diff --git a/MoneyMap/Pages/CategoryMappings.cshtml b/MoneyMap/Pages/CategoryMappings.cshtml
index 7df633c..e91eed0 100644
--- a/MoneyMap/Pages/CategoryMappings.cshtml
+++ b/MoneyMap/Pages/CategoryMappings.cshtml
@@ -146,9 +146,9 @@ else
                 </div>
                 <div class="modal-body">
                     <div class="mb-3">
-                        <label asp-for="NewMapping.Category" class="form-label">Category</label>
+                        <label for="addCategory" class="form-label">Category</label>
                         <div class="position-relative">
-                            <input asp-for="NewMapping.Category" id="addCategory" class="form-control" placeholder="e.g., Online shopping" autocomplete="off" />
+                            <input name="model.Category" id="addCategory" class="form-control" placeholder="e.g., Online shopping" autocomplete="off" />
                             <div id="addCategoryDropdown" class="dropdown-menu" style="width: 100%; max-height: 200px; overflow-y: auto;">
                                 @foreach (var group in Model.CategoryGroups)
                                 {
@@ -156,20 +156,17 @@ else
                                 }
                             </div>
                         </div>
-                        <span asp-validation-for="NewMapping.Category" class="text-danger"></span>
                     </div>
 
                     <div class="mb-3">
-                        <label asp-for="NewMapping.Pattern" class="form-label">Pattern</label>
-                        <input asp-for="NewMapping.Pattern" id="addPattern" class="form-control" placeholder="e.g., TARGET.COM" />
-                        <span asp-validation-for="NewMapping.Pattern" class="text-danger"></span>
+                        <label for="addPattern" class="form-label">Pattern</label>
+                        <input name="model.Pattern" id="addPattern" class="form-control" placeholder="e.g., TARGET.COM" />
                     </div>
 
                     <div class="mb-3">
-                        <label asp-for="NewMapping.Priority" class="form-label">Priority</label>
-                        <input asp-for="NewMapping.Priority" type="number" id="addPriority" class="form-control" value="0" />
+                        <label for="addPriority" class="form-label">Priority</label>
+                        <input name="model.Priority" type="number" id="addPriority" class="form-control" value="0" />
                         <div class="form-text">Higher priority = checked first (0 = normal, 100 = high, 200 = critical)</div>
-                        <span asp-validation-for="NewMapping.Priority" class="text-danger"></span>
                     </div>
 
                     <div class="form-text">
@@ -195,12 +192,12 @@ else
                     <button type="button" class="btn-close" data-bs-dismiss="modal" aria-label="Close"></button>
                 </div>
                 <div class="modal-body">
-                    <input type="hidden" asp-for="EditMapping.Id" id="editId" />
+                    <input type="hidden" name="model.Id" id="editId" />
 
                     <div class="mb-3">
-                        <label asp-for="EditMapping.Category" class="form-label">Category</label>
+                        <label for="editCategory" class="form-label">Category</label>
                         <div class="position-relative">
-                            <input asp-for="EditMapping.Category" id="editCategory" class="form-control" autocomplete="off" />
+                            <input name="model.Category" id="editCategory" class="form-control" autocomplete="off" />
                             <div id="editCategoryDropdown" class="dropdown-menu" style="width: 100%; max-height: 200px; overflow-y: auto;">
                                 @foreach (var group in Model.CategoryGroups)
                                 {
@@ -208,17 +205,16 @@ else
                                 }
                             </div>
                         </div>
-                        <span asp-validation-for="EditMapping.Category" class="text-danger"></span>
                     </div>
 
                     <div class="mb-3">
-                        <label asp-for="EditMapping.Pattern" class="form-label">Pattern</label>
-                        <input asp-for="EditMapping.Pattern" id="editPattern" class="form-control" />
+                        <label for="editPattern" class="form-label">Pattern</label>
+                        <input name="model.Pattern" id="editPattern" class="form-control" />
                     </div>
 
                     <div class="mb-3">
-                        <label asp-for="EditMapping.Priority" class="form-label">Priority</label>
-                        <input asp-for="EditMapping.Priority" type="number" id="editPriority" class="form-control" />
+                        <label for="editPriority" class="form-label">Priority</label>
+                        <input name="model.Priority" type="number" id="editPriority" class="form-control" />
                         <div class="form-text">Higher priority = checked first (0 = normal, 100 = high, 200 = critical)</div>
                     </div>
                 </div>
@@ -360,4 +356,4 @@ else
             }
         });
     </script>
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/MoneyMap/Pages/CategoryMappings.cshtml.cs b/MoneyMap/Pages/CategoryMappings.cshtml.cs
index 47747b4..c923925 100644
--- a/MoneyMap/Pages/CategoryMappings.cshtml.cs
+++ b/MoneyMap/Pages/CategoryMappings.cshtml.cs
@@ -25,12 +25,6 @@ namespace MoneyMap.Pages
         public int TotalMappings { get; set; }
         public int TotalCategories { get; set; }
 
-        [BindProperty]
-        public MappingEditModel NewMapping { get; set; } = new();
-
-        [BindProperty]
-        public MappingEditModel EditMapping { get; set; } = new();
-
         [TempData]
         public string? SuccessMessage { get; set; }
 
@@ -49,13 +43,8 @@ namespace MoneyMap.Pages
             return RedirectToPage();
         }
 
-        public async Task<IActionResult> OnPostAddMappingAsync()
+        public async Task<IActionResult> OnPostAddMappingAsync(AddMappingModel model)
         {
-            // Remove validation errors for EditMapping since we're not using it in this handler
-            ModelState.Remove("EditMapping.Category");
-            ModelState.Remove("EditMapping.Pattern");
-            ModelState.Remove("EditMapping.Priority");
-
             if (!ModelState.IsValid)
             {
                 ErrorMessage = "Please fill in all required fields.";
@@ -65,9 +54,9 @@ namespace MoneyMap.Pages
 
             var mapping = new CategoryMapping
             {
-                Category = NewMapping.Category.Trim(),
-                Pattern = NewMapping.Pattern.Trim(),
-                Priority = NewMapping.Priority
+                Category = model.Category.Trim(),
+                Pattern = model.Pattern.Trim(),
+                Priority = model.Priority
             };
 
             _db.CategoryMappings.Add(mapping);
@@ -77,13 +66,8 @@ namespace MoneyMap.Pages
             return RedirectToPage();
         }
 
-        public async Task<IActionResult> OnPostUpdateMappingAsync()
+        public async Task<IActionResult> OnPostUpdateMappingAsync(UpdateMappingModel model)
         {
-            // Remove validation errors for NewMapping since we're not using it in this handler
-            ModelState.Remove("NewMapping.Category");
-            ModelState.Remove("NewMapping.Pattern");
-            ModelState.Remove("NewMapping.Priority");
-
             if (!ModelState.IsValid)
             {
                 ErrorMessage = "Please fill in all required fields.";
@@ -91,16 +75,16 @@ namespace MoneyMap.Pages
                 return Page();
             }
 
-            var mapping = await _db.CategoryMappings.FindAsync(EditMapping.Id);
+            var mapping = await _db.CategoryMappings.FindAsync(model.Id);
             if (mapping == null)
             {
                 ErrorMessage = "Mapping not found.";
                 return RedirectToPage();
             }
 
-            mapping.Category = EditMapping.Category.Trim();
-            mapping.Pattern = EditMapping.Pattern.Trim();
-            mapping.Priority = EditMapping.Priority;
+            mapping.Category = model.Category.Trim();
+            mapping.Pattern = model.Pattern.Trim();
+            mapping.Priority = model.Priority;
 
             await _db.SaveChangesAsync();
 
@@ -150,15 +134,29 @@ namespace MoneyMap.Pages
             public int Count { get; set; }
         }
 
-        public class MappingEditModel
+        public class AddMappingModel
         {
-            public int Id { get; set; }
-
-            [Required]
+            [Required(ErrorMessage = "Category is required")]
             [StringLength(100)]
             public string Category { get; set; } = "";
 
+            [Required(ErrorMessage = "Pattern is required")]
+            [StringLength(200)]
+            public string Pattern { get; set; } = "";
+
+            public int Priority { get; set; } = 0;
+        }
+
+        public class UpdateMappingModel
+        {
             [Required]
+            public int Id { get; set; }
+
+            [Required(ErrorMessage = "Category is required")]
+            [StringLength(100)]
+            public string Category { get; set; } = "";
+
+            [Required(ErrorMessage = "Pattern is required")]
             [StringLength(200)]
             public string Pattern { get; set; } = "";
 
diff --git a/MoneyMap/Pages/Index.cshtml b/MoneyMap/Pages/Index.cshtml
index 4ed5abd..f25cac3 100644
--- a/MoneyMap/Pages/Index.cshtml
+++ b/MoneyMap/Pages/Index.cshtml
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@
 @if (Model.TopCategories.Any())
 {
     <div class="card shadow-sm mb-3">
-        <div class="card-header">Top expense categories (last 90 days)</div>
+        <div class="card-header">
+            Top expense categories (last 90 days)
+            <small class="text-muted">· excludes transfers</small>
+        </div>
         <div class="card-body p-0">
             <table class="table table-sm mb-0 table-hover">
                 <thead>
diff --git a/MoneyMap/Pages/Index.cshtml.cs b/MoneyMap/Pages/Index.cshtml.cs
index ab5fcf7..b55e0bd 100644
--- a/MoneyMap/Pages/Index.cshtml.cs
+++ b/MoneyMap/Pages/Index.cshtml.cs
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ namespace MoneyMap.Pages
 
             return await _db.Transactions
                 .Where(t => t.Date >= since && t.Amount < 0)
+                .ExcludeTransfers() // Exclude credit card payments and transfers
                 .GroupBy(t => t.Category ?? "")
                 .Select(g => new IndexModel.TopCategoryRow
                 {
@@ -236,7 +237,7 @@ namespace MoneyMap.Pages
             if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(cardLast4))
                 return "";
 
-            return $"•••• {cardLast4}";
+            return $"���� {cardLast4}";
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/MoneyMap/Services/TransactionFilters.cs b/MoneyMap/Services/TransactionFilters.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5075121
--- /dev/null
+++ b/MoneyMap/Services/TransactionFilters.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+using System.Linq;
+using MoneyMap.Models;
+
+namespace MoneyMap.Services
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Helper class for filtering transactions in queries
+    /// </summary>
+    public static class TransactionFilters
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Categories that represent transfers between accounts, not actual spending.
+        /// These should be excluded from spending reports and analytics.
+        /// </summary>
+        public static readonly string[] TransferCategories = new[]
+        {
+            "Credit Card Payment",
+            "Banking" // Includes ATM withdrawals, transfers, fees that offset elsewhere
+        };
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Filter to exclude transfer transactions from spending queries
+        /// </summary>
+        public static IQueryable<Transaction> ExcludeTransfers(this IQueryable<Transaction> query)
+        {
+            return query.Where(t => !TransferCategories.Contains(t.Category ?? ""));
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Check if a category represents a transfer (not actual spending)
+        /// </summary>
+        public static bool IsTransferCategory(string? category)
+        {
+            return TransferCategories.Contains(category ?? "");
+        }
+    }
+}