Inzolo

The story

Inzolo was my first big side hustle. Around 2007 a friend asked to work on a project with me so he could learn web development, and I had an idea for a budgeting site. I used it as an excuse to learn a new framework and language: Django and Python, before Django even reached 1.0. Along the way I learned about PostgreSQL, banking, marketing, and plenty more.

When I later acquired EnvelopeBudget.com, I rewrote the product there instead of rebranding. In hindsight that was a mistake: I never really retired Inzolo, and spent years maintaining and marketing two budgeting sites.

Today Inzolo has been rebuilt from scratch in Go and Svelte, with a new identity of its own. The name means "peace" in isiXhosa, and the new app is built around that idea: lead with what is safe to spend, surface one clear next step, and let you close the app in under two minutes.

Highlights

One quiet approval queue

Bank sync, CSV, and OFX/QFX imports all land in a single deduplicated queue. Nothing changes a balance until you approve it.

Rules first, AI second

Deterministic payee rules and your own history do the heavy lifting. AI only steps in when unsure, and you always have the final say.

Zero-based envelopes

Ready to Assign, category groups, rollover, and one-tap move-money to cover overspending.

Plain-language status

Labels like Comfortable, Tight, Funded, and Due Soon, plus messages like "Groceries has $82 left for 9 days."

Debt payoff planner

Snowball vs. avalanche side by side, with an extra-payment slider and a real debt-free date.

Priority Ladder (coming next)

A five-step sequence, from giving and an emergency fund to eliminating debt and investing, so you always know your next move.