Understand Your Paycheck and Budget

For a long time, I used to see money as just something I earned to survive — pay bills, buy food, repeat. But at some point, I realized that money isn’t just paper or numbers. It’s time from your life. And when you think of it that way, it becomes easier to treat it with more care.

That’s when I started applying a simple but powerful method to manage every paycheck I received — no matter how small or how often I got paid. It helped me take control of my money and feel less stressed at the end of each month.

💡 The 50/30/20 Rule

Here’s how I break down my income now:

• 50% goes to needs — rent, groceries, bills, transportation, medicine

• 30% goes to wants — eating out, subscriptions, fun, small treats

• 20% goes to financial progress — savings, debt payments, investments

This method worked for me because it’s flexible, realistic, and doesn’t require advanced financial knowledge. You just need to be honest about your spending and committed to improving little by little.

Even if you can’t hit these percentages exactly, starting with an estimate can make a big difference.

💬 One thing that helped me was tracking my weekly spending with just a notebook and my phone calculator. The more aware I became, the easier it was to decide where my money should go — not where it accidentally ended up.

 

👉 Want to go further? Learn about the Avalanche Method to pay off debt faster