Why I Built My Own Budgeting Tool

I built this budgeting tool for the same reason I built DebtPipe.

I wasn't satisfied with what's out there.

Most budgeting apps I've tried fall into one of two camps. They either overcomplicate everything with dashboards, gamification, subscriptions, and features I don't need. Or they oversimplify it so much that the analytical clarity just disappears.

I don't need confetti when I categorize a transaction.
I also don't need a toy interface that hides the details that actually matter.

What I want is simple clarity and control over what I'm seeing.

The Problem With Existing Tools

A lot of budgeting software tries to be a full ecosystem. Accounts. Syncing. Subscriptions. Layers of features.

If that's your thing, cool.

It's not mine.

I like seeing the raw structure. Income. Categories. Totals. What's left over. If I adjust something, I want to see the effect immediately.

No complication. No gamification. No "insights."

Just collect my bills and show me what's left.

Clear, Not Clever

I'm analytical. I don't need a tool to interpret my finances for me. I need it to aggregate them so I can see the big picture.

This tool is simple:

• Monthly inflow versus outflow
• Simple category allocation
• Immediate surplus or deficit
• Clean exports when I want them

That's it.

It doesn't try to be a check register. It doesn't try to sell you on credit cards. It doesn't try tell you how to live your life.

It's basically a spreadsheet that's been cleaned up so you don't have to build it yourself.

Built Like DebtPipe

This came from the same place as DebtPipe. I was using spreadsheets. They worked, but they were rigid. I wanted something interactive that didn't feel like I was constantly fighting formulas.

This budgeting tool follows the same idea.

Simple inputs. Transparent outputs. Nothing hidden in the background.

You can see what it's doing because it's not doing anything fancy.

No Backend. No Cost. No Catch.

Like DebtPipe, this runs entirely in the browser.

There's no backend. No database. No accounts. No infrastructure sitting somewhere costing money.

If you upload a CSV, it stays on your machine. If you download an Excel file, it's generated right there in your browser.

There's nothing to maintain server-side, so there's nothing to charge for.

So it's free.

I don't want your email. I'm not tracking usage. I won't even know if anyone uses it.

It just exists.

It's for the world.

That's It

I built it because I wanted it.

If you prefer a full-featured finance platform, use one. If you like simple structure and clear math, this might be useful.

Either way, I'm going to keep building tools like this.

If you have suggestions or feedback, leave a comment below.

Or don't. I'm not your dad.