Tracking Goals | Learn

From "I Should Save More" to "I Need $100 More This Month"

Everyone has financial intentions. Save for emergencies. Pay off the car. Take a vacation. The problem is that intentions don't tell you what to do this month.

Goals do. They attach a target amount to a budget category, so instead of a vague "save more," you see: "Emergency Fund: $3,200 of $5,000 — budget $300 more to stay on track."

That's specific enough to act on.

What Goals Are Good For

Building savings — $5,000 emergency fund, $2,000 vacation, new laptop
Preparing for bills — $150/month phone bill, $1,500 rent, annual subscriptions
Smoothing out big expenses — $600 car insurance every 6 months becomes $100/month set aside
Fun with no guilt — save $200/month for a trip, then spend it when you get there

Setting a Goal

Click the Available pill on any category

In the budget view, click on a category's available balance to open the details popover.

Enter your target amount

Set the amount you want to have available in this category. This is your "fully funded" number.

Budget toward it

Each month, budget what you can toward the goal. Daily Bread tracks your progress and shows you exactly how much is left.

How the Math Works

Underfunded = Target Amount − Available Balance

The underfunded amount tells you exactly how much more you need to budget to reach your goal.

Target amount$500

Current available$200

Underfunded$300

It's straightforward: the goal looks at how much you have available and tells you the gap. If your emergency fund goal is $5,000 and you have $3,200, you're $1,800 underfunded. Budget what you can this month, and the rest carries forward.

Reading the Indicators

Your budget uses color and icons to show goal status at a glance:

Funded

You've reached or exceeded your goal. The category has enough money.

Underfunded

You haven't budgeted enough yet. Shows how much more is needed.

No goal

Just shows available balance without progress tracking.

Tip

Use the search filter underfunded to see every category that still needs funding. Or funded to see what's already taken care of. It's a quick way to prioritize during your monthly budgeting session.

Funding Strategies That Work

Necessities first, then goals

When budgeting for the month, cover your non-negotiables first: rent, utilities, groceries, minimum debt payments. Then direct whatever's left toward your goals in priority order. This way, goals stretch your budget without breaking it.

One-click funding

See a goal that's close? Click the lightning bolt icon next to the category to fund it in one shot. Daily Bread calculates the exact amount needed and budgets it for you. It's satisfying and fast.

The slow build

You don't need to fund a $5,000 emergency fund in one month. Budget $200/month and let the rollover system do the work. In the budget view, you'll see the available balance climbing each month. By month 25 — without thinking about it — you're there.

This is where envelope budgeting shines. The money accumulates in the category automatically. You don't need a separate savings account or a spreadsheet. The envelope is the tracking system.

Goals guide, they don't constrain

A goal won't stop you from spending the money or moving it somewhere else. It's not a lock — it's a signpost. If something urgent comes up and you need to pull from your vacation fund, do it. The goal will simply show the new gap, and you can rebuild next month.

Note

Goals work with the envelope system, not against it. Money still comes from "To Be Budgeted." You can still move funds between categories freely. Goals just add visibility to the process.

Common Patterns

What you're saving for	How to set it up	Example
Emergency fund	Large target, budget monthly	Goal: $5,000. Budget $200/month.
Monthly bill	Target = bill amount	Goal: $150 for phone bill. Fund fully each month.
Irregular expense	Target = total, split across months	Goal: $600 car insurance. Budget $100/month for 6 months.
Something fun	Target = trip/item cost	Goal: $2,000 vacation. Budget $250/month for 8 months.
Holiday gifts	Start early, small monthly amounts	Goal: $500 by December. Budget $50/month starting July.

Next Steps

With goals tracking your progress, you'll want to see the bigger picture. Reports and Insights shows spending patterns and trends that help you refine your budget month over month.