BudgetAbode Open the app

Documentation

How to use BudgetAbode, and how to connect it to your AI assistant (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity) so you can ask about your budget — or add transactions — by chat.

Getting started

  1. Go to app.budgetabode.com and create a free account (email or “Continue with Google”).
  2. Create your first household — give it a name and currency.
  3. Invite your family from Household settings; everyone shares the same up-to-date budget.
Sign-up / create household
Create an account and your first household.

Dashboard

The dashboard summarises the current budget month: income, spending by category, and what’s left. Switch months and households from the top bar.

Dashboard overview
Income, spending and remaining balance at a glance.

Adding transactions

Add income and expenses against a category. The category’s type decides whether it counts as income or spending. You can filter the list by month or category.

Transactions list & add form
Record a transaction with amount, date, category and an optional note.

Budget & your pay-cycle month

Plan how much to allocate to each category. If you’re paid on, say, the 25th, set your budget month to start on the 25th — BudgetAbode follows your real pay cycle instead of the calendar.

Budget plan & start-day setting
Set category budgets and your month start day.

Savings funds & goals

Set money aside into named funds with running totals and goals. When a month runs short, cover the shortfall from a fund in one step to keep your balance straight.

Savings funds & goals
Track funds, goals and cover-a-deficit transfers.

Household members & invites

Invite people by email from Household settings. Members share the budget; owners and admins manage invites and members. Removing someone notifies them by email.

Household members & invite
Manage who’s in your household.

Settings & API tokens

In Settings → API Token you can change your language and generate API tokens for the MCP/AI integration. Each token has an access level:

  • Read only — the AI can read your budget but not change anything.
  • Read & write — the AI can also add transactions.

You can hold up to 5 tokens and revoke any of them at any time.

Settings → API Token
Generate a read or read/write token for AI access.

Connect to your AI assistant (MCP)

BudgetAbode runs a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, so AI assistants can use your budget as tools — reading summaries and (with a read/write token) adding transactions.

Endpoint: https://mcp.budgetabode.com/mcp · transport: Streamable HTTP

Before you start: generate a token in Settings → API Token (Read only, or Read & write to allow adding transactions).

Each assistant connects a little differently. ChatGPT uses OAuth (you’ll paste your token on a BudgetAbode consent screen); Claude and Perplexity can use the token directly.

ChatGPT

Requires a plan with connectors (Plus/Pro/Business/Enterprise). ChatGPT connects over OAuth.

  1. In ChatGPT, open Settings → Apps & Connectors → Advanced and turn on Developer mode.
  2. Go to Apps & Connectors → Add new connector (custom).
  3. Name it BudgetAbode and set the MCP server URL to https://mcp.budgetabode.com/mcp. Choose OAuth for authentication.
  4. Click connect — a BudgetAbode page opens. Paste your API token and authorize.
  5. The BudgetAbode tools are now available in chat.

Menu names vary by ChatGPT version; the key inputs are the same: the MCP URL above + OAuth.

Claude

Claude Code (CLI) — add it with your token as a header:

claude mcp add --transport http budgetabode \
  https://mcp.budgetabode.com/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer fb_your_token_here"

Claude desktop / web (Connectors) — add a custom connector with the URL https://mcp.budgetabode.com/mcp; it connects over OAuth, and you paste your token on the BudgetAbode consent screen (same as ChatGPT).

Perplexity

Requires Pro, Max or Enterprise (custom connectors).

  1. Open Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector.
  2. Set the MCP server URL to https://mcp.budgetabode.com/mcp.
  3. Choose API key authentication and paste your BudgetAbode token (fb_…). Perplexity sends it as a bearer header.
  4. Save — the BudgetAbode tools appear and you can use them in a thread.

Example prompts

  • 💬 “What did we spend on groceries last month?”
  • 💬 “Summarise this month’s budget — are we over in any category?”
  • 💬 “How much is in our holiday savings fund?”
  • ⚡ “Add a €12.50 lunch expense for today.” (needs a read/write token)

A read-only token will answer questions but refuse to add or change anything. Revoke any token from Settings → API Token if it leaks.