FinTrack: Manage, Give, Save

Have you wasted money on unnecessary or harmful things? This project helps you control your finances by dividing them into three parts: for yourself, for the poor, and for your future.

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Inspiration

 I was very motivated after gaining the knowledge of how to manage my finances, and I was happy! It all started two years ago when I saw a summary of the book Rich Dad and Poor Dad written by Robert Kiyosaki, and a YouTube video talking about money management from a YouTuber called Dupamicaffeine. I realized that I was mismanaging my money by buying items I didn’t need, like spending money on junk food, video games that I don’t play, and other items that I don’t need. In the end, I knew that I needed a tool to help me manage my finances properly, so I created a program that helps me control my money!

What it does

  My program helps users manage their income effectively by following a structured financial plan. Here's how it works:
  1. Income Entry – The user inputs their total income.
  2. Budget Allocation – The program asks the user to divide their income into three categories: o Personal Spending – The amount they want to keep for themselves. o Charity Donation – The portion dedicated to charitable giving. o Savings & Investments – The amount set aside for future financial security.
  3. Expense Tracking – The program checks if the user has already spent any money before following the plan. o If money was spent before using the program, it asks for the exact amount.
  4. Final Calculation – The program determines: o The remaining amount for the user. o The amount allocated to charity. o The portion set aside for savings and investments.
  5. Completion – If no money was spent beforehand, the program proceeds directly to the final calculation.

This process ensures that users stick to their financial plan, helping them manage money wisely and make informed financial decisions.

How we built it

   I built FinTrack using Python in Visual Studio Code. To develop it, I utilized:
  •   Built-in Python functions for core functionality.
  •   Conditional statements (if conditions) to manage decision-making in the program.
  •   String methods for handling user input and formatting output.
  •   Other essential Python features to ensure smooth operation.

This combination allowed me to create an efficient and user-friendly financial tracking program.

Challenges we ran into

  Creating FinTrack was challenging because I wasn’t a programmer, and my school doesn’t teach computer science. However, I didn’t give up. To overcome this, I:
  •   Took an online course to learn Python.
  •   Read the book Introducing Python by Bill Lubanovic, which helped me understand the language.

Through dedication and practice, I improved my coding skills and successfully built my program!

Accomplishments that we're proud of

   I am very proud of my program because I use it every month to manage my finances effectively. Whenever I receive money, I run the program to determine how much to keep, donate, and invest.

Thanks to FinTrack, I can now enjoy outings with my friends and family without financial stress. Before using it, I struggled to afford even a $5 sandwich at the end of the month—now, I can confidently budget and even treat my loved ones to a restaurant!

What we learned

  Throughout this project, I gained valuable skills and knowledge:
  1. Financial Management – I learned how to manage my money efficiently by following a structured budget.
  2. Programming Skills – I improved my coding abilities, especially in Python.
  3. Technical Concepts – I worked with if-elif-else statements, Python’s mathematical operators, and other essential programming concepts that helped me build the program. This journey not only enhanced my financial awareness but also strengthened my ability to develop software solutions!

What's next for FinTrack: Manage, Give, Save

   These features are just the beginning! I plan to continue improving **FinTrack** with exciting updates. Some upcoming enhancements include:
  • A user-friendly interface to make navigation easier.
  • A mobile app version for more accessibility.
  • Data persistence – saving the history of allocations.
  • Support for multiple income sources to track diverse earnings.
  • More detailed categorization of expenses and savings.
  • Visual representation of spending patterns through charts and graphs.
  • Budget tracking over time to help users stay on top of their financial goals.

Stay tuned—FinTrack will keep evolving to make money management even smarter! 🚀

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