Budgeting Basics

Budgetwise uses zero-sum budgeting. All your money gets assigned a purpose before you spend it.

Assign your money

1. Go to the Budget page
2. Click on a category’s Budgeted column
3. Enter the amount
4. Repeat until Left to Budget is $0

The monthly cycle

1. Income arrives: Your paycheck or other income shows up in Left to Budget
2. Assign your money: Distribute it to categories like rent, groceries, savings
3. Spend from categories: When you buy something, the money comes out of that category
4. Adjust as needed: Overspent somewhere? Move money from another category

Move money between accounts

To transfer money between accounts (e.g., paying a credit card from checking):

1. Go to the source account and click Add Transaction
2. In the Category dropdown, scroll to the Accounts (Transfer) section
3. Select the destination account
4. Enter the amount and save

The transaction shows up in both accounts. Transfers don’t affect your budget categories.

Overspending

When you spend more than what’s in a category, it goes negative. You can:

• Move money from another category to cover it
• Leave it, but it rolls over as a negative balance next month (not recommended)

Caution: A negative Left to Budget means you’ve assigned more than you have. Fix this before spending.

Month to month

Unspent money in a category rolls over. If you budgeted $500 for groceries but only spent $400, you start next month with $100 already there.