Dashboard

Reading your spending chart

Each line is a running total. It starts at zero on the 1st and climbs as money moves, so a steep stretch is a heavy day and a flat stretch is a quiet one.

The lines

Spending
Everything you've spent this month so far. The dot is today.
Income
Everything you've been paid this month. It jumps on paydays.
Red gap
Spending is above income: more has gone out than has come in so far.
Grey gap
Income is ahead of spending. This is where you want to be.
Last month
Where you were on the same day last month. Staying under it means you're spending less.
Budget
Your total monthly budget. The spending line should finish the month below it.
Pace
Where you'll finish: bills still due this month, plus everyday spending at its daily average. Shown for the current month only.

Net so far, top left, is income minus spending to date. It turns red when it's negative.

Hover over the chart, tap it on a phone, or focus it and use the arrow keys to see that day's totals. Spent so far and Net so far follow along.

The numbers

Spent so far
Total spending this month up to today.
Last month
What you had spent by this day last month. Red when you're ahead of it.
Daily average
Everyday spending divided by the days that have passed. Bills and debt payments are left out, so rent on the 1st doesn't skew it.
Safe per day
Budget left, minus bills still due this month, divided by days left. Red $0 means the budget is already used up.

A healthy month looks like

The spending line stays under the green line, ends below the budget line, and the pace label lands under your budget.

Habits that move the lines

  1. Check the pace once a week. If it points above your budget, trim now while there are still days to make up the difference.
  2. Spend from Safe per day, not your balance. It already accounts for the rest of the month.
  3. Read the red gap against payday. Red before payday is often just timing. Red that's still there after payday means you're spending more than you earn.
  4. Look into the steep steps. Each sharp climb is a big day. Open Transactions and ask whether it was planned.
  5. Save right after payday. Add money to a goal first, so what's left is what you can spend.
  6. Leave a buffer. Set your budget a little below your income so the spending line has room to land under the green one.
  7. Aim to beat last month, not to be perfect. Finishing a little under the dashed line each month adds up.