If it lasts, the funded ratio goes from 97.5% to 109.7%. Starting now, it recovers $11,428 of this year's $16,680 shortfall by the review.
Budget
For the two of you, once a month: where the money goes, what each category is worth to each of you, and what you'd change for next year.
Each category shows its budget and what you're actually spending, a month. The tag is how much it matters to the two of you, and the bars are each person's rating ( can't live without, take it or leave it). Tap a category to rate it or see the detail. Each of you rates on your own; neither sees the other's answers until you've both rated.
Sample data. Ratings re-price the plan, so they work once the engine is connected; they show the sample's answers until then.
CategoryBudgetActual
MortgageProtected$1,267$1,267You Your spouse Paid automatically
- Budget so far this year
- $2,057
- Actual so far
- $2,057fixed
- October budget
- $1,267
- Spent in October
- $1,267
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
You both can't live without it: protected, and where the essential floor starts.
GroceriesProtected$1,500$1,574You Your spouse $1,039 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $2,436
- Actual so far
- $2,557$121 over
- October budget
- $1,414
- Spent in October
- $375
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
You both can't live without it: protected, and where the essential floor starts.
Propose a change for next year →Healthcare and insuranceProtected$1,400$1,400You Your spouse Paid automatically
- Budget so far this year
- $2,274
- Actual so far
- $2,274fixed
- October budget
- $1,400
- Spent in October
- $1,400
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
You both can't live without it: protected, and where the essential floor starts.
Utilities and phoneProtected$600$612You Your spouse $420 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $974
- Actual so far
- $994$19 over
- October budget
- $566
- Spent in October
- $146
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
You both can't live without it: protected, and where the essential floor starts.
Propose a change for next year →Kids and family supportKeep$2,500$2,624You Your spouse $1,732 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $4,060
- Actual so far
- $4,262$201 over
- October budget
- $2,357
- Spent in October
- $624
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
Valued by both of you: kept as budgeted.
Propose a change for next year →Cars and transportKeep$900$945You Your spouse $624 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $1,462
- Actual so far
- $1,534$73 over
- October budget
- $848
- Spent in October
- $225
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
Valued by both of you: kept as budgeted.
Propose a change for next year →Dining outTalk it over$1,200$1,462You Your spouse $783 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $1,949
- Actual so far
- $2,374$425 over
- October budget
- $1,131
- Spent in October
- $348
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
One of you wants it, the other doesn't care: worth a conversation.
Propose a change for next year →Home services (cleaning, lawn)Cut first$800$895You Your spouse $541 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $1,299
- Actual so far
- $1,454$155 over
- October budget
- $754
- Spent in October
- $213
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
You both said take it or leave it: the first place to save.
Propose a change for next year →Online shoppingCut first$1,200$1,498You Your spouse $775 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $1,949
- Actual so far
- $2,432$483 over
- October budget
- $1,131
- Spent in October
- $356
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
You both said take it or leave it: the first place to save.
Propose a change for next year →Gifts and givingKeep$1,000$1,030You Your spouse $698 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $1,624
- Actual so far
- $1,672$48 over
- October budget
- $943
- Spent in October
- $245
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
Valued by both of you: kept as budgeted.
Propose a change for next year →Golf and hobbiesYou differ$650$714You Your spouse $443 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $1,056
- Actual so far
- $1,160$105 over
- October budget
- $613
- Spent in October
- $170
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
One of you can't live without it, the other doesn't care: a conversation, never a number.
Propose a change for next year →Weekend tripsKeep$500$550You Your spouse $341 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $812
- Actual so far
- $893$81 over
- October budget
- $471
- Spent in October
- $131
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
Valued by both of you: kept as budgeted.
Propose a change for next year →ClothingTalk it over$500$550You Your spouse $341 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $812
- Actual so far
- $893$81 over
- October budget
- $471
- Spent in October
- $131
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
One of you wants it, the other doesn't care: worth a conversation.
Propose a change for next year →Subscriptions and streamingCut first$200$210You Your spouse $139 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $325
- Actual so far
- $341$16 over
- October budget
- $189
- Spent in October
- $50
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
You both said take it or leave it: the first place to save.
Propose a change for next year →Personal care and fitnessKeep$400$420You Your spouse $277 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $650
- Actual so far
- $682$32 over
- October budget
- $377
- Spent in October
- $100
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
Valued by both of you: kept as budgeted.
Propose a change for next year →Home upkeep and furnishingsKeep$1,000$1,079You Your spouse $686 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $1,624
- Actual so far
- $1,753$129 over
- October budget
- $943
- Spent in October
- $257
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
Valued by both of you: kept as budgeted.
Propose a change for next year →Entertainment and eventsTalk it over$600$689You Your spouse $402 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $974
- Actual so far
- $1,119$145 over
- October budget
- $566
- Spent in October
- $164
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
One of you wants it, the other doesn't care: worth a conversation.
Propose a change for next year →PetsProtected$300$309You Your spouse $209 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $487
- Actual so far
- $502$15 over
- October budget
- $283
- Spent in October
- $74
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
You both can't live without it: protected, and where the essential floor starts.
Propose a change for next year →Everything elseKeep$550$605You Your spouse $375 safe this month
- Budget so far this year
- $893
- Actual so far
- $982$89 over
- October budget
- $518
- Spent in October
- $144
How much it matters
You
Your spouse
Valued by both of you: kept as budgeted.
Propose a change for next year →Budget and actual are a month, at the current rate. Tap a category for this year so far, October, and how much it matters to each of you. Budget so far is the share of the year's budget planned by today (14%, by your seasonal pattern).
What your ratings say
Together with the cuts: 117.0%.
One of you can't live without it and the other doesn't care. No number: that's for the two of you, and your fiduciary.
You both can't live without $60,800 a year of today's spending. That's where an essential floor starts: the spending DDE protects first, with contracts before markets.
A proposed monthly budget for each category, suggested from your two ratings and what you actually spend. Either of you can move it up or down. Nothing changes until you both agree to it at the review.
Sample data. A changed amount re-prices the funded ratio, so the amounts can be moved once the engine is connected; they show the sample's suggestions until then.
| Category | Budget, a month | Actual, a month | Proposed, a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mortgage fixed | $1,267 | $1,267 | $1,267fixed |
| Groceries | $1,500 | $1,574 | +$75 a month · you both can't live without it, and it runs over: budget for what you spend |
| Healthcare and insurance fixed | $1,400 | $1,400 | $1,400fixed |
| Utilities and phone | $600 | $612 | no change · keep |
| Kids and family support | $2,500 | $2,624 | no change · keep |
| Cars and transport | $900 | $945 | no change · keep |
| Dining out | $1,200 | $1,462 | −$300 a month · one of you only wants it: a quarter less |
| Home services (cleaning, lawn) | $800 | $895 | −$400 a month · you both don't care: half |
| Online shopping | $1,200 | $1,498 | −$600 a month · you both don't care: half |
| Gifts and giving | $1,000 | $1,030 | no change · keep |
| Golf and hobbies | $650 | $714 | no change · you value it differently: talk first |
| Weekend trips | $500 | $550 | no change · keep |
| Clothing | $500 | $550 | −$125 a month · one of you only wants it: a quarter less |
| Subscriptions and streaming | $200 | $210 | −$100 a month · you both don't care: half |
| Personal care and fitness | $400 | $420 | no change · keep |
| Home upkeep and furnishings | $1,000 | $1,079 | no change · keep |
| Entertainment and events | $600 | $689 | −$150 a month · one of you only wants it: a quarter less |
| Pets | $300 | $309 | no change · keep |
| Everything else | $550 | $605 | no change · keep |
Your proposal: $19,200 a year less than today's budget ($20,100 of cuts, $900 of raises). Agreed at the review and kept, it moves the funded ratio from 97.5% to 116.0% Fully funded.
A proposal changes next year's budget once you both agree to it at the review; this year's budget and safe-to-spend stay as planned.
Suggested amounts are a starting rule for the conversation (half where you both don't care, a quarter less where one of you only wants it, the actual rate where you both can't live without it and it runs over), not advice. Funded-ratio effects assume the change lasts, into retirement.
DDE 0.1.0 · computed 2026-10-11T05:00:00ZSample data: the mockup's illustrative household, not engine output and not a real household.