How To: Set Up Budget Alerts for Supplies

You know that feeling when you check your card statement and realize you spent way more on color products than you thought?

Budget alerts fix that. Get notified at 80% before you overspend, and again at 100% when you've hit your limit. No more end-of-month surprises.

Here's how to set them up.

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Step 1: Navigate to Budget Management

Budget management lives in the Finances analytics section.

1. Go to Finances page
2. Scroll to the Analytics section
3. Click the Overview tab
4. Select the Budget Management sub-tab

You'll see any existing budgets and the option to create new ones.

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Step 2: Create a Budget

Let's create a budget for color products as an example.

Click Create Budget

1. Click Create Budget button
2. A form appears

Fill In the Details

Field	Example	Notes
Name	Color Products	Clear, descriptive name
Amount	$500	Your monthly limit
Period	Monthly	How often it resets
Category	Supplies	Links to your expense category

Save

Click Save and your budget is active.

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Step 3: Understanding Budget Alerts

Once created, your budget automatically tracks spending and alerts you at key thresholds.

Alert Thresholds

Threshold	What Happens
80%	Yellow warning — "You've used $400 of your $500 color budget"
100%	Red alert — "Color budget exceeded — $520 spent this month"

Visual Indicators

In the Budget Management section, each budget shows:

• Progress bar — Visual fill showing how much is used
• Color coding — Green (under 80%), Yellow (80-99%), Red (over 100%)
• Remaining amount — How much you have left

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Step 4: Log Expenses to the Right Category

For budget tracking to work, your expenses need to be categorized correctly.

When You Buy Supplies

1. Go to Finances → Add Expense
2. Enter the amount
3. Category: Select "Supplies" (or your specific category like "Color Products")
4. Save

The expense is now counted against your budget.

Pro Tip: Be Consistent

If you created a budget for "Supplies" but log expenses as "Color Products", they won't match. Decide on your category structure upfront and stick to it.

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Example: Booth Renter Budget Setup

Here's a complete budget setup for a typical booth renter:

Budget	Amount	Period	Purpose
Color Products	$500/mo	Monthly	Hair color, developer, toner
Tools & Equipment	$200/mo	Monthly	Shears, clips, dryers
Booth Rent	$1,200/mo	Monthly	Fixed cost tracking
Marketing	$100/mo	Monthly	Business cards, social ads
Education	$150/mo	Monthly	Classes, certifications

Total Monthly Budget: $2,150

Now you know exactly how much you need to earn before you're actually profitable.

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Step 5: Review and Adjust

Budgets aren't set-and-forget. Review monthly.

Monthly Check-In

1. Go to Budget Management
2. See which budgets hit their limits
3. Ask yourself:
   • Was this a one-time spike or a pattern?
   • Do I need to raise this budget?
   • Or do I need to cut back spending?

Adjusting Budgets

Click on any budget to edit:

• Increase the limit if you're consistently going over
• Decrease if you're always under (maybe that money is better elsewhere)
• Change the period if monthly doesn't fit your cash flow

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Budget Alerts in Action

Scenario: Color Product Overspending

Week 1: You buy $150 in color supplies → Progress bar shows 30%

Week 2: Another $200 in supplies → Progress bar shows 70%

Week 3: $100 more → 80% alert triggers — Yellow warning appears

Now you know: you have $50 left for the rest of the month. Adjust your ordering, or accept that you'll go over.

Week 4: You buy $75 more → 100% alert triggers — Red warning, $525 spent

Budget exceeded by $25. Not the end of the world, but now you're aware—and you can plan better next month.

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Quick Setup Checklist

• Go to Finances → Overview → Budget Management
• Create budgets for your main expense categories
• Set realistic monthly limits
• Log expenses with the correct category
• Check budget progress weekly
• Adjust limits monthly based on actual spending

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Common Budget Categories for Booth Renters

Category	Typical Range	Notes
Booth Rent	$800-$2,000	Fixed, set as recurring expense
Color/Chemical	$300-$600	Varies with service mix
Tools	$50-$200	Lower after initial investment
Disposables	$50-$100	Foils, gloves, capes
Marketing	$50-$200	Optional but valuable
Education	$100-$300	Invest in skills

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The Bottom Line

Budget alerts turn "I think I'm spending too much" into "I know exactly where I stand."

No more surprises. No more guessing. Just clear data that helps you run a more profitable booth.

Set up your first budget today—it takes 60 seconds.