Table of contents
Step 1: Get Set UpStep 2: Invite You PartnerStep 3: Add & Track Bills and SubscriptionsStep 4: Share Your TransactionsStep 5: Set Your Spending CycleStep 6: Track Spending & Categories Step 7: Keep it Fair with the IOU TrackerStep 8: See (& Grow) Your Net WorthQuick Start: Set up in 5 StepsWhat You Need Before
You Begin
To get going, you’ll need about 5–10 minutes and a little undivided attention from you and your partner.
Here’s what you’ll want to have ready:
• Your login details for accounts that you don’t have an app for (don’t worry, we’ll never see them)
• Your partner (optional but highly recommended)
• Your drink of choice (tea, coffee, something stronger — no judgement)
First things first.
Rule #1. Lumio is made up of two spaces:
• Private Space : for your personal finances
• Shared Space : for everything you manage together
Rule #2: You are always in control of what you share.
Now let’s get you started…
Step 1: Get Set Up
• Download Lumio and create your account. Look out for a verification email to confirm it's really you.
• Going forward, you can log in with Face ID (because typing passwords is so 2020).
Next, let’s connect your main spending account:
• Tap ‘Connect an account’.
• Search or scroll to find your bank.
•Select your bank, confirm whether it’s a Personal or Joint account, and follow the prompts.
• You’ll be taken securely to your banking app or website to approve the connection.
Important:
• We partner with Moneyhub, who are FCA-regulated.
• We never see or store your bank login details.
• Lumio is fully FCA registered and GDPR compliant. Security is non-negotiable for us.(Learn more about our security here.)
⚡️ Pro tip:
• Connect any bank accounts or credit cards you regularly use — including Joint Accounts, Amex, Barclaycard, or Capital One.
• This gives you the full picture and helps us do our best work. You won’t share anything unless you opt to.
Joint account?
Tell us during setup — we’ll treat it like the third wheel it deserves to be (lovingly, of course).
Step 2: Invite Your Partner
• Send your partner a private invite link — or show them a QR code if they’re sitting right next to you.
• They’ll create their own account, link their own accounts, and join your Shared Space automatically.
• They'll also have their own Private Space for personal finances.
⚡️ Top tip:
• Allow Lumio notifications. We’ll only send you genuinely useful updates — like when your partner joins, when bills change, or when a sneaky unexpected transaction pops up.
That’s setup done. Time for the magic. ✨
Step 3: Add & Track Bills and Subscriptions
Once your accounts are connected, Lumio gets straight to work identifying your Recurring Costs — bills, subscriptions, and regular payments.
• Look out for a pop-up prompting you to review your recurring costs.
• Check through the list. If we mistake your favourite coffee shop for a recurring cost (it happens), simply untick it.
• Confirm the list.
Want to share certain bills with your partner?
Tap the eye icon next to a bill:
• 👁 Blue Eye = Shared
• 🚫 Line-through Eye = Private
Shared bills stay shared — you won’t need to re-share them each month.
Find your recurring costs anytime in the Spending tab.
We’ll keep suggesting new ones as they appear.
Step 4: Share Your Transactions
Managing money together means having a clear view of who’s spending what.
You can easily share any personal transaction into your Shared Space:
Three easy ways to share:
1. Tinder-style transaction review — swipe right to share, left to keep private (yes, really)
2. Transaction screen — tap ‘Share transactions’
3. Press and hold — one-off or bulk share any expense
Once shared, transactions will appear in your Shared Space under Everyday Spending or Recurring Costs, depending on what they are. More on this in Step 6.
Step 5: Set Your Spending Cycle
Everyone manages money a little differently — month-to-month, payday-to-payday, week-to-week.
Lumio lets you set your cycle to match your real life:
• Head to the Spending tab.
• Tap the date range below the carousel.
• Tap ‘Set Cycle’ in the top right corner and pick your start date.
Now your spending and budgets will align perfectly with your payday or chosen cycle.
Step 6: Track Spending & Categories
Your spending in Lumio falls into two main groups:
• Everyday Spending — groceries, nights out, impulse buys
• Recurring Costs — bills, subscriptions, regular payments
You’ll also see a Total Spent figure (Everyday Spending + Recurring Costs).
Lumio automatically categorises each transaction — but you can:
• Change categories if needed
• Create your own custom categories
⚡️ Top Tip:
Big retailers like Amazon often need a bit of manual sorting!In the Shared Space, you’ll see who paid for what across all categories.
Step 7: Keep it Fair with the IOU Tracker
When you and your partner are splitting bills, Lumio’s IOU Tracker keeps it clear and drama-free.
• See exactly who owes who, and how much.
• Adjust your split (50:50, 60:40, 70:30 — whatever works for you).
• Settle up when needed, directly in the app or outside it (then mark it settled).
Find it:
• Go to the Spending tab of your Shared Space.
• Swipe to the end of the carousel to find the IOU Tracker. No more awkward chats.
No more spreadsheets. Just fair, simple money management.
Step 8: See (and Grow) Your Net Worth
Your Net Worth = Everything you own - Everything you owe
Lumio brings it all together, so you get a real-time snapshot — solo or together.
To track all your assets and liabilities:
• Go to the Accounts tab.
•Tap ‘Connect Account’ or ‘Add Offline Account’ (for things like property, cars, or rare Beanie Baby collections — hey, we’re not judging).
• Choose the account type: savings, mortgage, loan, investment, property, etc.
• Confirm if you want to keep it Private or make Shared.
You can even filter which accounts to include when comparing how your net worth changes over time.
