Maybe a year or so ago, I stumbled across a You Tuber named The Budget Mom.  She has a website and sells some products and recently wrote a book.  She promotes a budgeting method called Budget By Paycheck.  I started using it and find it simple yet effective.  It is just a zero based budget for every paycheck.

Here is my planned budget for my paycheck this coming Friday:

I am just using Excel.  I had been throwing the odd dollars and cents leftover into a sinking fund called "House Down Payment".  As you know, both of my kids have purchased homes in southern Illinois.  I don't have a definite time line, but there is no question in my mind that my fondest wish is to be where they are.  However, the new recipient of every spare cent I have will now be my car loan.

Edit:  A few words about the line items in my budget ~

begin - I keep a 1k buffer in checking, just in case I need some quick access.

pr - My net payroll check.  My share of my health insurance premium and a 5% contribution to my 457 plan are already taken out.

from sf - Transfers in from my sinking funds to cover expenditures.

SB - I give SB $250 every payday.  He buys all of our groceries, buys gasoline for the generator, and pays our electric bill.  And Starlink internet.  Seeing this in writing, perhaps he and I need to discuss if this amount is sufficient.

sf - Automatic transfers to sinking funds, which happen a few days after payday.

cash - This is spending money, gas money, and misc things from the drug store (hair products, vitamins).  I don't always make it without putting a tank of gas or other item on the Citi MC.  

Roth - I contribute 10% of my gross to my Roth IRA.

life ins - Automatic deduction for my term life insurance premium.

WF Visa - I don't use this card, but SB has a second card in his wallet.  He uses it on occasion when I ask him to pick something up for me, or if he has run errands for me and I wish to buy him some gas.  It's just a convenient way for me to pay without us trading money.

Citi MC - This is the payment I will be making on payday.  Unfortunately, it is not the entire amount currently owed.  However, I have not yet been billed for these charges so I have some time yet to pay without owing interest.  I try to pay my balance to $0 every payday, whether it is due or not.  My phone bill, Netflix, and now Discovery Plus all are on autopay to this card.

CarMax - A car payment; the first of many.

end - The 1k buffer for next time.