How Fledge Works
A paycheck-first approach to budgeting. Know exactly what to move, what's committed, and what's yours to spend — every single payday.
The Fledge Philosophy
Most budgeting apps track where your money went. Fledge tells your money where to go. The idea is simple: every time you get paid, you already know exactly how much goes to savings, how much goes to investments, how much covers your bills, and how much is left for you to spend. It's a focused planning layer that works on its own or alongside whatever tools you already use.
Fledge is built around the paycheck-first model. Instead of budgeting monthly and hoping the math works out, you plan per paycheck. This means every time money hits your account, you have a clear action plan — no guesswork, no anxiety.
That said, Fledge isn't “set it and forget it.” Your remaining number is your spending budget until the next paycheck. The discipline is staying within it. Fledge just makes sure you know exactly what that number is so there are no surprises.
Quick Start (5 Minutes)
Set your income
Add savings buckets
Add investments
Add expenses
Check your overview
Income
Your income setup is the foundation of everything. Enter your net pay per paycheck — that's the amount that actually lands in your bank account after taxes and deductions.
Net Pay Per Paycheck
Your take-home amount each pay period. Use the amount after taxes, health insurance, and any pre-tax deductions.
Next Payday
The date of your next paycheck. Fledge uses this to anchor your pay-cycle so you always know when the next one lands.
Pay Frequency
How often you get paid — biweekly, twice a month, weekly, or monthly. Biweekly budgets for 2 paychecks per month; the bonus third-paycheck months are extra savings.
Extra Income
Any additional monthly income like a side gig, freelance work, or a partner's contribution. Split evenly across paychecks.
Savings Buckets
Savings buckets let you earmark money for specific goals. Each bucket has a name, an optional account label, and an amount per paycheck.
Amount Per Paycheck
How much to set aside from each paycheck for this bucket. Fledge calculates the monthly total automatically.
Account
Optional label to remind you which bank account this money goes into (e.g., "Long-Term Savings", "Emergency Fund").
Investments
Track all your recurring investment contributions — retirement accounts, brokerage, crypto, whatever you invest in regularly.
Amount Per Contribution
How much you put in each time you contribute.
Frequency
How many times per month you contribute. Options: 1×, 2×, or 4× per month.
Expenses
Expenses are your recurring monthly bills and obligations — rent, utilities, subscriptions, insurance, loan payments, etc.
Smart Categorization
Start typing an expense name and Fledge automatically suggests a category. Type "Netflix" → Subscriptions. Type "Rent" → Housing.
9 Categories
Housing, Utilities, Loans & Debt, Transportation, Subscriptions, Food & Groceries, Insurance, Personal, and Other.
Enable / Disable
Temporarily disable an expense without deleting it. Useful for seasonal expenses or bills you're pausing.
Understanding the Overview
The overview is your command center. It shows four key numbers at the top:
Income
Total take-home pay plus extra income.
Savings
Total going to all savings buckets.
Investments
Total investment contributions.
Expenses
Total fixed monthly bills.
The Paycheck Waterfall
Below the tiles, you'll see a step-by-step waterfall showing exactly what happens to each paycheck:
Your Pay Day Routine
This is the whole point of Fledge. On pay day:
Open Fledge and check the overview
Move your money
Check your "Remaining" number
That's it.
Tips for Success
Use net pay, not gross
Enter the amount that actually hits your bank account. Pre-tax deductions like 401k and health insurance are already taken care of.
Don't budget every dollar
Your "remaining" is your breathing room — groceries, gas, eating out, entertainment. If it's negative, you're overcommitted.
Simplify your payday
The fewer transfers on payday, the easier it is. Consider direct deposit splits so some savings move automatically.
Review monthly, not daily
Fledge isn't a transaction tracker. Set it up, follow your payday routine, and adjust once a month if anything changes.
If remaining is negative
You're spending more than you earn. Start by reducing expenses or increasing income. Fledge makes it obvious where to cut.
Pay yourself first
Savings and investments come out before expenses for a reason — this ensures you're building wealth before spending on bills.
Advanced: Multi-Account Strategy
Once you're comfortable with Fledge, consider organizing your bank accounts to match your budget. Here's a popular setup:
Checking Account
Where your paycheck lands. Day-to-day spending money.
Your "remaining" lives here. This is your guilt-free spending account — groceries, gas, fun.
Monthly Bills Account
Set-aside money for all your fixed monthly expenses.
On payday, transfer your set-aside amount here. Bills autopay from this account. It acts as a holding tank — money comes in from you, goes out to billers.
Long-Term Savings Account
Your savings goals — emergency fund, vacation, big purchases.
Set up a direct deposit split so money goes here automatically, or transfer it yourself on payday.
How This Maps to Fledge
FAQ
What about variable expenses like groceries?
Those come out of your "remaining" amount. Only add fixed, predictable monthly bills to the Expenses section. Your remaining is your flexible spending budget.
I get paid biweekly (26 paychecks/year), not twice a month. What do I set?
Choose "Every two weeks" as your pay frequency. Fledge automatically budgets for 2 paychecks per month. Twice a year you'll get a "bonus" third paycheck in a month — use that for extra savings, investing, or fun.
My 401k comes out of my paycheck pre-tax. Should I add it?
If your net pay already excludes your 401k contribution, you don't need to add it as an investment (it's already handled). Only add it if you want to see the full picture.
Can I use Fledge for irregular income?
Yes. Use your lowest typical paycheck as your "net pay per paycheck" and add any additional income as "extra income." Update it as your income changes.
What if my partner and I share finances?
Enter one person's paycheck as the primary income and the other's as extra income. Or combine both into one "household paycheck" figure.
How is this different from YNAB or Monarch?
Fledge doesn't connect to your bank or track individual transactions. It's a planning layer — it tells you what to do on payday. Use it on its own or alongside a tracking app. They show where your money went; Fledge tells it where to go.
Ready to take control?
Set up your budget in 5 minutes and know exactly what to do every payday.