Inspiration
Like most college students, we didn't see it coming. Just a random Tuesday java's run, late night Uber eats, a super bowl subscription we forgot we had. None of it felt like a problem until we actually sat down and did the math. A $6 coffee every other day adds up to over $5000 by graduation. It wasn't about being irresponsible, we just never had visibility into what our small daily habits were quietly building toward.
SwipeWizz encourages informed trade-offs rather than restrictive sacrifices. Our goal isn’t to eliminate the small joys of college life, but to give students clarity, perspective, and control over the financial future they are building today.
What it does
- AI-Powered Spending Insights – Projects how everyday student habits accumulate over four years.
- Interactive Simulator – Model changes and see projected savings, framed as helpful milestones like rent, trips, loans, or first apartment deposits.
- Habit Detection & Alternatives – Identifies spending traps and suggests cost-effective options.
- Chatbot Guidance – Helps students make smarter spending decisions by responding to questions like “Can I go out tonight?” with real-time budget impact and suggestions.
- Accessibility - The application is designed for inclusivity, with clear visuals, simple navigation, contrast colors and font sizes for diverse student needs.
How we built it
We designed this website with keeping students in mind. By using AI insights and accessibility mapping, we’ve created a dashboard that not only tracks your spending but also gives immediate feedback on how even minor adjustments made now can have a big influence on their future.
Challenges we ran into
- Making Numbers Meaningful - Regular financial projections alone weren't impactful enough. We had to rethink how to present data in a way that emotionally connect with students, so they are ready to make that change in their life.
- Avoid Guilt-Based Framing - We didn't want SwipeWizz to feel like it was stopping from spending. The challenge was to design a system that encourages awareness and empowerment, not restriction.
- Staying Focused within 24 hours - With limited time, it was tempting to add more features like loan tracking or scholarship recommendations and our idea is changing from time to time.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
- Turning Invisible Spending into visible Impact - SwipeWizz reveals shows how small habits can change our long-term plans helping us to plan ahead.
- Interactive Financial Simulator - Students explore trade-offs and visualize potential savings through an intuitive, accessible interface that works for all learners.
- AI-ChatBot - The chatbot answers questions and provides an advice which helps in better decision-making without resticting freedom.
What we learned
- Small Habits Adds Up Fast - We often underestimate how minor expenses adds up over time, seeing projections drives behavior change over time.
- Framing Makes a Difference - Students engage more when costs are tied to tangible goals or rewards. Turning abstract spending into milestones like rent, trips, or savings makes the impact feel real and motivates smarter choices.
- Accessibility Enhances Impact – Designing tools that are inclusive, intuitive, and visually clear ensures all students can benefit, not just the majority population is actually really hard than we expected.
What's next for SwipeWizzz - Your Campus, Your Budget, Your Future.
- Real-Time Banking Integration - Connect with APIs for automatic transaction tracking, giving up-to-date insights without manual entry.
- Goal-Based Planning - Enable students to set short and long-term goals such as study aboard, debt repayment.
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