Piggybank
A Simplified Personal Finance & Budgeting App
BACKGROUND
PiggyBank is a mobile budgeting app designed to help users feel calm and in control of their finances. Created as part of my graduate coursework, the app addresses the emotional challenges of traditional budgeting tools with a simple, supportive, and judgment-free experience.
SCOPE
UX/UI Design, User Testing, User Interviews, Research, Pitch presentation
MY ROLE
I worked as the sole designer on this project, leading UX process from research to final design. I conducted user research, interviews, competitive analysis, early ideation sketches, mid-fidelity flows, user testing, and UI design. I also developed the visual identity and branding system.
TOOLS
Figma, Figjam, Photoshop, Illustrator, Google Forms (user surveys)
Feel calm and in control of your finances
I began looking to solve a problem with simplifying daily money management
And then I noticed something surprising
And then my perspective shifted…
Budgeting can feel overwhelming when traditional tools are complicated or judgmental. My goal was to create a simple, supportive platform that helps users manage money with confidence and calm.
When I started my research, I was focused on how people track their spending and stick to a budget. My initial idea centered around helping users log budget goals and visualize their money in one easy-to-use place.
As I interviewed users, they weren’t just frustrated by budgeting tools, they felt emotionally overwhelmed by them. Many described feelings of shame, anxiety, or avoidance, saying they gave up on budgeting altogether because it made them feel judged or discouraged.
Many people find traditional budgeting apps focus too much on numbers and rules, overlooking the emotional challenges like anxiety and guilt. This often causes users to avoid budgeting altogether or feel discouraged when they slip up. The problem is creating a budgeting experience that supports users emotionally while helping them manage their money confidently.
The goal was to design a product that helps users feel calm and in control of their finances by offering a judgment-free, easy-to-use experience. I aimed to develop an app that encourages positive money habits while addressing the emotional barriers that often stop people from budgeting consistently.
To understand the emotional barriers people face with budgeting, I conducted user interviews and surveys targeting individuals who had tried and abandoned budgeting tools. I also performed a competitive analysis of popular budgeting apps to identify common pain points and features that users valued.
The success metrics below focus on concerns I gathered during user interviews regarding the previous platform.
After uncovering key user needs simplicity, automation, and supportive guidance. I explored a design idea to transform budgeting from stressful to approachable. I focused on solutions that could help users feel supported, automate routine tasks, and provide clear progress insights without overwhelm.
The final design centers on fostering a space where users feel supported managing their money. Features like simple goal tracking, savings budgets, and clear insights help users stay in control and motivated, reducing stress and building confidence.
The visual identity was crafted to create a sense of ease and emotional safety. Light pink tones paired with rounded corners soften the interface and offer a friendly, non intimidating environment, a deliberate departure from the sharp lines and dark tones typical of finance apps. The design reflects the app’s core values: support, simplicity, and empowerment. Every visual choice was made to help users feel calm, confident, and capable as they take control of their finances.
PiggyBank was created with the intention of making budgeting feel less intimidating. Using a soft pink palette, rounded corners, and clean layouts,
I focused on crafting a warm, welcoming space where users could feel supported, not judged.
Throughout the project, I developed a simple, cohesive design system tailored to the app’s tone. From type styles to button shapes and iconography, every element was curated to build trust and reduce the cognitive load of managing personal finances.
Based on interviews and user testing, it became clear that current financial platforms often lack emotional support and simplicity. Users felt overwhelmed, judged, or unsure of where to start. PiggyBank was designed to shift that experience, offering calm, intuitive tools that guide users through budgeting without pressure. Every element of the final product reflects a more thoughtful and empowering way to manage money.
Clear visuals and gentle guidance to help users track spending without stress
After refining my initial ideas, I created a mid-fidelity prototype to explore how PiggyBank could offer users a calm, supportive budgeting experience. This prototype focused on simplifying inputs, providing gentle guidance, and helping users feel more in control of their spending. Testing at this stage helped validate core features and ensure the flow felt approachable and intuitive.
Through user testing sessions, I gathered valuable feedback on my mid-fidelity prototype. Users appreciated the simplicity and automation in the design and liked how personalized guidance was praised but some found it overwhelming. Testing revealed that combining easy automation with gentle, visual encouragement best supports users in feeling confident and judged-free while managing money.
Pain Points
Users started sharing their struggles with budgeting apps
Competitive Analysis
Journey Map
Low-fi Sketches
Mid-fi Sketch
User Testing Key Metrics
Budgeting feels overwhelming and emotionally draining for many users.
Create a budgeting app that reduces stress and builds confidence through simplicity and emotional support.
Why do users struggle with existing budgeting apps?
How might we help users feel supported rather than judged while managing their money?
Develop a product combining top budgeting features with simplicity and user support.
Develop a calm, supportive budgeting experience that encourages without judgment.
Softening the Finance Experience
Branding that empowers through softness and clarity.
Establishing a Consistent Visual System
Mid-Fi sketches
Real problem
Goal
Research
Impact Indicators
Ideation
Final Design
Branding
Reflecting on PiggyBank
Bringing PiggyBank to Life
A Budget Page That Builds Confidence
Development
User Testing
How Might We...
1
Help users feel supported rather than judged while managing their money?
2
Simplify budgeting tasks and provide clear, digestible information to boost confidence?
3
Personalize the experience to adapt to each user’s emotional needs and financial goals?
Overwhelm
Too many features confuse users.
Data overload causes anxiety.
Full Utilization of Save Feature
Will users use the goals feature on the Goals page and fill out all of the information, feeling supported as they save?
Peak Usage During Key Financial Moments
Will users engage with the Budget and Wallet pages most around paydays and bill due dates, feeling helped not judged?
High Engagement on Insights Page
Will users regularly check the Insights page to track spending and saving, feeling encouraged and in control?
Judgment
Apps feel strict and unforgiving.
Users feel guilty after overspending.
Consistency
No gentle reminders to keep users on track.
Lack of encouragement leads to quitting.
Phase
Discover
Download
Onboard
Engage
Reflect
Actions
Searches for budgeting apps
Installs PiggyBank
Sets goals, skips linking account
Tracks spending, views insights
Sees savings grow, hits goal
Find simple, easy solution
Test if it's right for user
Quick setup, no overload
Understand habits, automate
Stay consistent, feel progress
Goals
App Store, Reddit, Ads
App Store
Onboarding screens
Dashboard, push notifications
Progress screen, email
Touchpoints
Emotions
Curious
Hopeful
Overwhelmed
Relieved
Motivated
To better understand the frustrations people face when managing their finances, I interviewed a range of users, from young professionals new to budgeting to those juggling student loans and long-term savings. Many shared a common struggle with overly complex budgeting apps, constant manual input, and confusing financial jargon. Patterns emerged around the desire for a more automated, stress-free approach to saving and spending. These insights directly informed the design decisions for PiggyBank, helping shape an experience that’s simple, friendly, and built around real user needs.
User Interviews
Affinity Map
Insights
Jason
Freelance Graphic Designer
Jason is 27 and deals with inconsistent income. He’s interested in better money management but finds most apps geared toward people with regular paychecks.
People with irregular income want tools that adapt to fluctuation, not fixed budgets. Flexibility and automation are key.
Lena
High School English Teacher
Lena is a 31 year old teacher balancing student loan payments and saving for a future home. She’s tried using a few budgeting apps but often abandons them due to how overwhelming they feel.
Users like Lena want budgeting to feel manageable, not like doing homework. She needs visual clarity and guidance without jargon or too many steps.
Aaliyah
Marketing Coordinator
Aaliyah is 25, recently started working full-time, and wants to build good habits early. She downloaded multiple apps but deleted them after feeling lost during setup.
First-time budgeters feel intimidated by complex onboarding. They need a smoother entry point and clear guidance from the start.
PiggyBank
Master your money
with PiggyBank
Brand Identity
HEX
#0A0908
Font
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a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
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Gilroy
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HEX
#FF85BB
HEX
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PiggyBank
Who
Young adults managing personal finances
Scenario
Setting up a monthly budget
Goal
Stay on track with spending and save consistently.
Early Feature Ideas
-Daily spend limit tracker
-Budget overview with categories
-Gentle nudge’ reminders to check in
-Simple log for tracking purchases
-End-of-week recap with small wins
-How often do users want to check their budget?
-Do users want automatic bank sync or manual input?
-How can we make budgeting feel rewarding?
-What’s the right balance between structure and flexibility?
Open Questions
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-Need something simple and non-judgmental
-Wants a bird’s eye view of money habits
-Needs encouragement, not guilt
-Overwhelmed by financial jargon
-Just want to know ‘how much can I spend today
User Needs / Pains
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-Tracking expenses feels overwhelming
-Most apps are too detailed or too confusing
-People give up on budgeting because it feels restrictive
-Shame and guilt show up when users overspend
-Too many charts = stress, not clarity
Problem Exploration
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Company
YNAB
Goodbudget
Mint Intuit
Budgeting mobile app
Envelope budgeting app
Finance tracking app
Positioning
Category budgeting
Goal setting
Real time sync
Manual entry
Envelope system
Expense tracking
Key Features
Educational
Strong user support
Long-term planning
Simple UI
Family sharing
Great for beginners
Strengths
Bank sync
Broad features
Popular + trusted
Budget calendar
Spending reports
Tutorials + workshops
Spending history
Debt tracking
Envelope transfers
Content
Monthly summaries
Category insights
Custom alerts
Auto budget setup
Bill reminders
Credit score access
Budget
Add Budget
Wallet
Insights
Goals
Add Goal
Dashboard
On Boarding
Budget
Add Budget
Wallet
Insights
Goals
Add Goal
Dashboard
On Boarding
“I just get anxious looking at all the numbers.”
“It feels like the app is judging my spending.”
“I don’t even know where to begin.”
“I avoid budgeting because it stresses me out.”
Key Insights
Overwhelmed by Complexity
Personalization & Flexibility
Support for Beginners
Desire for Automation
Need for Simplicity & Clarity
During these interviews, I identified recurring patterns in several key areas:
Overwhelm with complex tools
Desire for automation
Need for clear, jargon-free guidance
Preference for personalized tracking
Key Takeaways
Ease of Use
85%
Emotional Support
78%
Progress Clarity
70%
