Welcome to Goodbudget 101: Budget Bootcamp! We’re so excited for you to start this new budgeting journey — one where you’ll create a budget that works for you. And along the way you’ll build habits and learn techniques that will help you live out your budget for the rest of your life.
Now, we’re all starting from different places financially, but we’re all working towards the same goal… making a budget that works. We believe you can make and *keep* a budget. This budget will be your guide to help you spend on what’s important, save for big expenses, and give generously.
Over the next 29 days you’ll receive bite-sized assignments that are practical, reflective and relational and they’re all designed to help you create your new budget utilizing the envelope budgeting method (if you don’t know what that is, learn about it on our website and on YouTube). You can expect to spend about 5 to 10 minutes doing most of the assignments. Every so often there’ll be a longer assignment that will take about 30 minutes. Let’s get started.
Today’s Assignment
- Make a plan for when and where you’d like to do these assignments. Will you spend time working on them at the kitchen table after the kids are in bed, or early in the morning over coffee before everyone gets up? Will you do the assignments for the week all in one day, or divvy them up throughout the week? Deciding this ahead of time will give you a better shot at completing these assignments.
- Comment below and let us know when and where you’re planning to do your homework. Plus, share what you’re excited about learning in this course — and why.
Note for couples: If you share money with someone else, like your spouse, invite them to take this course with you. By working together, you’ll be able to build a solid budget that actually works — for both of you.
That’s it for today! We look forward to seeing you in the next assignment.
Happy budgeting,
-The Goodbudget Team
P.S. If you’re struggling to get ahead because you’re living paycheck to paycheck, GB 30: Break the Cycle might be a good starting place for you. In that course, you’ll spend 30 days working to boost savings and begin building a one-month cushion so you can break the cycle for good.
P.P.S. Or, if you’re currently experiencing a financial emergency, either from taking a pay cut, receiving a large medical bill, or something else, GB 911: Crash Course might be a better fit. There, you’ll learn how to make quick changes to your budget so that you can survive in the short term, adapt to your financial situation, and thrive down the road.
2,179 thoughts on “Welcome to Budget Bootcamp”
I plan on working on this daily and typically have some free time during the at work and plenty after hours to work at home at night and weekends.
I plan on doing my assignments when I get up in the morning so that I’m planning strategically for the day.
I plan on finishing my assignments in the morning just so the concepts can be fresh in my mind and the mornings are when I have my most free time.
At work depending on my work flow or in the evening
as a couple, we will sit down at lunch twice a week and review the assignments together
I plan on completing assignments in the evening with my wife- excited to learn the basics of budgeting
I’m going to be doing this on weeknights at my computer.
Will be working on it in the afternoons.
Either in the morning before work or evening before bed
I plan to do the assignments at home after dinner when the house is calm…
i would work on my budget in the afternoon
I’m exited
At work during lunch. I’m excited to learn a more modern way of maintaining my budget. Bye-bye scrap sheets!
I plan on working on my plan in the morning
I will be working in the afternoon.
Looking forward to it
Before I go to bed
I’m exited to learn how to budget!
I’m re-learning the fundamentals and will be doing the assignments after dinner on a daily basis.
Thank you.
during lunch at work and some after the kids are in bed
I plan on doing this in the evening. Looking forward to learning how to save some money!
plan to do every afternoon without fail very excited to get to gripps with my fianances
I’ll work on the class in the morning, which is when I reconcile my excel version of expense tracking. Not the same as learning to live within a budget, but I feel it’s a very good start. Just have to learn to assign the amounts I hope to spend to categories (never my strong suit–working with categories), and sticking to those goals.
I’m going to do them at work where it is more quiet and I am able to concentrate better. Looking forward to this!!!
I plan on doing them while I enjoy coffee in the mornings.
I’m going to do the assignments in the morning with a cup of coffee.
In the morning before work
after work on my laptop, it will be nice to finally figure this out
I plan on doing these assignments during my lunch time. I’m kind of new to budgeting, ridiculous as that might sound, but my motto previously was always “spend the least amount of money possible and you’ll never be worried.” And that worked…but long term, I want to do some things with my life and money is key to doing it. So the last few months I have been learning about budgeting like nobody’s business but being recently married, it seems like life is just full of ins and outs, so what I’m really looking forward to is learning how to better roll with the punches while still being able to live life to the fullest.
Hi Brooke – Congrats on your marriage! I really appreciate what you shared. It’s true that just spending as little as possible can work. But that won’t necessarily help you work towards your goals or things you value. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’ll probably work on this after Everyone is done for the evening. Whenever that happens..: right now it’s before dinner. Some nights it will be when DH and DD are both asleep! Any more organized than that is impossible at this juncture!!
I will do my budgeting during my breaks at work daily
I plan to work on my budget early am. I am a senior citizen and have never really been able to budget enough to save for large expenses or give generously.
I plan on doing my assignments while enjoying my coffee after the kids go to school.
I will do the course in the morning before the kids wake up. At the kitchen table. I look forward to becoming financially stable and rewarding our family with a trip to Hawaii in a year.
Ill be working on this at my university first thing in the morning. I’ve struggled to get a firm hold and control over my finances most of my life and am excited to finally learn how to do it properly so that I can change my financial future.
ok here i go again! im hoping this app will keep me educated on how to distribute money to these sinking funds envelopes
I’m planning to do it first thing in the morning!
I’m planning on midday and my main goal is to learn how to maximize the tools provided by the app.
I’m planning on doing the assignments throughout the day, mostly evenings probably
plan on doing in the evening
I really need this. I’ve never had a budget but really wish I did. I’m sure I would be so much better off now. Hope it’s not too late to start one. I am excited to start this course. Thank you for the opportunity.
Evenings will work for me
Will do the course in the morning when I get up as am an early riser. My goal is to become more financially savvy and frugal (within reason)
I plan on doing the assignments in the morning.
No sure when I’ll do my assignments but will include them into my working week. I’ve had a budget for sometime and hoping to learn some new skills that will take away the anxiety I feel when managing my money.
Any time there’s peace and quiet.
I will work on it a little everyday as I can. I have time with breaks and in the evening before bed for certain
My boyfriend and I are completing this together. We are exciting to starting a budget we can stick too and hope to build up our savings!
Ready to be in financial control
Evenings after kids are sleeping
In the morning.
I’ll work on it after work before bed
In morning
I plan to do my homework daily at night before bed. I’m excited to learn new skills and get on track financially
Either at work when it’s slow or in the mornings after dropping the kids off
I will be working on my assignments in the morning at the computer.
I’m looking forward to a savings envelope having enough money to visit my daughter.