The No-Budget Method of Budgeting - Mint & Gold Story (2024)

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The No-Budget Budget might be the perfect way for you to budget if you have disposable income, but wish you saved or invested more money!

As someone who loves to talk about money, and personal finance, I do not like budgeting.

I don’t like the idea of budgeting nor do I like the thought of having to sit down and figure out my budget every month.

That was actually part of the inspiration behind this blog.

Most of the people I see online talking about personal finance, love to talk about budgeting or ways to save money. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! It’s what gives them a sense of joy.

I am the anti-accountant. I defy all those stereotypes about being a frugal accountant, focused on saving the pennies.

For me, the idea of budgeting seemed like a restrictive way of living. I know the importance of creating a financial nest egg, but I did not want that to come at the cost of enjoying my life.

I don’t like the idea of being restricted by a coffee budget, or how many trips to Sephora I’m allowed this month (the answer should be zero, always).

So I’m spilling my no-budget budget!

The No-Budget Method of Budgeting - Mint & Gold Story (1)

This my friends is the easiest budgeting method. Perfect for those who hate budgeting!

Disclaimer: only try this if you have disposable income, but wish you saved or invested more money every month!

What is the no-budget budget

The best part about this budget is that you literally are not creating a budget every month.

You still do need to know how much you make, how much you owe, and what is leftover.

But once you go through that one time, as long as those amounts don’t change, you don’t need to change your way!

The basic premise is to allocate your income to the things you have to pay for, your fixed expenses, as well as saving for the future.

Whatever is left over at the end, is fair game.

How to create a No-Budget Budget

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#1: Write your income

Figure out how much cash you have coming in monthly from your paycheques, investments, or any other sources of income.

#2: List your fixed expenses

List out things that you HAVE to pay for. These should include payments for things like rent, mortgage, car payment, utilities, cell phone bill, internet.

If you signed a contract, then yes, you’re obligated to pay for it!

#3: Subtract how much you want to save/invest

How much you want do you want to save or invest?

Remember, this is the primary goal in this type of budgeting.

Whatever that amount is, be prepared to see it get deducted from your spending allowance every month!

#4: Figure out what’s left-over

The amount of money you have left will be what you can spend!

#5: Emergency Fund

Ask yourself, do you have an emergency fund? Will you be okay if the unexpected happens?

If not, I would recommend putting away something in an emergency fund first!

#5: Spend it however you like!

If you’ve made it past the first five steps, go ahead and click add to cart on that jacket you’ve been dreaming about!

Why the no-budget budget works

No Restrictions

I will acknowledge that I am privileged to only have mortgage debt, and we live a relatively comfortable lifestyle.

I don’t like to have to think about every dime I spend.

This is how I define feeling comfortable with money.

Psychologically, I feel better about having money to spend.

The no-budget budget method helps me feel less restricted with my money.

Who should NOT use the no-budget budget

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This is definitely not a way for everyone to budget.

You’re always tight on cash

You need to be at a phase in life, where you’re relatively comfortable with your income covering all your expenses.

I would not suggest this method if you find yourself tight on cash, month after month.

You want to create better money habits

The downside of the no-budget budget is that you don’t necessarily create healthy money habits.

Because it is much less restrictive than other methods, so it’s unlike that you will create good discipline around money habits.

Tips to make your no-budget budget work

The Emergency Fund Comes First

You will be more successful if you have an emergency fund.

You have to make sure you have thought of having a fund available for emergencies!

Pay any fixed expenses automatically

If you can, automate your fixed payments. These could be payments for your mortgage, rent, car, or loan payments.

Automate your savings

Set up your account to automatically transfer a portion of your paycheque to your investing or savings account. Out of sight, out of mind!

Be Realistic

As much as I’d be okay with instant noodles for dinner every night, if this is what you’re eating for a week at the end of every month, MAYBE you’re too aggressive with your spending or investing.

Spending and investing is a great habit, but it should not come at a cost to other parts of your life.

Cash Buffer

Consider having a cash buffer. Chances are that you are charging everything on your credit card.

You likely won’t know the total damage until the end of the month. Unexpected social occasions or drinks with friends can add up, and go beyond the amount available to spend.

If you find yourself dipping into your cash buffer consistently, go back and tweak the numbers.

Your Turn

How do you budget? Let me know if you would consider budgeting this way!

Cheers.

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The No-Budget Method of Budgeting - Mint & Gold Story (2024)

FAQs

What is the no-budget method? ›

You don't create any kind of serious plan for most of your money, instead dividing it into two categories: savings & fixed expenses. This budget is perfect for people who are not really interested in creating an extensive budget or spending a lot of time figuring out where their money is going.

What are the pros and cons of no budget budget? ›

Zero-based budgeting differs from traditional budgeting in that the companies using it create a budget for each new period. The benefits can include lower costs by keeping old and new expenses in check. Potential disadvantages are that it can reward short-term thinking and be resource-intensive.

How to use mint for budgeting? ›

How to use the Mint budget app. Once you sign up and enter your personal information, Mint uses your credit history to identify your various financial accounts including credit cards, savings, checking, loans, investments, property, and taxes. You'll have the option to add each account to the app.

What to use for budgeting now that Mint is gone? ›

Here are six that are worth considering.
  • Rocket Money. Best overall replacement. See at Rocket Money. ...
  • PocketGuard. Best for debt payoff. See at PocketGuard. ...
  • Quicken Simplifi. Best for an overall snapshot of your finances. ...
  • YNAB. Best app for serious budgeting. ...
  • Monarch. Best budgeting app for couples. ...
  • Albert. Best for expert advice.
Mar 28, 2024

What is the golden rule of the budget process? ›

What Is the Golden Rule of Government Spending? The golden rule of government spending is a fiscal policy that a government should borrow only to invest, not to fund current spending. In other words, the government should borrow money only to make investments that will produce long-term benefits for the future.

What is the 50/30/20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

What is the risk of no budget? ›

The potential consequences of not having a budget can be severe. Without a budget, it's difficult to identify risks and challenges and determine how quickly you need to address them before your financial resources suffer. It can lead to overspending, financial instability, and inability to make informed decisions.

What are the disadvantages of zero budgeting? ›

Cons of Zero-Based Budgeting

You're also faced with getting other departments to cooperate, and they might not be able to adequately measure their needs for the entire year. The process might not include fixed costs included in a contract, such as an office or building lease.

Why budgets don't work? ›

Bottom line. If you feel like you just have no luck when it comes to sticking to a budget, the problem could lie in a handful of different things. A budget that's too restrictive, doesn't account for your inconsistent cash flow, isn't realistic or just isn't the right method for you can set you up for failure.

Why is Mint shutting down? ›

In less than two weeks, the budgeting app Mint — which once had 3.6 million active users, including me — will shut down forever. According to its parent company, Intuit, Mint wasn't making enough money, so Intuit began the app's closure in January.

Why is Intuit getting rid of Mint? ›

The reason for closing down the Mint app is the supposed consolidation of Intuit's personal finance products and to prioritize their focus on Credit Karma, which has more features and functions than Mint. However, some key features that made Mint what it is are said not to be available in Credit Karma, like budgeting.

Is Mint going away in 2024? ›

Mint will go offline March 23, 2024.

Budgeting apps are a great way to get a grip on your finances. Typically, they link to your banking, credit card and investment accounts and can track your purchases and show you how close you are to reaching your savings goals.

Why is Mint going away? ›

Mint recently announced: “Reimagining Mint as part of Intuit Credit Karma will expand our capabilities,” which is them trying to put a positive spin on the fact that they're shutting down their budgeting app capabilities—and Mint budgeters won't be able to access their budgeting accounts or continue budgeting starting ...

Is Mint no longer free? ›

Mint aficionados need not despair because Intuit shuttered the popular free money management app on March 23, 2024. Although users are being routed to the company's other tool, Credit Karma, there are many other personal finance apps that have functions similar to Mint.

What budget app is better than Mint? ›

1. Quicken Simplifi. The Quicken Simplifi app offers a wealth of features, including customized reports and personalized spending plans. Once you import data like your bank account and billing information, the Simplifi app allows you to track income and spending, manage savings goals and stay on top of bills.

What is the zero budget technique? ›

Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) is a budgeting technique in which all expenses must be justified for a new period or year starting from zero, versus starting with the previous budget and adjusting it as needed.

What is the zero budget formula? ›

But I want to be clear: A zero-based budget doesn't mean you have zero dollars in your bank account. It just means your income minus all your expenses equals zero.

What is the 0 based budget rule? ›

A zero-based budget is a framework that assigns a job to every dollar of your take-home pay. In other words, you're aiming for what you bring in and what you send out to hit zero each month.

What is the no spending budget? ›

The No-Spend Challenge isn't giving up all spending, again it's nonessentials. You need to pay the bills and buy important things that pop up (like groceries or school supplies, or even a new heater if yours goes out). The goal is to challenge yourself to only spend on the essentials.

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