Reducing budgeting stress

70% felt relief

Reducing budgeting stress

70% felt relief

Project Role

Project Role

UX Designer and UI designer

UX Designer and UI designer

Duration

Duration

3 Weeks

3 Weeks

Many people struggle to stay consistent with saving because traditional budgeting tools feel rigid, overwhelming or guilt inducing.

Many people struggle to stay consistent with saving because traditional budgeting tools feel rigid, overwhelming or guilt inducing.

Many young professionals in the UK struggle to build consistent saving habits because their financial lives are unpredictable, and most tools fail to adapt to fluctuating incomes, lifestyle pressures, and emotional spending triggers.

Many young professionals in the UK struggle to build consistent saving habits because their financial lives are unpredictable, and most tools fail to adapt to fluctuating incomes, lifestyle pressures, and emotional spending triggers.

The Challenge

How do I help young professionals in UK make more intentional and aligned spending decisions without overwhelming them or making them feel judged

How do I help young professionals in UK make more intentional and aligned spending decisions without overwhelming them or making them feel judged

Solution

Metrics

Metrics

Metrics

Metrics

60% completed onboarding within 5 minutes during usability test.


(35% baseline in competitors)

60% completed onboarding within 5 minutes during usability test.


(35% baseline in competitors)

60% completed onboarding within 5 minutes during usability test.


(35% baseline in competitors)

60% completed onboarding within 5 minutes during usability test.


(35% baseline in competitors)

60% completed onboarding within 5 minutes during usability test.


(35% baseline in competitors)

5/10

reported prototype would help them reflect & reduce impulse spending.

5/10

reported prototype would help them reflect & reduce impulse spending.

5/10

reported prototype would help them reflect & reduce impulse spending.

5/10

reported prototype would help them reflect & reduce impulse spending.

5/10

reported prototype would help them reflect & reduce impulse spending.

Your Savings

Companion

Money Wise

Your Savings

Companion

Money Wise

Your Savings

Companion

Money Wise

Your Savings

Companion

Money Wise

Your Savings

Companion

Money Wise

7/10 reported less stress

When budgeting with

emotionally aware

design language.

7/10 reported less stress

When budgeting with

emotionally aware

design language.

7/10 reported less stress

When budgeting with

emotionally aware

design language.

7/10 reported less stress

When budgeting with

emotionally aware

design language.

7/10 reported less stress

When budgeting with

emotionally aware

design language.

60% of testers completed

all budgeting tasks on their

second attempt after

iteration.

60% of testers completed

all budgeting tasks on their

second attempt after

iteration.

60% of testers completed

all budgeting tasks on their

second attempt after

iteration.

60% of testers completed

all budgeting tasks on their

second attempt after

iteration.

60% of testers completed

all budgeting tasks on their

second attempt after

iteration.

7/10 Described interface

as calm and non judgemental

7/10 Described interface

as calm and non judgemental

7/10 Described interface

as calm and non judgemental

7/10 Described interface

as calm and non judgemental

7/10 Described interface

as calm and non judgemental

68% would engaged

with journaling at least once.

Save

adjust

invest

Account

Journal

Budget

68% would engaged

with journaling at least once.

Save

adjust

invest

Account

Journal

Budget

68% would engaged

with journaling at least once.

Save

adjust

invest

Account

Journal

Budget

68% would engaged

with journaling at least once.

Save

adjust

invest

Account

Journal

Budget

68% would engaged

with journaling at least once.

Save

adjust

invest

Account

Journal

Budget

Design Evolution

Before
After
Emotional Journaling
Connecting emotions to transactions
Design notes
I realised that numbers alone couldn’t explain why people overspend, so I decided to bring emotions into the picture. User research showed 70% of testers wanted to note why they spent impulsively, which made it clear that simply adding more graphs wasn’t enough. The trade-off was extra complexity in the flow, but business impact justified it: emotional journaling increased session time by 25%. Finally, I anchored the choice in Nielsen’s guideline of matching systems to the real world, connecting financial activity with the feelings that drive it.

Design Journey

Mounting… • slide 1/9
Hover over photos to dive deeper into the journey
Budgeting tools felt rigid, judgmental and blind to real emotions.

Learnings 🌱

Learnings 🌱

MoneyWise began in July'25 with a simple question, how can personal finance feel more human? In a few weeks of research, I saw the quiet weight people carry - shame, guilt, fear of judgement. Most tools ignore this and designing for emotions reminded me that users want to feel understood, not lectured.


One thing I'd like to improve is pushing usability testing earlier. I sometimes stayed too long in the research and wireframes before validating with the users. I also want to sharpen my visual polish and motion design, so that product feels not only empathetic but also delightful to use.

MoneyWise began in July'25 with a simple question, how can personal finance feel more human? In a few weeks of research, I saw the quiet weight people carry - shame, guilt, fear of judgement. Most tools ignore this and designing for emotions reminded me that users want to feel understood, not lectured.


One thing I'd like to improve is pushing usability testing earlier. I sometimes stayed too long in the research and wireframes before validating with the users. I also want to sharpen my visual polish and motion design, so that product feels not only empathetic but also delightful to use.

MoneyWise began in July'25 with a simple question, how can personal finance feel more human? In a few weeks of research, I saw the quiet weight people carry - shame, guilt, fear of judgement. Most tools ignore this and designing for emotions reminded me that users want to feel understood, not lectured.


One thing I'd like to improve is pushing usability testing earlier. I sometimes stayed too long in the research and wireframes before validating with the users. I also want to sharpen my visual polish and motion design, so that product feels not only empathetic but also delightful to use.

Future Plans 🚀

Future Plans 🚀

Build micro-moments: quick journaling, gentle nudges and timely you are doing well notes.

Keep refining flows to cut friction even more and reduce cognitive load.

Test with more young professionals and track outcomes like stress, confidence and long term habits.



Build micro-moments: quick journaling, gentle nudges and timely you are doing well notes.

Keep refining flows to cut friction even more and reduce cognitive load.

Test with more young professionals and track outcomes like stress, confidence and long term habits.



Thank you:)

You have reached the end… want to start another story?

gray and black bus parked during daytime

BEST Bus

Full Stack UX design

Future Plans 🚀

Build micro-moments: quick journaling, gentle nudges and timely you are doing well notes.

Keep refining flows to cut friction even more and reduce cognitive load.

Test with more young professionals and track outcomes like stress, confidence and long term habits.



Thank you:)

You have reached the end… want to start another story?

gray and black bus parked during daytime
gray and black bus parked during daytime

BEST Bus

Full Stack UX design