Overview
The Budget Planner is where you set monthly spending and income targets for each category, then track how your actual spending compares. This guide walks you through everything you need to know — from entering your first budget amount to using projections and savings tracking.
Opening the Budget Planner
Click 'Budget' in the sidebar to open the Budget Planner. You'll see a spreadsheet-like grid with your categories listed on the left and months across the top.
The page is divided into three collapsible sections — Savings, Income, and Expenses. You can expand or collapse each section by clicking the arrow next to its heading.
Setting Monthly Budgets
Click 'View Budget' in the top-right corner to show budget rows. Each category now displays two rows: a blue row for your budget amount and a row below for the actual amount.
- Double-click any blue budget cell (or select it and press Enter) to start editing
- Type the amount you want to budget for that category and month
- Press Enter to save — the value is stored immediately
- Repeat for each category and month you want to budget
Filling Multiple Months Quickly
If you budget the same amount each month for a category (e.g. $200/month for Groceries), you don't have to type it twelve times. Use drag-fill to copy a value across months — just like in a spreadsheet.
- Enter the budget amount in one month's cell
- Hover over that cell — a small blue square appears in the bottom-right corner
- Click and drag the blue square across the months you want to fill, then release
Drag-fill works for both budget amounts and savings allocations.
Projected vs Actual
When viewing the current or a future year, a 'Projected' column appears on the right side of the grid. It estimates your year-end totals by combining actual data from past months with budget amounts for remaining months.
- Past months use your actual recorded amounts
- The current month and future months use your budgeted amounts
- Projected totals are shown in italics so you can distinguish them from final figures
Tracking Savings
The Savings section at the top of the Budget Planner lets you set aside money for specific goals — like an emergency fund, vacation, or large purchase.
- Click '+ Add Allocation' in the Savings header to create a new savings destination
- Enter a name for your savings goal (e.g. 'Emergency Fund')
- Set budget and actual amounts for each month, just like expense categories
The 'Available' row at the top shows how much money is left to allocate after your income, expenses, and existing savings allocations are accounted for. If this number turns red, you've allocated more than you have available.
Filtering by Household Member
If you've added household members in the Categories page, you can filter the Budget Planner to show actual spending for a specific person. Hide the budget rows first, then use the 'Filter by' dropdown to select a member.
Budgets are set at the household level, so the member filter only applies to actual amounts. That's why filtering is only available when budget rows are hidden.
Undo & Redo
Made a mistake? Press Cmd+Z (Mac) or Ctrl+Z (Windows/Linux) to undo your last change. Use Cmd+Shift+Z or Ctrl+Shift+Z to redo. Undo works for individual cell edits, drag-fill operations, and paste actions.
Tips for Success
- Start simple — budget just a few important categories first, then expand over time
- Use drag-fill to quickly set the same budget across all twelve months
- Check the Projected column regularly to see if you're on track for the year
- Use the year navigation arrows to plan ahead or review past years
- Reorder categories by dragging the handle on the left of each row to put your most important categories at the top
Next Steps
Now that your budget is set up, import your bank transactions regularly to keep your actual spending up to date. Check out the Getting Started guide if you haven't imported data yet.