From systems engineering, it's easier to track the amount of stock rather than the input/output. Stock here is your cash. If it's below a certain level, you can

From systems engineering, it's easier to track the amount of stock rather than the input/output. Stock here is your cash. If it's below a certain level, you can control it more easily. It's easier to have a fixed cash stock rather than a "budget" because you can exceed budgets. You can control it with a debit card. Have a formula to generate your expected savings, maybe 3 months salary or expenses. I base it off gold price. I then split it into fixed costs (non-negotiable), impulse purchase, non-fixed costs (like food, gas, classes). Invest in active income first - it's just way easier to increase salary by 15% than it is to invest in something that brings in 15% year on year. This can come out from general expenses, pay in installments, sometimes even going into debt for it. Once expected savings are covered, then it goes into investments and stuff.