Budgeting in Forbidden Finance

An overview of how budgeting works in Forbidden Finance, including the 9 available methods, the budget wizard, and month-by-month navigation.

Overview

Forbidden Finance gives you 9 distinct budgeting methods so you can manage your money the way that works best for you. Whether you prefer the simplicity of saving a fixed amount and spending the rest, or the precision of allocating every dollar to a category, there is a method that fits your style. You can only have one budget active at a time, but you can switch methods whenever your needs change without losing your history.

Every budget in Forbidden Finance runs on a monthly cycle. You set your income, choose how to allocate it, and then track your spending against those allocations throughout the month. At the end of the month, you can review how you did and start the next month with a fresh plan or let unspent amounts roll forward.

Available Methods

Method	Tier	Best For
50/30/20	Free	Beginners who want a simple framework
Pay Yourself First	Free	Savers who prioritize building wealth
Anti-Budget	Free	People who dislike detailed tracking
Zero-Based	Starter+	Detail-oriented planners
Envelope	Starter+	People who want hard spending limits
Kakeibo	Starter+	Mindful spenders who enjoy reflection
FIRE	Pro+	Early retirement pursuers
Values-Based	Pro+	People who want spending to reflect priorities
Custom	Pro+	Anyone who wants full control

How to Create Your First Budget

Open the Budgeting tab

Tap Budget in the bottom navigation bar. If you do not have an active budget, you see the welcome screen with a prompt to get started.

Launch the Budget Wizard

Tap Create Budget. The wizard walks you through choosing a method, setting your income, and configuring your allocations step by step.

Choose your method

Select one of the 9 methods. Each method card shows a brief description and its tier requirement. Tap any method to learn more before committing.

Set your monthly income

Enter your total monthly take-home income. This is the amount your budget allocates against.

Configure your allocations

Depending on the method, you assign percentages, fixed amounts, or categories to groups. The wizard guides you through the specifics for each method.

Activate your budget

Review your setup and tap Activate. Your budget is now live for the current month.

Key Features

Month navigator — Swipe left or right to view past or future months. Compare your plan to actual spending across months.
Category allocation — Assign your spending categories (Groceries, Rent, Entertainment, etc.) to budget groups so transactions are automatically sorted.
Inter-category transfer — Move unspent money from one category to another mid-month when plans change.
Progress visualization — Each budget group shows a progress bar with spent vs. allocated amounts.
Rollover management — Configure whether underspending carries forward to the next month or resets.
Dashboard widget — Your active budget summary appears on the home dashboard so you can check your status at a glance.