Financial Bloom is an innovative finance-tracking app designed to help users manage their income, expenses, debt, savings, and personalized budgets. With a unique gamified approach, users' positive financial decisions contribute to the growth of a virtual garden, turning responsible spending and saving habits into a visually rewarding experience. This app simplifies financial planning, motivates users to maintain good financial habits, and encourages long-term financial health.
Financial Bloom is a budgeting app that helps users manage their finances while fostering positive habits through gamification. Users' financial growth directly impacts a dynamic virtual garden, turning budgeting into an engaging experience.
The average American carried a total debt of $104,215 in Q3 of 2023, according to Business Insider. This debt and poor financial planning make it difficult for many Americans to build a proper savings base. For Americans under 35, the average savings balance should be $20,540, but only 41% of Americans could cover a $1,000 emergency purchase. Financial Bloom aims to motivate users to develop sustainable financial habits, empowering them to reduce debt, increase savings, and be more mindful of their spending choices.
To create a user-friendly application that encourages financial growth and responsibility using the metaphor of a garden. Responsible spending and saving habits will produce a rewarding game-like experience.
- Track users' income, expenses, debt, and savings.
- Implement a tracking system for income, expenses, debt, and savings.
- Allow users to create and implement personalized budget plans.
- Link positive financial decisions to the growth of a virtual garden.
- Track impulse purchases and notify users if they don't adhere to their personal goals.
- Implement a notification system for increased active-user retention.
- Achieve a 20% increase in user savings within one year of regular app usage.
- Facilitate a 20% reduction in total user debt within the same period.
- Ensure that 60-80% of users are within budget 70% of the year.
- 80% of users report improved financial habits after one year of consistent app engagement.
- Assumption: The gamification aspect will increase user engagement and retention.
- Risk: Storing user financial data requires robust security measures, including encryption and secure authentication.
- Obstacle: Users may struggle to follow recommendations or make changes based on app notifications.
- Assumption: Users will be sensitive and supportive of the financial plan provided by the application.
- Risk: Users may lose motivation if their virtual garden withers, negatively impacting long-term engagement.
- Scrum Master - Laura Estremera
- Backend Security - Mikaela Riggan
- Frontend Security - Laura Estremera
- UI/UX - Chris Lane and Laura Estremera
- Frontend - Chris Lane and Laura Estremera
- C# - Chris Lane
- HTML, CSS, and JS - Laura Estremera
- Backend - Daniela Luna and Temo Gaindo
- Server and Api Configuration - Daniela Luna
- Languages: Java, SQL, HTML, CSS, JS, C#
- Frameworks & Libraries: SpringBoot, Unity
- Database: MySQL
- API: RESTful, JavaFetch
- Authentication: Cookies
- Garden Color Scheme: Greens, blues, pinks, yellows (soft, vibrant)
- Budget Color Scheme: Green and white with small pops of blues, pinks, and yellows
- Design: Sleek, pixelated design with visually engaging elements
- The system logs out the user after a certain amount of time of inactivity.
- The system has a hash table that stores log-in information securely.
- The system has different plants for different categories of expenses.
- The system has a tutorial feature that users can view before signing up.
- If someone enters an existing username, an "username already exists" error will pop up.
- Password recovery feature for users.
- Website name & logo located at the top
- Description of the application and its purpose
- Log-in Page: Sign up/log-in options will be combined with the Welcome page that introduces the website
- Tutorial: A feature to guide users through the app’s functionalities and goals
- Users may log out at any time through a log-out button (Critical)
- Users can update, add, and delete their own information (Critical)
- Users can customize their budget template (Useful)
- Users can customize their dashboard (Useful)
- Users can choose between different savings plans (Important)
- Users can close their account (Useful)
- Integrating AI to provide personalized financial recommendations based on user behavior.
- Expand the garden metaphor with different plant growth mechanics tied to specific savings goals.
- Multi-currency support for international users.
- Link Bank Account