Manual Recurring Rules

How to create and manage manual recurring rules in Forbidden Finance for bills and subscriptions the system has not auto-detected.

Overview

Sometimes you know about a recurring charge before the system detects it. Maybe you just signed up for a new subscription, or you have a bill that varies too much for automatic detection to pick up. Manual recurring rules let you tell Forbidden Finance exactly what to expect, so your bill calendar and cash flow forecast stay accurate from day one.

Manual rules work identically to auto-detected rules once created. They appear in your upcoming bills, trigger reminders, and factor into your cash flow projections.

When to Use Manual Rules

New subscriptions — You just signed up and there is only one charge so far. Auto-detection needs at least two matching transactions.
Variable amounts — A utility bill that changes significantly each month. You can set a higher amount tolerance or an estimated amount.
Future charges — An annual insurance premium that is months away. Create the rule now so it appears in your forecast.
Cash or check payments — Recurring expenses paid outside your bank accounts, like a weekly cleaning service paid in cash.
Charges not detected — Occasionally auto-detection misses a pattern. A manual rule fills the gap.

How to Create a Manual Rule

Open the Recurring tab

Navigate to Recurring & Bills from the main menu. Tap the + button or Add Rule at the bottom of the screen.

Choose the rule type

Select one of: Subscription, Bill, Income, Loan, or Transfer. This classification helps organize your recurring items and determines how the rule affects your cash flow forecast (incoming vs. outgoing).

Enter the merchant name

Type the name of the company, service, or person associated with the charge. This is used for matching against future transactions.

Set the amount

Enter the expected amount. For variable charges, enter your best estimate. The amount tolerance (default 10%) accounts for small fluctuations.

Choose the frequency

Select how often this charge occurs: Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-annual, or Annual.

Set the start date

Choose the date of the next expected occurrence. Future occurrences are calculated automatically from this date and the frequency you selected.

Adjust tolerance (optional)

The default amount tolerance is 10%, which means a $100 rule matches transactions between $90 and $110. Increase it for highly variable charges or decrease it for exact amounts.

Save the rule

Tap Save. Your rule is now active and appears in your upcoming bills and cash flow forecast.

Editing and Managing Rules

After creating a manual rule, you can modify it at any time:

Edit details — Tap the rule to change its merchant, amount, frequency, tolerance, or type.
Pause a rule — If a subscription is on hold or a bill is temporarily suspended, pause the rule. Paused rules do not generate upcoming occurrences or trigger notifications, but they are not deleted. Resume them anytime.
Delete a rule — Remove a rule permanently when you cancel a subscription or pay off a loan. Past occurrences that were already matched remain in your transaction history.

Manual vs. Auto-Detected

Feature	Manual	Auto-Detected
Created by	You	The system
Needs existing transactions	No	Yes (at least 2 matches)
Editable	Fully	Fully (after confirming)
Accuracy	Depends on your input	Improves with more data
Appears in forecast	Immediately	After you confirm the suggestion