How I Finally Stuck to a Budget With Notion
I tried apps, spreadsheets, and cash envelopes. Notion worked when I stopped tracking every latte.
I used to be the person who downloaded a new budgeting app every January and abandoned it by February. The problem wasn't discipline. It was that every system asked me to log tiny purchases I didn't care about.
When I built my Notion budget, I started with the four numbers that actually matter: rent, groceries, savings, and fun money. Everything else went into a single 'everything else' bucket. I check it once a week, not every day.
The magic was adding a simple progress bar next to each category. Seeing 'Fun money: 70% used' on a Tuesday made me pause before ordering takeout. No guilt, just information.
I've been using this setup for two years now. It's not perfect, but it's the first one I haven't quit. If you're starting over, give yourself permission to track less.