The Everyday Tech Girl

Over the past month and a half, I’ve tested apps, automation tools, and AI prompts to see how tech can make managing money easier. Here’s what we explored:

📊 Week 1: Budgeting & Tracking – Do people even use “money tech”? Turns out, 63% of you don’t track spending at all! I shared a simple budgeting spreadsheet + AI prompts to help organise your finances.

💰 Weeks 2 & 3: Saving & Automation – Can apps like Plum & Moneybox make saving effortless? Plum’s fun but not essential, and Moneybox is useful—especially for Junior ISAs.

📈 Week 4: Investing & Growing Wealth – Freetrade vs. set-and-forget investing. I also tested Nutmeg & robo-advisors to see which investment platforms actually work for beginners.

🏡 Week 5: Managing Money as a Couple & Family – From Starling joint accounts to AI helping couples stop arguing about money, I explored how tech can make shared finances easier.

🛡️ Week 6: Future-Proofing Your Finances – How to invest for your family’s future, and why 77% of parents haven’t asked family to contribute to a Junior ISA.

💡 And throughout the series, I tested ChatGPT’s ability to help with financial planning. The verdict? It’s good for guidance, but not a replacement for real financial advice.

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💰 The Best Money Tech I Tested (But Nothing Blew Me Away)

✅ Plum – Fun for Savings Goals, But Not a Game-Changer
🔹 Automatically saves based on spending habits.
🔹 Lets you set fun savings goals (e.g., a holiday fund).
🔹 But… most features can be done manually for free elsewhere.
🔹 Paid plan isn’t worth it.

💡 Final verdict: Good if you struggle to save, but not essential.

✅ Freetrade – Easy for Investing, But Not for Everyone
🔹 Great for single stock trades—super beginner-friendly.
🔹 But… most people don’t need to actively trade.
🔹 Investing should be set & forget for most—this isn’t that.

💡 Final verdict: Good if you like DIY investing, but there are better options for long-term wealth-building.

✅ Moneybox – Best for Junior ISAs & Family Contributions
🔹 Lets grandparents & relatives contribute to a JISA.
🔹 Round-up savings feature is nice, but not unique.
🔹 But… still not an all-in-one money app.

💡 Final verdict: Love the JISA feature, but I still need to test OneFamily & Beanstalk for better options.

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🤔 The BIG Problem: Why Isn’t There an “All-in-One” Finance App?

💡 Here’s my issue: I don’t want my finances spread across five different apps.

Right now:

• Nutmeg & robo-advisors = Good for long-term investing.
• Plum & saving apps = Fun, but not necessary.
• Freetrade & trading apps = Good for specific trades, not everyday use.
• Moneybox & JISA apps = Great for family contributions, but still limited.

No app has blown me away as an all-in-one solution. So maybe I just need to build it? 👀

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🚀 The Real Problem Isn’t Tech—It’s Money Itself

💡 The real issue is not that people don’t know how to save or invest. It’s that most people feel like they don’t have enough money to start.

Yes, tech makes it easier—but it doesn’t solve income gaps, high living costs, or financial stress.

That said, if you do want to start, there are great set-and-forget options out there. Even small steps can make a big difference over time.

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👀 What’s Next? From Money Tech to Travel Tech ✈️

💡 Next up, I’m switching gears and testing the best tech for travel & event planning.

• Can AI plan a trip better than a human?
• What’s the best flight-finding app right now?
• How do you automate trip budgeting & itinerary planning?

💬 What do you want me to test first? Drop your ideas in the comments! 👇