Why does the “Great! You’re ahead by…” not match my Envelope amount when I haven’t spent anything?

Update

EEBA is now Goodbudget! Goodbudget has all the great features of EEBA (and more!) in a new and updated interface. Check out our updated article on this topic, and check out the Goodbudget Help Center for the most recent help content.

Q: It’s 9/30 today, and I am just wondering why, when I haven’t spent any money yet for the month, the amount that it says, “Great! You’re ahead by…” does not match the amount in the envelope. For example, in an envelope where the budget is $40, and I haven’t spent anything, it says that I am ahead by $38.80. Can you please explain?

In this user’s particular case, their account is set up with a budgeting period of “Monthly Starting on the 1st”. EEBA knows that it’s the 30th today, so it thinks that you’re ahead by $38.80. That is, on the last day of the month, EEBA would expect roughly $1.20 left in an envelope that has a budget of $40.

But because your envelope has already been filled (before the 1st) and you haven’t spent anything, you’re ahead by $40 – $1.20 = $38.80. Tomorrow, when it is actually the 1st, it will say that you’re right on track.

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