Reference/Glossary

Term
Definition

Budget page

Where you budget within the Lunch Money app, accessible via the navigation bar under β€œFinances”.

Budget Settings

The configuration pop-up where you set up core budgeting options like your budget period, income settings, general pool rollovers, and other preferences. Access it from the top right of the Budget page.

General Pool

Your total money available to budget. Includes income, leftover money from expense categories (shown in their Available column), and rollovers from previous periods.

Budgeting period

The time frame for your budget (usually monthly). All income and expenses reset at the end of each period.

Income Settings

Options that control how your budgetable income is calculated: using budgeted amounts (Expected), actual income received, or the larger of the two.

Income category

Categories for money coming in (salary, freelance income, etc.). All income flows into your general pool.

Expense category

Categories for spending (Rent, Groceries, etc.). You assign budgeted amounts to these each period.

Budgeted (amount)

The amount you plan to spend in a category this period.

Activity

What you actually spent (or received) so far this period.

Available

The balance in a category showing how much you can still spend. Includes your budgeted amount, minus what you've spent (activity), plus any rollovers.

Expected

Income you anticipate receiving this period (shown in income categories).

Available to Budget

The total money in your general pool ready to be assigned to categories. Includes income, rollovers, and adjustments minus what you've already budgeted.

Left to Budget

The amount in your general pool that hasn't been assigned to categories yet. Shows as positive (green) when you have money to assign.

Overbudgeted

When you've assigned more money to categories than you have available. Shows as negative (red) in your Left to Budget amount.

Net Total Available

The sum of all Available amounts across your categories plus any unbudgeted money. Represents the minimum liquid cash you need to cover your entire budget. For zero-based budgeters, this should match your actual bank balances.

Rollover

A feature that carries Available balances between periods - whether positive (savings) or negative (overspending).

Rollover option

The setting for each category that controls how Available balances are handled at period end: do nothing, rollover to same category, or rollover to general pool.

Balance adjustment

A way to manually set new Available balances for categories or your general pool, starting from a specific date. Useful for corrections or fresh starts.

Budget presets

Settings that automatically fill in budget amounts each period based on your chosen method (fixed amount, previous spending, etc.).

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