THE BLOG
Field notes.
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How to budget for tithing and giving without it becoming the leftovers
Most budgeting apps treat giving as one more expense line, so it gets squeezed whenever the month gets tight. Here is how to structure a budget where giving is funded first and stays funded.
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Looking for a YNAB alternative? Start with the philosophy, not the price
YNAB asks you to give every dollar a job before you spend it. Buoy takes the opposite approach: categories earn a daily allowance and the number grows when you save. Here is an honest comparison.
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How to let Claude or ChatGPT see your money, safely
A new category of tool lets AI assistants read your real finances through something called MCP. Here's what it is, who's building it, and the one question that decides whether it's safe to use.
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We'd rather work with your AI than replace it
The big AI companies are racing to build banking into their own apps. We think that's the wrong bet. Here's why Buoy connects to the assistant you already use instead of trying to become one.
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Ask ChatGPT or Claude how your budget is going
Buoy now connects to the AI assistant you already use. Link your account once, then ask about your spending, budgets, and goals right inside ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini.
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A budget for everyone in the family, without giving up the shared one
Give your kid or partner their own budget, their own cards, and room to add their own income, while the family budget still sees the whole picture. Here's how Buoy's family allocations work.
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Lock your budget behind your fingerprint
Your finances are as sensitive as your messages. Buoy now locks the whole app behind your fingerprint or face, and lets you sign in with a tap instead of a password.
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Your budget works when your signal doesn't
On a plane, offshore, or somewhere with one bar, Buoy still opens instantly, shows your budgets, and lets you make changes. It syncs the moment you're back online.
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Streaks, badges, and the psychology of saving
Buoy turns staying under budget into streaks, achievement badges, and seven levels from Beginner to Legend, because the habit sticks when good decisions feel rewarding.
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Don’t just ask “can I afford this?” Ask “how.”
Buoy’s AI advisor doesn’t stop at yes or no. Ask how you can afford something and it builds a real plan from your actual numbers: where the money comes from, what to trim, and how long it’ll take.
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Is it safe to link your bank to a budgeting app?
A plain-English look at how Buoy connects to your accounts through Plaid: read-only, encrypted, and without ever seeing your bank password.
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Why your budget should count up, not down
Most budgeting apps frame spending as a countdown to zero. Buoy flips it: your categories earn a daily allowance, so saving feels like winning.
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