From Paycheck to Plan: How I Took Control of My Budget

​Hey everyone! Beth here from the Cabell County Family Resource Network. I wanted to take a moment to share my personal experience with budgeting—how I went from barely thinking about it to actually feeling in control of my finances.
 
Let’s be real—budgeting isn’t something most of us are taught in school. And if you’ve ever worked in the service industry like I did, where your income can change from week to week, the idea of setting up a budget might feel impossible. Back when I was a server and bartender, I was just focused on making ends meet, not tracking every dollar.
 
Then life threw a few big changes my way. I met my husband, we had our first son, and then—boom—COVID hit. My restaurant shut down, and I had to rethink everything. That’s when I decided to go back to school and shift to a steady 9-to-5 job with a reliable paycheck. For the first time, I knew exactly how much money I’d bring home every two weeks, and I realized it was time to get serious about budgeting.
 
Getting Started with Budgeting
My husband introduced me to the EveryDollar app (shoutout to Dave Ramsey fans). There’s a free version that works just fine—I’ve never paid for the premium one, so I can’t say if it’s worth it. But even the free version helped me get a handle on my expenses.
 
The first step? Writing everything down. And I mean everything. I sat down and made a list of every bill, every expense, and even those sneaky little charges (looking at you, monthly subscriptions!). My current list looks something like this:
 
Income:

• Paycheck 1
• Paycheck 2

 
Expenses:

• Rent/Mortgage
• Utilities (Water, Gas, Electric, Trash)
• Gasoline
• Groceries
• Phone Bill
• Fun Money (because let’s be honest, we all need a little!)
• Subscriptions (Netflix, Spotify, etc.)
• Eating Out
• Pet Care
• Child Care
• Annual Expenses (like Amazon Prime or car registration)
• Doctor Visits & Medications
• Auto Insurance
• Emergency Savings

 
How I Make My Budget Work
One of the best tips I learned? Plan for the highest bill.
For example, if my highest-ever electric bill was $250, I budget for that amount every month. If the bill ends up being only $125 one month, I take the leftover $125 and immediately move it to my savings account. (Pro tip: A high-yield savings account earns you extra money just for keeping it there!)
 
Even if you can only set aside $5 or $10 a month, it adds up. The key is to start. When you see your savings grow—even little by little—it feels like progress, and that momentum helps you keep going.
 
Final Thoughts
I know budgeting can feel overwhelming, especially if money is tight. But having a plan, even a simple one, can make such a difference. It helped me go from feeling stressed about money to knowing exactly where it’s going. If you’re just getting started, don’t overthink it—just start tracking!
 
How do you budget? Do you have any go-to apps or tricks? I’d love to hear what works for you!