Monarch Money in 2025: A Year of Financial Clarity and Personal Growth
I’m Brian Olson, a cybersecurity professional with deep experience in DFIR and network forensics—currently working in Big Tech. My mission? To share hard-won lessons not just with fellow experts, but with anyone learning and growing in security—especially those in smaller companies without the resources or teams a massive enterprise has. I started blogging to break down real-world strategies, honest tool reviews, and battle-tested workflows in plain language. Whether you’re an underdog SOC analyst or a curious IT pro tackling security for the first time, my goal is to make the practical side of cybersecurity a little less overwhelming—and a lot more actionable. Expect guides that cut through the noise, resources that are actually useful at the keyboard, and stories that prove you don’t need a giant budget to make a real impact. You’ll also find my takes on personal finance, real estate, and anything that helps us level up—in and out of work. Let’s connect. We’re all in this together!
Heya folks! It's been a whole year since I started using Monarch Money, and I gotta say, I'm even more stoked about it now than when I first wrote about it. Let's dive into how it's been working out for me and what's new with the app.
My Year with Monarch: The Big Picture
I'm seriously impressed now that I've got a year's data in Monarch. Here's what I've discovered:
Spending Patterns: I've uncovered some surprising trends in my spending. Turns out I was spending way more on shopping than I ever would have guessed!
Savings Goals: I hit my retirement savings goal ahead of schedule, and seeing that progress bar fill up was oddly satisfying.
Investment Insights: The investment tracking feature has been a game-changer. I now have a much clearer picture of my portfolio's performance.
What's New with Monarch
Monarch hasn't been sitting still. They've rolled out some cool new features:
Improved visibility for recurring expenses (super helpful for couples trying to plan our cash flow)
Updated color palette and dark mode (easier on the eyes during those late-night budget sessions)
Net Worth Chart on mobile (who doesn't want to check their net worth while waiting in line for coffee?)
Investment Transactions Beta (now available to everyone)
The Changing Money Game
The financial world's been shifting, and Monarch's helping me keep up:
Digital banking is booming (projected to hit $161.6 billion by 2028)
Buy now, pay later services are everywhere (but watch out for the regulatory stuff)
AI in finance is getting considerable (Monarch's not quite Skynet yet, but it's pretty smart)
"Soft saving" is a thing now, especially with Gen Z (it's all about balancing saving with living your best life)
Staying Financially Sane in a Crazy World
The economy's been a wild ride, but Monarch's helped me stay on track:
I've been tweaking my budget as inflation does its thing
Been more cautious with debt (those credit card interest rates are no joke)
I diversified my investments a bit (because who knows what the market will do next?)
What's Next for 2025
Here's how I'm planning to keep my financial game strong:
Regular budget check-ins (it's like a financial health check-up)
Using the new recurring expenses feature to death (no more surprise subscriptions!)
Diving into those interactive reports (data nerd alert)
Wrapping It Up
After a full year with Monarch Money, my finances have been a game-changer. The annual picture has driven home how much progress I've made. Whether you're a budgeting newbie or a personal finance pro, Monarch's got something for you.
Remember, the key to financial sanity isn't just about the tools you use—it's about consistently applying what you learn. Monarch has made that much easier for me, and I'm pumped to see where it takes my finances in the rest of 2025.
How about you? Have you given Monarch a try? If you're interested, sign up using my referral link (50% off). Please comment and let me know how it's working out for you!
