There are a number of personal accounting solutions available for your mobile phone. Japanese developer Takako Kansai has just released one of the more intriguing solutions, an iPhone application called Zaim.
It allows you to input your various expenses into an assortment of categories, and eventually once you have enough data you can gain some insight into your spending habits by viewing Zaim’s graphic analysis. But Zaim features an interesting twist as well. It brings a social layer to personal accounting, allowing users to share certain data with friends.
I briefly spoke to Takako via email in order to find out a little more about Zaim.
Where did you first get the idea for this app?
I have developed web analytics tools in Japan for three years and am good at handling big data. I wanted to create something for people who are not geeks. I read all articles on TechCrunch.com written in 2010, and I found that there were no services which are completely new. For example, Groupon arranged a joint purchase service as social. Foursquare is the reinvention of location service. I thought [about] what I could and I found that personal account book services have room to be reinvented.
What is the advantage of making money management social?
It would be fun! I think there are many people who want to know how other people spend money, especially those similar to themselves. And Zaim helps makes people clever because they can improve their spending habits.
Zaim is a free app. Is there any revenue model?
I have not had any revenue from this app, however I’d like to prepare something to have some revenue from users. For example, we could provide some advice to users on how improve their households.
Did you work alone on this project? I noticed that you were the only individual in Teclosion 2011.
I am a full time worker in User Local, inc, and this project is my individual one. However a lot of my friends help me and give much advice, so I am not alone. (smiles)
So what are your plans/goals for Zaim?
I’d like to spread this App all around the world. All of us spend money, so Zaim has the potential to be used by everyone. I’ll try to improve Zaim carefully.
If you’d like to try the app for yourself, it is available for free from the app store. Alternatively, you might try MINT or Daytum, which fall into a similar category.
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