Tracking expenses in a messenger works just like texting: you send "coffee 4" in the chat, and the expense gets logged to your budget. Budget does this in WhatsApp and Telegram, no app or sign-up required. Just open the chat and set your language, currency, and monthly budget.
Why is tracking expenses in a messenger easier than an app?
A standalone app has to be found, opened, loaded, and clicked through a couple of screens. A messenger is already open twenty times a day, so logging an expense there is just like replying to a message. The fewer steps between a purchase and logging it, the fewer expenses slip through, and that's what determines whether your monthly picture is accurate.
The second advantage is the format. There's no need to pick a category from a list or type an amount into a separate field: "taxi 12" is recognized automatically, Budget assigns the category itself, and it replies right away with your remaining budget. If the amount is named in a different currency, say dollars on a ruble account, Budget converts it at the day's exchange rate automatically.
How to start budgeting in chat
Choose whichever messenger you use most, and open Budget:
Telegram: @BudgetDigitalBot
WhatsApp: +1 484-521-1105
Next come three quick steps: confirm your language, confirm your currency, and enter your monthly budget amount, for example $1,000. In Telegram you'll first need to share your phone number with one tap, while in WhatsApp your number is already known. After that, Budget will ask you to log your first expense and show you how it's subtracted from your budget.
What mistake do people make in the first week?
They log only big expenses and put off the small ones for "later tonight." By evening half of them are forgotten, and a week later the stats show a tidy but inaccurate picture. In a messenger the right habit is simple: send the expense right after paying, while your phone is still in your hand. By voice it takes a couple of seconds, and Budget will sort out a receipt photo on its own. After a week of this habit, /stats shows for the first time where your money is really going, and it's usually the small expenses that are the most surprising.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install a separate app?
No. Budget works inside WhatsApp and Telegram, which you already have. There's nothing to download, no password to create, no email to confirm. Your account is created automatically with your first message, and the whole setup takes less than a minute: language, currency, and monthly budget amount. If you change your mind, you can delete your account with a single command.
Can I use both WhatsApp and Telegram at the same time?
Yes. If the phone number is the same in both messengers, it's a single account. An expense logged in WhatsApp shows up in your Telegram stats, and vice versa. Your budget, currency, and Pro subscription are shared too, so you can message whichever app is more convenient at the moment.
Can anyone else see my expenses in the chat?
No, it's a private chat between you and Budget. Your contacts and other users can't see your expenses. Voice messages are transcribed and deleted right away, and records older than thirteen months are removed automatically. You can delete your account and all your data at any time with the /delete command.
Can I log expenses by voice?
Yes, in both messengers. Just say what you bought and how much it cost, for example "groceries forty two dollars," and Budget will log it like a regular message. You can mention several purchases at once: each one becomes a separate entry with its own category and amount. Voice is handy when your hands are busy: driving, carrying groceries, or holding a kid.
How much does it cost?
Logging expenses by text, budgeting, stats, and export are all free with no limits. The free plan has monthly limits on voice messages, receipt scanning, and tips, which Pro removes for $4.90 a month. Limits reset on the first of each month, and Pro works in both messengers at once if the number is the same.
What's next
Open Budget in whichever messenger you use most: in Telegram or in WhatsApp. Setup takes a minute, and you can log your first expense right after.
