Personal Budget Tracker - Flask Application

Overview

This is a Flask-based personal budget tracking application converted from the original HTML version. It includes user authentication, transaction management, budget tracking, and financial reporting features.

Features

• ✅ User Registration & Login
• ✅ Dashboard with financial overview
• ✅ Transaction Management (Add, View, Track)
• ✅ Budget Management (Set limits by category)
• ✅ Reports & Analytics with Charts
• ✅ Group Expenses (Create groups, split bills, track settlements)
• ✅ SQLite Database for data persistence
• ✅ Session-based authentication
• ✅ Responsive design with Tailwind CSS

Installation & Setup

1. Install Python Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Run the Application

python app.py

The application will start on http://localhost:5000

3. First Time Setup

1. Navigate to http://localhost:5000
2. You'll be redirected to the login page
3. Create a new account using the registration form
4. Start adding transactions and setting budgets!

Database

The application uses SQLite database (budget_tracker.db) which will be created automatically when you first run the app. The database includes:

• Users table (for authentication)
• Transactions table (income/expense records)
• Budgets table (spending limits by category)
• Groups table (expense sharing groups)
• Group_members table (group membership)
• Group_expenses table (shared expenses)
• Expense_splits table (individual shares and settlements)

File Structure

personal_budget_tracker/
├── app.py                 # Main Flask application
├── requirements.txt       # Python dependencies
├── budget_tracker.db     # SQLite database Created 
├── templates/            
│   ├── index.html
│   ├── login.html
│   ├── dashboard.html
│   ├── transaction_management.html
│   ├── budget_management.html
│   ├── group_expenses.html
│   └── reports_and_analytics.html
└── static/              # CSS, JS, and other static files
    └── css/
        ├── main.css
        └── tailwind.css

Usage

Adding Transactions

1. Go to Dashboard or Transactions page
2. Fill in the transaction form with:
   • Type (Income/Expense)
   • Category
   • Amount
   • Date
   • Description (optional)
3. Click "Add Transaction"

Setting Budgets

1. Navigate to Budget Management
2. Enter category name, budget amount, and period (monthly/weekly/yearly)
3. Click "Set Budget"

Viewing Reports

1. Go to Reports & Analytics page
2. View charts showing:
   • Monthly income vs expenses
   • Category breakdown
   • Spending trends

Using Group Expenses

1. Create a Group:
   • Navigate to Group Expenses page
   • Fill in group name and description
   • Click "Create Group" - you'll get a Group ID
2. Invite Others:
   • Share the Group ID with friends/family
   • They can join using "Join Existing Group"
3. Add Shared Expenses:
   • Select a group and add expense details
   • Amount is automatically split equally among members
4. Settle Up:
   • View who owes what in the expenses table
   • Click "Settle Up" to mark your portion as paid

Security Notes

• Change the app.secret_key in app.py before deploying to production
• The current setup is for development only
• For production, use a proper database like PostgreSQL
• Implement proper password policies and security measures

Troubleshooting

• If you get import errors, make sure all dependencies are installed: pip install -r requirements.txt
• If the database doesn't work, delete budget_tracker.db and restart the app
• For port conflicts, change the port in app.run(debug=True, port=5001)

Demo Credentials

You can create your own account or use these demo credentials:

• Email: demo@example.com
• Password: password123

Enjoy tracking your finances!