FREEDom Calculator: "AmyCalc.com"

A comprehensive suite of financial calculators designed for educational purposes to help students and individuals understand important financial concepts and make informed financial decisions.

Purpose

This project provides interactive, user-friendly calculators for various financial planning scenarios. Created for Mrs. Amy Sewell, Instructor in the FHU College of Business, these tools are designed to promote financial literacy and responsible financial decision-making (Financial Responsibility, Education, Empowerment, and Decision-making Freedom).

Live Demo

Visit the live application: AmyCalc.com

Install as an App

This calculator suite can be installed as a Progressive Web App (PWA) on your device for a native app-like experience!

Installation on iPad/iPhone

1. Open AmyCalc.com in Safari
2. Tap the Share button (square with arrow pointing up)
3. Scroll down and tap "Add to Home Screen"
4. Customize the name if desired (default: "AmyCalc")
5. Tap "Add" in the top right corner
6. The app icon will appear on your home screen - tap it to launch!

Installation on Windows PC

Microsoft Edge:

1. Open AmyCalc.com in Edge
2. Click the ⊕ icon in the address bar or click the ... menu
3. Select "Apps" > "Install this site as an app"
4. Click "Install"
5. The app will open in its own window and appear in your Start Menu

Google Chrome:

1. Open AmyCalc.com in Chrome
2. Click the ⊕ icon in the address bar or the three-dot menu
3. Select "Install FREEDom Calculator" or "Install app"
4. Click "Install"
5. The app will appear in your Start Menu and taskbar

Installation on Mac

Safari:

1. Open AmyCalc.com in Safari
2. Click File > "Add to Dock" (macOS Sonoma or later)
3. The app will appear in your Dock for easy access

Chrome:

1. Follow the same steps as Windows Chrome above
2. The app will appear in your Applications folder and Launchpad

Installation on Android

1. Open AmyCalc.com in Chrome
2. Tap the three-dot menu (⋮)
3. Tap "Add to Home screen" or "Install app"
4. Confirm by tapping "Add" or "Install"
5. The app icon will appear on your home screen

Benefits of Installing

• Offline Access: Use calculators even without internet connection
• Faster Loading: Cached resources load instantly
• Native Feel: Runs in its own window without browser UI
• Home Screen Access: Quick launch from your device
• Push Notifications: (Future feature) Get updates about new calculators

Calculators

The application includes six comprehensive financial calculators:

1. Inflation Calculator

Calculate the impact of inflation on purchasing power over time. Understand how the value of money changes and plan accordingly for future expenses.

Features:

• Future nominal value calculation
• Real purchasing power estimation
• Percentage of purchasing power lost
• Visual chart showing purchasing power erosion over time

2. Compound Interest Calculator

Explore the power of compound interest for savings and investments. See how your money can grow over time with regular contributions.

Features:

• Initial deposit and regular contribution inputs
• Compound frequency options (monthly, quarterly, annually)
• Total savings and interest earned breakdown
• Visual representation of principal vs. interest growth

3. Time Value of Money Calculator

Solve for any variable in the Time Value of Money equation (N, I/Y, PV, PMT, FV). Essential for understanding present and future values of cash flows.

Features:

• Flexible input - solve for any variable
• Support for both investment and loan scenarios
• Cash flow convention guidance
• Visual chart showing investment or loan progression

4. Credit Card Calculator

Understand the true cost of credit card debt and compare different payment strategies. Learn how payment amounts affect total interest paid and payoff timelines.

Features:

• Current balance and interest rate inputs
• Compare minimum payment vs. custom payment amounts
• Detailed payment schedule (monthly and yearly views)
• Visual breakdown of principal vs. interest over time

5. Auto Loan Calculator

Calculate monthly payments and total interest for auto loans. Make informed decisions about vehicle financing.

Features:

• Loan amount, interest rate, and term inputs
• Monthly payment calculation
• Total interest and total amount paid
• Detailed payment schedule with yearly summaries

6. Mortgage Calculator

Plan for homeownership by calculating mortgage payments and understanding the long-term costs of home financing.

Features:

• Home price and down payment inputs
• Loan amount calculation based on down payment percentage
• Monthly payment breakdown
• Comprehensive payment schedules (monthly and yearly views)

Technology Stack

• Frontend Framework: React 19 with TypeScript
• Build Tool: Vite
• UI Components: Radix UI primitives with custom styling
• Charts: Recharts for data visualization
• Styling: Tailwind CSS
• Icons: Phosphor Icons
• State Management: React hooks with GitHub Spark KV store for persistence
• Deployment: GitHub Pages

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js (version 18 or higher recommended)
• npm or yarn package manager

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/mscottsewell/FREEDomCalculator.git
cd FREEDomCalculator

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Start the development server:

npm run dev

4. Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:5173 (or the port shown in your terminal)

Building for Production

To create a production build:

npm run build

The built files will be in the dist directory.

Testing PWA Locally

To test the PWA functionality locally:

npm run pwa:build
npm run pwa:preview

Then open your browser to the preview URL and test the install functionality.

Deployment

To deploy to GitHub Pages:

npm run deploy

This will build the project and publish it to the gh-pages branch.

Project Structure

FREEDomCalculator/
├── src/
│   ├── components/
│   │   ├── AutoLoanCalculator.tsx
│   │   ├── CompoundInterestCalculator.tsx
│   │   ├── CreditCardCalculator.tsx
│   │   ├── InflationCalculator.tsx
│   │   ├── MortgageCalculator.tsx
│   │   ├── TimeValueOfMoneyCalculator.tsx
│   │   └── ui/              # Reusable UI components
│   ├── lib/                 # Utility functions
│   ├── assets/              # Images and static assets
│   ├── App.tsx              # Main application component
│   └── main.tsx             # Application entry point
├── package.json
├── vite.config.ts
└── README.md

Features

• Progressive Web App: Install on any device (iPad, iPhone, PC, Mac, Android) for app-like experience
• Offline Support: Service worker caches assets for offline functionality
• Responsive Design: Works seamlessly on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices
• Interactive Visualizations: Charts and graphs help visualize financial data
• State Persistence: Your inputs are saved automatically
• User-Friendly: Clear labels, instructions, and validation messages
• Educational Focus: Includes context and explanations for financial concepts

Educational Use

These calculators are designed for educational purposes to help students and individuals:

• Understand the time value of money
• Visualize the impact of interest rates
• Compare different financial scenarios
• Make informed borrowing and investing decisions
• Develop better financial literacy

License

This project is intended for educational purposes.

Acknowledgments

• Created by Scott Sewell for his lovely wife.
• Built with GitHub Spark and modern web tools to provide an accessible financial education tool
• Inspired by the need for practical financial literacy resources

---

Remember: These calculators are educational tools. For specific financial advice, always consult with a qualified financial advisor.