If you find that you’ve edited your Envelope’s budgeted amount, but now your balance doesn’t match the new amount, you’ve come to the right place!
Updating an Envelope’s budgeted amount changes how much you plan to spend going forward (the bottom number). It does not change how much money is currently in the Envelope (the bold top number).
How Envelope numbers work
Each Envelope shows two important numbers:
- Top (bold) number = Current balance
How much money is currently in the Envelope. - Bottom number = Budgeted amount
How much you plan to add/spend during your budget period.
When you edit the budgeted amount, you are changing your future plan. You are not changing how much money has already been filled into the Envelope.
Example
Let’s say:
- Current balance (top number): $500
- Budgeted amount (bottom number): $600
If you change the budgeted amount to $700, here’s what happens:
- Current balance stays $500 ❗
- Budgeted amount becomes $700 ✅
Why? Because you haven’t added more money to the Envelope yet — you only changed the plan.
How to make your Envelope balance match your new budget
You’ll need to adjust the money in the Envelope if you want its current balance (top number) to match the updated budget.
You have three options:
Option 1: Create an Envelope Transfer (Website)
Move money between Available and the Envelope.
- Click on the Add Transaction button > Transfer
- Enter how much you’re moving in to the Amount field
- Select Available as your To or From Envelope, and your edited Envelope as the other
- If you want to increase your Envelope’s balance, select it as the To Envelope. If you’re decreasing its balance, select it as the From Envelope.
- Click Save when you’re done
This directly changes the Envelope’s current balance. It also changes the balance of your Available.
Note:
- You won’t be able to make transfers to or from Available using the mobile app. Instead, use Option 2 or 3. Or,
Use an Envelope Transfer to move money to your edited Envelope from another regular Envelope (i.e. an Envelope that’s not Available).
Option 2: Edit Your Most Recent Fill
If you recently filled your Envelopes from Available, edit that transaction to adjust your current balance.
On the web:
- Head to your Transaction history > Click on your last Fill from Available
- Find the Envelope you edited > adjust the fill amount in the box next to it
- Click Update when you’re done
On your phone:
- Head to the Transactions tab > tap on your last Fill
- Find your Envelope > adjust the fill amount
- Tap Save (iPhone) or the checkmark (Android) to keep your changes
This updates the Envelope balance to match your new budget.
Option 3: Do an Additional Fill from Available
You can also create a new Fill using money in Available.
On the web:
- Click on the Fill Envelopes button > Fill from Available
- Find your edited Envelope
- Enter how much you’d like to add to the Envelope in the amount field next to it
- Save the Fill when you’re done
On your iPhone:
- Tap on the Add Transaction button (the square with the pencil) at the top-right corner
- Tap Type > Fill from Available
- Add a Description
- Tap on your edited Envelope
- Choose Add Specific Amount > Enter how much you’d like to add
- Tap the checkmark > Tap Save
On your Android:
- Tap the Fill Envelopes button (the Envelope with the arrow) at the top-right corner
- Choose From Available
- Fill out the Description field
- Tap on your edited Envelope
- Choose Add Specific Amount > Enter how much you’d like to add
- Tap Done > Tap the checkmark to post the Fill
This increases the Envelope’s current balance without changing your budgeted amount again.
Example:
- Envelope balance: $200
- New budgeted amount: $250
- Do a Fill from Available for $50
- New balance becomes $250
Best Practice to Avoid Confusion
👉 Update your budgeted amounts before you Fill your Envelopes, when possible.
That way, the Envelope automatically receives the updated amount. This means your balance and budget stay aligned!
*This article was written by humans, restructured for scannability using GenAI, and reviewed by humans.
