Inspiration
Let’s be honest, managing money is stressful. We’ve all had that moment at the end of the month wondering where all the money went. Most people forget to track those tiny expenses like tea or rickshaw rides, and saving or investing feels like a mystery. That’s what inspired us to create PFT, a personal finance tracker that feels more like a friendly coach than a boring finance app. We wanted to make money management smart, simple, and actually fun.
What it does
PFT helps you take control of your money without making it feel like a chore. You can log your daily expenses easily, whether it’s a big purchase or just your morning coffee. It shows you where your money goes each day, each month, or even throughout the year.
But that’s not all. It gives you smart suggestions on how to save better, warns you when you’re overspending, and even tells you safe and personalized ways to invest your leftover money. And the coolest part? You get to talk to FinMate, our built-in chatbot who helps you manage money like a buddy.
How we built it
We used React to build the app because we wanted it to work smoothly on both Android and iOS. The backend runs on Node.js and Firebase, which keeps everything fast and in sync. For AI stuff, like smart insights and the FinMate chatbot, we used OpenAI’s GPT tech. We even added voice input to make logging expenses super easy.
For keeping data private and future-proof, we used Solana Storage which adds a cool decentralized twist. And the whole thing is set up using GitLab pipelines and Google Cloud for quick testing and deployment.
Challenges we ran into
Making AI understand everyday money talk like "Bought chips for thirty bucks" wasn’t easy. We also had to figure out how to give safe financial advice without confusing or overwhelming users. Getting smooth performance while keeping the app pretty and animated was also a tough balance.
Oh, and storing personal financial data securely while letting users sync it across devices? That took some real thinking, especially with Solana in the mix.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We’re super proud that we built an app that looks great, feels helpful, and is powered by smart tech behind the scenes. Bringing AI and finance together without making it boring was our big win. Plus, we managed to keep things private and secure while still feeling fast and modern.
What we learned
We learned how to connect AI with real-life use cases like finance. We explored decentralized storage in a real product with Solana. We got better at designing for both function and beauty. Most of all, we learned how important it is to keep things simple and helpful when building something people will use every day.
What's next for PFT-(Personal Finance Tracker)
We’ve got big plans. Next, we want to add more features like goal-based savings games, automatic bank sync, and even one-click investing. We’d love to help users learn more about money through fun tips and community challenges. And of course, we’ll keep improving FinMate to be the smartest finance buddy out there.
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