How We Use Zefire App

As a family of 3 (plus a dog), we are trying to stay motivated on our journey to financial independence. With the Zefire App, we track our expenses and investments in a way that shows us exactly how each step gets us closer to FI.

Tracking Our Expenses

Instead of setting a monthly spending limit, we review our expenses at the end of each month to see where our money actually went. Here’s our process:

1. Categorizing Spending
   

   

   We use a joint account in Revolut for family expenses, while our salaries go into our personal accounts. We also pay off the mortgage. Revolut categorizes spending automatically, and we just adjust about 10-20% of transactions for accuracy.

2. Updating Categories in Zefire
   

   

   At the end of each month, we sit down together to update recurring expenses in Zefire. It’s a little ritual we look forward to, and it keeps us engaged with our spending. We considered using an auto-sync tool, but we love the process of manually logging our expenses and discussing them.

3. Updating Our Goals We have three goals: short-term, mid-term, and long-term, all working together like a pyramid. Since our salaries come in at different times, there’s no set “update day.” As soon as I get paid, I send about 20% to my brokerage account and log it in Zefire.

What’s Changed for Us Because of Zefire

1. We’re more disciplined about investing because we can see our progress across multiple goals.

2. Adding new expenses is a more mindful decision. For instance, if we add YouTube Premium, we know it means we need to invest more to cover it in the long run.

3. Writing down and reflecting on expenses has made us more intentional with our spending.

With Zefire, our family is motivated and on track toward FI, one step at a time.