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Why I Failed at Budgeting (And How I Fixed It)

I tried spreadsheets, apps, and envelopes. Here is the only thing that worked.

S
Shawn
· 1 min read

I Hate Budgets

Every January, I would set up a perfect spreadsheet. Color-coded. Formulas for everything.

By February, I had abandoned it.

The Problem with Perfection

The issue wasn’t the tool. It was the mindset. I was trying to track every penny instead of automating my behavior.

The “Pay Yourself First” Method

Instead of tracking coffee purchases, I set up auto-transfers.

  1. Paycheck hits checking account.
  2. 20% automatically moves to Brokerage.
  3. 10% automatically moves to Savings.
  4. I guilt-free spend the rest.

This shift from restriction to automation changed everything.

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