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 will must likely do my homework during my lunch break.
I think that I’ll best complete and understand this budget making process if I do my homework when the kids go to bed so it’s peaceful and quiet and I can concentrate without any problems
Can’t wait to begin.
I will do my assignments in the morning. While drinking my coffee.
After work in the evenings
I plan to do the course over the course of the day .
Early morning with my first cup of coffee.
Before I go to sleep.
I plan to work on this after work around 5:30pm at the kitchen table
I’ll work on my budget in the evenings at my desk.
During my lunch break
I will probably be doing these in the morning as I work. I will do these from the kitchen table so I can then get prepared to start my work day. I am excited to learn better ways to manage my budget to build my savings.
Kitchen table with husband. At 12:30 each day.
Definitely will be working on this in the early AM
In the early morning after my husbsnd leaves for work.
I’m planning to do this when kids wake up from naps.
In the morning before work w/ the wife
Will definitely do my assignment early in the morning when I wake up
I will most likely do this in the AM while having my coffee. Looking forward to tracking my spending & start saving more.
I plan on doing mine in the evening before going to bed.
With all the changes with the virus, my work has changed as well. Since I will be working from home. I may do them in the evening before I go to bed. Sometimes I do them in the morning. in my kitchen.
Why I want to do this, I want to find that works for me. I tried to understand how to create a spreadsheet, that didn’t work for me.
I will work on my budget/homework during the evenings and on weekends.
I will probably work on this at night, before going to sleep, although if I can get my sleep schedule turned around so I am waking up earlier, I would prefer to do this in the morning before going to work.
For several years I have managed our household finances using a version of the “envelope” system — my bank (a credit union, really) allows me to set up unlimited checking and savings accounts, without fees, which I have used to set aside money for regular bills, savings, car repairs, home repairs, vacations, education expenses, etc. It has worked really well to have us first, be in a place where everything gets paid on time and without anxiety, and finally to have been able to handle multiple large expenses (major car repair, replace washer and dryer, replace a large window, etc.) in the space of a few months without it being a problem — and still have some left in savings. Still, we don’t really budget things like food, gas, or other expenditures — just the fixed, recurring expenses and various savings “envelopes.” Anything else is just money that is available to spend — and spend it we do! I know that I spend way too much at Starbucks, but since I never track that kind of thing, I don’t really know how much. I’m excited to use GoodBuget to take my financial management to another level. Also, I am hopeful that I will be able to demonstrate the value of this to our 19-year-old daughter who is generally pretty responsible but recently had a financial windfall (for her) which has challenged her innate frugality.
First thing in the morning to focus the mind on not spending money that I haven’t got.
Probably in the morning before work.
I will do it during dinner or right after dinner.
Also am excited to learn how to budget and to save money hopefully.
I plan on budgeting the day I’m paid each week as soon as my shift is over!
In the evening after my schoolwork
I will do it early in the morning
Probably early a.m. since I’m up long before others in household
I plan on doing my assignments in the afternoon
6:30 on my computer
I plan to do these classes in the morning after my husband goes to another room to telework. I’ll do the classes from my laptop in the dining/living room.
I’m excited to learn how to budget around a mortgage that increases every year due to property taxes.
Thanks for offering this!
I plan on doing my homework early in the morning so that it can in the forefront of my mind during the day
I plan on completing my homework first thing in the morning and I will do this at my bar table with some tea in hand. I am most excited about organizing my expenses and being disciplined to sticking to my budget!
Before I go to bed
after work. at my desk
I plan to do mine during the course of the day.
I’ll likely do my HW after lunch on weekdays.
I am planning on completing the homework throughout the day
I am very excited to work on my assignments at lunch.
I will work on them in the evening with my husband once the kids go to bed.
I’ll plan to do my assignments first thing in the morning. Hope this will help me budget better.
I will work on my plan in the morning while having my tea
I’ll do my assignments in bed before going to sleep, probably twice a week. I’m excited to create habits that will last we a long while.
I like to do my most challenging task first thing in the morning after my devotion with God, That way everything is calm and no interruptions.
I’m excited to get control of my spending so I will spend my mornings working on the assignments
I am ready to get control of my finances.
I am planning on doing the assignments first thing in the morning before I start work. I am excited about learning to make a budget that works for me and my family.
I’ll do the assignments each night after dinner. I’m looking forward to getting control of my finances, instead of them controlling me.
We will be completing the classes in the evenings.
I’ll do assignments late morning or early afternoon. Would prefer doing multiple assignments in a day.
In the mornings before kids wake uo