challenge was trust. Since money decisions are personal, FIN needed to clearly explain that there is no bank connection, no required login, and that saved scenarios are stored locally in the browser.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I am proud that FIN became a working, deployed application instead of just an idea.

The project includes:

  • A guided first-run experience
  • Example financial scenarios
  • A custom scenario wizard
  • Monthly and yearly impact summaries
  • Scenario readiness feedback
  • Optional AI Coach explanations
  • Local saved scenarios
  • Saved scenario comparison
  • Mobile and accessibility improvements
  • Privacy-first language throughout the app

I am also proud that the project improved through real user feedback from people with different backgrounds and comfort levels.

What I learned

I learned that the technology is only part of the solution. The user experience matters just as much.

People need to understand what to do first, why the result matters, and what action to take next. I also learned that AI is most useful here as a coach and explainer, not as a decision-maker.

What's next for Financial Insight Navigator — FIN

Future improvements could include a more guided one-question-at-a-time wizard, stronger visual charts, more scenario templates, improved accessibility testing, and additional privacy controls.

The long-term vision is for FIN to become a practical AI-assisted learning tool that helps people explore real-life financial decisions with more confidence.

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