Give Each Category a Rule.
A fixed amount, a share of your income or your usual average. Set it once; Lightning works out the amount every month and shows what is left each day.
Build a monthly budgetBudget your salary
From Pay Day to Safe to Spend.
Pay the bills first, plan each category, keep a cushion. What is left is yours to spend.
The picture
Pay Day to Safe to Spend, Line by Line.
The month on 2026-10-04. Each line has a guide below.
Safe to Spend
Until the next salary, 2026-11-01
- Free cashYour cash, less reserves and bills due151,701
- Due before paydayBills and loan payments, before the next salary−6,460
- Gam’eya instalmentsBefore the next income−2,000
- Budget until paydayWhat this month’s plan still allows−16,558
- Saving for goalsThis month’s share of your goals−5,500
- Emergency fund top-upThis month’s share of rebuilding it−8,895
- Safe to spend112,288
The pieces
Six Things That Build Your Budget.
The short answer to each is here. The full guide is one tap away.
Find the Spending You Cannot See.
A salary runs out early when commitments come out on their own, small costs repeat, money sits in several places and some costs arrive in seasons. Put the whole month in one place and the gap shows.
Why the salary runs out, with a 20,000 EGP splitBuild on Your Lowest Reliable Income.
If your pay changes, base your commitments on the lowest income you can rely on, not on your best month. When a large payment arrives, this month’s commitments come first, then a reserve for the quiet months.
Budget irregular incomeKnow What Is Safe to Spend Until Payday.
Your cash, less bills and loan payments, what this month’s plan still needs and your emergency fund top-up. That is the number to spend against, and the forecast shows the next three months.
Work out safe to spendAim for Three to Six Months of Essentials.
Multiply your essential monthly spending by 3 to 6, start small and build in stages. Lightning adds a monthly top-up to your plan until you get there.
Size an emergency fundGood questions
Budgeting, Answered
Questions only the whole topic answers.
Where do I start if I want to budget my salary?
Start with what is already promised: bills, instalments and loan payments. Then give each category a rule, and check what is safe to spend. The guides above cover each step.
Is a budget the same as the forecast?
No. A budget is a plan for this month’s categories. The forecast carries your free cash forward with what is scheduled, so it looks three months ahead. Safe to spend reads both.
What if my pay is not the same every month?
Base your commitments on the lowest income you can rely on, not on your best month. The irregular income guide shows the order to split a large payment.
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