How I Stop Being Broke on the 20th With a Small But Stable $125 Salary



I do not have a big salary. But I have a stable one. And I learned how to make it last.

Being broke on the 20th is a normal feeling for many people. Salary comes on the 1st. For the first week, we feel rich. We eat good food, we buy coffee outside. Then on the 15th, we start to worry. On the 20th, we look at our wallet and it is empty. Still 10 days to go until next payday.

That was my life for 2 years. My basic salary is only $125. It is small, but it comes every month on the same date. Stable. The problem was not the salary. The problem was me. I had no system. I spent money when I had it, and I cried when I did not have it.

Then I changed one simple thing. I stopped thinking monthly. I started thinking weekly.

The Weekly System That Changed My Life

Monthly thinking is dangerous. $125 looks like a lot of money on the 1st. So you spend a lot. Weekly thinking makes it small and safe.

Here is what I do now. On payday, I take my $75 living money from my envelope. I do not keep it as one big amount. I divide it by 4.

$75 / 4 weeks = $18.75 per week. I round it to $18 per week. So I have $3 extra for buffer.

My Real Weekly Budget: $18 Per Week

Monday to Sunday: My food budget is $10 for a week. I buy rice 5kg for $4, vegetables and eggs for $4, and cooking oil for $2. I cook twice a day. No delivery.

Transport: $3 per week for gasoline. My motorbike is old but it saves me money. I only go to market and work.

Other needs: $5 per week for soap, phone data, and small needs for my child. If I do not spend the $5, I put it back to my emergency envelope.

Why This System Works For Stable Income

When you have a stable salary, you know exactly how much you will get next month. So you can plan. A small salary is not the enemy. No plan is the enemy.

With a weekly system, I never get surprised. If I spend too much on Tuesday, I eat simple rice and salt on Wednesday. I balance it inside the same week. I never take money from next week's budget. That is the rule.

Before, I borrowed money on the 20th with 10% interest. If I borrowed $20, I had to pay back $22. Now I never borrow. I save $2 from interest every time. In one year, that is $24 saved.

How a No-ATM Savings Account Stops Me From Withdrawing Money


Result After 6 Months

Now on the 20th, I still have money. Last month on the 20th, I still had $15 in my wallet plus $25 in my emergency envelope. I felt rich. Not because I had a lot, but because I had no stress.

My friend at work has a salary of $200, bigger than me. But he still borrows on the 25th. Because he thinks monthly. I think weekly.

Final Thought

If your income is small but stable, do not think monthly. Think weekly. Divide your living money into 4 small boxes. One box for one week. When the box is empty, stop. Wait for next week.

Start this month. Take your salary, divide it, and put it in 4 different places. You will never be broke on the 20th again.

FAQ

Q: What if one week needs more money than $18?
I take from next week, but only $3 maximum. And next week I must live with $15. I write it down.

Q: Does this work if your salary is not stable?
Yes, but you need to use your lowest average income. If you sometimes get $100, sometimes $150, plan as if you only get $100.

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