Planned Spending Expense Series - Allow $0.00 Amount

molehill6804

In a recent application update [removed - accuracy], the Spending Plan Planned Spending had a new constraint added to the Expense Category Amount to require an amount greater than $0.00. This constraint was not previously in place, and I was able to create expense categories with a $0.00 planned amount.

Given the way that my wife and I like to track our spending with Planned Spending along with Watchlists, this works quite well for us, and we were happy with the functionality.

Given this recent update, we are no longer able to use Simplifi in this manner, and we're required to put $0.01 or greater for each expense category that we wish to track.

I would like to request that this constraint be reverted to the previous functionality / feature to once again allow for $0.00 Expense Category amounts.

Coach Jon

Hello @molehill6804,

Thanks for your feedback! We went ahead and turned your post into an idea post, allowing other users to vote for and follow this post for updates if they feel like this is something they would also like to see in Quicken Simplifi.

Thanks,

Coach Jon

DannyB

Hi @molehill6804

Can you give an example of an expense that you set $0.00 as the planned amount for spending? I'm curious about how you were using planned spending categories with the amount set to $0.00.

Thanks.

lfcitz

Totally agree with this. I have bills that come in quarterly or every other month. It's useful for me to see it lurking there as a reminder that a bill will be coming in the next month or two.

donnajean

I totally agree with having the ability to NOT require an amount greater than $0.00 for the expense category amount. I wish to include all my categories in the spending plan so I don’t forget to budget for something. Ie. if I see my ‘Gifts’ category I can decide whether or not I need money for any gifts this month, as sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. If I can review/see all my available categories at the beginning of each month my budget will be much more accurate!

jnjeffers

I agree with this. Being able to set a category amount to $0 is a significant aspect of my budgeting strategy.

Humanleg86

I'd like to be able to create a 0.00 dollar recurring planned expense item. I'd much rather see 'other' spending as an overage in the planned spending space.

Coach Kristina

Hello @Humanleg86,

Thank you for reaching out to the Community with your feedback! Since there is already an existing Idea post asking for the same functionality, I merged your idea with the existing one.

Thank you!

kscooley

Would really like this to happen. Certain categories for us don't need to have a set amount every month, so to have the flexibility would be great. All other budgeting tools that I've used in the past allow for $0 in a category. Seems really silly/pointless to force your users to put money into a category they don't need that month, even if only a penny.

SRC54

I agree with the comments above, and I like having control so upvoted. I tend to add a category to Planned Spending in the months when I need them so I hadn't come across this. BTW, if you do make a category budget of $1, what happens when you free it up at the end of the month? Does it stay there as 0 or disappear?

I tried it and was able to make a category $1 then release the funds and it went to 0.00 and stayed there. Not perfect but a workaround.