> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://tribalfs.gitbook.io/accountant/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://tribalfs.gitbook.io/accountant/planning/budgets.md).
# Budgets
Set spending budgets and income targets, then compare them with actual results.
**What you'll do:** give your expense accounts a spending budget (and your income accounts a target), then check how you're doing.
## Set a budget
1. Open **Accounts › Expenses** and tap an expense account, for example *Groceries*.
2. Turn on **Set budget**.
3. Enter the amount and choose the **Budget period**: **Daily**, **Twice a week**, **Weekly**, **Every 2 weeks**, **Monthly**, **Quarterly**, **Every 6 months** or **Yearly**.
4. Tap **Save**.
For an **Income** account, the same switch is called **Set income target**.
Budgets follow calendar periods, whenever you set them up: for example, a monthly budget always covers the 1st to the last day of the month.
A monthly budget on an expense account
## Check your budgets
* **Reports › Budget** (*Budget vs actual*) compares each account with its budget or target for the report period, with a progress bar and the share of the budget used, for this period and the comparison period. It turns orange as you near a budget and red when you go over. See [Reports](/accountant/reports-and-home/reports.md).
* The **Budget overview** widget on Home shows this month's spending against your budgets. Its **⋮** menu can hide amounts and set how many budgets to show; tap **Show more** for the rest.
* **AI insights** on Home warn you when an account is close to or over its budget, if [AI is set up](/accountant/ai-accountant/setting-up-ai.md).
## Budget alerts
Turn on **Settings › Budget alerts** to get a notification when an expense account reaches **80%** of its budget, and again at **100%**: for example *"Groceries: 80% of budget used"* or *"Groceries is over budget"*.
{% hint style="info" %}
No budgets showing? *"No budgets or income targets yet. Go to Accounts, choose an account, and set a budget or income target."* In the report's filter you can also turn on **Show accounts without budgets or targets**.
{% endhint %}
---
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