1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,320 Have you ever just felt like, where does all my money go? 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:04,160 Oh yeah. 3 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:05,680 Like, you know, you're earning it, you know, 4 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:07,520 you're spending it, but somewhere in between, 5 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:08,840 it just vanishes. 6 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:09,680 Oof. 7 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:11,760 Yeah, like trying to grab smoke or something. 8 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:13,320 Yeah, it's this weird disconnect. 9 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,160 Totally, and that's what we're looking at today, 10 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:18,680 this idea of really seeing where your money is going 11 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:20,160 and getting that sense of control, 12 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:21,440 no matter how much you have. 13 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:22,960 Right, that feeling of, okay, I got that. 14 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:27,300 Exactly, and that's what makes tools like Firefly III 15 00:00:27,300 --> 00:00:28,520 so interesting. 16 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:30,400 Yeah, Firefly III is all about 17 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,320 giving you those clear insights into your finances 18 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,520 and taking away that overwhelmed feeling 19 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:36,600 that a lot of people have. 20 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,000 Right, and the cool thing is it's free and open source. 21 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:40,820 Totally. 22 00:00:40,820 --> 00:00:43,160 So it's like your own personal financial command center, 23 00:00:43,160 --> 00:00:44,840 but you have all the control. 24 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:45,720 You're in the driver's seat. 25 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,240 Exactly, and that's what we're gonna explore today, 26 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:49,820 especially if you're just starting 27 00:00:49,820 --> 00:00:51,800 to get a grip on your money. 28 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:53,040 Starting out can be tough. 29 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:54,960 For sure, for sure. 30 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:56,000 Now, before we go any further, 31 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:57,560 I wanna give a shout out to Safe Server 32 00:00:57,560 --> 00:00:59,200 for helping make this deep dive 33 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:01,320 into digital sovereignty happen. 34 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:02,160 Awesome. 35 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:02,980 They're all about hosting 36 00:01:02,980 --> 00:01:05,160 that puts you in control of your stuff, 37 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,360 which really fits with what Firefly III 38 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:08,720 does for your finances. 39 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:10,340 Yeah, taking back control of your data. 40 00:01:10,340 --> 00:01:11,540 Exactly. 41 00:01:11,540 --> 00:01:14,540 You can find out more about them at https.www.safeserver.de. 42 00:01:14,540 --> 00:01:20,800 Okay, so let's start with the basics. 43 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:21,640 Yeah. 44 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:23,800 You know, like, where does your money actually go? 45 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:25,560 Yeah, that's the first step, right? 46 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,160 It sounds simple, but it's really the foundation. 47 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:29,560 Well, if you don't know where it's going, 48 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:30,700 how can you control it? 49 00:01:30,700 --> 00:01:31,540 Exactly. 50 00:01:31,540 --> 00:01:32,680 So Firefly III has this thing called 51 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:34,280 Full Transaction Management, 52 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,080 and it's based on double entry bookkeeping. 53 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,240 Okay, now hold on, double entry bookkeeping. 54 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:40,520 I know it sounds intimidating. 55 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:41,360 Yeah, a little bit. 56 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:43,000 But it's actually pretty simple. 57 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:43,840 Okay. 58 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:45,240 Imagine you buy a coffee, right? 59 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:46,720 Single entry bookkeeping just says, 60 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:48,320 okay, $5 left your account. 61 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:49,160 Yeah. 62 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,800 But with double entry, it says $5 left your checking account 63 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:54,560 and went to your coffee expenses category. 64 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:56,820 Oh, okay, so you're getting both sides of the story. 65 00:01:56,820 --> 00:01:57,660 Exactly. 66 00:01:57,660 --> 00:01:59,880 And that makes your records way more accurate. 67 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:00,720 Makes sense. 68 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:02,820 And what about people who work with different currencies? 69 00:02:02,820 --> 00:02:04,520 Like if they travel a lot 70 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:06,240 or get paid in different currencies, 71 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:07,920 can Firefly III handle that? 72 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:08,920 Oh yeah, for sure. 73 00:02:08,920 --> 00:02:11,520 It's built to handle multiple currencies without any issue. 74 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:13,920 So like if you have euros and US dollars, 75 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:16,460 it can track everything in the right currency 76 00:02:16,460 --> 00:02:19,500 and give you a clear picture of your overall finances. 77 00:02:19,500 --> 00:02:20,600 That's super helpful. 78 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,720 Okay, so now we're tracking everything. 79 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,840 But just thinking about typing in every single expense 80 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:27,180 makes me tired already. 81 00:02:27,180 --> 00:02:28,720 Uh-huh, I know, right? 82 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:29,840 Is there an easier way? 83 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:30,680 Definitely. 84 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,360 Firefly III has this awesome tool called the Data Importer. 85 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:34,820 Okay, tell me more. 86 00:02:34,820 --> 00:02:37,920 Most banks let you download your transactions 87 00:02:37,920 --> 00:02:39,120 like in a CSV file. 88 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:39,960 Right, right. 89 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:41,980 And Firefly III's importer just takes that file 90 00:02:41,980 --> 00:02:43,760 and boom, uploads it right into the system. 91 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:45,480 Oh, so no more manual entry. 92 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:47,660 Yeah, you don't need to be a tech whiz to use it. 93 00:02:47,660 --> 00:02:48,840 It's super straightforward. 94 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:49,920 That's a relief. 95 00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:52,120 But those bank files can be messy. 96 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:53,800 The descriptions aren't always clear, 97 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:55,600 so how does Firefly III make sense 98 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:57,400 of all that jumbled information? 99 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,160 Ah, that's where the magic of the advanced rule engine 100 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:01,880 comes in, especially for beginners. 101 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:03,600 Ooh, a rule engine. 102 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,200 Think of it like setting up little helpers 103 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,120 that automatically sort your transactions 104 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:09,660 based on keywords. 105 00:03:09,660 --> 00:03:10,960 OK, I need an example. 106 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:11,480 Sure. 107 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:13,720 Say every time you buy gas, your bank statement 108 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:15,360 just says, like, gas station payment. 109 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,000 Yeah, sounds about right. 110 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,560 You can set up a rule that says if it sees gas station, 111 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,160 it automatically puts it in the fuel category 112 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,760 and even adds a tag, like car expenses. 113 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:26,440 Oh, wow. 114 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,960 So it's like training it to understand your spending. 115 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,080 Yeah, and once you set those rules up, 116 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,400 Firefly III just applies them to all your future imports, 117 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,700 saves you a ton of time, and keeps everything organized. 118 00:03:36,700 --> 00:03:37,080 I love it. 119 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:38,740 OK, so we've got all this data sorted. 120 00:03:38,740 --> 00:03:42,120 But how do we actually understand our spending habits? 121 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:43,920 Just looking at a list of transactions 122 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:44,960 doesn't tell you much. 123 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,440 Right, that's where Firefly III's system of budgets, categories, 124 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:49,840 and tags comes in. 125 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:50,800 Hm, oh. 126 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,120 Think of them like different ways to label your money 127 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:54,920 so it makes sense to you. 128 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:57,160 You can set budgets for different areas, 129 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,360 categorize expenses like groceries, rent, 130 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:03,280 entertainment, or use tags to track specific things 131 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:07,240 like a vacation fund or a home improvement project. 132 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:08,240 So it's really flexible. 133 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,640 You can tailor it to how you think about your money. 134 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:12,280 Totally, and the Firefly III folks, 135 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,240 they even have a saying, name your poison. 136 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,240 You choose the method that works for you. 137 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:17,760 I like that. 138 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,960 And to make budgeting less scary, the Firefly III docs, 139 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,920 they even have this example of budgeting in imperial credits 140 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:25,840 on Tatooine. 141 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:27,280 It just shows that the principles 142 00:04:27,280 --> 00:04:29,360 are the same no matter what you're budgeting for. 143 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:30,960 Exactly, all right, so you've been 144 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:32,480 tracking your spending for a while. 145 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,200 You're probably wondering what patterns are emerging. 146 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:36,680 How can I see the big picture? 147 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,560 Yeah, like where's the bulk of my money going each month? 148 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,040 That's where the informative reports feature comes in. 149 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:43,640 You can see your spending broken down 150 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:45,680 in all sorts of ways by category, by tag, 151 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:47,640 over different time periods. 152 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,200 Weekly, monthly, yearly, you name it. 153 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:52,520 Oh, cool, so you can actually see those trends. 154 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,160 Exactly, you'll start to notice things 155 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,200 like, oh, I'm spending way more on eating out than I thought, 156 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,080 or my grocery bill is always higher in December. 157 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,480 That's so helpful for actually changing your habits. 158 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,760 For sure, and you can also use the reports 159 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:06,760 to audit your accounts. 160 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,200 You know, go through the list and see if there are any errors 161 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,040 or weird charges. 162 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:12,600 Right, like double checking everything. 163 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,400 Yeah, and you can compare your spending to your budgets 164 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,320 or across different tags to see if you're on track 165 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:19,240 with your goals. 166 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:20,320 Love it. 167 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:22,960 So now you've got this really clear picture 168 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:24,200 of your financial life. 169 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,400 And one thing I really like about Firefly III, 170 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,520 and it ties in with what Safe Server is all 171 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,560 about with digital sovereignty, is the self-hosting aspect. 172 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:34,040 Oh, yeah, that's a big one. 173 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:35,760 Can you explain what that means for someone 174 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:37,120 who's not super techie? 175 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:39,800 Sure, so self-hosting basically means 176 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,840 you run the software on your own computer or server 177 00:05:42,840 --> 00:05:45,000 instead of using some company's online service. 178 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:45,500 OK. 179 00:05:45,500 --> 00:05:47,880 Think of it like storing important documents 180 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,620 in a filing cabinet at home versus putting them 181 00:05:50,620 --> 00:05:52,080 on some shared online drive. 182 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:52,580 Got it. 183 00:05:52,580 --> 00:05:56,240 So with Firefly III being self-hosted and isolated, 184 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:57,960 your financial data stays private. 185 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,920 It's on your own system, not floating around some company 186 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:01,520 servers. 187 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:03,680 So it's all about control and privacy. 188 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:04,800 Exactly, you're in charge. 189 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:08,400 Love it now for the more tech-savvy folks out there. 190 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:12,080 Firefly III also has this JSON REST API. 191 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:13,600 What's that all about? 192 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:15,240 That's more of an advanced feature. 193 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:19,160 It lets other apps and systems talk to your Firefly III data. 194 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,480 So you can customize things and integrate it with other tools 195 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:22,440 you might use. 196 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:24,200 But for beginners, the main features 197 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:25,200 are all you really need. 198 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:26,760 It's super user-friendly. 199 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:28,920 Awesome, and getting started with Firefly III 200 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:30,440 seems pretty accessible, too, right? 201 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:30,840 Totally. 202 00:06:30,840 --> 00:06:32,360 They even have a demo website where 203 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,400 you can try it out without installing anything just 204 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:35,320 to get a feel for it. 205 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:36,000 That's handy. 206 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:37,160 And if you decide you want to use it, 207 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:38,720 you can install it on your own server. 208 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,440 Or if you're familiar with Docker or similar platforms, 209 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:42,600 you can use those, too. 210 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:44,520 So there are options for everyone, 211 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,000 from beginners to tech wizards. 212 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:47,500 Exactly. 213 00:06:47,500 --> 00:06:50,000 And what if someone gets stuck or has questions? 214 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:51,160 Is there support available? 215 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:52,200 Oh, absolutely. 216 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,480 Firefly III has a really active and helpful community. 217 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,500 There are online forums, chat channels, and bug reporting 218 00:06:58,500 --> 00:07:01,320 systems where you can ask questions, share tips, 219 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,440 and get help from other users and the developers. 220 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:04,040 That's great. 221 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,160 So you're not alone if you need a hand? 222 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:06,800 Not at all. 223 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:11,680 So it sounds like Firefly III is a really powerful but also easy 224 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,040 to use way to take control of your money 225 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:15,900 with a big emphasis on privacy. 226 00:07:15,900 --> 00:07:17,440 And you can really personalize it. 227 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:18,640 Yeah, that's the beauty of it. 228 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,220 So for someone who's just starting 229 00:07:20,220 --> 00:07:22,160 to think about managing their money better, 230 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:23,880 what's the key takeaway? 231 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:26,320 It's that understanding and controlling your finances 232 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,080 doesn't have to be scary or complicated. 233 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:31,520 Firefly III gives you a free and private way 234 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,000 to see exactly where your money's going, 235 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:35,680 organize your spending how you like, 236 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,380 and get insights into your habits. 237 00:07:37,380 --> 00:07:38,800 And it helps you make better decisions 238 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:40,000 without feeling overwhelmed. 239 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:40,640 Exactly. 240 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,440 So if you're ready to get rid of that fuzzy feeling 241 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,600 about your finances and get a clear picture of your money, 242 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:46,680 I definitely recommend checking out Firefly III. 243 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:47,480 Yeah, go for it. 244 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:51,920 Head over to firefly-3.org to try the demo and read the docs. 245 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:53,680 It could be the tool that finally helps you 246 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,280 feel in control of your money. 247 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:57,840 Imagine having that clear private view, 248 00:07:57,840 --> 00:07:59,840 knowing where your money is going, 249 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:01,320 and making smart decisions. 250 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,080 That's what Firefly III is all about. 251 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,480 And huge thanks again to Safe Server 252 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,600 for supporting this deep dive and for highlighting 253 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:09,600 the importance of digital sovereignty. 254 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:10,600 Thanks, Safe Server. 255 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:12,440 If you want to learn more about taking control 256 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:18,560 of your digital life, visit them at https.www.safeserver.de. 257 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:19,360 Good stuff. 258 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,120 Thanks for joining us for this deep dive into Firefly III.