Budgets: set spending limits by category

Create per-category spending limits in Dongip and track progress in real time. Get alerts before you overspend so you can adjust with room to spare.

Budgets in Dongip let you set a monthly spending limit for any category—Groceries, Dining, Transport, Entertainment—and then track your progress against that limit throughout the month. Rather than checking totals after the damage is done, Dongip shows you where you stand in real time and warns you before you cross the line.

Create a budget

1. Open the Budgets screen

   Tap Budgets in the bottom navigation.

2. Tap Add budget

   Tap the + or Add budget button.

3. Choose a category

   Select the category you want to budget for. Each budget is tied to one category. Create a budget per category for the areas where you want limits.

4. Set the monthly limit

   Enter the amount you want to spend in that category each month.

5. Save

   Tap Save. The budget activates immediately and starts tracking all expenses in that category for the current month.

Budgets reset at the start of each calendar month. Past months are kept in your history so you can compare spending over time.

The budget pulse

The budget pulse is Dongip’s real-time view of how each category is tracking against its limit. Each budget shows:

• Amount spent so far this month
• Amount remaining before you hit the limit
• A visual progress bar that fills as you approach the limit

On track

Plenty of budget remaining. The bar is green.

Approaching limit

You’ve used 80% or more. The bar turns yellow and Dongip sends an alert.

Over budget

You’ve exceeded the limit. The bar turns red.

Budget alerts

Dongip notifies you at two points:

1. When you reach 80% of a budget — you still have room to adjust spending before the month ends.
2. When you exceed a budget — the limit has been crossed; you’ll see the overage amount.

Set alerts on your three biggest flexible-spending categories first—usually food, transport, and shopping. Those are the categories where real-time awareness has the most impact.

Edit or delete a budget

Tap any budget on the Budgets screen to edit the limit or delete the budget. Changing the limit mid-month takes effect immediately. Deleting a budget removes the limit but keeps all the underlying expense records.

Tips for effective budgeting

Start with what you already spend

Before setting limits, spend one month with bank sync active and no budgets. Let Dongip collect real data. Then use your actual spending patterns to set limits that are realistic rather than aspirational.

Budget for flexible categories, not fixed bills

Rent and loan payments don’t need budgets—they’re fixed. Focus your budget limits on discretionary categories like dining, entertainment, and shopping, where daily choices actually affect the total.

Use the 80% alert as your real limit

Treat the 80% alert as your true ceiling, not the 100% limit. That buffer covers the occasional splurge without blowing the month.

Review budgets quarterly, not monthly

Adjusting limits every month creates friction. Hold your budgets steady for three months, then review and rebalance based on patterns. Quarterly reviews give habits time to form and give you enough data to make real decisions.

Pair budgets with a shared account

If you share expenses with a partner or roommates, set budgets on your shared account categories separately from your personal ones. Mixing them makes it impossible to tell where the pressure is coming from.

Frequently asked questions

Can I set a budget for a shared account?

Yes. Budgets can be set on personal accounts and shared accounts independently. Shared account budgets track all members’ spending in that category together.

What happens to unspent budget at the end of the month?

Budgets reset to zero at the start of each new month. Unspent amounts do not roll over.

Can I have more than one budget per category?

Each category can have one active budget at a time. If your needs change, edit the existing budget rather than creating a second one.