How Should I Start Building a Budgeting App?

I think starting with a desktop application would be the simplest route for you. It allows you to keep everything local, which can make managing your data easier. Web apps are great but typically come with ongoing cloud fees and security concerns regarding user data.

You might want to try a web app! It's generally easier to update and maintain. For that, using Python with frameworks like Django or Flask could be great choices.

Both Java and Python work well on Mac and Windows, so you can use either confidently! If you're looking for ease of use and potential scaling, Python may be the way to go. However, if performance is a concern later on, Java might be faster at runtime. Also, if you're interested in using Python, I recommend trying Django for building your app.

If you're sticking with what you know, Django is a solid choice since it's built on Python. You might also want to check out Laravel later—it’s a fantastic framework that’s very developer-friendly.

In the end, the specific language or platform you choose won't dictate your success. The bigger challenge is just getting started. Pick whichever language you feel the most comfortable with right now. I really suggest going for a web app since the trend is leaning that way. Begin small—maybe just create a simple input box for transactions, then gradually add features from there.