Master Your Money: Portfolio & Budget¶

Turn your financial data into clear insights. Whether you're managing multiple income streams, saving for financial independence, or building your wealth - this guide covers everything you need.

The Two-Part System That Changes Everything¶

Forget complicated spreadsheets. Doughsense uses just two systems to track everything:

Portfolio = What you're worth (assets - debts)
Budget = Your cash flow (income - expenses)

Think of it like this:

Portfolio tracks your wealth (what you have)
Budget tracks your habits (how you earn and spend)

Portfolio: Your Net Worth Story¶

Everything you own minus everything you owe. Simple as that.

Accounts - Your Money's Home¶

Think of accounts as buckets where your money lives:

The Three Types You Need¶

💰 Savings Accounts

Emergency fund
House deposit savings
Holiday fund you're building
High-yield savings for better returns

📈 Investment Accounts

Investment platforms (Hargreaves Lansdown, AJ Bell, Vanguard)
Robo-advisors (Nutmeg, Moneyfarm)
Crypto holdings
Individual stocks and shares

🏖️ Pension/Retirement

Workplace pension
SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension)
ISAs (Stocks & Shares, Lifetime)
International retirement accounts (401k, IRA)

Quick Account Setup¶

Hit Portfolio → "Add Account"
Pick your type
Name it something memorable ("Tech Stocks" rather than "Investment Account 3")
Drop in current balance
Select a growth rate:
- Choose from presets (Savings Rate, Investment Returns, etc.)
- Or select "Custom" to enter your own

Growth Rate Options¶

Doughsense provides smart presets for each account type:

Savings Rate: Conservative rate for savings accounts
Investment Returns: Balanced rate for investment accounts
Inflation Rate: Uses your profile's inflation setting
Custom: Enter specific rates like:
- High-yield savings: 2-5%
- Index funds: 7-8% (historical average)
- Crypto: Varies (consider 0% for safety)
- Individual stocks: 5-10%

Important: Use nominal rates (what's advertised). Doughsense automatically handles inflation calculations.

Pro tip: Start with presets or go conservative with custom rates. Better to be surprised by gains than disappointed by reality.

Assets - The Big Stuff You Own¶

Not everything needs tracking - just items that significantly impact your net worth.

What's Worth Tracking¶

🏠 Property

Your home (if you own it)
Buy-to-let properties
That plot of land you inherited

🚗 Vehicles (if they're worth something)

Your car (expect depreciation)
Motorcycle, boat, RV
Classic cars that might appreciate

💎 Other Valuable Stuff

Business ownership stake
Expensive collectibles (watches, art)
Anything worth £5k+ that you could sell

Adding Assets¶

Portfolio → "Add Asset"
Be realistic about value (check comparable sales)
Set growth rates:
- Property: Select "Property Growth" preset or custom 2-4% yearly
- Cars: Custom -10-15% yearly (ouch)
- Collectibles: Custom 0% is safe (unpredictable)

Liabilities - The Stuff You Owe¶

Time to track what you owe. You can't improve what you don't measure.

The Usual Suspects¶

💳 Credit Cards

Current credit card balances
Store cards
Any revolving credit lines

🎓 Loans

Student loans
Car loans
Personal loans
Money borrowed from family (yes, track it)

🏡 Mortgages

Primary home mortgage
Investment property loans
Home equity lines of credit

Adding Debts¶

Deep breath
Portfolio → "Add Liability"
Enter the painful truth:
- Current balance (what you actually owe)
- Interest rate (find it on your statement)
- Minimum payment (for planning)

Your Net Worth Reality¶

Here's the simple math that changes everything:

Assets - Liabilities = Net Worth

Doughsense does this automatically and shows you:

Current net worth
Monthly changes
Progress over time
When you'll hit major milestones

Mindset shift: Even if it's negative now, tracking it is the first step to growing it.

Budget: Your Money's Flow State¶

This is where the magic happens - tracking money as it flows through your life.

Income - All the Ways Money Finds You¶

Modern life = multiple income streams. Track them all.

💼 External Income (Money from the world)

Your 9-to-5 salary
Freelance/contract work
Side hustle earnings
Online shop or marketplace income
Gifts from generous relatives
Tax refunds

🏦 Account Income (Money from your money)

Investment dividends
Savings account interest
Withdrawals for spending
Crypto staking rewards
Rental income

Setting Up Income Streams¶

Budget → "Add Income"
Give it a real name ("Design Freelancing" not "Income 2")
Enter details:
- Amount: After-tax (what hits your bank)
- Frequency: Match reality (weekly/biweekly/monthly)
- Start date: When it begins
- End date: For contract work or temporary gigs

Pro Tips for Variable Income¶

Freelancers: Use last 3 months average, or lowest month if conservative

Side hustlers: Track each stream separately to see what's worth your time

Bonuses: Add as one-time income when confirmed, not hoped for

Expenses - Managing Your Outflows¶

Three types of expenses, each with a different destination:

🌍 External Expenses (Money leaving your ecosystem)

Rent or mortgage payments
Streaming services and subscriptions
Groceries and takeout
Gym membership
Utilities, insurance, phone bills

💰 Account Expenses (Money moving to Future You)

Emergency fund building
Investment contributions
"House deposit" savings
Financial independence fund
Travel fund for that sabbatical

💳 Liability Expenses (Debt destruction mode)

Credit card payments
Student loan payments
Car payment
Extra mortgage principal
Extra debt reduction payments

Smart Expense Setup¶

Budget → "Add Expense"
Name it clearly ("Coffee Shop Spending" not "Miscellaneous")
Key details:
- Amount: Be realistic, check last 3 months
- Frequency: Match the billing cycle
- Target: Where is this money going?

The Linking Magic ✨¶

This is where Doughsense gets powerful:

Link savings expenses → specific accounts

"Emergency Fund" expense → "Emergency Savings" account
Watch balances grow automatically
See exactly when you'll hit targets

Link debt payments → specific debts

"Extra Card Payment" → "Barclaycard"
Watch balances shrink
See your debt-free date

Result: Your budget drives your net worth automatically

Level Up Your Financial Game¶

The Monthly Money Date¶

Set a recurring calendar reminder: First Sunday of each month

15-Minute Routine:

Update all account balances
Check your net worth progress
Review budget vs. reality
Celebrate wins (seriously, do this)
Adjust next month's plan

Start Where You Are¶

Week 1: Just the basics

Main current account + savings
Credit cards
Monthly income and rent

Month 1: Fill in the gaps

All accounts
All debts
Major expenses

Month 3: Optimise

Fine-tune growth rates (switch between presets or use custom)
Add all subscriptions
Model different scenarios

Reality Check Rules¶

Growth Rates: When in doubt, go lower

Pick conservative presets or reduce custom rates
Promised 12% returns? Use 8%
"Guaranteed" 5%? Use 3%
Crypto moon shots? Use 0% (let reality surprise you)
Remember: These are nominal rates - Doughsense handles inflation

Expenses: When in doubt, go higher

Think you spend £200 on food? Probably £300
Don't forget annual expenses (insurance, holidays)
Always add an emergency buffer

The Linking Superpower¶

This is what separates Doughsense from your spreadsheet:

✅ Every debt payment linked to its debt
✅ Every savings goal linked to its account
✅ Future You will thank Present You

Common Questions¶

"How honest should I be about my spending?" Brutally. Doughsense doesn't judge, but lying to it is lying to yourself.

"My income is all over the place. Help?" Track each source separately. Use 3-month average or your worst month - whichever helps you sleep better.

"Should I track my morning coffee?" Only if it's a problem. £5 daily = £150 monthly = £1,800 yearly. You decide.

"I forgot to update for 3 months..." Just update now. Progress is better than perfection.

"Is my net worth supposed to be negative?" Student loans? Early career? This is normal. Tracking it is the first step to improving it.

Your Next Moves¶

Ready to level up? Here's your path:

📊 See Your Future - Watch your money grow over time

🎯 Set Epic Goals - Make your dreams measurable

🏃 Track Your Path to FI - Join the financial independence movement

💪 Master Freelance Finances - For the variable income warriors

The Bottom Line¶

You now have two simple systems that track everything:

Portfolio = What you're worth
Budget = How it changes

Update monthly. Link everything. Watch your wealth grow.

Your future self is already thanking you. 🚀