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Custom Pouches


What Custom Pouches Are

Custom Pouches are user-created pouches that hold money for a specific purpose.

Roo includes several built-in pouches, like Living, Bills, Savings, and the Debt Payback pouch. These cover the most common types of money in your plan.

Sometimes you may want a place for something more specific.

For example:

  • Travel
  • Home maintenance
  • Car replacement
  • Medical expenses
  • A large upcoming purchase

Custom Pouches let you create that place.

They simply give a name and a container to money you want to keep separate.


Why Custom Pouches Exist In Roo

Most spending works best when it stays simple.

That is why Roo groups everyday purchases in the Living Pouch instead of dozens of categories.

But some priorities are different.

Certain expenses:

  • Are larger
  • Happen less often
  • Or need intentional saving over time

Custom Pouches give those priorities their own space without adding complexity to everyday spending.

They help you protect money for things that matter.


How To Add A Custom Pouch

There are two screens that allow you to add a custom pouch: the pouches and the plan screens.

Add From Pouches Screen

  1. Open the Pouches page
  2. Tap the Add button
    1. When you tap Add, Roo shows three options:
      1. Move Pouch to Folder
      2. New Folder
      3. New Pouch
  3. Select New Pouch
  4. Enter a name for the pouch
  5. Choose an icon
  6. Tap Save

The pouch will now appear on the Pouches tab with your other pouches but will not automatically appear on the River on the plan screen.

If you want it to automatically receive funds with the Income River Plan you will need to add it to the River as well.

Add From Plan Screen

  1. Open the Plan page.
  2. Tap the (+) icon next to one of the sections of the River.
  3. Select an existing pouch, or tap Add to create a new pouch.
  4. Enter the amount you want the pouch to receive each month.
  5. Tap Save.

Once the pouch is added to the River, Roo will automatically send money to it when income arrives according to your plan. Make manual allocations to it from the Pouches screen.


Example: Roo Travel Pouch

I recently took a fun vacation that I had saved for using a custom pouch.

I created a Travel pouch on the Pouches screen. At first, I manually transferred some money to it from one of my other pouches. That helped me get started, but it was only a one-time transfer. I knew I needed to start saving regularly if I wanted to have enough for the trip.

So I opened my Plan screen and added the Travel pouch to the Other Pouches section of the River. That way, a small portion of my income would automatically flow into the pouch each time I was paid.

After that, I watched my travel fund grow a little bit with every paycheck.

As the trip got closer, I decided to speed up my savings. I added the Travel pouch to the Overflow section of the River so it could also receive any leftover funds.

The Travel pouch quietly grew over time. Because the money had a clear purpose, I knew not to spend it. Seeing the balance helped me prioritize my spending, and I enjoyed sending little bits of extra money I found to help it grow.

When the trip finally arrived, my vacation was awesome. It felt even more relaxing because I had already saved the money before I left.


FAQs

Does creating a pouch automatically send money to it?

No. Creating a pouch only creates a place to hold money.

If you want the pouch to receive money automatically when income arrives, you need to add it to your Income River Plan or create it directly on the River.

Once it is part of the River, Roo will send money to it based on your plan.

See also: Custom Pouches

What happens if I create the pouch from the River?

When you create a pouch directly from the River, it is automatically included in your Income River Plan.

That means it will begin receiving funds when income arrives. The pouch will also appear on your Pouches screen with your other pouches.

See also: Custom Pouches

Can I move money into a pouch manually?

Yes. You can transfer money between pouches at any time on the Pouches screen.

There are two ways to do this:

  1. Use the Transfer button at the top of the Pouches screen
  2. Click and drag the fund-giving pouch to the fund-receiving pouch

Manual transfers are useful when you want to add extra money to a pouch or adjust your priorities. Your River Plan handles automatic funding, while transfers let you make one-time adjustments.

See also: Custom Pouches


Common Mistakes


A Simple Way To Think About It

  • Living handles everyday spending
  • Bills handles scheduled payments
  • Custom Pouches hold intentional priorities

Custom Pouches give important money its own place without making daily life complicated.