How to use SteadyJar

A step-by-step guide in plain words. About five minutes to set up.

Some bills only come once or twice a year, like car insurance or holiday gifts. SteadyJar helps you put a little aside each month so the money is ready when they arrive. You keep the money in your own savings account. SteadyJar works out how much to put there and keeps track for you.

Words you'll see

• Jar: one bill you're saving for, like “Car insurance”. Each jar has a cost and a due date.
• Put aside: moving money into your savings account so it's there for the bill.
• Done: the button you tap after you've moved this month's money for a jar.

Step 1 · Put it on your phone

SteadyJar works in your phone's web browser, so there's nothing to download from an app store.

1. On your phone, open steadyjar.com/app.
2. iPhone: in Safari, tap the Share button (a square with an arrow), then Add to Home Screen, then Add.
3. Android: in Chrome, tap the ⋮ menu at the top right, then Install app or Add to Home screen.
4. A SteadyJar icon now sits on your home screen. Tap it to open the app any time.

Step 2 · Add your bills

The first time you open SteadyJar, a short welcome explains how it works.

1. Tap Get started.
2. Tick the bills you pay, like Car insurance, Holiday gifts or Vet checkups. The free plan holds 3, so start with the biggest.
3. Tap Add. SteadyJar shows how much to put aside this month in total.
4. The amounts are typical ones. To use your real numbers, tap a jar, tap Edit, and change How much it costs and When it's due. Tap Save.

Have a bill that isn't in the list? Tap + at the top of the screen. Type what it's for, how much it costs and when it's due. If you've already saved some, put that in Already saved for it. SteadyJar shows the monthly amount as you type. Tap Add.

Just want to look around first? Tap Show me an example first on the welcome screen. When you're ready, tap Clear examples at the top of the Overview.

Step 3 · Every month

This is the part you repeat. It takes about a minute.

1. Open SteadyJar. The big number at the top of the Overview is what to put aside this month, across all your jars.
2. Open your bank's app or website and move that amount from your everyday account into your savings account. One transfer for the total is fine.
3. Back in SteadyJar, tap Done next to each jar under To do this month. If you moved the whole amount, tap Mark all done instead.
4. Tapped by mistake? Tap Undo in the message at the top of the screen.
5. Moved a different amount? Tap the jar's name instead of Done, tap Add money, type what you actually moved and tap Save.

When everything is done, the Overview says so. Next month, new amounts appear on their own.

Step 4 · When a bill arrives

1. Pay the bill as you normally would, using the money in your savings.
2. In SteadyJar, tap the jar, then Take out. Type what you paid and tap Save. Now the jar matches your savings.
3. If the bill comes again next year, tap Edit and move When it's due forward a year. SteadyJar starts planning for the next one.

Good to know

• SteadyJar never touches your bank. Tapping Done or Add money only records what you did. It can't move real money, and it never asks for your bank login.
• Your jars are kept on your phone. With Pro you can sign in with your email to back them up and see them on your other devices. There's no password: we email you a code.
• Free holds 3 jars. Pro ($4.99 a month or $34.99 a year) adds unlimited jars, backup and sync, plans by paycheck, shared jars and calendar reminders.
• Help is in the app too. Tap How SteadyJar works on the Overview, or at the top of Settings.

Open SteadyJar