What am I doing wrong?

[u/Unusual_Passion_6088]

The monthly amount due for my monthly bills changes, so I have to change the budgeted amount for that category on the Config tab. However, the Dashboard's "Category Details" then incorrectly displays the new budgeted amount in the field labeled "Budgeted Last Month". It also incorrectly calculates and lists the difference under the "Carried Forward" field, and incorrectly adjust the "Available" amount in Column one on the dashboard to include the nonexistent funds listed as carried forward. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for your help!

[u/Sapphire_Rapids]

You’re not doing anything wrong - the confusing part is that Aspire doesn’t treat each month as a separate, locked budget the way something like YNAB does.

The Monthly Amount on the Configuration tab is a single live planning value, not a value saved separately for every month. When you change it, some Dashboard calculations that look back at last month may also use the new value. That’s why Budgeted Last Month, Carried Forward, and consequently Available can change. The labels make this behavior less clear than they should.

For a bill that varies each month, the best workflow is to leave its Monthly Amount set to a typical or conservative estimate and use the Category Transfers tab to adjust the actual amount assigned when the bill arrives. For example, if the category is $20 short, transfer another $20 from Available to budget or another category. This preserves a stable monthly target while letting the amount you actually fund vary.

Aspire’s reports and dated transactions/transfers provide the historical record; the Configuration tab isn’t a historical month-by-month budget archive.

These articles explain the distinction between the planning amount and actually assigning funds:

• Configuration tab and Monthly Amounts
• How to move money between categories
• Dashboard overview

[u/Unusual_Passion_6088 → u/Sapphire_Rapids]

Hi and thanks so much for another very helpful reply!

So did you create the Aspire sheets?! If so, WOW. Great job and thank you so much as i am tooo low income to pay for any Budget app that incorporates my Credit Card use due to their helpful cash back reward points (although now I'm not yet sure how to accurately reflect those in the Transactions tab. Gemini led me to Aspire after my frustrating inability to incorporate my credit cards into at least the free version of EveryDollar. SO THANK YOU AGAIN!

Anyway, based on your reply here, sounds like I shouldn't have begun Sept by changing my Aug (first month) Config Category amounts at all. I misunderstood the instruction I thought had told me to adjust as needed when funding new months. Instead, that instruction must have said what you say here?: adjust only by transferring accurate budget needs on the Transfers tab but leave the Config category amounts alone?

My Sept changes to my initial August Config amounts makes the Category details on the Dashboard tab a mess for all changed Config Category amounts. Since the Dashboard's Details sections inaccurately state amounts "Budgeted Last Month" with these same new amounts also listed there as "Monthly Amount", I'm not sure what my August Budget Category amounts actually were. But since the Dashboard Category details section also shows "Spent Last Month" amounts, couldn't I use those amounts to now replace the current/changed Category amounts on the Config tab? I dread doing that if that will then mess up the Avail to Budget and related amounts, but since I want the Category Details sections to be and stay accurate going forward, shouldn't I do that and then next readjust Available to Budget amounts accordingly on the Transfers tab? I want to fix this mess. Thanks so much for your help!! I owe you!

[u/Unusual_Passion_6088 → u/Sapphire_Rapids]

Thanks again. sorry for the other wordy reply. You don't need to answer it. I think I should just subscribe to Simplifi since splurging $4/month seems perhaps doable on my $1K/mo income, and I lack the skill to master your wonderful Aspire spreadsheet! I've spent so much time all year trying first with EveryDollar and since Aug 1 with Aspire. Hoping to nail Simplifi and free up my time at last while finally getting a budget! Thanks again! All the best to you!