diff --git a/SKILL.md b/SKILL.md
index 660e5aa..c9b2e42 100644
--- a/SKILL.md
+++ b/SKILL.md
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ Configuration is stored in:
 - `~/.config/actual-budget/config` — Server URL, sync ID
 - `~/.config/actual-budget/password` — Server password (chmod 600)
 
+Override the config directory by setting `ACTUAL_BUDGET_CONFIG_DIR` environment variable.
+
 ## Using the Helper Functions
 
 Source the helper script:
@@ -113,3 +115,20 @@ actual_query '{"table":"transactions","filter":{"date":{"$gte":"2026-03-01"}},"s
 - **"@actual-app/api not installed"** — Run `cd <skill-scripts-dir> && npm install @actual-app/api`
 - **Connection errors** — Check server URL and password in `~/.config/actual-budget/config`
 - **Empty results** — Verify the sync ID matches an active budget (`actual_budgets`)
+
+## Presentation Guidelines
+
+- Format currency with dollar signs and commas ($1,234.56)
+- Amounts are already in dollars — do not divide by 1000
+- Highlight categories over budget
+- Summarize before showing details — lead with the key insight
+- For transaction lists, show date, payee, category, and amount in a clean table
+- When computing frequency ("how often"), count unique dates, not transaction count
+- Verify arithmetic before presenting — sanity-check that "X out of Y" values are logically possible
+- Prefer concrete numbers over vague summaries
+
+## Privacy
+
+- Financial data is private to the family
+- Present data matter-of-factly without judgment
+- Do not modify transactions unless explicitly requested by Bill
diff --git a/scripts/actual-query.mjs b/scripts/actual-query.mjs
index 834d9d9..d9533e8 100644
--- a/scripts/actual-query.mjs
+++ b/scripts/actual-query.mjs
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ function output(data) {
   _origLog(JSON.stringify(data, null, 2));
 }
 
-const CONFIG_DIR = path.join(process.env.HOME, '.config', 'actual-budget');
+const CONFIG_DIR = process.env.ACTUAL_BUDGET_CONFIG_DIR
+  || path.join(process.env.HOME, '.config', 'actual-budget');
 const CONFIG_FILE = path.join(CONFIG_DIR, 'config');
 const PASSWORD_FILE = path.join(CONFIG_DIR, 'password');
 const DATA_DIR = path.join(CONFIG_DIR, 'data');