Why I Built My Own Budgeting App (Because Every Other One Gave Me Anxiety)
I tried every budgeting app out there — Mint, YNAB, Monarch, Rocket Money — and they all left me feeling more overwhelmed than empowered.
The dashboards were confusing.
The automations disconnected me from my money.
And the features? Way too many. I'd stop using them after two weeks.
Eventually, I realized the problem wasn't me.
It was the tools.
What I Actually Needed
I didn't need some advanced AI financial co-pilot.
I just wanted to:
- Log my expenses
- Track my income
- See how I was doing
- Feel more in control
And I wanted it to be manual — on purpose.
Why? Because entering things manually keeps me aware. It turns budgeting into a habit, not a background task I forget exists. That little bit of friction helps me stay conscious of how I'm spending.
So I Built It
I made Moneypeas — a simple, manual budgeting app that actually works for my brain.
- No bank sync
- No ads
- No financial jargon
- Just the basics, done well
Here's what it does:
- Add income and expenses quickly
- Track your daily average spending
- See how much you've saved this month
- Build healthy spending habits over time
That's it. No fluff.
Who It's For
Turns out I'm not the only one.
Since launching, I've heard from people who also felt overwhelmed by typical budgeting tools — especially:
- Folks with ADHD or executive dysfunction
- Budgeting beginners who don't want to overthink it
- Privacy-focused users who don't want to link their bank
- Minimalists who prefer clarity over clutter
If you've ever opened a budgeting app and felt your brain short-circuit, Moneypeas might be exactly what you've been looking for.
Try It Out
I use it every day — and for once, budgeting feels good.
It takes less than a minute to set up. No login required.
And if you do try it? I'd love to hear what you think. I'm building this for people like us.
