Will I hit my savings goal by my target date?
You will hit it if your actual monthly savings, multiplied by the months left, covers the gap between what you have now and the target. Divide the remaining gap by the months to your deadline to get the amount you need each month, then compare it with what you really saved recently. If your real number is lower, you have three levers: save more, move the date, or lower the target.
The quick math: what you need to save each month
Start with three numbers: the target, what you have saved so far, and the months until your date. Subtract the saved amount from the target, then divide by the months left. That result is the monthly amount the goal demands.
Here is an example with round numbers, for illustration only. A target of 12,000 with 3,000 already saved and 9 months left leaves a gap of 9,000, so you need about 1,000 a month.
This plain version ignores interest and investment growth, which is the safe way to start. If your savings earn something, you will land slightly ahead of the math. If they are invested, results can also go the other way.
Use your real savings rate, not your planned one
The common mistake is checking the plan instead of the past. A goal feels on track when you picture saving 1,000 a month, but the real test is what actually moved into savings, month after month.
- Look at the last three to six months of what you really set aside, after bills and irregular costs.
- Average it, so one great month or one bad month does not decide the answer.
- Multiply that average by the months left and add it to what you have saved today.
- If the total reaches the target, you are on path. If it falls short, the difference is the amount you still need to find.
Income and costs shift. Annual bills, holidays and one-off repairs can break a smooth projection, so recheck every month or two instead of once.
How Manu projects the path for you
In Goals you set a target and a date. Manu then projects the path from your real savings rate, so the projection starts from what you have actually been doing, not from a number you hoped for.
Your bank accounts and cards sit in one ledger on your server. They arrive through Plaid, SimpleFIN or a bank's own OFX server, with a sync every six hours, so real activity is there to work from. If a bank supports none of those, you can import OFX or QFX statements by hand.
Because the data lives on a server you run, with no cloud or account of Manu's own, the numbers behind your goal stay with you. Manu is an iPhone app for iOS 26 or later, in private beta through TestFlight. You can request access from the home page.
What to change if the goal will not be reached
When the projection says the goal will not be reached, Manu tells you what to change. Whatever the exact suggestion, there are only a few real levers, and it helps to know them:
- Save more each month. The gap divided by the months left is the extra you need. Check that it is realistic before you commit to it.
- Move the date. Pushing the date out lowers the monthly amount without touching the target. For a goal with no hard deadline, this is often the easiest fix.
- Lower the target. This is fine when the original number was a guess.
- Free up cash from spending. Open spending by category, tap a bar to see the transactions behind it, and find the category that is bigger than you expected.
Budgets help the spending lever stick. You set a number per category per month and watch the month fill up, with a nudge before the budget fills rather than after.
Change one lever at a time, then check again once a few weeks of real data are in. That shows you whether the change is working or whether you need another.
Limits worth knowing
- A projection is an extrapolation, not a promise. If your pace changes, the outcome changes.
- If your goal money is invested, markets can move it either way. Manu does not promise returns.
- Goals work through a running Vritam server that your phone can reach.
- Manu is not investment, tax or financial advice.
Manu is in private beta. One iPhone app for your accounts, investing and a trading bot you run yourself, all against a server you own.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I check whether I am on track?
Monthly is enough for most goals. Check again sooner after any big change in income, rent or other fixed costs.
What if my income is irregular?
Average your savings over six months or more, and plan around the lower months instead of the best ones. That keeps one strong quarter from hiding a shortfall.
Does Manu tell me what to change if I am behind?
Yes. You set a target and a date, Manu projects the path from your real savings rate, and if the goal will not be reached it tells you what to change.
Is Manu free, and how do I get it?
It is free while in beta. Manu is in private beta on TestFlight, so you request access on the home page and get an invite when a seat opens. It needs an iPhone on iOS 26 or later and your own Vritam server.
Where does the data behind my goal live?
On your own server. Sign-in for Plaid, SimpleFIN or OFX happens on the provider's page, and Manu never sees or stores your bank usernames or passwords.