XPensis: Full-Stack Progressive Web Application built with Outerbase and Next.js

Introduction:

In the rapidly changing landscape of today's world, the significance of effective personal finance management cannot be overstated. XPensis, a Progressive Web Application, has been meticulously developed to provide individuals with a user-friendly solution, primarily targeting the Nigerian market and extending its reach across Africa, to empower them in proactively managing their finances.

Live Link: https://xpensis.vercel.app/

Demo Video Link: https://www.loom.com/share/992176c48c6e4a11a98e5d725c270de1?sid=80415c59-9e09-4c9e-968b-ba5460265fc1

GitHub Link: https://github.com/Emmanueluko3/xpensis

Project Purpose:

XPensis aims to empower users to gain insight into their spending habits, save money, and achieve financial goals. By offering a comprehensive platform for expense tracking and analysis, the app addresses the pressing need for better financial management in a world filled with diverse and often complex financial commitments.

Key Features:

1. Expense Management: XPensis allows users to effortlessly log and categorize their expenses, differentiating between recurring and non-recurring bills, offering a comprehensive view of their financial landscape while also providing alerts when they approach 80% of their budget for specific bill categories."

2. Budgeting: The app enables users to create and manage budgets, allowing them to set limits for different items on the spending categories and track their progress in real-time.

3. Goal Setting: Users can establish financial goals, whether it's saving for a vacation, paying off debt, or building an emergency fund, and monitor their progress toward achieving these goals.

4. Data Analytics: With advanced data analytics and visualization tools, the app provides insights into spending and saving patterns.

5. Bill Reminders: Automatic bill reminders ensure that users never miss a payment, helping them avoid late fees and maintain good financial standing.

6. Security: Robust security measures protect users' financial data, ensuring privacy and peace of mind.

Real-World Usefulness:

In a real-world scenario, XPensis proves to be invaluable:

1. Financial Awareness: The app promotes financial awareness by giving users a clear understanding of where their money is going, which is fundamental to making informed financial decisions.

2. Budget Adherence: It assists users in sticking to their budgets, thus reducing overspending and helping them save money.

3. Goal Achievement: Whether saving for a down payment on a home, planning for retirement, or paying off student loans, the app helps users track their progress and stay motivated to achieve their financial goals.

4. Financial Stability: By preventing missed bill payments, the app aids in maintaining good credit scores and financial stability.

5. Peace of Mind: Users gain peace of mind knowing that their financial data is secure, and they have a tool to proactively manage their finances.

Why XPensis:

XPensis sets itself apart from other financial management apps through several distinctive features and qualities:

1. Progressive Web App (PWA) Accessibility: XPensis is accessible as a PWA, which means it can be used seamlessly across various devices and platforms, providing a consistent and responsive user experience without the need for downloading or installation.

2. Intuitive User Interface: The app boasts an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for users of all levels of financial expertise to navigate and utilize its powerful tools effortlessly.

3. Comprehensive Expense Tracking: XPensis enables users to track a wide range of expenses, including both recurring and irregular bills, offering a holistic view of their financial activities.

4. Advanced Budgeting: Users can create, customize, and manage budgets for various spending categories, helping them stay on track and meet their financial goals.

5. Goal-Oriented Planning: XPensis goes beyond mere expense tracking, allowing users to set and monitor financial goals, and providing motivation and guidance on their journey to achieving financial milestones.

6. Data-Driven Insights: The app employs advanced data analytics and visualization tools to provide insightful reports and graphs, helping users identify spending patterns and make informed financial decisions.

7. Bill Reminders and Alerts: With automatic bill reminders and alerts, XPensis ensures users never miss a payment, thereby preventing late fees and financial setbacks.

8. Customizable and Secure: Users can personalize the app to suit their unique financial needs and preferences while relying on robust security measures to protect their sensitive financial data.

9. No Downloads or Updates: As a PWA, XPensis eliminates the hassle of downloads and updates, ensuring users always have access to the latest features and enhancements.

10. Cross-Platform Compatibility: XPensis operates seamlessly across various operating systems, browsers, and devices, allowing users to manage their finances from virtually anywhere.

11. Real-Time Syncing: The app offers real-time data syncing, enabling users to access their financial information from multiple devices and always stay up-to-date.

How XPensis was Built:

XPensis started its development journey with a meticulous design phase, harnessing the collaborative power of Figma to craft an appealing and user-friendly interface. The core development of XPensis relied on Next.js, a React framework recognized for its speed and adaptability and was hosted on Vercel. Technologies used to build XPensis are highlighted as follows:

Outerbase:

Outerbase is an interface for databases, We selected Outerbase as our database, server and hosting platform for several reasons. Outerbase's serverless architecture perfectly complemented our choice of Next.js, enabling us to create SQLite database, deploy commands with ease and ensure scalability to accommodate a growing user base.

Outerbase command: In the dynamic landscape of web development, finding efficient solutions for database management is crucial. Recently, I explored the powerful capabilities of Outerbase Commands to seamlessly integrate database operations into my Next.js application.

Outerbase plugins:

• Inventory: The inventory plugin is a private plugin that allows us to manage and visualize Xpensis as an admin.

Cloudinary for Image Storage:

Efficient image storage is integral to XPensis, as users may wish to attach receipts or images to their expense entries. Cloudinary proved to be a reliable and flexible solution for managing and serving images. Its powerful image optimization capabilities help maintain app performance while delivering an exceptional user experience.

Cron Jobs for Task Scheduling:

To enhance XPensis's functionality, we incorporated cron jobs for task scheduling. These scheduled jobs automate critical processes within the app, such as sending bill payment reminders and generating financial reports. This ensures that users receive timely notifications and have access to up-to-date financial insights.

Limitations of the project:

1. Limited Live Wallet Testing: During this building/testing phase, we couldn't employ a live wallet funding method since users will understandably be reluctant to risk their money at this stage. Instead, we utilized a dummy wallet funding method for testing purposes.

2. Cron Job Restrictions: Vercel, our hosting provider, offers only two free Cron jobs, and expanding this functionality requires that we subscribe to a premium version. Consequently, we were constrained in implementing Cron jobs solely for weekly and daily goals, leaving out monthly and yearly goal functionalities due to the current limitations."

What’s next for XPensis?:

1. Mobile App Development: While XPensis currently operates as a Progressive Web App (PWA), we are considering developing native mobile apps for iOS and Android platforms. This can significantly expand your user base and offer a more tailored mobile experience.

2. Multi-Currency Support: For now the app primarily targets users in Nigeria and Africa, we look forward to adding multi-currency support that may be beneficial for users dealing with various currencies, especially in regions with international transactions.

3. Integration with Financial Institutions: Enable users to link their bank accounts and credit cards for automatic transaction import. This streamlines expense tracking and reduces manual data entry.

4. Card Issuance and Payment: Offer users the option to apply for and manage debit or credit cards through the app. This feature will streamline the payment process and provide users with a one-stop financial management solution.

5. Advanced Reporting: Enhance the app's analytics and reporting capabilities. Provide users with detailed insights into their spending habits, trends, and financial goals.

6. AI-Powered Insights: Implement artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to provide personalised financial recommendations and insights based on users' spending patterns.

7. Expense Sharing: Enable users to split expenses and share them with others, ideal for group outings or shared living situations.

8. Localized Content: Offer localized content and support for different languages and regional financial practices to cater to a broader international audience.

9. User Feedback: Continuously gather user feedback and reviews to identify pain points and areas for improvement, and use this information to prioritize updates and feature additions.

10. Education and Resources: Provide educational resources, articles, and tools to help users improve their financial literacy and make more informed financial decisions.

11. Partnerships: Explore partnerships with financial institutions or fintech companies to offer additional financial products or services to your users.

Contributions:

We invite the community to participate in enhancing PrimePick. If you'd like to contribute, kindly follow these steps:

Fork the repository and download it to your local device. Install All dependencies By running the following command npm install Start the application on your local machine using npm run dev Implement your modifications. Create a new branch originating from the primary branch. Create a Pull Request.

Conclusion:

XPensis is more than just a financial tool; it's a practical solution for individuals seeking financial stability, personal empowerment, and the ability to make informed decisions about their money. In an ever-changing financial landscape, this app is a valuable asset that offers real-world benefits to users from all walks of life.