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The Rivera household

Sample · made-up family October 2026 · closed Nov 1
Covered
Every bill is paid and the cushion got its $500 this month.
Safe to spend
$950
after bills and the $500 set aside
What stayed
$1,450
money in − money out this month

Money in vs money out — October

What came in, and what the bills took.

Money in: paycheck $4,200 + side work $400 = $4,600 Money out: all the bills = $3,150 $4,600 $3,150 Money in Money out $1,450 stayed

This month $4,600 came in and $3,150 went out — $1,450 stayed with you.

The jars

Fill the first before the next one matters: bills covered, then a cushion, then fun money.

Bills coveredall paid
Rent, groceries, utilities, gas, phone, insurance — every essential is paid this month.
Cushion growing$1,900 of $3,000
A rainy-day buffer, filling $500 a month — about two-thirds of the way there.
Fun money$950 of the $1,450 left
Of the $1,450 left this month, the cushion takes $500 and the other $950 is honestly yours.

One thing to look at

Suggestion Your gas guess looks low — it's been about $240 the last two months, not the $180 we planned for. Want me to update it to about $235?

How the month went

Bills are covered and the cushion got its $500, so $950 is honestly yours this month. $4,600 came in, $3,150 went out.

The one thing worth a look: gas was $240 again — that's two months over the $180 we planned for, so it's time to update that guess.

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