Create a budget you can stick to.

If you’ve ever set up a budget, felt great for a week, and then completely ignored it…

You’re not alone. Most people don’t have trouble making a budget—they have trouble following it.

The problem isn’t you. The problem is that most budgets are unrealistic, overly complicated, and ignore the way life actually works. The key is creating a budget you can stick to that fits your lifestyle, not the other way around.

Step 1: Start With Reality, Not Wishes

Before you create a budget you can stick to, you need to know where your money is actually going.

  • Pull the last 1–3 months of bank and credit card statements

  • Categorize your spending into housing, transportation, groceries, insurance, entertainment, debt, etc.

  • Add up totals in each category to get a clear picture

This step is essential for building a realistic budget because it shows you the truth, not what you wish you were spending.

Step 2: Define Your Essentials and Your Goals

A realistic budget starts with two questions:

  1. What do I absolutely have to pay for each month? (housing, utilities, groceries, insurance, debt)

  2. What am I working toward? (emergency fund, paying off debt, investing, travel, education)

When your essentials are clear and your goals are defined, you can design a flexible budgeting system that supports both.

Step 3: Use the Mojo Number for Guilt-Free Spending

Once your essentials and goals are covered, what’s left is your Mojo Number—the amount you can spend each week without guilt or second-guessing.

To calculate it:

  1. Take your monthly income

  2. Subtract essentials and goal contributions

  3. Divide the remainder by 4

This makes flexible budgeting simple while keeping your long-term plans on track. You can learn exactly how to calculate and use it in my Mojo Number Guide.

Step 4: Keep It Flexible and Simple

A budget you can stick to isn’t overly strict. Budgets fail when they’re too rigid or too detailed. Give yourself room to move money between categories when life happens.

A flexible budgeting structure might include:

  • Essentials

  • Goals

  • Weekly Mojo Number spending

That’s it. No tracking every coffee—unless you want to.

Step 5: Review and Adjust

Your first budget won’t be perfect. Plan to check in weekly at first, then monthly. Adjust for changes in income, expenses, and priorities.

A budget you can stick to is one that evolves with you.

Why This Works

This approach removes the guilt and perfectionism that makes people abandon budgets. By focusing on clarity, a realistic budget, and flexible budgeting, you create a system you can actually follow long-term.

Ready to Build Yours?

If you’re ready to create a budget you can stick to, I can help.

Join the Money Mastery Bootcamp for hands-on coaching, tools, and support to get your budget in place and working for you:
Learn more about the Bootcamp here

Or, if you’re not sure where to start, book a free 1-on-1 coaching call and we’ll map out your first steps together:
Schedule your free call here

You can also check out NerdWallet’s guide to budgeting for more tips.