Categories & Groups
Organize your budget effectively with categories and groups. Learn how to structure your spending plan for maximum clarity and control.
Understanding Categories
What are Categories?
Categories are specific spending buckets where you allocate money for different purposes. Examples include "Groceries," "Fuel," "Netflix," or "Emergency Fund."
Each category gets a very specific amount that you can spend during the month.
What are Groups?
Groups are collections of related categories that help you organize your budget. For example, a "Housing" group might contain categories like "Rent," "Utilities," and "Internet." A "Food" group might contain categories like "Groceries," "Dining Out," and "Takeaways."
Groups make it easier to see spending patterns and manage related expenses together.
Common Budget Groups
🏠 House
- • Rent
- • Utilities
- • Maintenance
🚗 Transport
- • Fuel
- • Maintenance
- • Public Transit
🛒 Shopping
- • Essential Purchases
- • Impulse Buy
- • Charity Shops
- • Clothes
🍕 Food
- • Groceries
- • Restaurants
- • Lunch / Coffee
- • Takeaways
💰 Savings & Debt
- • Emergency Fund
- • General Savings
- • Student Loans
- • Summer Holiday Plans
Best Practices
Start Simple
Begin with broad categories and add detail as needed. It's easier to create more detailed and niche categories later than to track overly specific ones from the start.
Use Clear Names
Choose category and group names that are immediately clear to you. "Subscriptions" is better than "Monthly Stuff" because you'll know exactly what belongs there. "Netflix" is even better.
Include Irregular Expenses
Create categories for expenses that don't happen every month, like car maintenance, gifts, or annual subscriptions. Budget a small amount each month to prepare. This is vital to good budgeting habits, and is a key part of zero-based budgeting.
💡 Organization Tips
- Limit yourself to 15-20 categories total to keep things manageable
- Create a "Miscellaneous" category for small, unexpected expenses
- Group similar categories together for easier budget management
- You can review and adjust your category structure after a few months if you find it isn't working
Ready to Organize?
Now that you understand categories and groups, start building your budget: