A budget is not a restriction; it is a plan you wrote instead of one that happens to you. The first version only needs three numbers: income, fixed costs, and what is left.
Part 01
The lesson
Track actual spending for a full month before judging yourself. Most men are surprised by one or two categories, and that surprise is the useful part.
Part 02
In practice
A simple split many people start from is needs, wants and future — the exact proportions matter less than reviewing them honestly each month.
Reflection
Questions to sit with
- 01Do you know exactly what you spent last month, or are you estimating?
- 02If your income stopped today, how long could your household continue?
- 03What are you actually building toward financially, and by when?
Put it into practice
Action points
- 01Track every expense for 30 days and categorise them at the end. Do not change your spending in week one — just observe.
- 02List every debt with its interest rate on a single page and choose a repayment order.