In the world of software development, the barrier between “having an idea” and “shipping a product” is dissolving. Today, I’m excited to share my latest project: Personal Expense Tracker, a comprehensive, privacy-focused financial ecosystem.
What makes this project special isn’t just the code—it’s how it was built. This entire application was developed using Vibe Coding via bolt.new.
The Philosophy: Why “Vibe Coding”?
If you haven’t heard the term, Vibe Coding is the shift from manual syntax-wrangling to high-level intent. Instead of spending hours debugging boilerplate or configuring build tools, I focused on the vibe—the user experience, the feature set, and the flow.
By using bolt.new, an AI-powered full-stack web builder, I was able to prompt the application into existence. I described the logic, refined the UI through conversation, and let the AI handle the heavy lifting of TypeScript, React, and SQLite integration.
🚀 Introducing Personal Expense Tracker
Most finance apps today demand your data in exchange for their services. I wanted something different: a pro-level tool that stays 100% local. ### Key Features at a Glance:
- 🏦 Multi-Account Management: Track everything from your checking account to your credit cards and loans in one place.
- 🏠 Property & Wealth Portfolio: Beyond just coffee expenses, you can manage property taxes, stock investments (IPOs, Rights Issues), and mutual funds.
- 🧮 Smart Tax Calculator: A built-in engine that compares the Old vs. New tax regimes side-by-side to help you optimize your savings.
- 📅 Financial Event Calendar: Never miss a subscription renewal or a property tax due date again with the integrated reminder system.
- 🔒 Privacy by Design: Your data never leaves your browser. It uses SQLite (via sql.js) for local storage and SHA-256 encryption for password protection.
🛠️ The Tech Stack
Even though I used Vibe Coding to build it, the foundation is rock-solid and modern:
- Frontend: React 18 & TypeScript
- Styling: Tailwind CSS (for that sleek, responsive look)
- Database: SQLite (sql.js) for robust local data persistence
- Icons & Visuals: Lucide React & Recharts
- Build Tool: Vite
💡 Lessons Learned from Bolt.new
Using bolt.new changed my perspective on rapid prototyping. I was able to:
- Iterate Instantly: Want to add a “Property Management” module? I just described the requirement, and the AI structured the database schema and UI components in seconds.
- Focus on Features: Instead of spending a day setting up a Docker environment or configuring routing, I spent that time refining the Income Tax Calculator logic.
- Deploy with Ease: The project is ready for static hosting on Netlify or Vercel right out of the box.
🎯 What’s Next?
The “Vibe” doesn’t stop here. The roadmap for this project includes AI-powered financial insights and Investment Analytics to give users even more control over their financial future.
If you’re a developer or a finance enthusiast, I encourage you to try building with the Vibe Coding mindset. It’s not just about writing less code; it’s about building more of what matters.
Check out the project on GitHub and start taking control of your data today!
Github: https://github.com/subbutvl/Expense-Management-System
Live Demo: https://subramanian.xyz/_projects/expense_management_system/
Built with ❤️ using bolt.new
