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Track money
This guide shows how to use a balanced log to track money and understand how it moves over time.
The goal is not just to see a balance, but to understand inflow, outflow, and intent.
What you are tracking
When tracking money in Anchorline, you are tracking movement.
You are not editing balances directly. You are recording deposits, transfers, and corrections, and letting the system derive the result.
This works well for:
- Personal finances
- Shared household money
- Purpose-based savings
- Internal budgets or allocations
Step 1: Create a balanced log
Create a new log and choose Balanced log.
Name it after what the money represents, not where it lives. For example:
- Household money
- Savings allocation
- Operating funds
This keeps the log meaningful even if accounts or purposes change later.
Step 2: Define anchors
Anchors represent where money can exist.
Common examples include:
- Checking
- Savings
- Emergency fund
- Taxes
- Investments
These anchors act as reference points for movement. Money is always somewhere, and anchors make that explicit.
Step 3: Record inflow
When money comes in, record an event that adds value to the appropriate anchor.
This might represent:
- Income
- A transfer from an external account
- Initial funding
Once recorded, the balance updates automatically based on the event.
Step 4: Move money between anchors
Most real-world money tracking is about movement.
Use transfers to move money between anchors. For example, moving money from checking into savings or allocating funds toward a specific purpose.
Transfers make intent visible. You can see not just how much you have, but how you chose to distribute it.
Step 5: Handle corrections
Mistakes happen.
If something was recorded incorrectly, do not change the original event. Record a correcting event that brings things back into balance.
This preserves history while still producing an accurate current view.
What you get from this approach
Using a balanced log for money lets you:
- See where money came from
- See where it went
- Understand why balances look the way they do
- Correct mistakes without hiding them
Over time, the log becomes a clear record of financial decisions, not just a changing number.
Next steps
Once you are comfortable tracking money in a balanced log, you can:
- Add more anchors
- Organize logs hierarchically
- Link money movement to items or projects
The same pattern applies everywhere else in Anchorline.