Product
Debt Constellation
A gamified debt payoff tracker that turns each debt into a star in a personal constellation. As debts get paid down, their stars brighten and glow, making progress feel visible and rewarding instead of just numbers on a spreadsheet.
- Status
- In development
- Built with
- React, SVG animation, CSS-in-JS
- Tagline
- Every payment lights a star
01
The problem
Most debt trackers are dry, shame-based spreadsheets that show numbers going down with no sense of momentum or reward. People managing debt often need motivation as much as they need math.
02
What we built
Built a snowball/avalanche payoff calculator with real amortization math, wrapped in a constellation visualization where each debt is a color-coded star. Users can log real payments, drag-reorder their payoff priority, and watch their sky fill in as debts clear, with the debt-free date projection adjusting to reflect actual logged payment behavior rather than just assumptions.
03
How it works
Snowball, avalanche, and custom ordering
Choose smallest-balance-first, highest-rate-first, or drag your own payoff order.
Real amortization simulation
Month-by-month interest calculation projects an actual debt-free date, not a rough guess.
Constellation visualization
Each debt is a color-coded star that dims or brightens based on its payoff status.
Payment logging
Log real payments and watch a progress bar fill in per debt, from starting balance to zero.
Actual-pace projections
Once payments are logged, the debt-free date switches from an assumption to the user's real average pace.
Full editing and undo history
Edit any debt, undo the last 10 actions, and confirm before deleting.
04
Development journey
Started as a straightforward debt payoff calculator, then evolved into a full gamified experience after exploring how to make debt payoff feel motivating instead of shame-based. Iterated through several rounds of visual direction, from a purple gradient to a darker, glowing, techy palette, and added real functionality layer by layer: manual paid/ongoing toggles, drag-to-reorder, per-debt color coding, payment logging, and progress bars tied to starting balances.
05
What's next
Shipped
Interactive prototype
Core payoff calculator, constellation visualization, payment logging, and drag-to-reorder, built and working.
Future
Savings & investing tracker
Expand beyond debt payoff into a full personal finance companion.
Future
Financial literacy onboarding
Built-in guidance for people who don't yet know how to save.