Reflections of Everyday Activities in Spending Data

In this paper we show that financial informat ion can be used to sense many aspects of human activity. Th is simple technique gives people informat ion about their daily lives, is easily accessible to many at no extra cost, requires little setup, and does not require the manufacture of any external devices. We will focus on how financial data can be used to show users where they spend their time, when they accomplish certain habits, and what the impact of their activities is on the environment. We validate our idea by implementing three demonstration applications intended for personal use. Finally, this paper discusses the privacy implications of sensing activity using financial data.