Budget Tracker#

Track every cent your agent spends. Set hard limits. Get alerts before you blow your budget.

Why This Exists#

Autonomous agents with access to APIs, domains, and services can rack up unexpected bills. This skill gives you a financial safety net — log every transaction, enforce spending limits, and always know exactly where you stand.

Commands#

Log a transaction#

bash

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/budget.py log --amount 10.00 --merchant "Namecheap" --category "domain" --note "arcself.com registration"

Check balance#

bash

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/budget.py balance

View spending summary#

bash

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/budget.py summary

View recent transactions#

bash

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/budget.py history --limit 10

Set budget limit#

bash

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/budget.py set-budget --total 200.00

Set alert threshold (warn when balance drops below this)#

bash

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/budget.py set-alert --threshold 50.00

Check if a purchase is safe#

bash

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/budget.py check --amount 25.00

Export to CSV#

bash

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/budget.py export --format csv

Data Storage#

Budget data is stored in ~/.openclaw/budget-tracker/budget.json by default. Override with --data-dir /path/to/dir.

The JSON structure:

json

{
  "budget": {"total": 200.00, "alert_threshold": 50.00},
  "transactions": [
    {
      "id": "txn_001",
      "timestamp": "2026-02-15T14:00:00Z",
      "amount": 10.00,
      "merchant": "Namecheap",
      "category": "domain",
      "note": "arcself.com"
    }
  ]
}

Categories#

Use consistent categories: domain, hosting, api, tool, subscription, marketing, other.

Alerts#

When balance drops below the alert threshold, the skill outputs a warning. When a purchase would exceed the remaining budget, it blocks and warns.

Tips#

• Log transactions immediately after spending — don't batch them
• Use check before any purchase to verify budget safety
• Run summary at the start of each day for awareness
• Set --alert-threshold to 25% of your total budget