Budgeting guides

Practical, plain-English guides to budgeting — no jargon, no second job. Here's where to start.

How to budget by percentage (and let your paycheck do the math)

Assign each category a share of income, set caps, and let overflow handle the leftover — with a worked $4,000 example.

The 50/30/20 budget, explained — and how to stick to it

50% needs, 30% wants, 20% savings and debt: what goes where, the gray areas, when to bend the rule, and how to make it last.

Life after Mint: how to move your budget to something better

Export your data, weigh the main alternatives (YNAB, Monarch, Copilot, Taly), and pick your budget back up where you left off.

Zero-based budgeting, explained (and an easier way to do it)

Give every dollar a job — how zero-based budgeting works, the honest pros and cons, and a lighter way to get the same benefit.

How to budget on an irregular income

Freelance, commission, tips, or gig income? A six-step strategy with a baseline, a one-month buffer, and percentage budgeting.

YNAB vs Taly: two ways to tell your money what to do

Zero-based, hands-on budgeting vs percentages that split each paycheck automatically — a fair look at which fits how you think.

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