A free budgeting app that is simple, empowering, and happy!
Spend less time worrying about finances and more time enjoying life.
Let us know if you’d use this app! (Coming to Android and Apple, August 2025!)
Feeling overwhelmed managing your money?
If the thought of budgeting makes you feel anxious or defeated, it’s time for a new approach.
Income first approach
Begin your budgeting journey by understanding how much income you have to work with. Why track your spending for 30 days or more before you start budgeting? Start with your income, and look forward, not backward.
Cash flow visualization
Our app looks forward 2 years in order to provide a clear, day-by-day estimate of your future finances. Now you can make informed decisions and avoid surprises!
A simple weekly allowance
Manage the craziness of life with a weekly allowance. This actually makes it easier to stay on track and make better financial decisions. You’ll finally have the flexibility and simplicity your budget has been missing!
What makes our budgeting app different?
Our app only has one goal, to help you live within your means. So we focus on that one thing and we make it easy to do.
A truly unique budgeting system
Following the principles in our book, The Happy Giraffe Budget, we combine cashflow forecasting, a weekly allowance, and a dedication to simplifying every step in the process. Like it or not, everyone has to manage their money. So we make it … happier!
We do the calendaring for you
Our app automatically lays out all of your paydays and bill due dates for the next 2 years! Just enter the details one time when you create your budget. Then we’ll show you a clear, interactive schedule of your financial future!
Budget once
Eliminate the complexity of categories, planners, and monthly budget overhauls. Set your budget once and manage it with a simple weekly allowance. There’s nothing else to worry about!
Spend on what makes you happy
We call your weekly allowance your “Happy Money”. There’s no other categories and your bills are all taken care of. Because of this, you can spend the way you want! It’s even OK when every week is different.
More features when you become a Treetop Donor!
The Happy Giraffe is a small nonprofit organization. When you donate, you’re not just unlocking extra features, you’re helping people around the world discover a happier way to manage their money.
Monthly Donation: $6/month Yearly Donation : $72/year
Monthly Donation: $6/month
Yearly Donation : $72/year
Limited offer: For the initial launch of the app,
make a $100 donation and get lifetime access!
**** Donate in the app! Go to settings and select “Become a Treetop Donor” ****
Free forever
The free version includes everything you need to follow The Happy Giraffe system. It gives you all the tools to track your Happy Money, manage your fixed expenses, and plan ahead with confidence.
Cash flow forecasting and visualization – Look 2 years ahead!
Customized weekly allowance – Know exactly how much you can spend!
Budget once and you’re done – No monthly budget overhauls!
Interactive calendar – See all paydays and bills due in the future!
- Stats that motivate – Levels, streaks, and scores that show how far you’ve come!
Make it a game – Earn leaves for budgeting well!
- Export your data – Download everything whenever you want!
Up to 2 devices logged in at once – Perfect for couples combining finances!
1 year of transaction history – Track your progress!
- Banner ads – No personal information shared!
Treetop Donor
Your donation keeps the app free for everyone and supports ongoing improvements, bug fixes, and new features.
No ads – Enjoy an ad-free experience
More users – Up to 6 devices can be logged in at once!
Longer transaction history – 5 years of saved history!
Early access to new features – Here are some we have planned!
Link your bank and credit cards
- Advanced reports
Fixing broken streaks
- What-if scenarios
Automated savings
*Donations are fully tax-deductible in the USA because we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Under Internal Revenue Service guidelines, the estimated value of the benefits received is not substantial; therefore, the full amount of your payment is a deductible contribution.
FAQ
How do I get started with The Happy Giraffe app?
The goal is simple: create a weekly allowance (we call it Happy Money) that works for your real life. Getting there takes some smart behind-the-scenes math, but don’t worry, the app does the hard parts for you!
You’ll start by entering the money you have right now along with your income. Then you’ll add your fixed expenses and any savings goals. Once everything’s in place, you’ll use a slider in the final step to try out different weekly spending amounts. The app gives you a few helpful checks to guide you so you can choose your own number with confidence!
Once your budget is set, just spend your Happy Money by entering expenses as they happen. That’s it. Simple, clear, and happy!
How do I share my budget with someone else?
It’s easy to share your budget! Just use the same login on each device. On the free version of the app, you can have up to 2 devices signed in at once. The Treetop Donor version allows up to 6 devices.
We encourage couples to share a budget so they can be on the same page financially. Each person downloads the app, logs in with the same account, and sees everything in real time.
You can choose to spend together from one shared Happy Money amount, or set up separate custom boxes if you each want your own spending money. Either way works, we’ve done it both ways ourselves. Just find what feels right for your relationship!
What does it mean to earn leaves in the app?
We want budgeting to feel happier, so we added a few playful features to help make it more encouraging! In the app, you earn leaves for doing the things that matter most:
Checking in daily (1 leaf each day)
Staying within your Happy Money each week (15 leaves each week)
Every time you earn 50 leaves, you level up! It’s a simple way to see your progress and stay motivated while you build strong habits.
How is this budgeting method different from what I’ve tried before?
This isn’t your typical budget! The Happy Giraffe system combines cash flow forecasting, a custom weekly allowance, and a focus on simplicity to help you spend less than you earn. We lay out all of your income and bills on a 2-year calendar so you know exactly when money will come in and go out! You don’t need to redo your budget every month, and there are no complicated categories. Just one simple number to spend each week and a plan you can actually stick with.
Does this connect to my bank?
Not yet, but it’s coming! We’re currently building the ability to connect to your bank, and it will be included at no extra cost for our Treetop Donors once it’s ready.
That said, no bank connection is required to use the app. We’ve manually entered transactions ourselves for years. It’s a powerful way to stay connected to your spending and stay mindful of your choices.
For now, just open the app and enter expenses as they happen. We tried to make it as easy and quick as possible!
What if I need help?
We’re here for you and we truly care about each person who uses The Happy Giraffe. If you run into questions or something isn’t working the way you expect, just email us at app@happygiraffe.org and we’ll do our best to help as quickly as we can!
Right now, we’re still a very small nonprofit, and we have one volunteer handling support! So it might take us a little longer to respond sometimes, but we promise we’re paying attention!
The amazing team we contracted with to make the app has promised to jump on any issues and fix them as quickly as possible. We’re incredibly proud of how far this project has come, and we’re hoping that with your support, the app will be successful enough to let us grow the team and provide full-time support soon!
Thanks for being here and helping us take this next step. We’re grateful for your patience and excited for what’s ahead!
Is my information secure?
Yes! Protecting your privacy is incredibly important to us. One of our board members specializes in cybersecurity, and we’ve built The Happy Giraffe app with privacy in mind at every step.
Even though the app includes ads, we never share your personal information with third parties. Not your name, not your data, not anything.
No one (not even the app developers) can see your budget or personal details. All of your data is either stored securely on your device or encrypted on our servers. We’ve done everything we can to keep your information safe and private.
What new features are you planning to add?
This initial release of the app is just the beginning! Here’s a look at what’s coming soon for the free version of the app:
- Dark mode: For users who prefer using their phone in dark mode (your eyes will thank you).
- Show notes instead of payee name: Right now, transaction lists show where you spent the money. We’re adding an option to show your notes instead so it reflects why you spent it.
- Import budget from spreadsheet: Many users have found us because of our free spreadsheet. Soon, you’ll be able to import your info directly into the app to skip the setup.
- Choose forecast length: The app currently forecasts 2 years ahead. In the future, you’ll be able to choose shorter timelines (like 6 months or 1 year), which is especially helpful for students or short-term planners.
- Reconciling: We’re working on tools to help you easily match your transactions with your bank account, even without linking it.
- Debt payoff: We plan to bring the features in our debt payoff spreadsheet into the app so you can track balances and payoff progress right alongside your budget.
- Web version: For those who prefer a keyboard and bigger screen, the full app experience will be available in a browser (perfect for things like reconciling).
Let us know if you would use this app!
