Start with money you can actually plan.
Check the accounts included in your plan.
DIME SHIELD / zero based budgeting
Give every dollar a job. Give yourself a clearer plan.
Build a zero-based budget that connects everyday spending, savings goals, and debt commitments. Know what is assigned and what still needs a purpose.
Build my money planTHE BIG PICTURE
Zero-based budgeting means assigning your available money to a purpose: spending, saving, or debt. The aim is zero left unassigned—not zero left in your bank account.
Build a plan with room for today and tomorrow.
Plan essentials first in your own preferred order.
Adjust the plan, not your sense of progress.
Review money left to assign.
01 / A CLOSER LOOK
Start with money you can actually plan.
Review your included account balances and expected income before assigning money. In Dime Shield, available-to-budget and left-to-assign figures help you see how your plan relates to the money included in it. Confirm your bank balance before making a real payment.
- Check the accounts included in your plan.
- Review income and essential commitments.
- Keep assigned money distinct from a bank transfer.
Your plan, at a glance
SAMPLE DATAGroceries$320 spent of $500
64%Transportation$90 spent of $150
60%Entertainment$75 spent of $200
38%Planned amounts and actual activity, together.
02 / A CLOSER LOOK
Build a plan with room for today and tomorrow.
Create category plans for essentials and everyday spending, then give savings goals and debt commitments a place too. For example, an illustrative $3,000 plan could assign $1,800 to essentials, $600 to flexible spending, $400 to savings, and $200 to debt. Nothing is left without a purpose.
- Plan essentials first in your own preferred order.
- Include savings as a purpose for your money.
- Review the total before adding more commitments.
03 / A CLOSER LOOK
Adjust the plan, not your sense of progress.
An over-budget plan means the amounts you planned exceed the money available in that view. Review the assumptions and allocations. Unplanned transactions may also need a category or a plan. The useful habit is returning to the numbers and deciding deliberately.
- Review money left to assign.
- Investigate unplanned and uncategorized activity.
- Adjust planned amounts when circumstances change.
Your plan, at a glance
SAMPLE DATAGroceries$320 spent of $500
64%Transportation$90 spent of $150
60%Entertainment$75 spent of $200
38%Planned amounts and actual activity, together.
GOOD TO KNOW
Your questions, answered.
Where do I find this feature?
Open Budget Plan to review available money, planned categories, goals, and money left to assign.
Can I use it on more than one device?
Use the same Dime Shield account across supported devices. Device capabilities and permissions can differ; review the relevant settings on each device.