Getting Started with Zerosum
Learn how to take control of your finances with zero-based budgeting. This guide will help you set up your first budget and understand the core concepts.
Welcome to Zerosum#
Zerosum is a powerful budgeting application built on the principles of zero-based budgeting. Unlike traditional budgeting methods that focus on tracking past spending, zero-based budgeting gives you complete control over your money by requiring you to budget every dollar before you spend it.
Why Zero-Based Budgeting?
Studies show that people who use zero-based budgeting save more money, pay off debt faster, and feel more in control of their finances. By giving every dollar a job, you make intentional decisions about your money instead of wondering where it went.
Whether you're new to budgeting or coming from another app, Zerosum makes it easy to:
- Plan ahead – Budget your income to categories before you spend
- Stay flexible – Move money between categories as life changes
- Set goals – Save for big purchases, emergencies, or debt payoff
- Track progress – See exactly where your money goes with detailed analytics
Quick Start Guide#
Ready to take control of your money? Follow these steps to get started with Zerosum in just a few minutes.
Create Your Plan
Sign up for an account and create your first budget plan. You can name it anything you like (e.g., "Personal Budget", "Family Budget") and choose your currency.
Add Your Accounts
Add your checking and savings accounts. Enter each account's current balance – this becomes your starting "Ready to Budget" amount.
Set Up Categories
Create categories for your spending. Start with the essentials: Rent/Mortgage, Utilities, Groceries, Transportation. You can always add more later.
Budget Your Money
Look at your "Ready to Budget" amount and start giving those dollars jobs. Budget money to each category based on what you need this month. Keep going until Ready to Budget reaches zero!
Record Your Spending
As you spend money, add transactions and categorize them. This keeps your category balances accurate and shows you exactly how much you have left.
Info
Don't worry about being perfect right away! Budgeting is a skill that improves with practice. Start simple and adjust as you learn your spending patterns.
Creating Your First Budget#
Let's walk through setting up a real budget. We'll use a simple example to show you how zero-based budgeting works in practice.
Example Scenario
Imagine you have $3,000 in your checking account. Here's how you might budget it:
Important
Notice how the final "Remaining" is $0? That's the goal! Every dollar has been given a job. This doesn't mean you've spent $3,000 – it means you've planned how to use it.
What Happens When You Spend?
When you buy $80 worth of groceries and record the transaction, your Groceries category "Available" decreases from $400 to $320. You always know exactly how much you have left for groceries this month.
What If Plans Change?
Life happens! If you need to spend more on groceries, simply move money from another category. Maybe you take $50 from Entertainment and move it to Groceries. Your budget flexes with your needs while keeping you in control.
Explore the Help Center#
Dive deeper into Zerosum's features with our comprehensive guides:
Zero-Based Budgeting
Learn the philosophy and methodology behind giving every dollar a job.
Budgets & Categories
Organize your spending with categories and category groups.
Transactions
Record spending, income, and transfers between accounts.
Goals
Set savings targets and track your progress toward financial goals.
Accounts
Manage checking, savings, and tracking accounts.
Analytics & Reports
Visualize your spending patterns and track your net worth.
Plans
Create multiple budgets for different purposes or family members.
Platform & Data#
Web Application
Zerosum is a web application that works in any modern browser. Access your budget from any device – desktop, tablet, or mobile – without installing anything.
Your Data
You can export all your data (plans, accounts, transactions, categories) as a JSON file at any time from your account settings.
Starting Fresh
Zerosum doesn't support importing data from other budgeting apps. We've found that starting fresh leads to better budgeting habits and avoids carrying over categorization mistakes or outdated patterns. Think of it as a clean slate for your financial journey!
Quick Actions (Command Palette)#
Zerosum includes a powerful command palette that lets you quickly access any action in the app. Press +K anywhere in the app to open it, or click the "Quick actions" button in the sidebar.
Pro Tip
Just start typing what you want to do! The command palette uses fuzzy search, so "add trans checking" will find "Add transaction to Checking Account".
Keyboard Shortcuts
Speed up your workflow with these keyboard shortcuts:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ⌘K | Open Command Palette |
| ⌘⇧K | Add Transaction |
| ⌘⇧U | Add Group |
| ⌘⇧Y | Add Category |
| ⌘⇧G | Add Goal |
| ⌘⇧A | Add Account |
| ⌘⇧\ | Toggle Sidebar |
| ⌘Z | Undo Last Action |
Available Actions
Actions
- Revert last action – shows the action name when available
Navigation
- Go to Plan, Goals, or Analytics
- Jump directly to any account
Transactions
- Add a new transaction
- Add transaction to a specific account
Categories & Goals
- Add category or category group
- Add category to a specific group
- Add goal for any category
Accounts
- Add a new account
- Reconcile any account
Plans
- Create a new plan
- Switch to any of your other plans
Auto-Budget
- Fund underfunded goals
- Match last month's budget or spending
- Cover overspending or reduce overbudgeted
- Reset budgeted or available amounts
Activity Log & Undo#
Zerosum automatically tracks your recent actions, making it easy to undo mistakes. The last 10 actions are stored in your plan and can be undone one at a time.
Activity Button
Click the clock icon in the top-right corner of the app to view your recent activity. You'll see a list of your recent actions with the ability to undo the most recent one.
How Undo Works
- Sequential undo – You can only undo actions in order, starting with the most recent. This prevents conflicts that could occur if actions depend on each other.
- Keyboard shortcut – Press ⌘Z (or Ctrl+Z on Windows) anywhere in the app to undo the last action.
- Command palette – Type "revert" or "undo" in the command palette to quickly undo your last action.
- Persistent history – Your activity log persists across sessions. Close the browser and come back later – your recent actions will still be there.
What Can Be Undone?
Almost all actions in Zerosum can be undone: transactions (create, update, delete, move, duplicate), budget assignments, categories and category groups, goals, accounts (create, update, close, reconcile), and payees.
Tracked Actions
The activity log tracks a variety of actions to keep you informed:
- Budget changes and auto-budget operations
- Transaction creation, updates, deletions, moves, and duplicates
- Category and category group changes
- Goal creation, updates, and deletions
- Account creation, updates, closures, and reconciliations
- Payee creation, updates, and deletions
Goal Types Quick Reference#
Zerosum offers three goal types to match different saving strategies:
| Goal Type | Best For | How It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Save Amount | Regular contributions (retirement, investments) | Tracks how much you budget each period |
| Have Available | Maintaining a balance (emergency fund, buffer) | Ensures you always have a target amount available |
| Reach Target | Saving for a purchase (vacation, new laptop) | Calculates monthly amounts to reach target by date |
Learn more about goals in the Goals guide.
Glossary#
Key terms used throughout Zerosum:
Ready to Begin?
Start your zero-based budgeting journey today. It only takes a few minutes to set up your first budget and begin taking control of your finances.