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Budget & Costs

The Overview tab shows your monthly financial picture — income coming in, fixed costs going out, and how well your spending aligns with the 50/30/20 budgeting rule.

Adding income​

Tap the add button in the Income section to log an income source.

Fields:

  • Amount — monthly amount
  • Label — what this income is (e.g., "Primary Salary," "Freelance")
  • Currency
  • Effective date — when this income started
  • Notes — optional

You can have multiple income sources. The total is summed and displayed at the top of the section.

Adding fixed costs​

Fixed costs are regular monthly expenses that don't vary much. Add them in the Fixed Costs section.

Fields:

  • Name — what the expense is
  • Category — Housing, Utilities, Groceries, Transportation, Insurance, Healthcare, Childcare, Phone, Internet, or Other
  • Amount — monthly amount
  • Currency
  • Notes — optional

Fixed costs are grouped by category in the overview, with category icons and a section total. The combined total of fixed costs + subscription costs + debt payments makes up your monthly obligations.

The 50/30/20 breakdown​

Below the income and costs, the Overview tab shows how your budget maps to the 50/30/20 rule:

  • 50% Needs — housing, utilities, groceries, insurance, and other necessities
  • 30% Wants — discretionary spending
  • 20% Savings/Debt — savings contributions and debt payments

Terra calculates your actual split based on what you've entered and shows it alongside the recommended allocations. Use this to spot where your spending is out of alignment — if your Needs are taking 70% of income, that's visible immediately.

Editing and deleting​

Click any income source or fixed cost to edit it. Delete removes it from the totals immediately.

Common questions​

Should I include variable expenses like groceries as a fixed cost? Yes — use a monthly average. Groceries and similar expenses fluctuate week to week but are predictable enough to budget as a fixed monthly amount. Adjust the figure quarterly as your spending changes.

What's the difference between fixed costs and subscriptions? Fixed costs are things you'd pay regardless of whether you actively use them — rent, utilities, insurance. Subscriptions are services you could cancel — streaming, software, gym memberships. The split helps you see which obligations are truly fixed and which ones you could cut.