5 min read
I Audited Every Subscription I Pay For. Here's What I Cut.
The subscriptions held no surprises for me. The total did. Cutting it came down to one question I asked of each recurring charge: would I re-subscribe today?
Trupocket Blog
On personal finance, product decisions, and building Trupocket.
25 posts
6 min read
It's July. Time for a 30-Minute Money Checkup.
The middle of the year is the easiest time to see whether your spending still matches the plan you set in January. Here's the 30-minute review I run each July.
6 min read
The Eight Months I Spent Going Backwards
Income dropped, the bills did not, and I went net-negative for eight months. Here is how tracking every dollar gave me time to adapt before it became a crisis.
5 min read
Buy Now, Pay Later Just Showed Up on Your Credit Score
Buy now, pay later can be a lifeline when money is tight or a quiet budget trap, and now those split payments can follow you onto your credit report as well.
5 min read
What Makes It Safe to Let AI Touch Your Money
AI is moving from advising on your money to acting on it. The safe design for any agent that touches money is approval per action and access you can revoke.
7 min read
Maximizing Credit Card Rewards Without Changing How I Spend
I run every daily purchase through one cashback card and pay it off in full each month. Here's why that turns ordinary spending into a little free money.
5 min read
Who Owns Your Financial Data?
Open banking promised that your bank data belongs to you. The federal rule meant to guarantee that is frozen in court. Here is where things really stand.
5 min read
Can You Trust AI for Financial Advice?
AI can answer questions about your money, but it is not a fiduciary the way a licensed adviser is. Here is the line I draw between advice and education.
4 min read
Connect Any AI to Your Finances
Trupocket now runs a Model Context Protocol server, so you can connect Claude or any MCP assistant to your finances and ask about them in plain language.
6 min read
Is It Safe to Connect Your Bank to ChatGPT?
OpenAI now lets ChatGPT connect to your bank accounts. The tradeoff I see: convenience today versus owning your financial data and the AI that reads it.
6 min read
Should You Pay Off Your Car Loan Early?
Whether paying off your car loan early is smart depends on your rate, your other debts, and your goals. Here is the framework I use to think it through.
7 min read
How to Know When Your Car Costs More Than It Is Worth
Nearly a third of new-car trade-ins are underwater. Here is how to check whether you owe more than your car is worth, and what to do if the answer is yes.
6 min read
When to Drop GAP Insurance on Your Car Loan
GAP insurance protects you when your car is worth less than what you owe. Here is how to figure out when that gap closes and the coverage stops paying off.
6 min read
Why Your Budget Data Needs an API
Most budgeting apps offer no real API for your financial data. Trupocket exposes 60+ REST endpoints with full read and write access, the same API the app uses.
6 min read
The Best Budgeting Apps for Couples in 2026
An honest comparison of the best budgeting apps for couples in 2026, and how Monarch, YNAB, Goodbudget, and Trupocket each handle shared household finances.
6 min read
How to Track Every Dollar You Spend
I've tracked every dollar I've spent since 2004. Here's the simple manual method that beats any automated app for building real financial awareness today.
5 min read
Budgeting App Alternatives for People Who Want Something Simpler
An honest look at five budgeting app alternatives, comparing price, complexity, and tradeoffs so you can pick one that fits how you actually want to budget.
6 min read
The Cheapest Budgeting Apps of 2026, Compared Honestly
An honest comparison of the cheapest budgeting apps in 2026. Real monthly and annual prices, what each tier actually includes, and where the value sits.
7 min read
Inflation Is 3.3%. Your Number Is Probably Different.
The March 2026 CPI came in at 3.3%. That number is honest, but it is an average. Here is why your personal inflation rate matters more, and how to track it.
11 min read
Budgeting Apps That Work Without Bank Sync: An Honest Comparison
A budgeting app without bank sync is possible. Here's an honest comparison of nine manual-entry options, from free open-source apps to paid subscriptions.
8 min read
Your Budget App Wasn't Built for Two
Most budgeting apps force couples into a false choice: share everything or share nothing. Trupocket's household model lets you decide exactly what to share.
8 min read
Your Finance App Should Work Without Your Bank
Most finance apps force you to connect your bank before you can do anything. Trupocket works without that requirement, putting you in control from day one.
7 min read
What Your Budget App Gets Wrong About Your Mortgage
Your mortgage is likely your biggest financial commitment. Most budgeting apps ignore it. Here is why Trupocket treats it as a first-class account type.
6 min read
Your Financial Data Should Work for You, Not Just Your App
Most finance apps lock your data behind their interface. Trupocket gives you full access through an open API, so your financial data works wherever you do.
9 min read
I've Built Software for 20 Years. My Own Product Took 12.
I have spent my career delivering software on time. But when every decision was mine, I spent a decade stuck in a loop. Here is what finally broke it.