If you read my last post, you’ll know that I’ve been playing around with building an app in Lovable, the no-code app builder. I won’t go into detail about Lovable (as I talked about it in the last post), but I will say that I was able to publish my first app.
The App and Why I Built It
I call the app “Low-Tech Grandma’s Expense Tracker.” I built it because I needed it. I had been using Excel and later Google Sheets to track my spending.
My spreadsheets were simple, but large. It had 13 pages, a page for each month, plus an annual summary. I linked the pages and modified the categories as needed (and there were a lot of “as needed” modifications). After a while, it became cumbersome.
Quicken vs. Spreadsheets
I tried using Quicken in the past. Quicken is an excellent program for those who like it. For me, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. It was much more complicated and offered too many options for my needs, so I went back to the ‘simplicity’ of using spreadsheets.
An age-telling fact: Before using Quicken, I used Lotus 123 (only old timers know about that program)
Enter the Low-Tech Grandma Expense Tracker.
After tiring of the spreadsheet modifications and not wanting to go back to Quicken, I decided to build something simple that would work for me. All I wanted to do was track expenses. I didn’t want to download a complicated program or hand over all my personal data to some big tech company. I wanted something that worked in a straightforward, no-nonsense way. That’s how the Expense Tracker idea was born.
I liked the idea, but didn’t quite know how to turn it into a reality. After all, I’m not a coder and I didn’t want to go through the expense of hiring one to build the app for me.
Lovable and ChatGPT
This is where Lovable came in. Lovable is an AI app builder that lets you create apps by giving it instructions in plain English. Instead of coding every line, you explain what you want the app to do, and it builds the bones for you.
Sounds easy, right? Well… sort of.
The truth is, I made a boatload of mistakes along the way. I’d ask Lovable to create something, then realize I wasn’t specific enough. Or I’d forget to mention an important detail. Or Lovable would build what I asked for—but it wasn’t what I actually wanted.
That’s where ChatGPT became my sidekick. BTW, I’ve named ChatGPT Archibald, Archie for short. Anytime I got stuck, I’d go to Archie and ask, “How do I explain this to Lovable so it gets it right?” Archie would always help me refine my prompts, troubleshoot little issues, and even help me to understand some of the “techy” jargon I stumbled across.
Archie became my patient, in-house teacher who would explain things to me in plain language.
The Finished Product
In the end, the Low-Tech Grandma Expense Tracker turned out just the way I hoped: simple, clean, and easy to use. It lets me track my spending without bells and whistles getting in the way.
And honestly? The process of building it taught me just as much as the app itself. I walked away with a better understanding of how AI tools like Lovable and ChatGPT can work together. I also learned how a non-coder like me can still create something useful.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever dreamed of creating your own app but thought it was “too technical,” let me reassure you: if I can do it, you can too. You don’t have to get it right the first time. You just have to be willing to learn, experiment, and let ChatGPT help you along the way.
The Expense Tracker is more than just a tool to log spending—it’s proof that us “Low-Tech” mature folks can participate in the AI revolution.
BTW, if you’re interested, you can check out the Low-Tech Grandma’s Expense Tracker by following the link. Try it for free. I’ve implemented a 30-day trial. I’m testing out the $5.99 annual fee. However, that’s negotiable. In the meantime, I’ve been using it and I’m happy with it.
I created a quick instruction video for those interested in trying it out.
Full transparency: The Lovable link is an affiliate link. If you sign up with Lovable through my link I get a small comission.