How to Use — Big Spender

Getting Started

Download & Install

Download Big Spender from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). The app works entirely offline on your device.

First-Time Setup

When you open the app for the first time, you'll go through a short onboarding process where you'll set your income, savings goal, and add any regular bills.

Navigation

Use the app's bottom navigation to switch between Dashboard, History, Budget, Search and Settings.

Main dashboard with bottom navigation

                    Quick navigation guide:
                    History: View and manage all expenses
Dashboard: Budget overview & quick actions
Budget: Create and manage budgets
Search: Find transactions quickly

                

Tracking Expenses

Adding a New Expense

Tap the Add Expense (plus) button, enter the amount, choose a category, add a description and date, then save.

Add Media (Optional)

Attach receipt photos. Big Spender's OCR can extract merchant names and amounts automatically.

OCR automatically extracts receipt information

Pro Tip:

Take clear photos in good light for best OCR results. Manual edits are always available if OCR misses something.

Budget Management

Setting Up Your Budget

Create categories and set monthly limits. Track progress with visual indicators and receive alerts when you're close to limits.

Budget planning and category management

Envelope Budgeting (Pro)

Pro users can create envelopes for categories like Groceries or Entertainment and allocate money to each envelope.

Envelope budgeting for better financial control

Advanced Features

AI Coaching & Insights

Get personalized advice and spending trends to improve your financial habits.

AI-powered financial coaching and insights

Bill Reminders & Exports

Set reminders for bills and export your data as CSV, PDF, or ZIP for backups and analysis.

Export your financial data in multiple formats

Gamification & Streaks

Earn streaks for staying within budget and unlock achievements for milestones like your first savings goal.

Track your spending streaks and achievements

Data & Privacy

All data stays on your device. Big Spender does not transmit personal financial data to our servers by default.

                    Export Options:
                    CSV for spreadsheets
PDF summary reports
ZIP archive including media

                

Troubleshooting & Support

If OCR isn't accurate, retake the photo or enter the data manually. If the app is slow, clear cache or restart. Large media collections may affect performance.

For help, email: jeffaoduro@gmail.com

Detailed: Adding Expenses

The app provides four ways to add expenses from the floating central button (plus):

Add Manually — Opens the full editor where you enter Amount, Category, Date, Note, attach photos/videos, and optionally include your location.
Scan Receipt — Use your camera or pick an image. OCR will attempt to extract the amount and merchant. Review and edit before saving.
Quick Templates — Tap a pre-configured template to add a frequent expense instantly. Long-press a template to edit it.
Split Bill — Create a shared/group expense. This goes to the Bill Splitting flow (may require watching an ad for free users).

Split bills easily with friends and family

                    Fields in the Full Editor
                    Amount — Numeric entry (supports decimals).
Category — Pick from predefined categories or custom categories you
                            created.
Date — Defaults to today; use the date picker to change.
Note — Optional text describing the expense.
Media — Attach photos/videos (media paths saved with the expense).
Location — Optional; app will attempt to capture current location if
                            permissions allow.

                

What happens after Save?

Expenses are stored locally. The app checks envelope budgets and may show warnings or device notifications at 80%, 90%, and 100% thresholds.

If the expense uses today's budget and you have rollover balance, the app may consume rollover funds automatically.

Limits, Ads & Subscriptions

The app includes Pro features and ad-gated access for some free users:

OCR scans (free) — Free users have a limited number of OCR receipt scans per day (2 scans). After the limit you may be prompted to watch a rewarded ad or upgrade to Pro.
Quick Templates (free) — Free users have a limited allowance for custom templates; upgrade for unlimited templates.
Split Bill — May require watching a rewarded ad for free users; Pro users access directly.
Pro — Removes ads and limits (unlimited OCR, unlimited templates, ad-free experience). Pricing details are on the homepage.

Ad behavior

When a feature requires an ad, you'll see a dialog offering to watch a short rewarded ad. If you complete the ad you gain temporary access (e.g., scan or split) — if not completed the action is cancelled.

Envelope Warnings & Notifications

When you add an expense, the app evaluates envelope budgets (if configured) and acts as follows:

≥ 80% — A notice may be issued.
≥ 90% — A warning and optional notification is sent.
≥ 100% — An over-budget alert is issued and a notification is sent.

These warnings are designed to help you adjust budgets proactively.

Exports & Backups

You can export your data as CSV and PDF or create a ZIP including media for backups and external analysis. Look for export options in the app's Settings or Export area.

Comprehensive analytics to understand your spending patterns

Deep insights into your financial health across all categories

Support & Contact

If the in-app Help & Support page doesn't yet provide what you need, email our support team:

Email: support@bigspender.app

You can also refer to the Legal page for contact and subscription details.