Send Email/SMS alert when you spend over set budget for specific categories

[Metallica_Band]

Basically, title says all. I would like to have a feature that emails/SMS's me if I spend too much money (that I define) on a specific category per week or month or even in a custom range of time.

For example, let's say that I have a bad eating habit. I go to Wendy's, Mc D's, etc. too much. I decide that I want to spend no more than $30 per week on fast food. If I go over then that's the last fast food for me until the week is over. I know that I am saving money if I don't get an alert. And if I do get an alert then I know when to stop buying so much food during the week.

This whole Mint thing is supposed to give people a more visual representation of their accounts and how they spend and also to try and save you money. This feature would be a very good way to "train" or "teach" people to budget their money better by having them set up goals for specific things.

Ideas? Comments? Discuss...

~ Michael

[mlebarron]

I think I've seen similar idea's brought up here already, so it's definitely out there (this is the only thread I think that started with it though :) )

It was brought up with the idea of just texting Mint to query your accounts for your budget status, but this would be a more active way to monitor it, with mint letting you know instead of you having to check.

Would it continue to alert you if you keep spending? I'd rather be able to just text back and have it stop alerting me on any future transactions in that category (or for the rest of the week or something).

Like if we go out to a special dinner or something at the beginning of the cycle, I don't need to be alerted for the next week/month letting me know that I'm over, I already know that.

[dubbs]

I would LOVE this feature. I cannot reccoment this enough. It seems like it can be set up to send an SMS when your spending is higher than average, but I'd love a way to be able to set a specific budget per month, and be notified when I'm over it, or if I've used up 50% of it in the first month, etc.

Thanks!

[Metallica_Band]

It would also be a great feature for parents who give their teens their first card so they could teach better saving skills and make sure they don't have their children get an overdraft. Please make this feature a priority. It would lure so many new customers.

~ Michael

[saving4thefuture]

This would be an awesome feature for my wife and I.

[cbryan]

I would LOVE this feature!