Why did my number change?

The number moving is the app working. Every change traces back to one of the four lines in the math — and you can always open the calculation to see which one.

The usual reasons

• A payday passed. Bills that were “after payday” are now “before payday,” so they count against the number now.
• A balance was updated. You (or your partner) confirmed balances at the weekly check-in, and available cash changed.
• A bill was added, edited, or its due date arrived. Bills due before your next paycheck count; the rest wait their turn.
• A goal was added, paused, or resumed. Pausing a goal raises the number by exactly that goal’s monthly amount; resuming lowers it back. See Goals.
• Your cushion changed. A bigger cushion means a smaller (safer) number.

How to see exactly what happened

Open the dashboard and look at the math under the number — the four lines always add up to what’s shown. Compare any line to what you expected and you’ll find the change. Nothing on the page (including ads) ever changes your number; only your own data does.

iPhone — add a bill, and the number drops by what's due before payday

iPhone — update your balances, and the number follows

If the number comes back small — or negative

Then it told you something true, days earlier than your bank would have. A tight number isn’t a verdict; it’s a heads-up with time still attached. You can see exactly which bill is causing it, pause a goal, or move a due date — and watch the number respond before the money is gone.