My philosophy on money; why I built Intentions

April 22, 2023 (Edited in Feb 2025) - 2 minute read

I have been curious about exploring how our personalities manifest in the material world. While some turn to astrology or Myers-Briggs tests, I wanted to use something we interact with every day: money, specifically our spending data. This led me to build SavebyValues, which later became Intentions.

A New Narrative

Traditionally, when we approach budgeting or saving, it comes from a mindset of scarcity and fear. We are often defensive and confused by the numbers, bracing ourselves as if we're about to be condemned. My goal with Intentions is to explore a new narrative, one that uses spending as a connection point to something deeper and more important: our values.

Personal Journey

My relationship with money has been complicated. Growing up as an immigrant kid, I went through the highs and lows of when money did and didn't exist. Those experiences left me confused about what money truly meant to me. Sometimes I felt like it was meaningless, and at other points I felt like it was the only thing worth striving for.

As I grew older and started to reflect, I developed a framework to think about spending in a way that resonated with me, seeing money for what it is, a tool. I learned that by understanding the context behind how I used this tool, not just “What“ but also Why, with Who, and How it made me feel, I could unlock an important story of who I am and what I value.

Value-Based Decisions

I knew in my life there were behaviors and experiences I want to maximize and minimize. That's why I built Intentions, a tool that helps you reflect on your spending to understand if it aligns with your values. It's not about judging, rather deeply understanding the decisions that were made, which requires context - What, Why, Who, and How.

By understanding the motivations, people and emotions behind my spending, it gave me the insight to make more value-based decisions.

I saw that my peers resonated with this approach to finances, which is why I built SavebyValues/Intentions.