Salary Countdown: Broke Meter

Payday is a good day. The other days, less so.

This app counts the days to your next paycheck. Every day there's a different joke from a little cash mascot about how broke you are. He's wearing sunglasses. He has a tongue. He gets more visibly drooped the longer it's been since you got paid.

How it works: tell it when you get paid (every week, every two weeks, or monthly), and the day your last salary actually landed. From there you'll see the countdown on the home screen, a fresh joke each morning, and the mascot in whatever mood your wallet is in. Tap him for another joke. Tap GOT PAID the day your salary actually drops — the countdown resets, there's a little confetti moment, and the whole thing starts over.

Use it for a while and you'll start collecting badges. Surviving a full cycle without resetting early. Going five days past payday. That kind of thing. They're vanity, not chores — they just happen as you go.

You can let it send notifications too: a daily check-in, a heads-up the day before payday, the occasional jab if you're running late. Pick how often, or pick off entirely. Off is also a setting.

Sign in with Google if you want your cycle history saved across devices — a payday calendar, your on-time streak, your longest broke arc. Skip the sign-in if you don't want it. The app works exactly the same. Nothing is gated.

The app is free. There are occasional full-screen ads, but never on the payday celebration — that moment is yours. There are no in-app purchases, no subscriptions, no coins, no premium versions. Nothing to buy.

Last thing: this is a comedy app, not financial advice. The mascot is rude on purpose. Don't make money decisions based on what he thinks of your spending.

— awarself · awarself@gmail.com