Meet Alex

Alex gets paid biweekly and has a clear idea of what a good budget should do: protect the future first, keep the present stable, and leave room to actually enjoy life.

Alex’s strategy has three layers. The first layer covers savings: 10% of every paycheck goes toward an emergency fund until it reaches $10,000, and another 10% goes toward a financial freedom fund that Alex will never touch until retirement. The second layer covers fixed expenses — rent, electricity, internet, phone, groceries, a gym membership, a streaming service, and an annual Amazon Prime membership. Because these amounts are predictable, Alex treats them as non-negotiable obligations rather than monthly decisions. The third layer covers everything that remains after savings and fixed expenses are set aside. Of what’s left, Alex allocates 30% to long-term goals such as a car or house, 30% to flexible everyday spending, 20% to dating and social life, and 20% to charity.

Rather than explaining every FundOS feature in the abstract, this guide follows Alex through the exact steps of setting up a budget that meets all three goals. Each page picks up where the last one left off: adding an account, importing a bank statement, creating funds, and building a budget. By the end, Alex’s budget will be live and automatically sorting every paycheck according to the three-layer system, and you’ll understand every core concept FundOS is built on.