GOAL MATH
Your number under three return assumptions
Unspent money can be redirected. Growth requires a separate saving or investment decision.
Start with an illustration: redirect $250 at the end of every month for ten years. The contributions alone total $30,000. [1]
These figures assume monthly compounding, end-of-month contributions, and a constant nominal annual return. [1] They are before investment fees, taxes, and inflation. Investment fees reduce portfolio value. [2] A 4% or 7% return is an assumption, not a promise; actual returns can be lower or negative.
The missing transfer
Not spending $28 does not automatically invest $28. It leaves money available. Compounding begins only if you actually move money into an interest-bearing or investment account, and the result depends on the account and what happens afterward.
A one-time $28 contribution growing at a hypothetical 7% annually would be about $55 after ten years before fees, taxes, and inflation. That is arithmetic under stated assumptions, not a forecast.
A skipped order creates an option. Saving or investing turns the option into a plan.
Ordeal's goal bar records the amount you assign to a skipped order. It does not transfer, save, or invest money.