Paycheck budgeting
Know how much you can safely spend today
Monthmate reserves unpaid bills and savings, then shows a safe-to-spend allowance for the days left in the budgeting cycle. A new budget uses the calendar month. Payday is a reminder and does not change that count.
Bills come out before today’s number
A checking balance can look fine while rent is still unpaid. Monthmate keeps that bill reserved until you mark it paid in Bills, then shows what is left to spend.
The daily allowance follows the budgeting cycle. It does not stop on payday, and it is not a 14-day paycheck budget.
How the allowance is paced
Calendar month by default
A new budget uses the calendar month. The daily allowance covers the days left in that cycle, including today.
Bills stay reserved until you mark them paid
Record the payment in Bills. Logging the same amount as an ordinary expense does not pay the bill.
One daily allowance
Income, minus spending, unpaid bills, and savings, divided by the days left in the budgeting cycle.
Payday does not end the allowance
Payday can remind you when pay usually arrives. It does not shorten the daily allowance.
The cycle is a month, not a paycheck
Settings can move the next cycle’s start day. That cycle still runs about a month, through the day before it starts again. Unpaid bills and the savings target stay reserved either way. Payday does not end the allowance early.