Spendopia

Spendopia is a playful fintech app that helps Gen Z with ADHD curb impulsive spending by turning saving into a gamified, AI-supported experience.

Redesign UI & Design System

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Client

Self-initiate Project

Deliverables

UX, UI design system, Branding

Industry

Fintech

Context

2025, 2 weeks

Project Overview

Spendopia is a service design project originally created in 2023 to help Gen Z, especially those with ADHD, turn impulsive spending urges into mindful saving. The concept combines a digital pet, playful nudges, and a virtual shopping experience that channels money into savings instead of purchases.

For this new iteration, I focused on reimagining the entire UI and design system. While the original design successfully communicated the concept, the UI lacked consistency and scalability. The visual system did not fully account for accessibility needs of neurodivergent users, nor did it provide a clear framework for expanding features such as:

More interactive digital pet behaviour
AI-powered personalised saving suggestions
More immersive virtual product experiences

In short: the service vision was strong, but the interface needed to evolve to fully support it. The research foundation and service concept remained the same, but the goal was to deliver a more polished, consistent, and future-ready interface.

The Challenge

How might we balance fintech’s trustworthiness with a playful digital pet, transforming budgeting from guilt and control into a positive, rewarding, and future-focused experience

Design Goals

I set out to achieve three main goals in the redesign:

Design Goal 01

Accessibility

Ensuring colours, typography, and motion work for neurodiverse users.

Design Goal 02

Consistency

Building a coherent design system with reusable components.

Design Goal 03

Delight

Balancing financial seriousness with a playful and engaging interface that reflects Spendopia’s pet companion.

JTBD Framework

Recognising the Impulse

When I get trapped into ads and don’t recognise my impulsive behaviour

I want the rush of something rewarding without losing control

In order to interrupt the cycle, the pet detects impulsive behaviour and playfully distracts me before I buy

Redirecting the Impulse

When I feel an uncontrollable urge to buy something, but know regret will follow

I want to enjoy the buying process without guilt

In order to scratch the itch safely, Spendopia lets me make a virtual purchase that puts money directly into my savings pot.

AI-Supported Stressless Saving Plan

When I lose track of how much I’ve spent and struggle to plan ahead

I want support to manage my money without stress

In order to stay in control, Spendopia’s AI creates a personalised saving plan based on my income, expenses, and goals.

Connect Virtual Buys with Real Experiences

When I want my shopping urge to feel more real and rewarding

I want experiences that feel close to real purchases

In order to be fulfilled, Spendopia connects me with digital experiences such as VR fashion, virtual shows, and artist collabs.

Theory of change

Behaviour change model

Recognise the “stop signal” when building impulse

“Scratch the itch” of impulse

Fulfil the need for social comparison

“Control Impulse”
“Reduce the harm”

Project outcome

On the left is the original design, and on the right is the redesigned version with a more consistent, accessible, and ADHD-friendly interface.

On the top is the original design, and on the right is the redesigned version with a more consistent, accessible, and ADHD-friendly interface.

Unique Feature 01

Pet Character Design

Digital pets acts as a supportive companion, adding a playful and encouraging layer to financial management. They make money matters easy to understand by translating complex financial ideas into simple, actionable steps. Instead of pressure or guilt, the pets bring positivity, fun, and small wins that help users build healthier saving habits naturally.

Fun Fact: GenZers admit they get more joy from seeing their pet happy than their partner (36% vs 21%), more than any other generation.

Saving should feel supportive, not stressful. This helps users build better financial habits naturally without guilt, pressure, or constant self-control, which can be especially challenging for people with ADHD.

UX Design Principles

The pets is positioned as a friendly companion, not a financial watchdog.
Personality and tone adapt to the user’s behaviour.
Nudges are light, gamified, and positive, never shaming.
Impulses are redirected into playful actions that boost savings.

Pairing with Your Digital Pet

Each user takes a short survey to discover their spending style. Based on the results, they are paired with a digital pet that matches their behaviour and offers tailored support.

Behaviour-Driven Pet Companions

These characters are based on behavioural research and represent key spending triggers: impulse, emotions, habits, aspiration, and planning. By translating these psychological insights into playful digital companions, each pet is designed to guide users in vulnerable moments and help turn spending urges into positive saving.

Unique Feature 02

3-Level Notification System

The notification system uses pets to step in at key moments of the shopping flow. By matching the user’s state of mind, the notifications create a smooth path from awareness to distraction to reflection, helping users save without friction.

Three-level notification system adds a supportive safety net around the entire shopping journey.

UX Design Principles

Pets deliver nudges in a calm, supportive tone.
Interventions scale with shopping behaviour: gentle → playful → reflective.
Focus is on redirecting energy, not blocking action.
Keeps the user in control while reinforcing saving habits.

Default Mode

Zap (or another pet) sits playfully in your Dynamic Island with light animations, creating a sense of companionship and gentle presence.

Level 1  
Gentle Reminder (Trigger Stage)

Trigger  
Opening shopping apps, browsing social media with shopping links, or visiting stores at “impulse times” (late night, stress moments).

How it works
The pet appears with a soft nudge, reminding you to pause.
Example:   “Hey 👀 browsing again? Want to set a 5-minute break?”  

Why this works  
It builds awareness early in the process, planting a stop signal before the impulse gets too strong.

Do you really need it?

Level 2  
Distraction (Escalation)

Trigger  
Adding items to cart, lingering on “buy now,” or rapid cart additions.

How it works
The pet offers an instant mini-game that delivers quick dopamine while suggesting a saving alternative.

Why this works  
It replaces the dopamine rush of shopping with playful engagement, helping redirect energy into savings at the peak impulse moment.

Level 3  
Supportive Reflection
(Pre-Purchase Final Step/Check-out)

Trigger  
User clicks “checkout” or tries to confirm a purchase that looks unusual (large spend, repeat item, outside normal budget)

How it works
The pet gives a gentle reminder of recent purchases or offers a safer outlet by linking to the Virtual Shop to “scratch the itch.”

Why this works  
At the final step, impulse is strongest. A light nudge or fun alternative redirects the urge without guilt, keeping saving goals on track.

Unique Feature 03

Virtual Shop

The Virtual Shop gives users a safe way to “scratch the shopping itch.” Instead of buying real items, they unlock playful digital products, and the money goes directly into their savings pot. This keeps the excitement of shopping while turning impulses into progress.

Scratch the itch, save through buying!

UX Design Principles

Safe outlet for impulsive spending
Shopping reframed as saving
Playful digital rewards without financial loss
Balance of short-term fun and long-term goals

How it works

Users can try AR fashion filters, join VR art shows, or other playful experiences linked to real-life sharing. Cheerful pet animations celebrate every action, making saving feel rewarding.

Unique Feature 04

Agentic AI Budgeting

Most budgeting apps ask you to plan every detail and track every expense. That can feel overwhelming and guilt-driven, especially for people with ADHD. This design works differently.

It combines monthly planning with daily guidance. AI suggests a buffer range — flexible money for surprises or impulses — based on your income, past spending, and savings goals.

This way you make just one choice with a simple plus or minus while the app does the heavy lifting to updates automatically.

Why It Helps ADHD Users

Only one thing to adjust → less overwhelm
Instant updates show how daily allowance changes
More buffer = more safety if impulses win
Less buffer = more freedom for fun money

How it works

More buffer means less risk if impulses win.
Less buffer means more daily fun money.

Buffer money  Your safety net for unexpected costs and impulse moments.

Daily Flexible money  Your guilt-free fun money, automatically adjusted based on your buffer. A little daily reward for yourself!

Daily allowance  How much you can spend today, updated instantly when buffer or flexible changes.

Design Process

How does ADHD impulsive spending feels

Urgent and Unstoppable

A fire alarm rings in your head, and you cannot focus on anything else until you act.

Relentless Distractions

Pop-ups keep hijacking your focus, growing louder and flashier until you finally give in.

Relief, Then Regret

An unbearable itch builds until scratching feels good for a moment, but regret soon follows.

Persona Strategy

We designed from the edges and scaled to the many. I began with ADHD impulsive spenders to meet the most acute needs for clarity, low cognitive load, and positive reinforcement. Then I mapped the shared pain points across Gen Z impulsive spenders, so the same solution set serves a wider audience without separating ADHD users from everyone else.

Extreme User Persona - Gen Z ADHD Impulsive Spender

General User Persona - Gen Z Impulsive Spender

ADHD brains respond better to rewards than to warnings

According to the Fogg Behaviour Model, behaviour happens when motivation, ability, and prompts align at the same moment. Many financial apps fail because they rely too heavily on motivation (expecting users to resist impulses) and make the process hard to do (complex dashboards, strict budgets).

App information architecture

Wireframe

UI Design

Understand Spending Behaviour

Answer a few quick questions so we can match you with the right digital pet.

Meet Your Digital Pet & Customisation

Your personal digital pet will be by your side to nudge, distract, and celebrate progress in the way that feels right for you.

Link Bank Card + Privacy Settings

Link your card securely to track spending and build savings with confidence.

ADHD Friendly Home Screen

The home screen gives ADHD users instant clarity and positive feedback. Savings and avoided impulses are shown upfront while information is chunked into simple cards and visuals, reducing overwhelm and turning progress into motivation.

At this pace, we’ll save £540 in 4 months

AI-powered Saving Pots

By learning your income and estimating your living expenses, the system suggests a smart saving range for you to choose from. You can then set your goal, add a deadline, and even invite friends to join — turning saving into something social and motivating.

AI Therapist Chat

When ADHD users feel unsure where to start or tempted to spend, they can simply ask Zap questions like “Can I afford this?” or “How much did I save last month?”. Zap replies with clear, supportive answers, making money reflection feel like chatting with a friend.