Put it in the Budget

Tito used to shake his head every two weeks when payday arrived. The money hit his account, but by the time the next paycheck was around the corner, he couldn’t figure out where it all went. He wasn’t wasteful in a flashy way—no luxury vacations, no brand-new car, no endless shopping sprees. But small purchases here, a lunch out there, another Amazon order on a late night…they added up fast.

His wife, Emily, had been gently nudging him toward creating a budget for years. She often said, “The budget is like your best friend—it tells you the truth even when you don’t want to hear it.” At first, Tito resisted. He thought a budget meant being restricted, trapped, or told “no” to things he wanted. But after too many stressful nights before payday—trying to stretch the last few dollars until Friday—he decided it was time to treat his money differently.