Welcome! Let’s Get You Budgeting with Confidence!
EveryDollar helps you plan, track, and take control of your money in just a few steps. Whether you’re using the free version or EveryDollar Premium, this guide will walk you through how to get started and get the most out of your budget.
Step 1: Enter Your Income
Start by adding your expected income for the month. This appears as your Planned amount in EveryDollar. Enter a line item for each paycheck you plan to receive during the month.
Example: If you expect to earn $2,500 per paycheck this month, enter that as the Planned amount for each paycheck line item (see below).
Step 2: Plan Your Expenses
Assign a Planned amount to each Budget Item below your Income section in EveryDollar. That includes Housing, Groceries, Giving, Savings and Debts if you have them. Plan out how you are going to use your income until your Left to Budget amount at the top reaches $0.00.
Congratulations! You now have an EveryDollar budget!
Step 3: Track Your Spending and Income
You can do this if you have the free version of EveryDollar or the Premium version.
Free version: Manually add transactions as you spend or get paid.
Premium version: Connect your bank accounts, import transactions automatically, and drag and drop them into your Budget Groups.
Useful Budgeting Tips
Track your transactions daily. Spend a minute or so each day entering your transactions. Doing so will keep them from piling up, and you'll know exactly how much you have left to spend. It will also cause you to be more aware of your overall money picture, and thus more focused on your goals.
Estimate low with a variable income. You may have an hourly job, or get paid on commission, or some other work where your income can vary. A good strategy is to budget on the low side of that. So if you expect to earn between $2,000 and $2,500, enter $2,000 into the Planned column for that income line. That way, if you earn more, you can change the Planned number and find a job for that extra money.
Use a Fund to save money. Maybe Christmas is in a few months. Maybe you need new tires. Maybe the family wants to take a beach vacay at some point. By creating a Fund line in your budget for the specific expense, your saved amount will roll over to next month and build. It's a great way to keep track of how much you have socked away!
Both ways give you full visibility and control over your spending.
Pro Tip: A successful budget equals income – expenses = zero. Once every dollar has a job, you’ll have clarity, control, and confidence with your money.
Next Steps
Ready to feel more confident using EveryDollar? Join our Budgeting 101 group coaching call, open to all users (free and Premium)! You’ll learn budgeting basics, get live guidance, and have the chance to ask questions.
Sign up here: Intro to EveryDollar – Budgeting 101