How To Make Your First Budget (At Any Income)

Here is the second episode of The College Student's Guide To Money! In this episode, Chelsea walks you through everything you need to know to make your first budget, no matter how much money you have coming in.
How to make a budget spreadsheet: thefinancialdiet.com/10-easy-...
The 50/20/30 rule: www.thebalance.com/the-50-30-...
The number everyone should know even if you hate budgeting: thefinancialdiet.com/number-a...
The Financial Diet site:
www.thefinancialdiet.com
Facebook: / thefinancialdiet
Twitter: / tfdiet
Instagram: thefinancia...

[@thefinancialdiet]

Make sure to grab your ticket for our first virtual workshop on Thursday, July 9, featuring a conversation with Chelsea and Ismat Mangla that will help you build a sustainable budget, while navigating this chaotic year: bit.ly/TFDTickets.

[@xDenituUx]

I'd like to know how to make a budget when you an have an inflation in your country between 40 and 60% every year. For real. I'm struggling so much. What i budget for today, in two months is useless. Is there any math function I could use? Thank you.

[@lydia5253]

Hi! Is the workshop geared towards your US audience? And is there a limit for participants or other details ensuring interactivity? Thank you!

[@AlexRamirez-dn5rr]

. Yes dear

[@AlexRamirez-dn5rr]

Yes

[@geneveiveharper]

"Waiting til you're rich to have a budget is like waiting til you're married to start dating." Love it!!!

[@psychicbyinternet]

Also how can you get rich if you don't budget? Maybe gambling/stonks but otherwise I don't know.

[@brendamoreno661]

right! sent chills down my spine

[@pri.sci.lla.]

I’m on my way to graduate debt free but learning to budget has been huge for me! Tracking your spending is super important.

[@nneekaestelle4732]

Congratulations 🎉

[@Allycat11223]

Samee

[@mikeg9b]

After you eliminate your debt, shift your focus to increasing your net worth.

[@user-ce1kw2ss5f]

You are right. Try to nap when you're distressed and tired using this awesome nap music Therapy, try it yourself, it works : kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4mQc6GvosZkZsk

[@MarielaMerino]

I’ve cut my expenses drastically during the pandemic. It’s amazing to see how much money was being spent unnecessarily! I’m much more mindful about purchases now

[@AdrienneInvests]

Same! No commuting has saved me loads

[@Allycat11223]

It’s crazy how comfortable we used to be spending money

[@cspann33]

Oh my! It’s the same with me. After the lock down I realize how I was always shopping 🛍 at my favorite retail stores almost weekly. I wasn’t doing online shopping and saw the difference in account. Mind blowing.

[@lindsay3917]

Thanks for this! Budgeting is often seen as a way to save more money, but for me, it really helped me to learn to spend it. I'm typically very frugal and try to spend as little as possible. I found that if I was careful, I was able to afford horseback riding lessons (a lifelong dream) a few months of the year while still saving. It's a huge relief to know if you're meeting your saving goals, instead of categorizing every splurge as bad.

[@PierceJordan]

Budgeting should be focused on and taught way more in schools. Thanks for sharing this video!

[@littleashes28]

I’d been trying to budget since 2015, and although I always managed to pay my bills, I never found myself saving how much I needed to save. It wasn’t until last year that I was able to start saving successfully. The tip: Treat your savings as if it’s a bill. I actually have a due date for how much I need to save each week. I like to do it on a weekly basis because the weekly amount doesn’t seem as daunting as a monthly one. Whatever is left after necessary expenses & savings is what I’m allowed to spend on wants. Although I’m probably nowhere near what I should have in savings, having an emergency savings & 2 sinking funds has relieved a lot of anxiety during these uncertain times.

[@apoorvas6062]

This is an awesome idea!

[@amandacutebutevil6539]

This has worked for me too!! Now after my paycheque I just pay my savings account. I just clicked and worked so easily for me! It feels like such a weight has been lifted

[@mathildaandmike]

That's awesome advice Ashley and that tio is so important. It's important to be clear and really make that savings goal a must and make it concrete by treating it as a bill. Our sinking fund has been really important it gives us so much freedom when random things pop up like birthdays or wedding gifts.

[@traabezdecny4681]

I would really love to see a future episode specifically on the types of incomes that college students typically have: financial aid (and spreading it out over the term), part-time jobs, allowances from parents (for those who are able), etc. Loved this video as a general overview of budgeting and simply getting started :)

[@lenapetrova]

As a licensed CPA, I have been using a personal budget for a while. The one I use and prefer is in Excel, and it is something I update and manage on a weekly basis. Holding yourself accountable and being consistent is key in this process.

[@ponandzi212]

My biggest issue is eating out (delivery). I dont have any room in my budget for this but I still do it and then it's becoming debt. :( When I was renting I was able to afford it but now I have a mortgage (as a single person) and need to drastically adjust my lifestyle.

[@AdrienneInvests]

Categorizing my basic expenses helped me figure out how much money my emergency fund needs. If I know my basic expenses are $1500/month, I can figure out how much I need to save in order to have a 6,7,8,9 month funded emergency fund.

[@annabelsepulveda4040]

I was already budgeting and been more aware of money, and then you appear on my feed, with your help/videos, Im veryfying my methods against yours and Im not that far, and that make me happy. Now Im passing this to my son and hopping that he understand really fast how important is this. Thanks a lot!!

[@anastasiiazdorikova]

envelope method is a lifesaver for me. Helped me to return my debt in 2 years, and now I'm even excited to deposit!

[@sabrinasiinclair]

For me, I have minimized my monthly necessary expenses and just keep $100-$150 to spend on wants for the month. What is left over from that I just put it all in savings/investments. I find 20%-30% is way too much for me to spend on my wants.

[@bharati4076]

I’m in high school (India, where there’s no scope for part time jobs for people my age because there’s people older who actually need these jobs to make a living) and I’ve been following your channel and lots of other personal finance channels and making notes so I can start off the right way when I’m in college! I’m so happy that I’ve understood the need for frugality and it’s effects on my life. I’m very excited to get older and manage my finances! I know I might be sounding very naïve but it is what it is! If anyone has any sugggestions for me, please reply to this comment.

[@amalkhateeb6813]

as a freshman in community college, this is extremely helpful. thank you so much chelsea and tfd!

[@projectadulthood5769]

It is so true, budgeting evolves and change over time. I remember when I was studying abroad it was so simple and just in 5 years it became a lot more complicated with all the bills and added responsibilities. Big fan of the envelope method and paying yourself first! :)

[@Allycat11223]

Just started my first budget !!! I am in luv w it for some reason

[@StephanieZander]

You've explained this process so well! This is so helpful to not only new budgeters but to long-time budgeters as well. Some of these methods I didn't even know about myself!

[@ajohonly3721]

I went from saving zero money 💰 in a month to having €500 each month in just 6 months seriously why didn’t I know about this earlier in my life.

[@shaquicedacosta]

OMG! I know that feeling 😂 Now, I talk to my co-workers about spending and budgeting. 5 years is a world of difference.

[@gwynneio]

Congrats!!!

[@quincybackes6904]

Great video for those wanting to start a budget. For me, the 50/20/30 method fits my needs as I have a fixed monthly income, and it allows me to identify spending habits and then filter out what is necessary and unnecessary spending.

[@dorothee2314]

I started writing down where my money was going because of corona, more time, less work. Very interesting! Last year I used to spend a substantial sum every month on clothes. This year, not much opportunity for shopping so far, and - big surprise, I found that I didn’t need a new little dress every so often. Looking at last years sums really made me wonder what I could have done with that money. Just looking at the figures can really help you reconsider what you’re spending on and if you really do need all those things.

[@NynNahh]

Thank you so much! I've already been budgeting, but I'm in the middle of a month when I'm moving homes and paying tuition, so any (and all) advices about budgeting is much needed.

[@joymae]

I just read the chapter in Ramit's good "I'll Teach You How To Be Rich" on how to consciously spend and part of it had us write down the 60/20/20 rule. I love how you made the video applicable for ANY income level. Knowing what you are spending and having intention with it will help you level up in your personal finance goals.

[@lowwastehighmelanin]

I tried to get into that book. I really did. It was a little aggressive and his personality outside of it rubbed me the wrong way. D:

[@melm3132]

Watching this to get rid of student loan debt. A nightmare that doesn't seem to end. Luv this Vid!

[@jaysha5226]

I did pen-and-paper budgeting for a while. Excel sheets never worked for me, because I would set them and forget them lol Now, I use budgeting software (YNAB) and I feel very in control of my finances.

[@paytonkade59]

At the start of this year, I set up a Google Sheet based on advice from the TFD blog and although this year has been unpredictable for income and expenses, seeing for just couple of months where all my money was going (and how much of it I saved when I wasn't able to dine out with friends multiple times a week) showed me a lot about my lifestyle, what I value, and how I can slowly start to alter my financial habits. (Maybe when it's safe to visit restaurants again, only one or two "dine out" meals per week, for example, because that's the easiest way to get a bunch of busy students together for social time.)

[@livtupi]

I recently stared doing it on paper again instead of spreadsheets, still don't know what i prefer though..... i also use an app just to make sure i don't forget anything bc its automated

[@CaseyBurnsInvesting]

No plan, no destination, no progress.

[@ajohonly3721]

Casey Burns Investing absolutely right.

[@RanDom-bk8tt]

I’m already loving this series!!!!!! TFD! You guys just keep getting better and better! Thank you~~ I don’t know about anybody else but I really appreciate all the info you guys put out.

[@megcours]

YNAB (You Need a Budget) has helped me finally understand how to budget and I’ve stuck with it for 3 months now. It has helped me feel much less panicked and stressed while facing a salary cut and potential upcoming job loss.

[@trillo3332]

This is so very encouraging, even for me.

[@f.-j.j.5738]

I wish students would go to student loans as last resort, after trying everything. Go to a cheaper school, go to community college then transfer, stay home and go to the school next door, meal prep all meals and snacks, research scholarships of all types as soon as you enter high school, work a part time job while studying etc... On the subject of scholarships, Everyone always go to the biggest. You can do that too but on the side, if your church is offering a $500 scholarship for the person who writes an essay about religion and college, do it. Your butcher is offering a $200 scholarship for someone to write an essay about the importance of meat in diets, do it. Start early and apply for every scholarship under the sun. By the time you're in college, it should be free. The funny thing is, you don't even have to be a straight A student. I'm going in for my masters next fall with a full ride plus a stipend. I'll basically be paid to study. Student loans aren't an "investment" and they're not worth it. Stay away from them.

[@lazyyethealthy9230]

You should make a video or write a blog on this!

[@sofiaramburu8110]

Same thing. I wanted to go to grad school. First criteria for picking: are stipends granted and are they a liveable stipend.

[@koipen]

...just a caveat here about student loans: in many countries you can get loans with interest rates in the 0.5% - 1% range. In these cases, I've seen people take out loans just to invest it in an index-fund! Even if this is not applicable where you live, I recommend really peering into the interest rate of the loan you're looking at; there is a *huge* difference between 3% and 6% interest rate.

[@Allycat11223]

This describes me >

[@cornchips007]

@@koipen 0% interest where I live but the money goes directly to the institution.

[@devlinfae]

Coming back to this video, I realize I like a mix of both paper (transaction registers I get at the bank), and a Google Sheets spreadsheet that calculates budget percentages, wants/needs, and any exta money that's left over at the end of the month.

[@bebeeru3066]

I recommend every dollar app, it was so easy to use and very straightforward to plan and review

[@beemendez2551]

I’m so glad I found this channel ♥️♥️♥️♥️I love it!

[@wrenchguy2937]

Great video. Sharing this with my little cousins!

[@go4growthsllimited]

This topic is explicitly explained. My understanding grows watching this content. You are great. Nice joining you.

[@ghijklmn]

This was very helpful! Thank you for helping me get started!

[@charlesjacksoniii8787]

Thanks TFD, I need these tips.

[@mayachelsie4072]

I am trying to get back into budgeting as I am leaving my full-time job and headed to a retail job and/or no job for a (hopefully) short period of time (I have a lot of things happening in the beginning of Feb so I planned for a small gap between full-time jobs). I have changed career paths and going back to school, so I will have a bit of a gap for a while before starting my next career. I still had a budget, writing out the bills, making sure they got paid, and saving; however, I would still spend money on random things and I don't account for them. I have a habit of shopping when I am bored. A friend of mine though will be working on accountability and making sure we don't spend $ on things we don't need/can't afford. I will definitely be fighting the urge to do that even more now.

[@TheAndrewLopezFinancePodcast]

Budgeting is an important topic that many people over look, good video

[@jadiecakes3241]

I mix the barefoot investor method (60/20/10/10) with the budget mom method. I love the budget moms workbook. suits my needs and how much i love seeing things and making it pretty haha.

[@anushkaamaurya]

Thank u a lot tfd I will start my college soon nd we here in india r never told anything about this topic U guys r best😇 I needed a adult advice thanks a lot

[@mikeg9b]

I like the information density of this video (and this kind of video). I don't have the patience to sit through long podcast-like chit chat videos.

[@FrugalRules]

Great video to help people get started budgeting!

[@hix8199]

Great Series!

[@RobinNicoagain]

My first bank had an online page that spread out where the income came from and all the categories where the money went past month as well. As 18 year old, this was super valuable tool to learn budgeting and where I was actually spending the money. If it looked like I had overspent a little, I took it as a mission to make up for it next month with usually good results. I had to take on a new bank when I moved abroad and they don't have budgeting tools available at all which is just dissapointing. My fiance also has no budgeting skills so I have taken over all the finances for the household. I will def show him this video since he also struggles with debt repayment and being accountable for overly spending on amusements and personal whims. 😂😂

[@loranddeka]

I swear by the envelope system. That, combined with a sheet of accounting ledger paper saved me when I left home.

[@ladylibra858]

Yeah I always have to use pen and paper to do my budget. The envelope system really works!

[@fungirl0123456]

Apps like Cleo, Plum or online banks Monzo or Starking bank are really great because they track all your spending for you. So much easier and based on real data.

[@assistantseamstress]

I know it costs money but YNAB literally changed my financial life. Highly recommend, especially for people with variable income.

[@veenyako]

I use the zero-based budgeting method and the envelop method! I don't spend a lot of my income yet because I do still have my parent financially supporting me, but I do pay for most of my personal spending (phone bill, my business needs, entertainment, any donation I make or other investments, snacks) and started taking on bigger responsibilities ( life insurance bills) and I realize that I unexpectedly tend to spend a lot on snacks/fast food and (before the current pndemic) dates. So I starting to use the envelope method specifically for those dates and food, the rest of my purchases are usually recurring so it works best for me at the moment! So far I have kept under-budget :)

[@veenyako]

I want to slowly take more and more responsibility as my income grows and I'm definitely keeping these videos in mind!

[@gashinaya4433]

Thank u for this. I was about to take out a loan or another credit card to get more money but I will try to budget & stuff envelopes first. I must be more disciplined. So sad I’ve lived most my life spending blindly, financial education is key from an early age.

[@roseemich]

yes! thank you for this! 😄

[@irenebrackett8094]

Anyone else totally into the fact that the video progress bar perfectly lines up with Chelsea's dining bench during close ups?

[@thefuego97]

That example of “waiting until you get married to start dating” is so funny because i was actually raised to believe that was the only sane way to date. Aka courtship...getting married without going on one-on-one dates. Super dumbbbbb for sure.

[@mohssinhussain504]

Very well edited 👍🏽👍🏽

[@georgehowelliii5666]

Great video!!

[@jacobkayla5310]

Nice tips on budgeting. Something we should learat any income or age.

[@krombopulos_michael]

My bills are all fixed from month to month, so as soon as my pay comes in, I transfer the money for them to a Revolut Vault. Then I do the same for other necessary expenses like groceries and transport, based on a generous estimate of previous months. So this means that I end up with only extra spending money in my main account, and that's the main number that I see.

[@k-diva1476]

Great video!👍

[@adrianaflowers998]

Very informative

[@NickVetter]

I need to do the money diary. I'm pretty financially responsible, but my income and expenses are so random. This would help me get an idea and track my cash in/out flows.

[@robyn_southafrica]

Drawing up a budget is the easy part, the money matching/covering the expenses tho 😢😢 it's hard outchea 🥺 but thanks for such wonderful tips and advices 😃

[@MissAllaCinderella]

I have no income coming in (technically unemployed), and currently no bills other then food expenses (strange situation - room and board and everything is provided for me; I just work to maintain the space).

[@NapalmJustice]

I really appreciate this! I've been looking through your videos and I wondered if you had any content specifically about saving towards renting an apartment, or the first fees to look out for when living in a new rented place?

[@shaquicedacosta]

After watching for a few years, I can’t recall a video dedicated to these topics. There may be articles on their website. My experience: save up for 3 month’s rent, renter’s insurance (some places require it), cost of moving in (or are your friends going to help?), distance to grocery store (how big of a fridge do you need?), cost of internet. This is a lot of money, if you’re good with credit cards I recommend you open a new one to get those bonuses. Good luck, don’t be afraid to ask older people for advice.

[@Dragonflyathena]

Another great video. Using budgeting has helped me get debt free and build and emergency savings- it helps to really know everything that’s coming and going to align your habits with your goals and what you actually want your $ to go to. I also used the envelope method to save for my first big trip- I now still use it for saving for something special- I draw what the $ is for in the envelope, and that way if I really need it for something essential I’ll use it, but it makes me think before I take the $ if I really want to spend it or would rather work toward that other goal. To saving to medic school I opened a second savings account and named it so I knew every time I was adding to the account what it was for, and if I needed to take $ out I’d think twice. I live in a city with very high rent and have self employment so no sick days or paid vacation so all these skills I’ve built over the last 8 years have helped so much. Gone from basically broke paycheck to pay checks and debt to debt free and small but growing emergency cushion in 8 years. 💪🏾

[@fernandogonzaga4953]

nice

[@gooseberries608]

How do you budget if you have an extremely variable income? As a college student I’m often working different part time jobs throughout the year and I often don’t know how many hours I’m going to get, and my paycheck is different almost every week.

[@melissaandreag]

To get out of debt I’ve been sending 50% to debt and the other 50% of my income goes for all my needs and wants, as well as small sinking funds. Now that I’m debt free, I hope to be at around 40-50% savings, 50% needs and wants.

[@muthiaulfa8653]

*already spent 3 months tracking my income, yet cannot find pattern. It fluctuates... one month we need new couch (old couch is unsalvageable), one month my bro asking to lend him money, one month buying hygiene supplies for COVID-19.. sigh

[@CriticalHealingMoment]

Even though I’ve been budgeting for a long time, your videos also have great, sound advice. I recently ended my employment and had to go back into my budget and figure out what was absolutely necessary for me. I’m also a grad student. Wondering if you had any tips for calculating your budget for loans or for budgeting when your income varies each month?

[@psychicbyinternet]

I think they have videos on that now.

[@alexp2019]

I think as long as you control your life, what method you use doesn’t matter. You learn with failure and experience not with words

[@mschrisfrank2420]

Alex P I kind of agree, but I do learn a lot from books/videos/etc that saves me time and energy trying lots of different things. It is possible to learn from the experience of others instead and f making every mistake yourself.

[@bormalekleniviy]

Love that the money piggy bank is a euro piggy bank 👌🏻😂

[@joellea-b.5519]

So far the first 3 videos in this series have a lot of good advice for those who are able to work during school consistently. My income generally comes from short term work coming in all at once, or the grading/TAing I do that only covers groceries. I had significant savings going into college but I have to travel to and from and have other expenses out of my control. I know that's why I saved, but I won't have a way to change this until I'm out of college. What advice do you have for college students who mostly get income in chunks?

[@mschrisfrank2420]

I had irregular income during college. Personally, that meant saving it all and giving myself an allowance out of what my savings account every week so that I could have fun, but I obviously prioritized bills like food and gas. Looking back though, I would have looked for some extra income or a more steady job.

[@ino81f]

OMG first!!

[@IsshouNiIkou]

I like to spend money, I like to treat myself and I like paying without looking at my bank acount. I tried to limit myself, to track my expenses and to have spending categories but that never worked. So when I receive my salary I try to get rid of it fast. At the beginning of each month I pay my loans, bills, I do a grocery shop and I have a set amout that I put away in savings. That way I know that what's left is for me to spend and it might be on going out or getting new clothes or paying for a vacation. If there is money left at the end of the month it goes in savings.

[@katieb8752]

Can you do any money advice for disabled people?

[@susanruizvenegas9030]

Can you do a video of budgeting apps that work in latin america??!!! please!!

[@ak1ra449]

just out of curiosity, shouldn't student loans also come under necessary expenses, because if we were cutting out what we could live without, we would still have to pay the loan?

[@modernadulting6857]

Make a list of your values. Write down what matters to you and then put your values in order. Set your goals. Determine your income. Determine your expenses. Create your budget.

[@helenadurst5993]

How do you handle the envelope method if lots of your payments go through your bank account, like the occasional exercise class or online orders?

[@violethaye6987]

you don't, nothing online is in envelopes, just mostly non essential expenses that can be done in person or at a store/restaurant/plaza.

[@gabrielleward5610]

I wish I had found this channel years ago

[@ratatataraxia]

Wait! I need pen and paper!

[@KK-pb9cy]

I clicked because of the thumbnail. Once it's started I thought it was an add.

[@elyscialoera8097]

The Budget Mom.

[@originalgabbo]

I haven't had any income for months

[@psychicbyinternet]

What do you do if you subtract all the necessary expenses and you have nothing left? FML. My rent is more than half my income. :( Honestly my strategy is probably going to be getting side hustles and maybe a better paying job as well and also using the extra money from picking up extra shifts, tax credits, people paying me back, 5-paycheque months, etc for wants. But I wish I could just already have that bonus money at the start of the month.

[@learnrx9749]

Out of curiosity, will ever talk about topics from Rich Dad Poor Dad? I hear you talk a bit about liabilities.

[@thefungiblemillennial-fina2207]

I don't budget, I just don't spend..... I should budget though

[@user-vb1ur2xm5t]

How is it possible to spend more than you've earned/borrowed/more money than you actually have? If you don't have the money in your account or as cash, how can you spend it? If I tried to buy something and I was out of money in my account, the transaction would be declined. If I was paying cash, if I didn't have enough, the seller/cashier/whoever just wouldn't give me whatever I was trying to buy. I'm always so confused when people talk about spending more than you have. How do you do that? I feel this must be a stupid question because I see people talking about this all the time, but how is it possible??

[@cndcpwll]

It relates to cash flow. Not all bills are due at the same time / month, and if you don't account for them or splurge on an unnecessary want / luxury which is more expensive than what your bills are before your bills have been paid, then you've spent more than you have. You have to then play "catch-up" or borrow. The same can be said for unexpected emergencies if you don't have savings.

[@renir8735]

Credit cards...

[@eliska3767]

Debts. It's so easy now to borrow money from the banks. Everything online and in few minutes so you can't spend more very easily and quickly.:(

[@user-vb1ur2xm5t]

I appreciate each of your responses. I grew up in America, but as soon as I finished studying I moved to Germany (privilege level 20000), so I've never lived as a financial adult in the US. Credit is something I forget about because it's almost unheard of here, but that completely makes sense. And of course, the cash flow issue makes sense as well. Thank you, Candace, Reni and Eliska! You helped me understand something I felt so stupid about for a long time and too afraid to ask.

[@cndcpwll]

M No problem! I’m actually Australian and we have debt issues/cycles here too but NOTHING like what it is in America. Debt is actually normalised from school, which is scary. There’s a financial author here called Barefoot Investor who’s first book helped me get out of debt, credit card free and build considerable savings over 1-2 years. I’ve developed a system since that works for me and aligned to “ethical” banks & retirement fund since, but you’ve got to start somewhere!