How to use

A page-by-page, click-by-click guide

Recommended first stop

Start the guided setup

5 minutes, 6 short steps. Skip any step you want and resume anytime.

Start setup

Prefer to read offline?

Download the page-by-page setup guide as a PDF.

1
Welcome

This is your money decision system — not another spreadsheet. The goal is to give you a clear next step in 60 seconds, every time you open it.

  1. All your data stays on your device. Nothing is uploaded.
  2. If you ever lose access, use Export to save a JSON or PDF backup.
  3. You can re-run this guided setup at any time from the How to Use page.
Tip: Print this page-by-page guide and keep it nearby for the first few days.
2
Step 1 — Tell us about you

Open the app. You'll land on the Core Promise, then How to Use. Click 'Start guided setup'.

  1. Enter your name (optional) — this only stays on your device.
  2. Choose 'Just me' or 'Household' to set the tracking mode.
  3. Click Next.
Tip: Pick Household if you share finances with a partner; otherwise pick Just me.
3
Step 2 — Monthly income

Enter your typical take-home pay (after taxes) per month.

  1. If income varies, use a 3-month average.
  2. For a household, combine all paychecks.
  3. Click Next.
Tip: Approximate is fine. You can refine this anytime from Settings or the Decision Engine card.
4
Step 3 — Where the money goes

Tap the categories that take most of your spending. Pick 3 to 5.

  1. Common picks: Groceries, Rent/Mortgage, Utilities, Transportation, Dining out.
  2. Don't overthink it — you can hide or add custom categories later.
  3. Click Next.
5
Step 4 — Savings target

Set a savings rate goal and your emergency fund target.

  1. Savings goal %: 20 is a common starting point.
  2. Emergency fund: 3 months is a solid baseline; 6 if you want more cushion.
  3. Click Next.
Tip: The Decision Engine uses these to score your month and tell you if you're on track.
6
Step 5 — Starting balances

Optional — enter today's balances so the app starts with a real picture of your money.

  1. Checking balance — the cash you have right now.
  2. Savings balance — anything earmarked or sitting in a high-yield savings account.
  3. Credit card debt — total balance you currently owe.
  4. Skip any of these you don't have or want to enter later.
7
Step 6 — You're set

The Decision Engine now has enough to give you a real read. From the final step:

  1. Click 'Add recurring bills' to log rent, utilities, subscriptions.
  2. Click 'Add debts in detail' to enter APRs and minimum payments.
  3. Click 'Create sinking funds' for vacation, holidays, taxes, anything you save monthly for.
  4. Click 'Tune categories' to hide what you don't use and add your own.
  5. Click 'Go to Dashboard' to see your first decision.
Tip: Customize more per your needs — the basics are in, everything else is optional.
8
Daily / weekly use

Five minutes a day is plenty.

  1. Open the Dashboard. Read the Decision Engine card — that's your read on the month.
  2. Add any new transactions on the Transactions page.
  3. When a recurring bill is paid, click 'Post now' on the Recurring page.
  4. Once a week, glance at Sinking Funds and Debt to see progress.
Tip: If something needs attention, the engine will say so. If things are working, it'll say that too.
9
Backups & exports

Your data lives on this device. Back it up regularly.

  1. Use the Export menu (sidebar or dashboard) → Export as JSON for a full backup.
  2. Export as PDF for a printable snapshot.
  3. If you switch browsers or devices, restore from the JSON file in Settings.
Start guided setup