A personal finance platform launched on January 1st with a working MVP targeting 100 users. Built using Docker Compose on a single AWS EC2 t3.small instance, it runs React, NestJS, and PostgreSQL for ~$25 monthly.

The setup isolates services in containers, easing deployment and scaling. PostgreSQL stays off the public internet, accessed only via internal Docker networking. Security groups limit inbound traffic, and SSL is managed through Let's Encrypt.

Backups run daily to S3, and monitoring relies on UptimeRobot and Docker logs. No Kubernetes, CDNs, or managed DBs—complexity added only as needed. Next bottlenecks expected: disk space, memory, and DB I/O.

Cost-efficiency and simplicity rule this stack. Ideal for indie developers or small teams launching real products fast without overengineering.