Notes on calm budgeting.
- August 5, 2026
Budgeting on an irregular income: a method that doesn't need forecasts
Freelance, shift or seasonal pay? An envelope method that budgets money you already have — no income forecasts. Seven steps and a worked month.
Read → - July 29, 2026
The complete sinking funds list: 60 expenses by category
60 sinking fund ideas by category — car, home, health, family, seasonal — plus how to work out what to set aside each month.
Read → - July 23, 2026
Zero-based budgeting, explained without the jargon
Zero-based budgeting in plain English: give every euro a job, see a worked example, and compare it with the 50/30/20 rule.
Read → - July 15, 2026
Envelope budgeting for beginners: a calm 10-minute guide
Envelope budgeting explained without the jargon: what it is, how to set up your first envelopes in 10 minutes, and the three mistakes that make beginners quit.
Read → - July 8, 2026 · updated September 18, 2026
Envelope budgeting apps in 2026: an honest comparison (from someone building one)
Real prices and real tradeoffs for YNAB, Actual Budget, Goodbudget, EveryDollar, and Sprigly — including the recommendations that point away from my own app.
Read → - July 1, 2026
Sinking funds: the envelope trick that kills surprise expenses
Sinking funds turn "surprise" bills like car repairs and insurance into small, planned monthly amounts. Here's how they work, with envelope budgeting examples.
Read → - June 24, 2026
Why your budgeting app shouldn’t have your bank password
Why budgeting apps ask for your bank login, what that quietly costs in privacy, and the local-first alternative that keeps your budget on your phone.
Read → - June 18, 2026
How to cash stuff digitally: the envelope method without the cash
Love cash stuffing but tired of keeping cash in a drawer? Here's how to keep the envelope ritual digitally — calm, private, and able to pay rent online.
Read → - June 3, 2026
Why envelope budgeting works
Assigning every dollar a job before you spend it turns budgeting from guesswork into a plan you can actually keep.
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