How the sum works
The sum is simple and the app does it with your data: what comes in, minus what you already know will go out. What goes out is your fixed payments, like rent or utilities, your loan instalments, your card payments and what you still have left to spend in each budget.
What someone owes you isn't added on its own. If you think they'll pay you that month, you include it in what comes in; that way the simulation doesn't count on money that may not arrive.
If you have accounts in another currency, the simulation counts only your profile's currency and shows what you have in the others separately, so they never get mixed.
Ask the assistant “what if…?”
With the Personal plan, the assistant tries changes on your own month: spending less in a category, adding or dropping a fixed payment, buying something outright or in instalments, with or without interest, paying extra on a debt, once or every month, or setting aside a monthly amount for a goal.
The app works out the figures, not the AI: the assistant compares your month with and without the change and tells you the difference, like the months and interest you save with an extra payment. If it's missing something, such as how much or which debt, it asks instead of guessing.
Luca and the money that hasn't arrived yet
Luca, Oslo's banknote, looks after what comes in, with one rule: money that hasn't arrived is a plan, not a fact. That's why simulating logs nothing. Your accounts, your history and your number on Today stay the same.
When the money really arrives, you log it as usual and Today catches up. The simulation stays saved for the next time you want to look ahead.
Without the app, the calculators
If you don't use Oslo yet, our calculators let you do part of these sums without signing up: how long it takes to pay off a debt, whether the snowball or the avalanche suits you, and how to turn a monthly rate into an effective annual one.
Frequently asked questions
Where is “Simulate a month” and which plan do I need?
It's in the app, under More › Your money. You pick this month or next, type what you think will come in and see how you'd close it, with your fixed payments, instalments, cards and budgets already taken off. It comes with the Personal plan, the same one that includes the assistant.
Does simulating change my accounts or what I have left on Today?
No. Simulating doesn't log any transaction: your accounts, your history and your number on Today stay the same. Oslo only remembers the month and what you typed so you find it when you come back, and “Start over” clears it whenever you want.
What can I ask the assistant?
Things like “what if I spend less on restaurants?”, “what if I buy a TV in 12 instalments?” or “what if I pay a bit more on my card every month?”. The app works out the simulation, and the assistant compares your month with and without the change and explains the difference. It runs up to two simulations per answer.
Does the simulation count what people owe me?
Not on its own. If someone owes you and you think they'll pay that month, add it to what comes in. That way you decide which money to count on, and the simulation doesn't take for granted something that may not arrive.
How accurate is the simulation?
As accurate as what you've logged: it uses your fixed payments, your debts with their instalments and dates, your cards and your budgets. What isn't in Oslo doesn't show up, and what comes in is what you type. It's an estimate to help you decide, not a promise or financial advice.
