Frugalyze User Guide

Getting Started

Welcome to Frugalyze! This guide will help you get started with tracking your expenses and managing your finances effectively.

Managing Transactions

Track both income and expenses with detailed transaction management.

Adding a Transaction

1. Tap the + button on the home screen
2. Select transaction type: Income, Expense, or Transfer
3. For transfers, select source and destination wallets
4. Enter the amount and select currency
5. Choose a category from your list (for income/expense)
6. Add a description (optional)
7. Set the date and time
8. Tap Save

Transaction Details

• Multi-Currency: Each transaction can be in any currency with automatic conversion
• Transfer Transactions: Move money between wallets with paired transactions and currency conversion
• Exchange Rates: Manual or automatic exchange rate tracking
• Filtering: Filter transactions by date range, category, or wallet
• Editing: Tap any transaction to view details and make changes
• Linked Transactions: Transfers automatically update both source and destination wallets

Multiple Wallets

Manage different accounts separately with Frugalyze's wallet system.

Creating Wallets

Set up multiple wallets for different purposes:

• Personal checking account
• Savings account
• Business expenses
• Cash wallet
• Credit cards

Wallet Management

1. Go to Wallets tab
2. Tap + button to add a new wallet
3. Enter wallet name and initial balance
4. Set the primary currency for this wallet
5. Each wallet tracks its balance independently
6. Use transfer transactions to move money between wallets

Deleting Wallets

• With Transactions: Choose to reassign transactions to another wallet or delete all transactions
• Protected Wallets: Default Cash wallet cannot be deleted
• Last Wallet: Must have at least one wallet in the app
• Bank-Linked Wallets: Cannot be edited manually, use sync settings instead

Managing Categories

Categories help you organize your expenses and understand your spending patterns. Frugalyze includes pre-seeded categories that are automatically created for new users.

Default Categories

Custom Categories

Create your own categories to match your lifestyle:

1. Go to Settings → Categories
2. Tap Add Category
3. Enter a name and choose an icon/color
4. Categories automatically sync across devices via Firebase

Setting Budgets

Create and track budgets by category to control your spending.

Creating a Budget

1. Navigate to Budgets tab
2. Tap Create Budget
3. Select a category to budget
4. Set the budget amount in your preferred currency
5. Choose the time period (monthly, weekly, etc.)
6. Save and track your progress

Multi-Currency Support

Frugalyze supports multiple currencies with automatic conversion.

Setting Your Default Currency

1. Go to Settings → Currency
2. Select your preferred default currency
3. Enable automatic currency conversion if desired

Currency Features

• Per-Transaction Currency: Each transaction can be in any currency
• Exchange Rates: Automatic fetching of current exchange rates (requires API key)
• Manual Rates: Set custom exchange rates for offline tracking
• Converted Amounts: View all transactions in your base currency

Smart Bank Sync

Connect Frugalyze with the Bank Simulator app for automatic transaction syncing with intelligent wallet management.

First-Time Setup

1. Install both Frugalyze and the companion Bank Simulator app
2. Open the Bank Simulator app and go to Sync Settings
3. Tap 🔄️ at the top bar to see the sync token
4. Copy the Account Name and Sync Token
5. Open Frugalyze and navigate to Settings → Bank Sync
6. Paste the Account Name and Sync Token
7. Tap Sync Transactions
8. A bank-linked wallet is automatically created with your account name
9. Transactions are imported directly without review

Bank-Linked Wallets

• Automatic Creation: Wallets are created automatically when you first sync
• Green Sync Badge: Bank-linked wallets show a sync indicator on the icon
• Read-Only: Cannot manually edit name or balance - controlled by bank sync
• Balance Sync: Wallet balance updates to match your bank account on each sync
• Last Sync Time: View when the wallet was last synced

Manual Sync

• Tap the sync icon on any bank-linked wallet card
• New transactions are automatically imported
• Duplicate Detection: Already-imported transactions are skipped
• Wallet balance updates to current account balance
• Last sync time is updated

Auto-Sync Configuration

1. Tap the settings icon on a bank-linked wallet
2. Toggle Auto-Sync on or off
3. Select sync interval: 15 min, 30 min, 1 hour, 2 hours, etc.
4. Background service checks and syncs automatically at the set interval
5. Disconnect bank account if needed

Sync Features

• Secure Token-Based: Use unique tokens for secure pairing
• Automatic Import: No manual review needed, transactions import instantly
• Smart Deduplication: Prevents duplicate transactions on repeat syncs
• Scheduled Auto-Sync: Set custom intervals for automatic background syncing
• Multiple Accounts: Link multiple bank accounts with different tokens
• Wallet Protection: Bank wallets cannot be manually edited

Import & Export Data

Easily import transactions from external sources or export your data for analysis.

CSV Import

Import transactions from CSV files with wallet assignment:

1. Go to Settings → Data Export
2. Tap Download Import Template to see the required format
3. Prepare your CSV with columns: Date, Title, Type, Amount, Currency, Wallet
4. Wallet column can contain wallet name or be left empty for default wallet
5. Tap Import Transactions
6. Select your CSV file from device storage
7. Transactions are automatically assigned to specified wallets
8. Duplicate Detection: Already-existing transactions are skipped

PDF Bank Statement Import

Extract transactions from PDF bank statements automatically:

• Upload PDF bank statements
• AI-powered extraction reads transaction data
• Review and import extracted transactions

CSV Export

Export your transaction data:

1. Go to Settings → Data Export
2. Tap Export Transactions
3. Select date range and filters
4. Choose CSV format
5. Save to device or share

Analytics & Reports

Visualize your financial data with interactive charts powered by Syncfusion.

Available Visualizations

• Financial Overview: Dashboard with income, expenses, and balance
• Category Pie Chart: Visual breakdown of spending by category
• Bar Charts: Compare spending across different time periods
• Financial Trends: Line graphs showing spending patterns over time
• Budget Progress: Track how much of each budget you've used

Financial Tools

• Affordability Calculator: Determine if you can afford a purchase
• Investment Calculator: Plan investment returns and goals
• Period Navigator: Filter data by week, month, or custom range

Tips & Best Practices