(above).Learn about the Budget Monthly Summary place
Tip: For easier reading, click (above).
This place shows how your budget works in a typical month.
Where do these numbers come from?
The amounts shown here are the totals shown in the Monthly columns for the Income, Long-Term Savings, Occasional Expense Fund, Debt, and Expenses places.
These amounts represent totals for a typical month; individual monthly totals will likely vary.
What does the bottom line mean?
The bottom line shows whether your Monthly budget balances. If you have a shortage or a surplus for the month, Money will show you this amount.
Use the Monthly Summary together with the Yearly Summary to see how well your budget works. It's OK if your Monthly Summary doesn't always balance as long as your Yearly Summary does.
The bottom line says "Your expenses exceed your income." What should I do now?
The Monthly Summary doesn't include occasional income and expenses, so those amounts may account for the difference.
The Monthly Summary shows an average monthly amount. If certain income or expense amounts end before year-end (you'll see an asterisk next to the line item), your budget may be a little high one month and a little low the next.
Make sure you have accurately indicated amounts in the Monthly column for each of these places.
The bottom line says I have money left over. What should I do now?
Click Save it in Occasional Expense Fund to make it available for occasional expenses. It will be reflected in the Occasional Expend Fund amount in the Yearly Summary.
Click Spend the money to remove this amount from your budget. It won't be reflected in the Yearly Summary.
My Yearly Summary balances, but not my Monthly Summary. Why?
This is probably because the Monthly Summary does not include occasional income and expense amounts; only monthly amounts. Occasional amounts are included in the Yearly Summary.
Also, if certain income or expense amounts end before year-end (you'll see an asterisk next to the line item), your budget may be a little high one month and a little low the next.
