Review your first plan¶
A first review connects your account balances, spending needs, and funding projection. It helps you spot missing bills and cash shortages before relying on the budget day to day.
1. Check your starting point¶
Confirm that all included accounts agree with your records. Open any envelope whose current balance is unexpected and review Latest moves.
On the timeline, today's In envelope amount is recorded money. Future Daily allocation amounts are a projection. A future allocation is not available in the envelope today simply because it appears on the screen.
2. Read the next few weeks¶
Look for your planned expenses and target dates. Open a day's details to inspect its plans, daily allocation, and projected balance. Use the legend below the timeline to identify the markers.
Check that amounts and dates are realistic, funding is enabled for the needs you want covered, and no target duplicates a planned expense. See Read the timeline for a tour of the screen.
3. Review Left to plan¶
Left to plan shows the cash left after the projection has considered the active dated plans. A positive amount is a prompt to review what else the money needs to cover: another bill, everyday spending, or a reserve.
For a simple example, $1,000 of available cash with $300 of grocery allowance and a $65 phone bill leaves $635 after fully funding those plans, assuming no other balances, reserves, or obligations affect the calculation.
At $0.00, check the timeline as well. Zero can mean all cash is planned, or that the projection has run short. The checkmark beside the amount does not prove every future expense is covered.
4. Investigate a funding limit¶
The Available funds run out here flag identifies a funding step the remaining cash cannot fully cover. Open that day's details to compare the required amount with the amount remaining. The flag can appear before the bill's due date.
Review missing income already received, incorrect balances, duplicate plans, and flexible spending amounts or dates. Make changes that reflect reality, then review the projection again.
If a shortfall remains, keep it visible. Knowing where the plan runs short is useful information, even when you cannot resolve it immediately.
5. Check credit cards separately¶
Under Credit card payments, compare Ready to pay, Owed, and Still to cover. Existing card debt may need cash set aside even when the envelope timeline looks covered. See Use credit cards.
Ready for everyday use¶
You have a useful first plan when your account balances are checked, your next needs have amounts and dates, and you understand any remaining shortfall. You can keep adding detail from here.
Continue with Your regular review.