Using the Calendar
Visualize your financial timeline
Calendar Overview
The BudgetPro calendar is your visual timeline showing how money flows in and out over time. At a glance, you can see:
- Which days have bills due
- When income is expected
- Your projected balance at the end of each day
- Which days fall within your current pay period
- Potential cash flow problems before they happen
Reading the Calendar
Each day on the calendar shows important information:
The Date Number
Large number in the corner showing the day of the month. Today's date is highlighted distinctly.
Event Markers
Small colored bars indicate financial events on that day:
- Red/Orange markers = Bills due
- Green markers = Income expected
Hover over a marker to see the name and amount.
Daily Balance
At the bottom of each day (within your pay period), you'll see your projected closing balance—what BudgetPro expects your balance to be at the end of that day after all that day's transactions.
Looking at November 15:
- Date: 15
- Red marker: "Electric Bill - $145"
- Green marker: "Paycheck - $2,100"
- Daily Balance: $3,205
This tells you that on November 15, you have both a bill and income. After both transactions, your projected balance is $3,205.
Pay Period Highlighting
Days that fall within your current pay period have a subtle background highlight (usually a light purple tint). This helps you:
- Quickly identify which days belong to your "active" budget period
- See when your pay period starts and ends
- Distinguish between current and future/past periods
What the Highlighting Means
Pay attention to the first and last highlighted days. Bills due on the last day of your pay period still need to be covered by this period's budget. Bills due just after the period ends will be handled by your next paycheck.
Understanding Daily Balances
The daily balance shown on each calendar day is your projected closing balance—what BudgetPro expects your account balance to be at the end of that day.
How It's Calculated
Starting Balance
The calculation starts with your Current Balance (set in Settings) and projects forward day by day.
Color Coding
Daily balance numbers may be color-coded to alert you:
- Green/Black: Positive balance—you're in good shape
- Red: Negative or dangerously low balance—warning!
A red daily balance means BudgetPro is projecting you'll run out of money on that day. This is a critical warning! See Spotting Potential Problems for what to do.
Bills and Income on the Calendar
Bill Markers (Red/Orange)
Each bill appears as a marker on its due date. The marker shows:
- A shortened version of the bill name
- Hover to see full name and amount
- Paid bills may show with a checkmark or different style
Income Markers (Green)
Each expected income appears as a green marker on its expected date:
- Shows the income source name
- Hover to see full name and amount
- Received income may show with a checkmark
Multiple Events on One Day
If multiple bills or income entries fall on the same day, they'll be stacked:
- Each event gets its own marker
- The daily balance reflects the net of all transactions
- Scroll within the day cell if there are many events
On November 15th, Marcus has:
- 🟢 Paycheck: +$2,100
- 🔴 Rent: -$1,200
- 🔴 Car Insurance: -$150
Net for the day: +$750
If his balance was $2,000 on November 14th, his November 15th closing balance shows $2,750.
Spotting Potential Problems
The calendar is your early warning system. Here's what to watch for:
Warning Sign: Declining Balances
If you see daily balances steadily decreasing throughout your pay period without income coming in, you might be heading toward a cash crunch.
Warning Sign: Negative Balances
Red numbers mean trouble. If any day shows a negative projected balance, you need to take action before that day arrives.
Warning Sign: Bill Clusters
Multiple large bills due on the same day or close together can strain your budget. Look for days with several red markers.
What To Do
If you spot a potential problem:
- Move discretionary spending: Delay non-essential purchases until after income arrives
- Contact creditors: Some bills can be moved to a different due date
- Prioritize: If truly strapped, pay essential bills first (housing, utilities)
- Plan ahead: Use the look-ahead feature to avoid this situation next time
The best use of the calendar is catching problems before they happen. Make it a habit to scan the next 2-3 weeks for any concerning patterns.