1. Name the accounts you use
Open More → Accounts and choose Add account. Give the account a name you recognize, then select its type and role. Start with the account you use most often, such as checking or cash, and add others as you need them.
Accounts organize where money comes from and goes to. Categories describe what it was for. Keeping those jobs separate makes later reviews easier: an expense can belong to a checking account and a groceries category at the same time.
Account creation and editing are Free. Separate manual balance updates are a Pro feature preserved for eligible Founders; you do not need that feature to start recording transactions and using category budgets.
2. Set limits for the selected month
Open More → Budgets, check the month at the top, and choose Add Budget. Select a category, enter its Monthly budget limit, and save it. Use a few categories you can consistently recognize instead of trying to model every possible purchase on day one.
A hypothetical groceries limit of $400 with $75 in recorded groceries expenses leaves $325 in that category. Those are example amounts, not recommended spending targets or a promise about available bank cash.
If a parent category has subcategories, its cap includes both direct spending and all of its subcategories. A subcategory limit sits inside that cap; it does not add to the total. This lets you watch one type of spending more closely without counting its budget twice.
3. Keep income estimates separate from receipts
In Budget, choose Set Income Plan and select an income category. Enter the full-month estimate, including income already recorded that month. If expectations change, return through Edit Income Plan to adjust it.
An estimate helps you plan. It does not create an income transaction or mean money has arrived. Recorded Income comes from actual entries. Record a receipt when it happens so the month’s actual results remain distinct from what you expect.
4. Record the first few transactions
Open an account and use Add Expense or Add Income. Check the amount, date, category and account before choosing Save Expense or Save Income. A short merchant name or note can make an unfamiliar entry easier to recognize later.
Use Add Transfer when moving money between your own accounts. A transfer has a different purpose from spending or earnings; treating it as a new expense can distort your understanding of the month.
Open Transactions to inspect your saved entries and correct mistakes. If something looks wrong in a budget, check the transaction’s date and category before changing the budget limit.
5. Build a small review routine
Return to Budget and Reports after adding recent activity. Check that the selected dates are right, look for missing entries, and compare category spending with your plan. A remaining budget is based on what Penniva knows; it is not a live bank balance.
For repeating costs, add bills or subscriptions in Bills so upcoming dates are easier to see. Tracking a bill does not pay it. Core budgeting works offline; optional iCloud sync has separate requirements and is not needed for this routine.
If a total still looks unexpected, contact support with the app version and a description of the issue. Avoid sending account numbers or an unredacted financial export.