How do you actually stick to a budget? Ive tried everything

Personal Finance

Ive downloaded every app - Mint, YNAB, spreadsheets, the envelope system. I make a budget at the beginning of each month and by week 2 its out the window. I make decent money (k) but Im always broke by the last week of the month. What am I doing wrong? How do you actually make budgeting stick?

Ryan Robinson

3 Answers

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I was you 3 years ago. Heres what finally worked:

The problem with most budgets: theyre too detailed and require too much daily tracking. Life happens and you give up.

What worked for me - the anti-budget:

Calculate your fixed expenses (rent, utilities, subscriptions, debt payments)

Decide your savings goal (pay yourself first)

Whatever is left = your spending money

The system:

Paycheck hits checking

Automatic transfer to savings IMMEDIATELY (not end of month)

Fixed bills auto-pay

Whats left is yours to spend however you want

I dont track every coffee or lunch. I just know if theres money in checking I can spend it, if its low I slow down. No guilt, no spreadsheets.

Key insight: You dont have a budgeting problem, you have an automation problem. Remove the need for willpower by making savings automatic before you see the money.

Brandon Harris

The only thing that worked for me was separate checking accounts. Rent/bills account, spending account, savings. Paycheck auto-splits. When spending account is empty I stop spending. No tracking needed.

Amanda Wilson

YNAB finally clicked for me after failing with Mint and spreadsheets. Its different because you only budget money you actually have. Costs /year but paid for itself in month one honestly.