How do I set or change my monthly spending goal?

During both Free and Pro onboarding, My Little Accountant suggests a monthly goal from its best estimate of the previous month's spending. For uncategorized Free transactions, the estimate uses bank transaction data plus deterministic spending, income, refund, transfer, and card-payment checks. If there is not enough prior-month activity to make an estimate, onboarding starts with a $4,000 goal that you can adjust before saving.

The monthly spending goal tracks your overall spending in one number. It can stand on its own or complement a category budget in a custom dashboard. The home screen compares your current month against a personalized pace learned from your previous three completed months and shows whether you are pacing above or below it.

Once you save a goal, that amount remains active for each new month until you change it. You do not need to enter the same goal again when the calendar rolls over.

Changing a transaction's date or category can change goal progress because the transaction may move into or out of the current month or spending total.

Spending totals focus on ordinary spending categories. Income and transfers are separated so they do not distort your spending goal progress.