Building VaultBooks — Personal finance that never leaves your computer.

The Problem Privacy-conscious people are trapped between bad choices: cloud services that harvest your financial data, or DIY solutions like Docker stacks and spreadsheets that require technical expertise. Most of us want to own our financial data without the setup headache. What I'm Thinking of Building VaultBooks is a lightweight desktop app that runs entirely locally—no accounts, no uploads, no Plaid. Import bank CSVs, tag transactions, and see spending trends in minutes. Optional encrypted cloud sync (you hold the keys) for backups and cross-device access. Just download, open, and go. Who It's For Privacy-conscious professionals (lawyers, engineers, consultants), freelancers, and small business owners aged 28-55 who manage personal + business finances and distrust surveillance capitalism. Key Features (Planned) Local-first: all data stays on your machine by default, no account required CSV import: connect to any bank, no Plaid integration or OAuth needed Optional encrypted cloud sy