Tracking Overview
Once you've saved a budget plan, Tracking is where you keep tabs on how your actual spending compares to what the plan calls for.
How Tracking Works
BetterBudgets doesn't connect to your bank — tracking is intentionally manual. This keeps your data private and forces a small, healthy level of awareness about every transaction.
The tracking flow is simple:
- ›You make a purchase or payment
- ›You log it in BetterBudgets under the appropriate category
- ›BetterBudgets updates your month-to-date totals and shows you where you stand
Monthly Tracking View
The monthly view shows each of your budget categories with:
- ›Budgeted amount — what your plan allocates for this category
- ›Spent so far — what you've logged this month
- ›Remaining — the difference
Categories that are over budget are highlighted so you can see at a glance where you need to tighten up.
Logging an Entry
Tap + Add Transaction (or the equivalent button in your version) and enter:
- ›Category — which budget line this falls under
- ›Amount — what you spent
- ›Date — defaults to today
- ›Note (optional) — a label or merchant name for your own reference
Debt Payments
When you make a debt payment, log it in Tracking under the corresponding debt. BetterBudgets will update your debt balance and show you how you're tracking against your payoff schedule.
Tips
- ›Log regularly. Daily or every few days is better than trying to reconstruct a whole month at the end.
- ›Don't stress about perfection. Approximate amounts are fine for variable categories like groceries or dining.
- ›Use notes. A quick label like "Costco run" makes it easier to remember and review later.