Monthly Focus gives one category a job for the month. It is lighter than a full budget: pick one category, set one amount, and let Ledgr show whether you are still comfortable, getting close, or over the line.
Start from Today
Monthly Focus strip
Shows: one category to watch this month. If none is set, Ledgr can suggest a category and show a Set action.
Do: tap Set when you want one simple target. If a focus is already active, tap View to check progress.
Use this for the category you actually want to notice: food, rides, shopping, entertainment, or any category you have organized.
Set your focus
Pick a category
Shows: suggested categories based on your recent completed months, plus the average monthly spend Ledgr found for each one.
Do: choose the category where a small amount of attention would help. You do not need to track every category at once.
Choose an amount
Shows: three target options: Easy start, Balanced, and Ambitious. Balanced is the default and is rounded below your recent average when Ledgr has enough history.
Do: start with Balanced unless you already know the month will be unusual. You can edit the amount later from the detail screen.
Track it during the month
Progress, coach copy & counted transactions
Shows: how much is left or over, a progress bar, a short status line, how this compares with your usual month, and the transactions counted toward the focus.
Do: check the status before adding another spend in that category. Comfortable means keep going. Watchful or close to the line means slow down for a few days.
Crossing the target is not treated as failure. Ledgr still compares you with your usual behavior, so improvement can count even when the line is crossed.
What happens at month end
Monthly Focus closes with a simple reflection: achieved, missed but improved, or missed and not improved. The point is not to punish you. It gives the next month a clearer starting point.
Your focus history is included in Ledgr backup and restore, so a restored backup can bring back monthly focuses when the backup version supports them.
Privacy in one line
- Monthly Focus is built from transactions already stored in Ledgr.
- Supported bank SMS is parsed locally on your phone. No bank login.
- Monthly Focus itself does not need AI consent or raw SMS upload.
- Anonymous beta metrics may record local monthly-focus engagement with a device ID, not raw SMS.
FAQ
Is Monthly Focus a full budget? No. It tracks one category for the month so you can pay attention without setting up a full budgeting system.
Why did Ledgr suggest this category? Suggestions come from recent completed months. Ledgr looks for categories where your past spending makes them worth watching.
Can I change the amount later? Yes. Open the focus detail screen and edit the amount.
What if the counted transactions look wrong? Check whether the merchant is organized into the right category. If not, use Organize so future matching transactions count correctly.