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funnymoney
Financial Technology
funnymoney
Because fun shouldn't break the bank
To address the cognitive strain of young adult financial management, our team designed funnymoney during an intensive 10-hour sprint that took 1st place at NJIT SIGCHI's Design Jam. Rapid quantitative research with 42 survey respondents revealed that 81% check their bank account balances without following any budgeting system, often leading to decision fatigue at the sacrifice of leisure. The resulting prototype transforms budgeting into intuitive micro-habits, integrating a "Fun Money" tracker for visual savings metrics, and curated budget-friendly local activity suggestinos.
Problem Statement
There is a lot of anxiety and avoidance related to financial management in young adults in addition to managing the new responsibilities that come with "adulting." A lack of budget causes leisurely activities to be overlooked, possibly resulting in burnout.
Industry
Financial Technology
My Role
Lead Product Designer + Researcher
Platforms
Medium Fidelity Figma Prototype
Timeline
March 8 2026
Research Questions
How do current financial management habits and perceptions influence the motivations of young adults to use financial literacy tools?
What specific app features and elements are effective in driving daily engagement?
In what ways do social anxieties and the desire for community interact with financial constraints when event planning?
Process
[01] User Research
Launched an online survey with 42 participants to understand young adult financial management habits
Conducted semi-structured interviews with 2 participants to gain insight on the budgeting process
Conducted secondary research to understand budgeting rules
[02] Insights
42.9% voted they were somewhat confident in financial planning
57.1% check their bank account prior to making a purchase
81% do not follow a specific budgeting rule
[03 Design Solution]
Savings progress bar at the top of the dashboard motivates users towards their goal
"Fun Money" gauge validates the user's purchases and sorts between wants and needs
Activity finder helps users find local budget-friendly activities in the area
[04] Testing & Iteration
Conducted usability testing with 2 users utilizing a paper prototype
Gathered feedback through recorded usability testing and refined the interface design based on user input
Designed an intuitive app dashboard that allows users to seamlessly manage their budget