Safe to Spend
Safe to Spend is the cash in your chosen accounts minus what you have set aside in goals, minus (by default) the budget you have not spent yet this month. It is the money you can spend without touching a plan.
You will find Safe to Spend at the top of the Goals page and at the top of the Transactions page. They use the same accounts and goals, but only the Goals page subtracts unspent budget (see the budget switch below). With the switch on, the Transactions page figure is higher by your unspent budget.
The formula
Safe to Spend = included balance − goals − unspent budget
- Included balance is the total of the accounts ticked in the Total Balance list.
- Goals is, for every active goal, Saved − Spent: money still set aside.
- Unspent budget is this month's budget minus this month's spending, never below $0. It is subtracted only while Exclude remaining budget from Safe to Spend is on, which is the default.
Example: $14,200 in checking and savings, $10,070 held in goals and $1,460 of budget left this month. Safe to Spend is $14,200 − $10,070 − $1,460 = $2,670.
The line under the number spells out the sum, for example "$14,200 balance − $10,070 goals − $1,460 budget". The budget part only appears when it is actually being subtracted. A negative Safe to Spend shows in red.
Choose which accounts count
- On the Goals page, click Total Balance.
- Tick or untick each account. Your choice is saved and shared with the Transactions page, where you can also change it by clicking Balance under Safe to Spend.
Cash accounts (checking and savings) are included by default. Other liquid accounts, such as a brokerage account, and credit cards appear in the list but start unticked. Ticking a credit card subtracts what you owe on it. Homes, cars and other illiquid assets never appear.
The budget switch
Click the line under Safe to Spend to open the switch. With Exclude remaining budget from Safe to Spend on, budget you have not spent yet is treated as spoken for, so Safe to Spend only shows truly uncommitted cash. With it off, budgeted money still counts as spendable until you actually spend it. Below the switch you can see this month's budget, spending and what remains.
Overspending your budget never adds to Safe to Spend: once you are over, the budget part is simply $0.
What changes it
- Money arriving in or leaving an included account (once your bank reports it).
- Adding to a goal's Saved amount, including Auto Save and Catch Up: Safe to Spend drops by the same amount.
- Tagging a purchase to a goal: the goal's Spent rises, which frees that money in the formula, while the purchase lowers your account balance. The two cancel out.
- Archiving a goal: its unspent balance is released back.
- Spending against your budget, while the budget switch is on.
Common questions
Why is my Safe to Spend lower than my bank balance?
It subtracts money set aside in goals and, by default, budget you have not spent yet this month. The line under the number shows each part.
Can I include my brokerage account or credit card?
Yes. Click Total Balance on the Goals page and tick it. Cash accounts are included by default; liquid accounts and credit cards are opt-in.
Why does my Safe to Spend go negative?
Your goals and unspent budget add up to more than the cash in your included accounts. Include more accounts, lower a goal, or turn off the budget switch.
Is Safe to Spend the same on the Transactions page?
It uses the same accounts and goals, but the Transactions page never subtracts unspent budget. If the budget switch on the Goals page is on (the default), the Transactions page shows a higher number by that amount.
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