Step 3 covers rent/mortgage and utilities. Toggle renter vs owner and choose per-deposit or monthly frequency for each line.
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Shelter is usually your single biggest expense. The sub-step opens with a renter/owner toggle at the top. Renters see rent + renter's insurance; owners see mortgage, property tax, home insurance, and HOA.
Each line has a small frequency toggle. "Monthly" is useful when your rent or mortgage is a whole-month bill; the app divides it across your income deposits automatically. "Per-deposit" is useful if you've already set up a per-deposit transfer.
Good to know
The benchmark bar under the section shows your shelter total as a percentage of take-home. 25-30% is healthy; above 35% is the "house poor" zone. The bar turns amber then red as you climb.
Tip
Splitting rent with a partner? Enter your share only, or use the "Partner contribution" field at the bottom to subtract their contribution from the total. Don't double-count.
Step 9 lets you choose Snowball or Avalanche. Both use the same monthly budget — only the order of attack differs.
The Safety Net step sets your emergency fund target and tells Payday Audit how much to allocate each income deposit.
Step 8 helps you track workplace investing and employer match amounts that are already handled before your take-home income arrives.