Family Budgeting & Shared Slices

Budget together, not separately. Cake Budget’s Family tier enables collaborative budgeting with shared slices, letting families manage shared expenses like rent, groceries, and utilities while maintaining privacy for personal spending.

Note: Shared slices feature is under active development. Family member management is available now, with slice sharing coming soon.

What is Family Budgeting?

One subscription, collaborative budgeting for up to 3 people:

Family Subscription ($20/month):

• Primary account holder + 2 additional family members
• Each person has their own Cake Budget account
• Private slices and transactions by default
• Opt-in sharing for specific slices
• Shared visibility only for slices you choose to share

How It Works

Step 1: Invite Family Members

Available Now:

1. Upgrade to Family tier ($20/month)
2. Navigate to Settings → Family Members
3. Click “Invite Family Member”
4. Enter their email address
5. They receive an invitation email
6. They create their own Cake Budget account
7. Automatically linked under your family subscription

Each family member gets:

• Their own login credentials
• Their own bank connections (within family limits)
• Their own private slices
• Their own transactions
• Their own automation rules

Step 2: Share Slices (Coming Soon)

Slice sharing feature under active development:

1. Slice owner clicks “Share Slice” button
2. Selects which family members to share with
3. Configures permissions:
   • View slice details (always enabled)
   • Assign transactions to slice
   • Move funds in/out of slice
   • Modify slice settings
4. Family members see shared slice in their Slices page
5. All activity is tracked per person

Step 3: Collaborate on Shared Expenses

How shared slices work:

Rent Slice (Shared):

Owner: Parent
Shared with: Spouse
Target: $1,800/month

Parent's transactions:
- Assigns $900 of transactions to Rent
- Contribution: $900

Spouse's transactions:
- Assigns $900 of transactions to Rent
- Contribution: $900

Total: $1,800 funded
Balance: Everyone sees it's fully funded

Groceries Slice (Shared):

Owner: Spouse
Shared with: Parent, Teenager
Target: $600/month

Spouse: $250 in grocery transactions
Parent: $200 in grocery transactions
Teenager: $150 in grocery transactions

Slice shows:
- Total: $600 (fully funded)
- Breakdown: Spouse 42%, Parent 33%, Teenager 25%

Key Features

Individual Privacy

What stays private:

• ❌ Personal bank accounts and balances
• ❌ Private slices (not shared)
• ❌ Transactions assigned to personal slices
• ❌ Personal Safe-to-Spend amount
• ❌ Personal automation rules

What’s shared (only for shared slices):

• ✅ Slice balance and target
• ✅ Transactions assigned to the shared slice
• ✅ Contribution breakdown per person
• ✅ Funding status and On Track projection

Example:

Parent's Account:
- Private: Personal Shopping slice ($200)
- Private: Hobbies slice ($150)
- Shared: Rent slice (see everyone's contributions)
- Shared: Groceries slice (see everyone's contributions)

Parent CANNOT see:
- Spouse's personal slices
- Teenager's bank accounts
- Anyone's private transactions

Contribution Tracking

Every action is tracked per person:

What’s tracked:

• Transaction assignments (who assigned what)
• Manual fund transfers (who moved money in/out)
• Funding schedule contributions (from whose paycheck)
• Auto-contributions (from whose account)

Contribution breakdown shows:

• Total per person
• Percentage of slice balance
• Recent activity timeline
• Fair share calculation (if configured)

Example:

Utilities Slice:
- Total balance: $300
- Target: $300

Contributions:
- Sarah: $180 (60%)
- Mike: $120 (40%)

Recent Activity:
- Oct 15: Sarah assigned $80 electric bill
- Oct 10: Mike assigned $60 internet bill
- Oct 1: Sarah auto-contribution $100

Flexible Permissions

Slice owner controls who can do what:

View Only:

• See slice balance and target
• See all transactions assigned to slice
• See contribution breakdown
• Cannot make changes

Assign Transactions:

• All View Only permissions
• Assign their own transactions to the slice
• Cannot move funds or change settings

Full Access:

• All permissions
• Move funds in/out of slice
• Modify slice settings
• Create rules for the slice
• Set up funding schedules

Example Use Cases:

Rent Slice:
- Parent (owner): Full Access
- Spouse: Assign Transactions (can add rent payments)
- Teenager: View Only (see household contribution status)

Vacation Fund:
- Parent (owner): Full Access
- Spouse: Full Access (equal planning rights)
- Kids: Assign Transactions (contribute birthday money)

Real-World Family Scenarios

Scenario 1: Dual-Income Household

Setup:

Shared Slices:
- Rent: $1,800/month (both contribute)
- Groceries: $600/month (both shop)
- Utilities: $300/month (combined bills)
- Vacation Fund: $500/month (save together)

Private Slices:
Each person has:
- Personal Shopping
- Entertainment
- Individual savings goals

How it works:

• Paychecks auto-allocate to shared slices via funding schedules
• Each person assigns their transactions to shared or personal slices
• Contribution breakdown shows fairness
• Private spending stays private

Result: Transparent shared expenses, maintained individual autonomy.

Scenario 2: Parent + Adult Children

Setup:

Shared Slices:
- Rent: $2,400/month (split 3 ways)
- Utilities: $200/month (split 3 ways)
- Groceries: $800/month (whoever shops)

Each person's contributions:
- Parent 1: $1,000/month
- Parent 2: $1,000/month
- Adult Child: $400/month

How it works:

• Each person funds their share
• Contribution tracking shows who’s paid
• No need for Venmo/cash exchanges
• Clear visibility into household expenses

Scenario 3: Unequal Income Couple

Setup:

Agreement: Split expenses 60/40 based on income

Shared Slices:
- Rent: $1,500/month
  - Partner A: 60% = $900
  - Partner B: 40% = $600

- Groceries: $500/month
  - Partner A: 60% = $300
  - Partner B: 40% = $200

Contribution tracking shows if split is maintained.

How it works:

• Set target amounts reflecting agreed split
• Contribution breakdown verifies fairness
• Adjust if one person is over/under contributing
• No awkward money conversations

Privacy & Security

Data Separation

Each family member has:

• Separate bank connections
• Separate login credentials
• Separate transaction history
• Separate Safe-to-Spend calculations
• Separate automation rules

Shared slices don’t expose:

• Other members’ bank balances
• Other members’ private slices
• Other members’ personal transactions
• Other members’ overall financial picture

You only see:

• Transactions assigned to shared slices
• Contributions to shared slices
• Shared slice balances

Permission Control

Slice owner has full control:

• Who can access the slice
• What permissions each person has
• Can revoke access anytime
• Can change permissions anytime

Example:

Teenager given "View Only" on Rent slice:
- Can see: Rent is paid, balance is $1,800
- Cannot see: Parents' bank balances or income
- Cannot see: Parents' personal spending
- Cannot change: Anything about the slice

Family Subscription Details

What’s Included

Family Tier ($20/month or $200/year):

• All Budget Pro features
• Add up to 2 additional family members (3 total)
• Share unlimited slices
• 5 bank institutions (vs. 2 in Pro)
• 12 total accounts (vs. 5 in Pro)
• Collaborative budgeting tools

Connection Limits (Shared Across Family)

Total for all family members combined:

• 5 bank institutions
• 12 accounts

Example:

Parent 1:
- Chase (checking, savings) = 2 accounts
- Ally Bank (HYSA) = 1 account

Parent 2:
- Bank of America (checking, credit card) = 2 accounts
- Capital One (credit card) = 1 account

Teenager:
- Local Credit Union (checking) = 1 account

Total: 4 institutions, 7 accounts
Result: Within limits ✅

Managing Family Members

Primary subscriber can:

• Invite family members
• Remove family members
• See who’s connected
• Manage subscription

Family members can:

• Accept/decline invitations
• Leave the family subscription anytime
• Maintain their own account independently

If primary cancels:

• Family members lose access when subscription ends
• Each can subscribe individually if desired
• Historical data preserved for 90 days

Use Cases

Household Bill Management

Problem: Roommates or couples splitting bills manually via Venmo

Solution:

• Create shared slices for all bills (rent, utilities, internet)
• Everyone assigns their portion
• Contribution tracking shows who’s paid
• No more Venmo requests or IOUs

Family Expense Coordination

Problem: Parents want visibility into teenager’s spending on family expenses

Solution:

• Share “Groceries” and “Gas” slices with teenager
• Teenager assigns transactions to shared slices
• Parents see contributions in real-time
• Teaching moment: budgeting within limits

Savings Goals Together

Problem: Saving for family vacation but tracking separately

Solution:

• Create shared “Vacation Fund” slice
• Both partners contribute
• See combined progress toward goal
• Celebrate milestones together

Transparent Contribution

Problem: One partner feels they contribute more

Solution:

• Contribution tracking shows exact breakdown
• Data-driven conversations about fairness
• Adjust agreements based on actual numbers
• Remove resentment with transparency

Current Implementation Status

✅ Available Now

Family Member Management:

• Invite up to 2 family members
• Each member gets their own account
• Invitation system via email
• Family member list in Settings
• Remove or manage members

Account Structure:

• Separate logins for each member
• Individual bank connections
• Private slices by default
• Shared connection limits (5 institutions, 12 accounts total)

🚧 Under Active Development

Shared Slices Feature:

• Share specific slices with family members
• Configure permissions per member
• Contribution tracking
• Activity timeline
• Shared slice visibility in Slices page

Expected Launch: Coming soon

Progress: Backend complete (database, GraphQL, models), frontend UI in development

Getting Started with Family Budgeting

Step 1: Upgrade to Family Tier

1. Navigate to Settings → Subscription
2. Click “Upgrade to Family”
3. Complete payment ($20/month)
4. Family features activated immediately

Step 2: Invite Family Members

1. Navigate to Settings → Family Members
2. Click “Invite Family Member”
3. Enter their email address
4. They receive invitation
5. They create their Cake Budget account
6. Automatically linked to your subscription

Step 3: Each Member Sets Up

Every family member:

• Connects their own bank accounts
• Creates their own slices
• Sets up their own automation

Privacy maintained: Everyone’s data is separate by default.

Step 4: Share Slices (When Available)

Once slice sharing launches:

• Decide which slices to share (rent, groceries, utilities)
• Share with specific family members
• Set appropriate permissions
• Start collaborative budgeting!

Common Questions

Q: How many family members can I add? A: Up to 2 additional members (3 total including you).

Q: Can family members see my bank accounts? A: No. Bank connections and account balances are completely private.

Q: Can family members see my personal transactions? A: No. Only transactions assigned to shared slices are visible. Everything else is private.

Q: What if we go over the 5 institution limit? A: You’ll be prompted to remove a connection before adding more. Manage strategically across all family members.

Q: Can I remove a family member later? A: Yes. Remove from Settings → Family Members. They lose access to shared slices but keep their personal account.

Q: What happens if I downgrade from Family to Pro? A: Family members lose access when subscription ends. Shared slices revert to your private ownership.

Q: Do all family members need to pay? A: No. One Family subscription ($20/month) covers all 3 members.

Q: Can family members have different subscription statuses? A: No. Everyone is on the same Family subscription. If it lapses, everyone loses access.

Related Guides

• Reference: Pricing and Plans - Family tier details
• How to Create Your First Slice - Creating slices to share
• Reference: Security & Privacy - How family data is protected

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Start budgeting together: Upgrade to Family tier at trycakebudget.com