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Money guides

These guides explain how everyday money mechanics actually work: what is on a bank or card statement, why a card total never matches a calendar month, how to get your transactions out of a bank, how to work out what is safe to spend today, and what paying only the minimum really costs. They are free to read and free to use, with no account and nothing to install.

Instruments

What’s safe to spend today?Four numbers in, one number out: the same arithmetic Tally runs every morning.Fair, not equal: split shared bills by incomeTwo incomes and the shared bills in; what each of you covers, and how that compares with half each.Every payday of 2027Paid every two weeks or every four: pick one payday and see the months that bring an extra paycheck.How big should your emergency fund be?A month of essentials times 3 to 6 months: your goal, and the month you reach it at what you can save.What do your subscriptions really cost?Weekly, monthly or yearly in; the total a month, a year and a day, and what cancelling each one saves.
  1. How to track Apple Pay spending automaticallyLog every in-store Apple Pay tap the moment you pay, with no typing: how the Wallet automation works, what it catches, what it misses, and a one-time setup.
  2. How to set up a Wallet automation in ShortcutsRun an action every time you tap to pay with Apple Pay: create the Wallet automation in Shortcuts, set Run Immediately, and log each tap to a note or an app.
  3. How to track Apple Card spendingSee Apple Card spending by week, month and category in Wallet, export each statement as CSV or OFX, and budget Apple Card alongside your other accounts.
  4. Where did my money go?Why money seems to vanish when you pay by tap, and a ten-minute way to find out where it went: sort last month, find the small repeats, and fix the leak.
  5. How to find and cancel subscriptions you forgot aboutFind every subscription you pay for, see what each costs in a year, and cancel on iPhone or with the company, plus the traps that keep charges coming.
  6. Budget spreadsheet or budgeting app?An honest comparison of keeping a budget in a spreadsheet versus an app: cost, effort, privacy and control, and when a spreadsheet is the better choice.
  7. How to make a budget, step by stepA beginner's guide to making a budget in six steps: find your take-home pay, list bills, set spending limits, plan savings, then check it once a week.
  8. The 50/30/20 rule vs a zero-based budgetHow the 50/30/20 rule and zero-based budgeting work, side by side on the same $4,800 paycheck, when each one breaks, and how to choose between them.
  9. How much rent can I afford?The 30% rent rule with worked numbers, the income tests landlords use, and why 30% of gross pay can still be too much once taxes, debt and utilities are paid.
  10. How to budget in the UK on iPhone, payday to paydayA UK budget that matches how you are paid: payday months, Direct Debits, council tax instalments, and your bank account straight from Apple Wallet.
  11. How to budget on a biweekly paycheque in CanadaPaid every two weeks? Build a Canadian budget around the paycheque: the two months with a third pay, pre-authorized debits, and your bank's CSV export.
  12. How to budget a biweekly paycheckPaid every two weeks? Budget on two paychecks a month, plan the three-paycheck months of 2027, and match each bill to the paycheck that pays it.
  13. The best budget apps for iPhone in 2026Nine iPhone budget apps compared on price, free plan, trial and bank sync, and the one that logs every Apple Pay tap for you, so you never type a purchase.
  14. Your budgeting app shut down: how to choose the next oneHow to pick a new US budgeting app after yours closes: price, bank sync, and how to bring an old transactions file with you.
  15. Your UK budgeting app closed: how to choose the next oneHow to compare UK budgeting apps when yours shuts down: bank connections, price, and how to bring your transaction history with you.
  16. How do you read a bank or credit card statement?A plain-English guide to every part of a bank or credit card statement: the header block, the transaction table, dates, fees and the totals check.
  17. Why doesn't my credit card total match my budget's month?A statement period is not a calendar month. Why your card, your bank feed and your budget show three different totals, and how to reconcile them.
  18. How to export your transaction history from your bankDownload your bank transactions the right way: which format to pick, where the export hides, how far back it goes, and how to check it is complete.
  19. How to export your Revolut transactions as a CSVExport a Revolut statement as Excel/CSV in the app: the steps, the State and Type columns, exchanges, fees, pending rows, and how to import it.
  20. How to export your N26 transactions as a CSVDownload your N26 transactions as a CSV in the app or the N26 web app: the steps, the columns, Spaces and foreign currency, and how to import the file.
  21. How to export your AIB transactions as a CSVExport AIB transactions as a CSV from Internet Banking on a computer: Recent Transactions, older history, debit and credit columns, and how to import it.
  22. How to export your Bank of Ireland transactionsExport your Bank of Ireland transaction history as a CSV from 365 online: the steps, the 12 months, credit cards, common problems, and how to import it.
  23. How to export your PTSB transactions as a CSVExport PTSB (Permanent TSB) transactions as a CSV from the PTSB app: where Download sits, why eStatements are PDFs, and how to import the file.
  24. How to figure out what is safe to spend todayHow to work out a safe daily spending number: start from money you actually have, subtract committed bills, divide by the days until money next arrives.
  25. Can I afford this? A check before you buyA three-question check before a purchase: does it fit what is safe to spend today, how many days of spending does it cost, and do you still want it after 48 hours?
  26. How to stop impulse spendingWhy impulse buys happen, how the 48-hour and 30-day rules work, the hours-of-work check, and small changes that cut unplanned spending without a strict budget.
  27. How to split bills with a partner fairlySplit shared bills with a partner or roommates: half each, by income, or by room size. The formulas, worked examples, and how to settle up with one transfer.
  28. How big should an emergency fund be?How to size an emergency fund from your essential monthly costs: the 3 to 6 month guideline, when to aim higher, a starter goal, and where to keep the money.
  29. Sinking funds, explainedWhat a sinking fund is, the one-line formula for the monthly amount, a worked example with five funds, and how it differs from an emergency fund.
  30. How to budget for Christmas and holiday giftsSet a holiday budget from money you actually have, cap each gift, plan the food, travel and extras people forget, and start saving now for next December.
  31. What paying only the minimum on a credit card really costsHow credit card minimum payments and interest are calculated, with a worked example showing years to clear and total interest versus a fixed payment.
  32. How to budget when your money is in two currenciesThree exchange rates, one budget. How to pick a home currency, convert spending honestly, and handle income and rate moves across two currencies.
  33. A plain-language money glossaryPlain-English definitions of the terms on bank and card statements and in budgeting apps, from statement period to safe-to-spend.

Who wrote these

Tally is an iPhone budgeting app. It reads the accounts you connect, files every purchase on its own, and shows one number: what is safe to spend today. It imports a statement as a PDF, CSV or text file when a bank cannot be connected, and keeps one budget across 32 currencies. Free to download; the paid plan is $7.99 a month or $79.99 a year with a seven-day trial.

Get Tally on the App Store