thethriftledger

Guides / Getting started

Your first budget

One page, one month.

5 min read

Your first budget doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to exist.

Steps

  1. Write your take-home pay for the month at the top
  2. List fixed costs and their amounts
  3. Set amounts for flexible costs, based on your tracking
  4. Set an amount for savings, even a small one
  5. Subtract: the result should be zero or more

Then

Check in once a week and adjust. A budget gets better every month you use it.

General educational information, not personal financial advice. The Thrift Ledger isn't paid by any bank, lender or budgeting app.