4 min read
Key takeaways
- Wendy runs one loop over and over: notice, explain, nudge, learn.
- She only reads your money. Bank connections are read-only, so she can never move a naira.
- Every nudge is small, specific and optional. You can accept, snooze or ignore it.
- What you choose teaches Wendy how you like to be coached, so the nudges get fewer and better.
Most money apps show you what already happened. A chart of last month, a red number, a category you overspent in. Then they leave you alone with it. Wendy, the coach inside Lertha, is built around a different idea: the useful moment is the one before the next decision, not the one after the month ends.
This article walks through how Wendy decides what to say, when to say it, and when to stay quiet. No jargon, and no promises we cannot keep.
The loop in one sentence
Wendy notices a pattern in your spending, explains it in plain language, suggests one small move, and learns from what you do next. Then she does it again. Everything else in the product exists to make that loop accurate and calm.
| Step | What Wendy does | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| Notice | Reads new transactions against your usual pattern | Nothing, unless something is genuinely unusual |
| Explain | Turns the pattern into one plain sentence with a number | "Bolt spend is up 32% this week." |
| Nudge | Suggests a single, reversible move | "Cap it at ₦25k and I'll remind you?" |
| Learn | Records whether you accepted, snoozed or ignored it | Fewer, better nudges over time |
Step 1: Notice
When you connect an account, Lertha receives read-only balance and transaction data through a regulated open-banking partner. We never see your bank login, and Lertha cannot move money. That data is what Wendy reads.
Wendy is not looking for "bad" spending. She is looking for change: a category climbing faster than usual, a bill due before payday, a subscription you have not used, a string of small transfers that add up. A normal week produces silence, on purpose.
What counts as a pattern
- Spikes: a category running well above your own recent average, not someone else's.
- Leaks: small repeat charges that are easy to miss one at a time, like transfer fees or unused subscriptions.
- Timing: a bill or rent payment landing before the money to cover it arrives.
- Drift: a savings goal slipping behind the pace you set.
Step 2: Explain
A pattern is only useful if you can understand it in a few seconds. So Wendy explains it the way a friend who is good with money would: one sentence, one number, no lecture.
"Your delivery spend is ₦26,900 this month, mostly on Fridays" tells you what happened and where. It does not tell you that you are irresponsible, because you are not. You are busy, and Friday is Friday.
Step 3: Nudge
Wendy then suggests one move. Not a new budget, not a 12-step plan. Something small enough to say yes to right now, and easy to undo.
- Set a weekly cap on a category and get a reminder near the limit.
- Pause before a large impulse purchase with a 24-hour cooling-off nudge.
- Move a set amount to a goal on payday, before the wants get a vote.
- Flag two subscriptions you have not used in 60 days.
Step 4: Learn
What you do with a nudge is the most important signal Wendy gets. Accept caps but ignore savings prompts? She leans on caps. Snooze everything on weekdays? She waits for the weekend. Over time the loop tightens: fewer nudges, better timed, in a tone that suits you.
That is also why Wendy starts with a short money personality check. Two people with the same income can need very different coaching, and the check gives her a sensible starting point before she has weeks of your data.
What Wendy will never do
- Move, send or invest your money.
- Store your bank login.
- Sell your data or show you ads for loans.
- Give you regulated financial advice. Wendy coaches habits; decisions stay yours.
Lertha Technologies Limited is registered with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, and you can ask us to delete your data at any time. The full details are in our privacy policy.
Frequently asked questions
Does Wendy read my messages or anything outside my bank data?
No. Wendy reads the balances and transactions you choose to connect, plus anything you tell her directly in the app.
How often will Wendy message me?
Only when a pattern is unusual and worth acting on. Most weeks that means a short morning brief and very little else.
Can I turn nudges off?
Yes. You can snooze a type of nudge, change how often you hear from Wendy, or turn nudges off entirely and keep the insights.
Is Wendy a person?
No. Wendy is Lertha's AI coach, built by the Lertha team in Lagos. How your data is handled is set out in our privacy policy.