Welcome to Cha Ching Dynasty Docs
Learn about maintainable systems. Build what you want. Create your dynasty
Cha Ching Dynasty helps you take complete control of your data through understanding and privacy-first design. Your data, your rules, your dynasty.
Jump straight to our 5-minute quickstart guide to create your dynasty and start tracking your finances today.
What is Cha Ching Dynasty?β
Cha Ching Dynasty is a privacy-focused finance management platform that puts you in control. Unlike traditional banking apps that sell your data, we believe your financial information belongs to youβand only you.
π° Core Philosophy: Visualizationβ
Make better financial decisions by:
- Recording every transaction (your evidence)
- Reflecting on spending patterns (your insights)
- Refining your approach (your growth)
- Building lasting wealth (your dynasty)
Your financial data tells a story. We help you read it, learn from it, and write a better future.
Why Choose Cha Ching Dynasty?β
π Privacy Firstβ
- Your data stays encrypted and under your control
- No ads, no data mining, no third-party selling
- Export your data anytimeβit's yours
π¨βπ©βπ§βπ¦ Built for Familiesβ
- Create a Dynasty (shared family vault)
- Multiple members with permission levels
- Teach financial literacy together
- Collaborative financial planning
π Evidence-Based Approachβ
- Track every dollar (your evidence)
- Visualize spending patterns
- Make data-driven decisions
- Reflect and improve continuously
π Truly Cross-Platformβ
- Web app (works anywhere)
- iOS native app
- Android native app
- Sync across all devices (optional)
π― Powerful Featuresβ
- Obligations - Never miss a bill or subscription
- Resources - Save toward goals with confidence
- Relationships - Track business and vendor dealings
- Vaults - Organize finances your way
- Reports - Deep insights into your money
Get Started in 5 Stepsβ
1οΈβ£ Sign Up and Create Your Dynastyβ
Your dynasty is your financial empireβa secure space where you manage all your money matters.
What you'll do:
- Create a free account
- Name your dynasty
- Set up encryption
- Choose your privacy level
Time: 2 minutes
π Create Your Dynasty
2οΈβ£ Create Your First Vaultβ
Vaults are containers that organize your financial life. Think of them as folders for different areas.
Common vault setups:
- Personal - Your individual finances
- Household - Shared family expenses
- Business - Self-employment or side hustle
- Investment - Long-term wealth building
What you'll do:
- Click "Create Vault"
- Name it (e.g., "Smith Family Finances")
- Add your first account (checking, savings, credit card)
- Choose who can access it
Time: 3 minutes
π Vault Setup Guide
3οΈβ£ Add the Essentialsβ
Populate your vault with the building blocks of your financial life.
Add Members (for families)β
Invite family members to collaborate:
- Owner - Full control
- Admin - Manage finances
- Member - View and add transactions
- Viewer - Read-only access
π Member Management Guide
Add Obligationsβ
Track recurring bills and subscriptions:
- Rent/mortgage
- Utilities (electric, water, internet)
- Subscriptions (Netflix, Spotify, gym)
- Loan payments (car, student loans)
Why this matters: Never miss a payment. See exactly where recurring money goes each month.
π Obligations Guide
Add Resourcesβ
Set and track financial goals:
- Emergency fund
- Vacation savings
- Down payment for a house
- Debt payoff plans
Why this matters: Turn vague goals into concrete plans with measurable progress.
π Resources Guide
Add Relationshipsβ
Track entities you do business with:
- Landlord/property management
- Freelance clients
- Vendors and contractors
- Service providers
Why this matters: Keep organized records for taxes, disputes, and financial planning.
π Relationships Guide
Time: 15-30 minutes (one-time setup)
4οΈβ£ Start Tracking Transactionsβ
The heart of evidence-based reflection: recording every transaction.
Ways to add transactions:
- Manual entry - Quick add from mobile or web
- Import - Upload CSV from your bank
- Bank connection - Auto-import with Plaid (optional)
- Receipt scanning - Photo capture with OCR
Start simple:
- Add today's transactions
- Categorize each one
- Add notes if helpful
- Review at end of day
Time: 5 minutes daily
π Transaction Guide
5οΈβ£ Reflect Weekly, Plan Monthlyβ
Evidence without reflection is just data. Make it meaningful.
Weekly Review (15 minutes):
- Review past week's transactions
- Check upcoming obligations
- Verify resource contributions
- Adjust budget if needed
Monthly Planning (30 minutes):
- Review monthly spending by category
- Compare to budget
- Assess progress toward resources
- Set next month's financial intentions
- Family financial discussion (if applicable)
Time: 15 min/week + 30 min/month
π Reflection Guide
Understanding Key Conceptsβ
π° Dynastyβ
Your top-level organization. Usually represents a family or individual. Contains all your vaults, members, and financial data.
Example: "The Johnson Dynasty"
ποΈ Vaultβ
A container within your dynasty for organizing finances. Separate work from personal, or organize by purpose.
Examples: "Personal Finances", "Family Budget", "Side Business", "Investment Portfolio"
πΌ Obligationsβ
Recurring financial commitmentsβbills, subscriptions, loans that happen on a schedule.
Examples: Netflix ($20/mo), Rent ($1,500/mo), Car Payment ($350/mo)
π― Resourcesβ
Financial goals you're saving toward or paying down.
Examples: Emergency Fund ($10,000 target), Japan Vacation ($8,000), Credit Card Payoff ($5,500)
π€ Relationshipsβ
Business entities you have financial dealings with.
Examples: ABC Property Management (landlord), Tech Startup Inc (client), Acme Plumbing (vendor)
π³ Transactionsβ
Individual money movementsβevery dollar in or out.
Examples: $4.50 coffee, $1,200 paycheck, $50 gas
Essential Workflowsβ
π± Daily: Quick Transaction Entryβ
2-5 minutes
Morning coffee? Log it. Grocery run? Log it. Got paid? Log it.
Quick Add Flow:
1. Open app
2. Tap "+" button
3. Enter amount
4. Select category
5. Add note (optional)
6. Save
Done! Evidence captured.
π Weekly: Review & Reflectβ
15 minutes every Sunday
-
Review Transactions
- Scan past week's spending
- Fix any miscategorized items
- Add missing transactions
-
Check Upcoming Obligations
- What bills are due this week?
- Verify sufficient funds
- Mark paid obligations
-
Update Resources
- Add any contributions
- Check progress toward goals
- Celebrate milestones
-
Quick Insights
- Where did money go this week?
- Any surprises?
- What to adjust next week?
π Monthly: Deep Dive & Planningβ
30-60 minutes on 1st of month
-
Monthly Spending Report
- Total spent by category
- Compare to budget
- Identify trends
-
Obligation Review
- All bills paid on time?
- Any price changes?
- Cancel unused subscriptions?
-
Resource Progress
- Goals on track?
- Need to increase contributions?
- Celebrate completed goals
-
Family Financial Discussion (if applicable)
- Review together
- Discuss wins and challenges
- Set intentions for next month
-
Next Month Planning
- Upcoming large expenses?
- Adjust budget categories
- Set resource contributions
π― Quarterly: Strategic Reviewβ
1-2 hours every 3 months
-
Big Picture Analysis
- Net worth tracking
- Income vs expenses trend
- Progress toward major goals
-
Category Deep-Dive
- Which categories over/under budget?
- Spending patterns changing?
- Opportunities to optimize?
-
Obligation Audit
- Review all subscriptions (cancel unused)
- Renegotiate bills (insurance, internet)
- Update obligation amounts
-
Resource Rebalancing
- Reprioritize goals if life changed
- Adjust contribution amounts
- Add new goals, archive completed
-
Financial Health Check
- Emergency fund adequate?
- Debt payoff on track?
- Retirement contributions sufficient?
Add-On Servicesβ
Enhance your Cha Ching Dynasty experience with premium features.
βοΈ Cha Ching Dynasty Syncβ
Keep your financial data synchronized across all your devices.
What you get:
- β Real-time sync across web, iOS, and Android
- β End-to-end encryption (we can't read your data)
- β Automatic backups
- β Family member collaboration
- β Up to 10 GB storage
Perfect for:
- Families managing finances together
- People using multiple devices
- Anyone wanting automatic backups
Pricing: $4.99/month or $49.99/year (save 17%)
π Learn More About Sync
π Cha Ching Dynasty Goldβ
Unlock advanced features and premium insights.
What you get:
- β Everything in Sync, plus:
- β Advanced reports and analytics
- β Custom categories and tags
- β Priority customer support
- β Early access to new features
- β Bank connection (Plaid integration)
- β Receipt scanning with OCR
- β Budget templates and recommendations
- β Export to QuickBooks/Xero
- β Unlimited vaults and members
Perfect for:
- Power users wanting deep insights
- Families with complex finances
- Business owners and freelancers
- Anyone wanting premium support
Pricing: $9.99/month or $99.99/year (save 17%)
π Learn More About Gold
π Free Forever Optionβ
Cha Ching Dynasty core features are free, always.
What you get for free:
- β Unlimited transactions
- β 1 vault per dynasty
- β 3 members per vault
- β Obligations, resources, relationships
- β Basic reports
- β Manual transaction entry
- β CSV import/export
- β Local device storage
- β Mobile and web apps
Perfect for:
- Individuals getting started
- Single-device users
- Privacy-focused users (no cloud needed)
- Anyone on a budget
No credit card required. No surprise charges. Just powerful finance tools.
Your Privacy Mattersβ
π How We Protect Your Dataβ
End-to-End Encryption: Your data is encrypted on your device before it ever leaves. Even we can't read it.
Zero Knowledge Architecture: We don't have access to your encryption keys. Only you can decrypt your data.
No Data Selling: We never sell, rent, or share your financial data. Ever. Our business model is simple: you pay us, we serve you.
You Own Your Data: Export anytime, in standard formats. No lock-in. No hostage data.
Optional Bank Connections: If you choose to connect banks (Gold tier), we use Plaid with read-only access. You control what data is synced.
Evidence-Based Reflectionβ
The Philosophy Behind the Appβ
Most finance apps focus on budgets and predictions. We focus on evidence and reflection.
Traditional Approach:
Set budget β Try to stick to it β Feel guilty when you don't
Evidence-Based Approach:
Track everything β Reflect on patterns β Learn β Adjust β Improve
The Reflection Cycleβ
1. Capture (Evidence) Record every transaction. No judgment, just data.
2. Review (Observation) Look at what actually happened. Where did money go?
3. Reflect (Insight) Why did you spend that way? What patterns emerge?
4. Refine (Action) Based on insights, what will you change? Set intentions, not restrictions.
5. Repeat (Growth) Every cycle makes you wiser about your money.
Why This Worksβ
Traditional budgeting:
- Feels restrictive
- Focuses on what you "can't" do
- Creates guilt and shame
- Often abandoned
Evidence-based reflection:
- Feels empowering
- Focuses on what you "did" do
- Creates awareness and learning
- Builds lasting habits
Example:
β Budgeting: "I can only spend $200 on dining out this month" (Spend $250, feel like a failure)
β Evidence-Based: "I spent $250 on dining out. That's 8 meals. Which meals brought the most joy? Which were just habit? What can I learn?" (Awareness without judgment, intentional future choices)
Learning Resourcesβ
π Documentationβ
Getting Started:
- 5-Minute Quickstart
- Installation Guide
- Basic Concepts
Core Features:
- Vaults
- Transactions
- Accounts
- Categories
- Members
Finance Tools:
- Obligations - Bills and subscriptions
- Resources - Savings goals
- Relationships - Business entities
- Budgets - Spending plans
Guides:
- Weekly Reflection
- Monthly Planning
- Importing Data
- Family Finances
π₯ Video Tutorialsβ
Coming Soon:
- Setting up your first vault
- Adding transactions on mobile
- Creating and tracking resources
- Family financial collaboration
π Subscribe to our YouTube channel
π¬ Community & Supportβ
Get Help:
- FAQ - Common questions answered
- Troubleshooting - Fix common issues
- Email Support - Response within 24-48 hours
- Discord Community - Chat with other users
Contribute:
- GitHub Repository - Report bugs, request features
- Contributing Guide - Help build the app
What's Next?β
Ready to start your financial dynasty? Here's your path:
Immediate (Today):β
- β Create your account
- β Set up your first vault
- β Add your accounts
This Week:β
- β Add obligations (all recurring bills)
- β Create resources (start with emergency fund)
- β Record daily transactions
This Month:β
- β Complete your first weekly review
- β Invite family members (if applicable)
- β Set up bank import or connect bank (optional)
This Quarter:β
- β Complete quarterly strategic review
- β Export your data (backup)
- β Join the community
Success Storiesβ
"Finally, a finance app that respects my privacy. My family and I have tracked every dollar for 6 months. We've saved $12,000 we didn't know we had!"
β Sarah J., San Jose, CA
"The evidence-based approach changed everything. Instead of beating myself up for 'bad' spending, I learned WHY I spend. Now I make better choices naturally."
- Michael T., Austin, TX
"I'm a freelancer. Tracking relationships with clients and vendors has simplified my taxes SO much. Worth Gold membership 10x over."
β Jennifer K., Portland, OR
Philosophy: Build Your Dynastyβ
A dynasty isn't built in a day. It's built through:
- Consistent tracking (your evidence)
- Regular reflection (your insights)
- Intentional choices (your wisdom)
- Steady progress (your legacy)
Every transaction you record is a brick in your financial empire.
Every reflection session makes you a wiser ruler of your money.
Every goal you achieve strengthens your dynasty.
Start today. Build your legacy.
Quick Linksβ
Get Started:
- Create Account
- Quickstart Guide
- Download Mobile App
Learn:.
- Documentation Home
- Video Tutorials
- Blog Articles
Connect:
Upgrade:
- Cha Ching Dynasty Sync
- Cha Ching Dynasty Gold
- Compare Plans
Ready to take control? Create your dynasty now β
Your financial empire awaits.
Have questions? Check our FAQ or contact support