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I use cash in envelopes for bills that are paid in person. Other bills are paid online. |
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I have one basic bank account for the purpose of direct deposit. |
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I use Evernote to make a summary divided into "fixed" and "variable" expenses. I realized later that OneDrive is fixed and moved it into the appropriate category. Once the bill is paid, I type in the amount, then put a * when it clears the bank. |
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I use Evernote to make a list of groceries in the pantry, freezer, and fridge. Taking inventory helps me to spend wisely. It also helps with meal planning. For example, I currently have a lot of carbs on-hand, but not enough solid protein. This is due to the gastroparesis diet I've been on, but this month, I have switched back to a low-fiber high protein diet. So looking at inventory, I know not to buy any carbs or condiments, but to put butter and soft meats on my shopping list. |
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I use Evernote to make a list of itemized expenses. This is why I hoard receipts for a month at a time. The expenses vary from time-to-time. This time it was fabric softener. Next time it'll be shampoo. Etc. |
I tried using other software, tables, and fancy templates, but they felt cluttered and unnecessary. My system looks basic and boring, but it works. I know what happens to my money, which is the point of budgeting. Since I review where each dollar goes, I am able to assess (and reassess to absolute death) my spending to see if and where I can make adjustments. The hard reality of budgeting social security income is seeing month after month that overspending is not really the issue. Most days, there just isn't enough money to cover everything to begin with.
I used to budget people's incomes for a living when I was a federal paralegal. I was required to take their paycheck stubs and force their take home pay into a spending plan. I had dealt with hundreds of clients by the time I was laid off. Between that experience and my parents' extreme penny pinching, I learned how to do this in my youth, and have been doing it ever since.
Minimalism isn't for everyone, but surely there's a system out there for everyone. This is the one that happens to work for me. Do whatever works for you!
