How Do You Track Irregular Income in Goodbudget Without Messing Up Monthly Budgets?

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Hello

I have been using Goodbudget to manage my monthly expenses, and it works great when I have a fixed salary. :slightly_smiling_face:But I sometimes receive irregular income (like bonuses, freelance payments, or one-time refunds), and I’m not sure of the best way to add this without throwing off my planned monthly envelopes. If I just enter it as income, my budget looks inflated for the month. :thinking:

What I want is a way to record irregular income separately, so I can still use it when needed, but without making my regular monthly budget seem larger than it really is. :thinking:

I’ve read about people creating “Extra Income” envelopes or using “Annual Funds,” but I’m still a bit confused about which approach is more practical for keeping my reports clean and easy to follow. :innocent:

So, my question is: what’s the smartest way to handle irregular income in Goodbudget so that monthly planning stays consistent? :thinking:Should I separate it in its own envelope, or adjust my budget plan each time I receive extra funds? :thinking: Checked https://goodbudget.com/help/getting-started-guide/ guide for reference.

By the way, while reading about tools, I also came across what is Perplexity AI, but right now I really want to get clarity on Goodbudget first. Any advice would be appreciated!

Thank you !! :slightly_smiling_face:

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Since you don’t want the irregular income to seem like part of your regular spending, I think an envelope just for those funds makes sense. Personally I’d probably make it an Annual envelope for simplicity, with your scheduled Fills instructed to “Add 0”. It’s essentially Savings at that point, available only if you need/want to use it, but not part of your routine. (Or of course you could just put it in Savings from the start!)
If you do decide to spend some of the money, either spend it directly from that envelope or transfer it to the appropriate regular envelope first. Spending directly from the “extra income” will help you see what you’re using the income for, while transferring it is better for keeping up with how much you really spend in each category. Each has its advantages depending on your goals.
Is that what you’re asking?

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