Inspiration

Managing finances as a busy mom can feel overwhelming—juggling kids, household expenses, and future goals with limited time and confusing jargon. We wanted to create a supportive companion that speaks in plain language, celebrates small wins, and helps moms take control without the stress.

What it does

ThriveMum is a mobile financial assistant designed for busy moms in the US and UK. It offers:

Emergency Fund Calculator
Set a 3-month savings target with weekly breakdowns
Investment Simulator
Visualize how small monthly contributions grow over time
Grocery Savings Planner
Budget per person with smart 10% savings suggestions
AI Assistant
Chat-based guidance with supportive, jargon-free advice
Personalized Onboarding
Tailored setup based on family size, income, and goals

How we built it

React Native + Expo for cross-platform mobile development
React Navigation (Bottom Tabs + Native Stack) for seamless navigation
Custom Design System with calm colors, consistent spacing, and reusable components (Button, Card, ProgressBar)
React Hooks (useState, useMemo) for live calculations and real-time updates
Native Components (@react-native-picker/picker, @react-native-community/slider) for smooth UX

Challenges we ran into

Dependency Conflicts
Aligning React Native versions with Expo 54 and navigation libraries required careful version management
Live Calculations
Ensuring compound interest and budget calculations updated instantly without performance issues
Design Balance
Creating a calming, premium feel while keeping the UI minimal and uncluttered
Typography & Spacing
Establishing a consistent visual hierarchy across all screens

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Built a fully functional financial tool suite in a clean, supportive UI
Implemented real-time compound interest calculations with dynamic currency formatting
Created a cohesive design system with depth, shadows, and smooth interactions
Achieved a calm, wellness-inspired aesthetic that reduces financial anxiety
Made complex financial concepts accessible through plain language and simple visuals

What we learned

How to structure a React Native + Expo project with scalable folder architecture
Implementing live calculations with useMemo for optimal performance
Building reusable component systems (Card, Button, ProgressBar) for consistency
Balancing design aesthetics with functional simplicity
Managing version compatibility across React Native, Expo, and navigation libraries