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How to use DollarWarden
A short guide to running your budget day to day — what each part is for, and how to use it. No deep maths; just the practical path.
The idea in one minute
DollarWarden is envelope budgeting. Money sits in your accounts. You give every dollar a job by putting it into envelopes (Groceries, Rent, Car insurance, and so on). When you spend, the money leaves that envelope. At any moment you can see what is still safe to spend in each one.
The habit is simple: income arrives → you assign it → you spend from the right envelope → you check Available before you buy.
New here? Start with the basics, then come back for any topic.
Start with Getting startedAll topics
Getting started
Create an account, start a budget, and learn the four main tabs in DollarWarden.
Ready to Assign
What Ready to Assign means and how to work through unassigned income.
Assign money to envelopes
How to fund envelopes each month, read Assigned, Activity, and Available, and use Quick assign.
Record transactions
Add, categorise, and split transactions, and use transfers between your own accounts.
Goals — save for bills before they hit
Set up top-up and recurring assign goals so yearly and irregular bills never surprise you.
Accounts
Cleared vs uncleared balances, reconciling, credit cards, and loans.
Reports & Overview
Read your dashboard and dig into spending, income, savings rate, and net worth trends.
Bring your data in
Import an existing budget from YNAB or a bank file in QFX/OFX or QIF format.
Everyday tips
Small habits that make zero-based budgeting easy to stick with.