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Cash Flow Planner · Getting started

How to forecast your personal cash flow

Learn how to forecast your daily balance with income, recurring bills, and a simple example. Build your first 30-day plan on iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

A personal cash-flow forecast estimates how much money will be in an account on each upcoming day. It starts with a balance, adds income on the dates you expect it, and subtracts expenses when you expect them to clear. The result is a timeline you can review before the next bill arrives.

A budget tells you how much. A forecast adds when.

A monthly budget can show that income covers expenses overall while missing a shortfall halfway through the month. If rent comes out before payday, the order of those transactions matters. A daily forecast makes that gap easier to see.

Build your first 30-day forecast

  1. Choose one cash account. Enter its starting balance and the date that balance represents. Use the balance from your own records rather than a number you hope to reach.
  2. Add expected income. Enter paydays and other income with their expected dates. Set recurring schedules for repeat income, and enter uncertain payments only when you have a reasonable estimate.
  3. Add bills and everyday spending. Include rent, utilities, subscriptions, and planned purchases. Allow for spending that does not arrive as a formal bill, such as groceries.
  4. Review the lowest days. Look for projected shortfalls and bills that share a date with income. Update entries when actual amounts or dates change.

An example: positive totals, awkward timing

Imagine a starting balance of $800, rent of $1,000 due on the 3rd, and a $1,500 payday on the 5th. Those three entries leave a projected balance of $1,300 after payday. But the balance falls to −$200 on the 3rd and stays there until income arrives. Looking only at the ending balance would miss the earlier gap.

These are fictional sample figures, not a recommendation. Your real forecast also needs the other transactions that affect that account.

Make the assumptions visible

Cash Flow Planner assumes expenses clear before income on the same day when showing the daily low. Actual bank processing can differ. The app does not automatically move payment dates for weekends or holidays, and it does not fetch balances from your bank. Check dates and amounts against your own records.

Keep the forecast current

Review your starting balance and upcoming entries as plans change. Skip an occurrence when a recurring expense does not happen. A forecast is only as useful as its inputs; unexpected spending, fees, and delayed income can change the result.

Start with the free app

Cash Flow Planner includes one cash account, unlimited entries and tags, and a 30-day forecast free. Use it on iPhone, iPad, and Mac with private iCloud sync. The optional one-time Pro purchase adds more accounts, longer forecasts, and purchase previews.