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How to use Lilikoi

Lilikoi helps you learn about money and see all of it in one place. This guide shows you where to click, one step at a time.

  • Free to use
  • No bank password needed
  • About 20 minutes to set up
  1. 1LearnNo account needed
  2. 2Set up your accountOnce, about 20 minutes
  3. 3Check inOnce a month, about 20 minutes

Part 1

Learn the basics

You can read every guide without an account. Use the menu at the top of any page.

  1. 1Click “Start Here”. Read the 3 guides in order.
  2. 2Click “Learn” to pick a money topic, like credit or retirement.
  3. 3Click “Calculators” to try your own numbers.

New to investing? Read these 3 in order

  1. 1Why Invest?How prices go up over time, and how saving can grow.
  2. 2The Cost of WaitingWhat waiting a few years really costs you.
  3. 3How to Start InvestingOpen a Roth IRA and make your first investment.

More to explore

All money topicsShort articles on budgets, credit, insurance and more. Sign in to mark each one as read.All calculatorsSee how money grows, plan for retirement, or work out a mortgage.

Part 2

Set up your account

Do this once. You only need rough numbers. You can change anything later.

The pictures show each page in a simple drawing. Button names are in quotes, exactly as they appear on the screen.

  1. 1Create your free account

    All you need is an email address and a password.

    1. 1Type your email address.
    2. 2Choose a password with at least 6 characters.
    3. 3Click “Sign up”. Then open the email we send you and click the link in it.
    4. 4You will see a few questions about you. Answer them, or click “Skip for now”.
    Create your account

  2. 2Answer the setup questions

    We ask 7 short questions. Each one is about a type of account, like a bank account or a loan.

    Your answers fill in your pages for you.

    1. 1Click “Dashboard” in the top menu. Then click “Start” in the box that says “Let's set up your accounts”. If you see “How would you like to start?”, click the choice that fits you best.
    2. 2Read each question. Click “Yes” or “No”.
    3. 3If you click “Yes”, type a name and a rough balance. Then click “Add”.
    4. 4Click “Continue”. At the end, click “Done, go to dashboard”.

    Not sure about an answer? Click “No”. You can add it later on the Net Worth page.

    Go to setup

  3. 3Add your subscriptions and bills

    A subscription is a cost you pay again and again, like phone, internet or streaming.

    Add each one. Then you can see what is coming before it is charged.

    1. 1Click “Add”.
    2. 2Type the name, like “Phone bill”.
    3. 3Type how much it costs and how often you pay. Then click “Add”.

    Your credit card yearly fees show up here on their own. You do not need to add them.

    Go to Subscriptions

  4. 4Put your goals in order

    A milestone is a money goal, like “Build a 3-month emergency fund”. We start you with a list.

    Put the list in order, so the most important goal is at the top.

    1. 1Click “Compare priorities”.
    2. 2You see 2 goals. Click the one you want to do first. Do this a few times.
    3. 3Click “Done”. Your top goal now says “Next up”.
    Go to Milestones

Part 3

Your monthly check-in

Pick one day near the end of each month, like the last Sunday. Then do these 5 things in order.

  1. 1Add your spending10 minutes
  2. 2Update your balances5 minutes
  3. 3Check next month's bills2 minutes
  4. 4Use your card perks2 minutes
  5. 5Mark goals done1 minute

Next month, do it again.

  1. 1Add your spending

    Your bank's website can give you a list of your spending as a CSV file. A CSV file is a simple table that many apps can open.

    You upload that file here. We never ask for your bank password.

    1. 1On your bank's website, download your transactions as a CSV file.
    2. 2On the Budget page, click “Import statement”. Choose the file you downloaded.
    3. 3Look at the list. Change a category if it is wrong.
    4. 4Click the button at the bottom. It shows how many expenses you are adding, like “Import 42 expenses”.

    Did you upload the same month twice? That is OK. We skip spending you already added.

    Go to Budget

  2. 2Update your balances

    Your balance is how much money is in an account, or how much you still owe on a loan.

    Look up each balance on your bank's website or app. Then type it in here.

    1. 1Find the account. Click the pencil next to it.
    2. 2Type the new balance.
    3. 3Click “Save changes”. Do this for each account.

    When a new month starts, we save your net worth for your chart. Update your balances before the month ends, so the chart is right.

    Go to Net Worth

  3. 3Check next month's bills

    See how much your bills will cost next month. Then you know how much money to keep in checking.

    1. 1Look at the box that says “Due in” and next month's name.
    2. 2Do you see “Possible subscriptions in your transactions”? Click “Add” to keep track of one. Click the X to hide it.
    Go to Subscriptions

  4. 4Use your card perks

    A perk is a free extra that comes with a credit card, like a $10 monthly food credit.

    Many perks reset each month. If you do not use them, you lose them.

    1. 1On each card, click “Perks” to open the list.
    2. 2Used a perk? Tick the box next to it. We save the date you used it.
    Go to Credit Cards

  5. 5Mark goals done

    Did you finish a goal this month? Mark it done. Then look at the goal that says “Next up”.

    1. 1Click the round check button next to the goal you finished.
    2. 2Read the goal that says “Next up”. That is your next step.
    Go to Milestones

Words you will see

Account
A place that holds your money or your debt, like a checking account, a 401(k) or a car loan.
Balance
How much money is in an account today, or how much you still owe on a debt.
Net worth
Everything you own minus everything you owe. It is one number that shows your progress.
Statement
A list from your bank of everything you paid and received in a month.
CSV file
A simple table file. Most banks let you download your statement as a CSV file.
Category
A group for your spending, like food, rent or travel.
Subscription
A cost you pay again and again, like a phone plan or streaming service.
Perk
A free extra that comes with a credit card, like a monthly food credit.
Milestone
A money goal, like building an emergency fund or opening a Roth IRA.

Ready to start?

It is free. Set up takes about 20 minutes. After that, about 20 minutes a month keeps your picture up to date.

Create your free account Browse money topics