15 guides
Budgeting guides for beginners
Start at the top and work down, or jump to what you need. General education, not financial advice; nobody pays us to mention anything.
Start here
Why budget, take-home pay, tracking and sorting your spending.
- Why a budget helps (even if you hate the idea)
A budget is a plan, not a punishment.
- Work out your real take-home pay
Budget with what lands in your account, not your salary.
- Track your spending for 30 days
The fastest way to see where the money goes.
- Needs, wants and savings: sorting your spending
Three buckets that make any budget easier.
Budget methods
50/30/20, zero-based, envelopes and pay-yourself-first.
- The 50/30/20 budget
Half for needs, 30% for wants, 20% for savings: a simple starting point.
- Zero-based budgeting: give every dollar a job
Plan until "left to assign" reaches zero.
- The envelope method (cash or digital)
When the envelope is empty, that category is done for the month.
- Pay yourself first
Save on payday, then spend what's left.
Spending less
Subscriptions, impulse buys and bills that don't come every month.
- The 15-minute subscription check
Find the small monthly charges that add up.
- Tame impulse spending
Small speed bumps between wanting and buying.
- Plan for bills that don't come every month
Car registration, gifts, insurance: save a little each month.
Sticking with it
Check-ins, couples, bad months and irregular income.
- The monthly budget check-in
Twenty minutes a month keeps a budget working.
- Budgeting as a couple
Shared goals, clear roles and some money of your own.
- When your budget falls apart
A blown budget is information, not failure.
- Budgeting with irregular income
Budget on your lowest month and build a buffer.