Create a savings goal.
A goal gives money you're setting aside a name and a finish line — an emergency fund, a wedding, the December-sized bills. Three steps and Spense does the pace math from then on.
Open Goals and tap Start a new goal
Open the Goals tab (between Spending and Accounts) and tap Start a new goal. The first screen asks what are you saving for? — tiles grouped into Special occasions, Big purchases, and Safety & other. Tapping one pre-fills the name and some sensible amounts; the "other" tiles in each group let you name anything at all.
Set the amount — and a date if you have one
Type the target under how much do you want to save, or tap one of the suggested-amount chips. The name at the top is editable if the tile's wording isn't yours. Then the part people skip and shouldn't: Target date. It's optional and month-granular — pick a month and Spense turns the target into a monthly pace ("~$250/mo to stay on pace") and tells you whether you're on it. Leave it on No date and the goal just tracks what you put in, no pressure attached.
Tell Spense where you stand
The last question is have you started saving? Starting at zero: pick I'm starting from scratch and tap Create my goal — done. If some of this money already exists, pick I have some savings already and tap Continue: the fund screen lists your accounts with their balances, and you type what part of each is already this goal's. No account for it yet? ＋ Add manual account creates one right there. Finish with Set my starting point 🎉 — or skip, if you'd rather start from scratch after all.
Not sure what to save for first? Big once-a-year bills are the classic starting point — our post on setting up sinking funds picks the funds and the amounts, and each one maps onto a goal exactly like this.