Bank of Gaga: Tracking Family Loans Without the Awkwardness

Why I Built It

Lending money between family members happens all the time, but it's almost always tracked on random napkins, buried in a messy Excel sheet, or left to memory. That leads to forgotten balances, missed timelines, and awkward tension at family gatherings.

The name comes from our own family: the kids call their grandfather “Gaga,” and he would occasionally lend them money for a car, college books, or a big expense. I wanted to build a tool that gave family loans the clarity of a real agreement without feeling cold or corporate.

Designing for Two Very Different Audiences

The most interesting challenge was designing for two completely different user mindsets on the same platform:

• Older Lenders (“Gagas”): They manage the loans and want clear, high-contrast buttons, explicit labels, and zero guesswork. I built large confirmation modals, simple date adjustments, and one-click SMS invitation sharing so they never feel lost in the UI.
• Younger Borrowers: They interact almost entirely on their phones. They need a simple, mobile-first view showing when their next payment is due, deep links to Venmo or Cash App, and quick confirmation when a payment is logged.
• Pretend Stock Market for Kids: For younger family members, I built a simulated stock market module using real price feeds. They can practice investing their pretend cash balance, turning debt repayment into a practical financial literacy game.

Solving the Real Details