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Set up a monthly budget

Prerequisites​

  • Your data file is unlocked
  • You have categories set up (see Add a category)
  • At least a few months of categorized transactions help prefill the setup table (optional but recommended)

Steps​

  1. Open Budgets in the left navigation.
  2. Select the month you want to budget — use This month, Last month, or the month picker.
  3. If no budget exists yet for that month, click New budget. To change an existing plan, open the tracking screen and click Edit budget.
  4. On the Set up budget screen:
    • Review the table: each row shows the last six months of spending (one column per month), an Average, and a Target field prefilled from that average.
    • Uncheck rows you do not want in this month’s budget — those categories will not appear on the tracking screen.
    • For each tracked row, set Recurring or Variable (see Budgets).
    • Set Budget to Simple (default) or Envelope for categories where you want to save up month to month — for example car repair or gifts.
    • Adjust Target amounts as needed.
  5. Click Save budget.

Envelope categories​

Use Envelope when spending is irregular but you want to contribute every month. Set a monthly target (for example $100 for car repair). Unspent money rolls into the next month’s Balance.

If you include at least one envelope category, the tracking screen shows Ready to assign — income received this month minus your envelope allocations. Aim for $0.

Most everyday categories (groceries, dining, gas) work best as Simple.

Expected result​

  • The app switches to the tracking screen for that month.
  • Only categories you left checked appear in the table.
  • Recurring categories (for example Rent) show a target matching your typical monthly amount.
  • Variable categories (for example Groceries) show targets you can adjust month to month.
  • Envelope categories show an Envelope badge and rollover when applicable.

Starting a new month without redoing setup​

When you open a month that has no budget yet, use Copy from [previous month] on the landing screen to bring forward last month’s categories, targets, simple/envelope settings, and recurring/variable settings. You can still Edit budget afterward to fine-tune.