Understanding the Cost Me home screen

You opened Cost Me for the first time and saw a few numbers, a big box to type in, and some buttons. What does it all mean? Here's a plain tour of the home screen so nothing feels like a mystery.

The home screen has one job: help you stop before a buy and see the real trade-off. Everything on it points at that.

The price box

The big box near the top is where you type a price. That's the whole start of the loop. Type what something costs and the app does the math for you. (See: how to use the opportunity-cost calculator.)

The 30-year number

Right under the price, you'll see what that money could be worth in 30 years if you invested it instead. It's an estimate, not a promise — but it turns a small price into a number you can feel. (See: how Cost Me calculates 30-year value.)

The three buttons

Below the number sit your choices. Vault parks the buy for 48 hours so you can cool off. Resist means you said no and keep the money. Already purchased logs a buy you made, with no guilt. (See: how the 48-hour vault works.)

Your savings number

Somewhere on the screen you'll see your lifetime savings — the running total of money you've kept by resisting. It only goes up, and watching it climb is the quiet reward. (See: reading your lifetime-savings number.)

Amy and your goal

You can tap through to Amy, your money coach, when a buy needs talking out, and your top goal sits in view to remind you what the saving is for. The home screen ties all of it together.

The takeaway

The home screen is simple on purpose: a price box, a 30-year number, three buttons, and your savings. Learn those five things and you know the whole app.