The 3-bucket budget, explained

Traditional budgets fail because they are too fiddly. The 3-bucket approach keeps it human.

The buckets

• Essentials: rent, food, transport, bills. Aim for about half of your income.
• Future: savings, debt payments, and your emergency fund. Aim for about a quarter.
• Life: everything that makes your month enjoyable. The rest, guilt-free.

How to start

1. Write down your monthly income.
2. Add up your fixed essentials.
3. Move your Future amount out first, on payday.
4. Spend the rest on life without feeling bad.

When income is irregular

Base your buckets on your lowest typical month. In a bigger month, split the extra: half to Future, half to a "buffer" you can draw from later.

The goal isn't perfect tracking. It's a system you will still use in six months.