Budgeting for Beginners: The Non-Boring Way to Finally Feel in Control

By Beelinger Staff
Estimated read time: 6 min

Meet Erika: 27, Creative, and Tired of Feeling Broke on Payday

Erika is a graphic designer living in Atlanta. She loves iced coffee, impulse book buys, and thrifting. She also used to feel completely out of control with her money.

“It wasn’t that I wasn’t making enough,” she said. “It’s just that by the end of the month, I had no idea where it all went. I’d check my bank balance and feel like I was being pranked.”

So Erika did something wild: She made a budget that didn’t suck. Here’s how you can too.

Step 1: Stop Thinking of Budgeting as a Financial Diet

Budgeting isn’t about restriction. It’s about intention.

If you’ve ever tried a budget and failed, it probably:

• Felt too complicated
• Was built on shame
• Forgot to include joy

Here at Beelinger, we believe your budget should feel like a freedom plan, not a guilt spreadsheet.

Step 2: Start With Your Real Numbers (No Math Trauma Required)

Take 30 minutes. That’s it.

Pull up your bank account and look at:

• Income (after tax)
• Fixed expenses (rent, car, subscriptions)
• Variable expenses (groceries, fun, impulse stuff)

Don’t judge. Just observe.

“I realized I was spending $180/month on delivery fees,” Erika said. “That wasn’t a character flaw. It was just a pattern I could change.”

Step 3: Pick a Method That Matches Your Brain

Here are a few that work great for beginners:

🟡 50/30/20 Rule

– 50% Needs
– 30% Wants
– 20% Savings/Debt

Simple. Balanced. Flexible.

🟢 Zero-Based Budgeting

Every dollar has a job — including “Fun Money.”
Great if you want total clarity and control.

🔵 Pay-Yourself-First

Before you spend, you save.
Great if you’re trying to build a habit (and a cushion).

💡 Tip: Use Empower or YNAB to automate it. Set it and stop stressing.

Step 4: Rename Your Categories to Make Them Fun

No one wants to open a spreadsheet labeled “Necessities.”

Try:

• “Keep the Lights On Fund”
• “Hot Girl Groceries”
• “Joy Money”
• “Oops, Life Happened”

Making your categories personal makes the whole thing more inviting.

Step 5: Build a Weekly Ritual (Not a Monthly Crisis)

Erika started doing “Money Sunday” — a 20-minute vibe check each week:

• Check balances
• Update her tracker (or just peek at the app)
• Adjust based on life

“I light a candle and play lo-fi. It’s weirdly relaxing now.”

TL;DR – Budgeting for Beginners, Beelinger Style

• Your budget = your freedom plan
• Use a method that fits your life (not your fantasy self)
• Rename your categories to feel less judgy
• Use apps like YNAB or Empower
• Check in weekly, not when it’s already a crisis

🔧 Tools We Love for Beginner Budgeters

*These are tools we’ve tested, loved, and may earn affiliate commission from*

• ✅ YNAB – You Need a Budget (free trial)
• ✅ Empower – Track spending & net worth
• ✅ Chime – Budget-friendly banking
• ✅ Rocket Money – Cancel unused subscriptions

🎁 Ready to Make a Budget You’ll Actually Stick To?

Download our free Beelinger Starter Kit: Budget Edition

• 📋 Beginner-friendly budget template
• 🎨 Fun, customizable categories
• 🛠️ The best tools to automate your money glow-up

📩 Click here to get it free