# ftrme

> ftrme (future me) is a no-judgment money companion app. It shows where your money goes today and who you could be in 20 years, then gives you one small step a day. No bank login, not a bank, never sells you financial products.

Key facts:
- Name: ftrme, pronounced "future me". Website: https://www.ftrme.com
- What it is: a money companion app. It shows "Present Me" (where your money goes today, in percentages), "Future Me" (you in 20 years) and gives one small step a day.
- No bank login and no payslip needed: it works in percentages ("out of every 100 you earn").
- Not a bank, does not hold or move money, does not sell financial products. Not financial advice. Projections are illustrative (7%/yr) and always labelled.
- Status: private paid beta, 50 founding seats at $49 for the first year, refundable until the invite arrives. Free waitlist.
- Founder: Max. Contact: hello@ftrme.com. Community: https://www.reddit.com/r/ftrme/
- Official accounts: X @FTRME_app, TikTok @ftrme_app, Instagram @ftrme_app, Reddit u/Ftrme and r/ftrme
- Original research: "The Buried Answer" (2026), a coded study of 48 Reddit money-help threads. Dataset CC BY 4.0: https://www.ftrme.com/study/ftrme-buried-answer-2026.csv

## Research

- [The Buried Answer: what Reddit gets wrong when people ask for money help](https://www.ftrme.com/study): We coded the top comments on 48 Reddit threads where people asked for money help. The plan was usually there, buried under jokes and judgment. Findings, method and open dataset.

## Answers to real money questions

- [Can’t live on $1,800 a month? Start with the one bill that’s eating it](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/cant-live-on-1800-a-month): Living on $1,800 a month take-home feels impossible when rent and a car note eat it. Here is the plan in order: see the split, fix the biggest fixed cost, build a $500 buffer, then save 2–9%.
- [How does anyone afford to move out at 20?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/how-to-afford-to-move-out): At 20 on about $45k a year, moving out is doable with a plan: know your take-home, keep rent near a third, get a roommate, and build a buffer first. Step by step, no judgment.
- [$73k in debt at 21: how screwed am I?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/73k-debt-at-21-how-screwed-am-i): At 21 with $73k of mostly student debt, you are not screwed, but reassurance isn’t a plan. List every debt by interest rate, pay minimums on all, and send extra to the highest rate.
- [$25k of credit card debt on an $82k salary: where do I start?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/25k-credit-card-debt-where-to-start): With $25k of card debt on $82k, the fastest relief is calling each issuer about a hardship or lower-rate plan, then a dedicated payoff account. Includes a script for the call people dread.
- [We’re in debt because of childcare. Is it a spending problem?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/couple-in-debt-after-childcare): When childcare pushes a family into $50k of consumer debt, “you have a spending problem” is the wrong diagnosis. The plan: forgive yourselves, call creditors, see a non-profit credit counsellor, budget for the next 12 months of care.
- [I got my first paycheck. What do I actually do with it?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/first-paycheck-what-to-do): Your first paycheck: pay what you owe, set up a small automatic saving, start a $500 buffer, take any employer match, and keep some for fun. A simple order for your first real money.
- [I just got fired and I have no savings. What do I do first?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/fired-with-no-savings): Fired with no savings: apply for unemployment today, ask for the reason in writing, list your next 30 days of bills, call lenders before you miss a payment, and protect health cover. A calm checklist.
- [I’m $45k in debt after a pay cut. Where do I even start?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/45k-debt-after-pay-cut): After a pay cut leaves you with $45k of debt including a car loan, the biggest win is usually the car. Then cheaper insurance, a payoff order, and a budget for the new income.
- [Should I pay off my student loans in one go, or invest?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/pay-off-student-loans-or-invest): Pay off or invest? Buffer first, employer match second. Then: above about 6–7% interest, pay the loan; below about 4%, invest; in between, choose what gives you peace of mind and stick to it.
- [My first credit card: should I pay it off every time I use it?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/first-credit-card-pay-in-full): Pay your full statement balance by the due date every month and you pay no interest. Set up autopay for the full balance. Paying more often can lower the balance that gets reported, but monthly is enough.
- [I’m being sued over credit card debt. What do I do?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/sued-for-credit-card-debt): If you are sued over credit card debt, the most important step is to file a response before the court deadline on your summons. Ignoring it usually means a default judgment. Then negotiate a payment plan or settlement.
- [I just found out my partner has hidden debt. What now?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/partner-hidden-debt): Discovering a partner’s hidden debt hurts. First get the full picture together, check both credit reports, separate what is joint, then make a plan that includes rebuilding trust, not just a second job.
- [I got a lot of money at 19. What should I do?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/sudden-money-at-19): An inheritance, lottery win or big savings at 19 or 20: park it in a safe account, tell almost no one, wait 30 days, then build a plan with a fee-only adviser. The real risk is spending, not returns.
- [How do I stop feeling ashamed about money?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/how-to-stop-feeling-ashamed-about-money): Money shame makes you avoid your balance, and avoiding it is what costs you. We call it the shame tax. Five small steps to look at your money without the dread, starting with one number.
- [How do I start budgeting when I’m already behind?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/how-to-start-budgeting-when-behind): When you are behind, don’t start with a detailed budget. Start with percentages: out of every $100, where does it go? Fix the biggest leak, build a $500 buffer, then add one habit a week.
- [Is it too late to start saving at 30?](https://www.ftrme.com/answers/is-it-too-late-to-save-at-30): No. $100 a month from 30 to 65 at an illustrative 7% is about $180,000. Starting at 25 helps, but starting at 30 or 35 still builds a lot. The best time is now, at a percentage you can keep.

## Comparisons

- [Budgeting apps that don’t need your bank login](https://www.ftrme.com/vs/budgeting-apps-without-bank-login): Money apps you can use without linking a bank account in 2026: ftrme (percentages, no login), YNAB (manual or file import), and Monarch (manual accounts). What each is best for.
- [The best money app if you hate budgeting](https://www.ftrme.com/vs/money-app-if-you-hate-budgeting): Hate budgeting? Pick by what you need: ftrme for one no-judgment step a day, Rocket Money for cutting subscriptions, Copilot or Monarch for automatic tracking, YNAB if you want to learn budgeting properly.
- [ftrme vs YNAB](https://www.ftrme.com/vs/ynab): YNAB is a hands-on zero-based budgeting app ($14.99/mo or $109/yr). ftrme is a no-judgment money companion that works in percentages with no bank login. An honest comparison, including when YNAB wins.
- [ftrme vs Monarch](https://www.ftrme.com/vs/monarch): Monarch Money is an all-in-one finance tracker for linked accounts, net worth and couples ($14.99/mo or $99.99/yr). ftrme is a no-judgment money companion with no bank login. Honest comparison.
- [ftrme vs Copilot Money](https://www.ftrme.com/vs/copilot): Copilot Money is a polished Apple-first tracker for linked accounts (reported $13/mo or $95/yr). ftrme is a no-judgment money companion with no bank login. Honest comparison.
- [ftrme vs Cleo](https://www.ftrme.com/vs/cleo): Cleo is an AI money chatbot that links your bank, with paid plans and cash advances. ftrme is a no-judgment money companion with no bank login and no lending. Honest comparison.
- [ftrme vs Rocket Money](https://www.ftrme.com/vs/rocket-money): Rocket Money tracks linked accounts, cancels subscriptions and negotiates bills (Premium about $6–$14/mo, negotiation fee 35–60% of first-year savings). ftrme is a no-judgment money companion. Honest comparison.

## Free tools

- [Same paycheck. Two futures.](https://www.ftrme.com/tools/two-futures): See two futures from the same paycheck. Enter your monthly take-home and a savings percentage to see what it becomes in 10–40 years at an illustrative 7% a year. Free, no sign-up.
- [Out of every $100 you earn, where does it go?](https://www.ftrme.com/tools/out-of-100): A three-minute, no-login way to see your money split: out of every $100 you take home, how much goes to rent, transport, food, debt, fun and future you. Free, private, nothing is sent.

## About

- [Who’s building ftrme, and why](https://www.ftrme.com/about): ftrme (future me) is a no-judgment money companion app built by Max. Why it exists, what it is, what it isn’t, and how we make money.
- [The words we use](https://www.ftrme.com/glossary): Definitions of the shame tax, the buried answer, same paycheck two futures, Present Me, Future Me and the other ideas behind ftrme.

## Optional

- [Full text of every page](https://www.ftrme.com/llms-full.txt)