Welcome to FLI-Credit
Temple Hacks 2024 - Inclusive Education Track
Inspiration
As first-generation, low-income students with immigrant backgrounds, we have personally experienced the struggles of navigating financial literacy without guidance. Growing up, many of us didn’t have access to basic financial knowledge—especially about credit cards. This lack of understanding is common in marginalized communities, where the concept of building credit is often unfamiliar. Our families often avoided credit cards out of fear or lack of knowledge, and we found ourselves lost when it came time to make informed financial decisions. This inspired us to create a platform that would empower others from similar backgrounds to take control of their financial futures.
What it does
FLI-Credit is a comprehensive learning platform designed to help first-generation, low-income students understand and navigate the world of credit cards. The platform offers a series of educational modules, each covering key aspects of credit, including:
Why Get a Credit Card? – Explains the benefits and importance of having a credit card, especially for building credit and financial independence.
Credit Card Terms – Breaks down the essential terms and jargon, such as APR, credit limit, and grace periods, to make sure users fully understand what they’re signing up for.
Credit Card Types – Details the different kinds of credit cards available, such as secured, unsecured, student, and rewards cards, so users can make informed choices based on their needs.
Authorized User – Discusses how being an authorized user on someone else’s account can help users build credit, and explains the risks and benefits of this arrangement.
Using a Credit Card – Offers practical advice on how to use credit responsibly, including paying off balances, avoiding interest, and managing spending.
Credit Card Example – Walks through a real-world example of using a credit card, highlighting what users should expect when opening and using their first card.
One of the standout features is our chatbot, which provides real-time answers to any questions users may have about credit cards, helping them get quick and reliable information without needing to dive into overwhelming internet searches. The goal is to provide accessible, bite-sized learning in a way that resonates with students who, like us, didn’t grow up learning about finances at home.
How we built it
We used Streamlit for both the frontend and backend development of the platform. Streamlit's flexibility allowed us to quickly iterate on our UI and provide a seamless user experience. For the chatbot feature, we integrated OpenAI's API, enabling us to create an intelligent assistant that can answer user queries based on their specific needs. The chatbot leverages the vast knowledge base of OpenAI to offer quick responses to any credit-related questions, giving users a personalized and interactive experience. Throughout the build, we focused on creating an intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate and designed with accessibility in mind—using clear fonts, readable text sizes, and color schemes that meet accessibility standards.
Challenges we ran into
One of the biggest challenges we faced was developing the chatbot. None of us had worked on a chatbot before, so we had to start from scratch. Integrating OpenAI with Streamlit required a lot of trial and error to get the functionality just right, and ensuring that the bot could answer complex questions accurately was a big hurdle. Additionally, learning Streamlit itself was a challenge, as we were all new to the framework and had to quickly get up to speed within the tight timeframe of the hackathon. UI/UX design also presented difficulties, as we had to envision a platform that would not only function well but also be accessible to users who might have little to no financial knowledge. Selecting colors and layouts that were both aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly required several iterations.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We are incredibly proud of successfully building a working chatbot that can provide personalized financial guidance. This was a huge milestone for us, as it was our first time incorporating a conversational AI into one of our projects. For Crystal and Marcus, this hackathon was their very first experience, making the accomplishment even more exciting. Tina and I (Lesly) participated in our second hackathon, and it was amazing to build on our previous experience and push ourselves even further. Additionally, we're proud of the UI/UX design we created, which balances aesthetics with functionality and accessibility. Learning Streamlit from scratch during the hackathon was no easy task, and being able to use it to build both the frontend and backend of the platform is something we consider a major accomplishment. Above all, we’re proud of creating a resource that can make a real difference for students like us.
What we learned
This project was a crash course in several areas. We learned how to use Streamlit to develop both the backend and frontend of an application, which was a new experience for all of us. We also learned how to integrate OpenAI’s API into our project, giving us insight into how conversational AI can enhance user engagement and provide value in an educational setting. On the research side, we deepened our understanding of credit cards and financial literacy, particularly from the perspective of first-generation, low-income students. This allowed us to create content that addresses the unique challenges our users face and ensures that the information is relatable and easy to understand.
What's next for FLI-Credit
Looking ahead, we want to continue expanding the platform. Our next steps include adding more comprehensive learning modules, diving deeper into topics like building credit responsibly, managing debt, and planning for long-term financial goals. We also want to improve the chatbot’s capabilities by training it on more specific scenarios and common questions that users may have. Additionally, we plan to introduce tools that help users visualize their financial progress, such as credit score tracking and budgeting calculators. Ultimately, we aim to create a full financial literacy platform that not only educates but also provides the tools necessary for students to take control of their financial futures confidently.
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