You’re at the grocery store, just paid for your shopping, and think: “I need to write this down.” But opening the app, navigating to the right screen, filling in the fields… it’s a hassle, right? Result: you forget, and at the end of the month you don’t know where the money went.
What if you could simply send a message saying “Spent 150 at the grocery store” and that’s it? With Monely, this is possible. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to record expenses via WhatsApp in seconds, using artificial intelligence.
The Revolution of Recording by Message
The biggest problem with financial tracking is friction. The more steps between the expense and recording it, the lower the chance you’ll write it down. That’s why most people give up: not for lack of willpower, but because the process is too tedious.
Monely’s WhatsApp integration solves this. Instead of:
- Picking up your phone
- Opening the app
- Clicking “New transaction”
- Filling in the amount
- Choosing a category
- Typing a description
- Saving
You simply:
- Open WhatsApp (which is probably already open)
- Send a message
That’s 2 steps instead of 7. Monely’s AI understands your message, extracts the information, and records it automatically.
Why WhatsApp?
- It’s the most used messaging app worldwide
- You already use it all day
- No need to learn anything new
- Works with text or voice
- Record instantly, from anywhere
How to Connect Your WhatsApp to Monely
Before you start recording, you need to connect your number to the app. The process takes less than 2 minutes.
Step by Step
1. Open Monely and go to Settings
In the main menu, tap the gear icon or go to “Profile” > “Settings”.
2. Select “WhatsApp Integration”
You’ll see the option to connect your number.
3. Enter your phone number
Use the format with country code (e.g.: +1 555 999 9999).
4. Confirm the code
You’ll receive a 6-digit code on WhatsApp. Enter it in the app to confirm.
5. Done!
From now on, you can send messages to Monely’s number and record your expenses.
Security Tip
- The number is linked only to your account
- Your messages are processed by AI and are not read by humans
- You can disconnect at any time in settings
Your First Record: “Spent 50 at the grocery store”
Now comes the fun part. Let’s make your first WhatsApp record.
How It Works
- Open the conversation with Monely on WhatsApp
- Type: “Spent 50 at the grocery store”
- Send the message
In seconds, you’ll receive a confirmation:
Recorded! Expense: $50.00 Category: Food Description: Grocery store Date: Today
The AI identified:
- That it’s an expense (you “spent”)
- The amount ($50)
- The likely category (Food, because it’s a grocery store)
- The description (grocery store)
What If the AI Gets It Wrong?
Sometimes the AI might categorize incorrectly. In that case:
- You can correct it directly in the app
- Or reply to the message asking for correction: “Change to category Groceries”
The more you use it, the more the AI learns your preferences.
10 Examples of Commands That Work
Monely’s AI understands natural language. You don’t need to memorize specific commands. Here are 10 examples that work:
Simple Expenses
“Spent 30 on Uber”
- Expense of $30 in Transportation
“Had lunch for 45 dollars”
- Expense of $45 in Food
“Paid 150 for electricity”
- Expense of $150 in Bills/Housing
“Bought medicine 80”
- Expense of $80 in Health
“Netflix 15.99”
- Expense of $15.99 in Subscriptions/Entertainment
Income
“Received 3500 salary”
- Income of $3,500 in Salary
“Got 200 from freelance”
- Income of $200 in Extra Income
With More Details
“Spent 250 at the Japanese restaurant with family”
- Expense of $250 in Food, complete description
“Paid 89.90 for Maria’s gift”
- Expense of $89.90 in Gifts
“Filled up the car 80 dollars”
- Expense of $80 in Transportation/Fuel
Pro Tip
The more context you give, the better the categorization:
- “50 dollars” (too vague)
- “Spent 50 at Walmart grocery” (complete)
Checking Balance and Statements by Message
Besides recording, you can check your finances via WhatsApp:
Query Commands
Check current balance:
- “What’s my balance?”
- “How much do I have?”
- “Balance”
Check month’s expenses:
- “How much did I spend this month?”
- “My January expenses”
- “Month’s statement”
Check by category:
- “How much did I spend on food?”
- “Transportation expenses this month”
Check recent transactions:
- “Recent expenses”
- “What did I record today?”
Response Example
When asking “How much did I spend this month?”, you receive something like:
January/2026 Expenses
Total: $2,450.00
By category:
- Food: $850.00
- Transportation: $420.00
- Housing: $800.00
- Entertainment: $380.00
Tips for the AI to Understand Better
The AI is smart, but some practices help get more accurate results:
1. Mention the Transaction Type
The AI differentiates “spent” from “received”:
- “Spent”, “paid”, “bought” - Expense
- “Received”, “got”, “earned” - Income
2. State the Amount Clearly
Formats that work:
- “50” or “50 dollars” or “$50” or “50.00”
- “1500” or “1,500” or “fifteen hundred”
3. Add Context
Keywords help with categorization:
- “grocery”, “supermarket”, “market” - Food
- “uber”, “lyft”, “gas”, “parking” - Transportation
- “pharmacy”, “medicine”, “doctor” - Health
- “netflix”, “spotify”, “movies” - Entertainment
4. Use Natural Language
No need to be formal:
- “Blew 200 at the mall”
- “Dropped 50 at the bar”
- “Phone bill came out to 150”
5. Correct When Needed
If the AI gets it wrong, reply:
- “Change to category X”
- “Change the amount to 55”
- “It was income, not expense”
Using Voice Instead of Text
Don’t want to type? Send a voice message! Monely’s AI also understands voice messages.
How It Works
- Open the conversation with Monely
- Hold the microphone button
- Speak naturally: “Spent fifty dollars on lunch”
- Release to send
The AI transcribes the audio and processes it the same way as text.
Tips for Voice Messages
- Speak clearly, without rushing
- Avoid very noisy environments
- Mention the amount clearly (“fifty dollars”, not just “fifty”)
- You can speak naturally, as if you were telling someone
When to Use Voice
Voice is perfect when you’re:
- Driving (using Bluetooth)
- Hands full
- Walking down the street
- Not in the mood to type
Frequently Asked Questions About Security
“Are my messages secure?”
Yes. Messages are processed automatically by AI. No human reads your conversations. Data is encrypted and linked only to your account.
“What if someone sends a message from my number?”
If someone has access to your WhatsApp, they’ll have access to much more than Monely. Keep your phone protected with password/biometrics.
“Can I disconnect whenever I want?”
Yes, at any time. Go to Settings > WhatsApp Integration > Disconnect. Your data remains in the app normally.
“Does Monely have access to my other conversations?”
No. Monely only receives messages you send directly to its number. It has no access to any other conversations.
“Does it work with WhatsApp Business?”
Yes, it works with any type of WhatsApp.
“Is there a message limit?”
On the free plan, WhatsApp records count toward the 50 transactions/month limit. On the PRO plan, it’s unlimited.
Real-Life Use Cases
See how to use the integration in real situations:
At the Grocery Store
Just paid? Still in line, send: “Spent 287 at the grocery store”
In an Uber
Arrived at destination? “Uber 23 dollars”
Received a Payment
“Received 150 from John, BBQ payback”
Paid a Bill
“Paid 180 for internet”
Online Purchase
“Bought 89.90 on Amazon, headphones”
End of Day
“How much did I spend today?” - For a quick check
How Monely Processes Your Messages
Out of curiosity, here’s what happens when you send a message:
- Receipt: WhatsApp delivers the message to Monely
- Transcription (if voice): Audio is converted to text
- AI Processing: The language model extracts amount, type, category, and description
- Validation: System checks if it makes sense
- Recording: Transaction is saved to your account
- Confirmation: You receive the confirmation message
All this happens in 2-5 seconds.
Conclusion
Recording expenses via WhatsApp is the fastest and most natural way to maintain financial control. Instead of creating another task in your routine, you use an app that’s already part of your day.
Key points:
- Connect your WhatsApp to Monely in 2 minutes
- Record expenses with natural messages like “Spent 50 at the store”
- Check balance and statements by message
- Use voice when you can’t type
- The more context, the better the categorization
The best way to track expenses is the one you actually use. And if you already use WhatsApp all day, why not use it to take care of your finances too?
Next steps: Connect your WhatsApp to Monely and record your first expense in seconds. It’s free to start!