Budget Coach

How do I set up my budget?

On the Budget tab, enter your monthly take-home income, then type what you spend on each category — Housing, Food & Groceries, Transport, Shopping, Entertainment, and Other — plus how much you want to save. The result updates as you type.

How does it decide if I'm "over budget"?

It adds up your spending categories and your savings and compares the total to your income. If your spending alone is more than your income you're "Over budget"; if everything fits with money to spare you're "Under budget"; if you cover spending but fall short of your savings goal it shows "Cutting it close." The card shows the exact amount left over or short.

What is the 50/30/20 breakdown?

It's a popular budgeting guideline: about 50% of income on Needs (housing, food, transport), 30% on Wants (shopping, entertainment, other), and 20% on Savings. Budget Coach shows your actual split against those targets so you can see where you land.

How does the AI coaching work? Is it private?

Tap "Coach me" on the Coach tab and the app writes a few tips based on your numbers. The text is generated entirely on your iPhone using Apple Intelligence — nothing is sent to a server. If your device doesn't support Apple Intelligence, you'll get simple rule-based tips instead.

Is this financial advice?

No. Budget Coach gives general, educational budgeting suggestions only. It isn't professional financial, investment, tax, or legal advice, and it doesn't know your full situation. For decisions about your money, please talk to a qualified professional.

How do I track months over time?

Tap "Save this month" on the Budget tab to store a snapshot. The History tab shows your saved months and how your savings rate is trending. Open any month to review it or load it back into the editor.

Can I change the currency?

Yes — pick your currency in Settings (or from the currency button on the Budget tab). It changes the symbol used throughout the app.

Does the app work offline? Does it collect any data?

It works completely offline and makes no network connections. There are no accounts, no analytics, no tracking, and no ads. The only data is what you type, kept on your iPhone. See the Privacy Policy.