Feast or Famine Paychecks? The Lid Feature Smooths It Out

If your income were the same every month, budgeting would be relatively simple math. But if you’re a server, a freelancer, a seasonal worker, or anyone whose paycheck looks different every single time it arrives — you know that budgeting apps basically weren’t built with you in mind.

Jelli doesn’t ask for a fixed monthly income number. It works with whatever shows up in each paycheck.

The Percentage-Based System

Jelli’s core budgeting mechanism is percentage-based, not amount-based. Instead of budgeting ‘$800 for groceries,’ you budget ‘22% of your income for groceries.’ That percentage applies to every deposit, no matter the size.

When $600 hits your account, 22% goes to Groceries. When $2,000 hits, 22% goes to Groceries. The proportions are always right, even when the amounts change constantly.

“Your budget percentages are locked in. Every deposit — big or small — gets split the same way. One tap, and your money is organized. Jelli doesn’t care how unpredictable your income is.”

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The Lid + Spare Change Jar

Good income month? The Lid Feature prevents any Jar from overfilling. When your Rent Jar hits its budget limit, any additional allocation flows to your Spare Change Jar — creating a buffer for lean months.

Slow income month? The partial deposit fills each Jar proportionally. You might not hit the full monthly budget for every category, but you always know exactly where you stand.

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Your Jars Show You Where You Stand

Every Jar shows its balance, and you can watch it fill as money lands. In a slow month, a quick glance tells you which Jars are running low. If your Rent Jar is only half full a week before rent is due, you see it right away, with time to move money or trim spending before it becomes a problem. No forecasts to decode, just a number and a Jar you can see.

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Irregular income isn’t a budgeting problem — it’s a budgeting app design problem. Jelli’s percentage-based system and flexible deposit allocation were built for exactly this situation.

Jelli — Live in the App Store, on Google Play and at jelli.app. Starting at $1.99/month with the first month free.