Account types
Big Picture Money supports the following manual account types:
| Type | Use for |
|---|---|
| Checking | Everyday spending and direct deposit |
| Savings | Emergency fund, goals, interest-bearing cash |
| Credit card | Revolving credit; balances typically represent what you owe |
| Loan | Mortgages, auto loans, personal loans, and other installment debt |
| Investment | Brokerage, retirement, crypto custody (manual tracking) |
| Cash | Physical cash or petty cash |
| Payment app | PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and similar apps used to send money or pay merchants |
| Other | Anything that does not fit the types above |
Track balance defaults
| Type | Track balance default |
|---|---|
| Checking, savings, credit card, loan, investment, cash | On |
| Payment app, Other | Off |
Turn Track balance on for a Payment app or Other account if you do hold a real balance there. See Accounts.
Balance sign
- Asset accounts (checking, savings, investment, cash, payment app, other): positive balance means money you have
- Liability accounts (credit card, loan): positive balance typically means amount owed — net worth and spending reports treat these separately from assets
Loan purpose
When you create a Loan account, choose what the loan is for. Big Picture Money uses this to categorize payments from other accounts before both sides are linked.
| Loan purpose | Typical use | Payment category (when unlinked) |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Car or vehicle loan | Car Loan |
| Home | Mortgage or home equity | Mortgage |
| Student | Student loans | Student Loan |
| Boat / RV | Boat, RV, or similar | Car Loan (you may change per transaction) |
| Other | Personal or specialty loans | Transfer Out |
Optionally add a payment description hint — text from your bank statement (for example, CHASE ONLINE PMT) so checking withdrawals match this loan.