Everything You Need to Build Your Budget

Brian Page
Dec 19, 2025
4 min read

The most helpful resource or tool spouses can use to build a budget is a complete history of their past financial choices. Before we get to that, let's understand what you and your spouse hope to achieve.

I prefer to look at a budget as a spending plan. Planned choices to spend money are not a guilty pleasure; it's planned happiness. A budget (spending plan) is not a long-term diet. It might be necessary to tighten your belts to pay down damaging debt obligations. After this is worked through, the approach to planned financial decisions should be a thoughtful balancing act between financial security and happiness now and saving for the future.

Every household has different financial circumstances, but it can take hours to pull together what you need to build a spending plan — schedule time on your calendars for you and your spouse to get organized. Set alert reminders so you remember.

Collect Your Transactions Over the Past Year

Credit card transactions

Most credit cards allow you to download transactions into a CSV file. Doing so will save you time and headaches when you organize your transactions.

Checking account transactions

Most banks also allow you to download transactions into a CSV file. If not, you'll need to download the monthly statements in a PDF. This will capture all transactions on your checking accounts, including debit card purchases, checks, and ATM withdrawals.

Savings account transactions

You can download your records just as you did with your checking account. Be sure not to double-count. For example, if you moved money from checking to savings and then spent it from your checking account, this should count as a single withdrawal.

3rd party mobile wallet transactions

Download withdrawals from contactless payment options such as Apple Pay and Venmo. You'll need to cross over transactions to prevent double-counting between the app and the connected bank account.

Brokerage account transactions

These accounts are typically viewed as investment accounts commonly used to buy and sell securities (e.g., stocks, bonds, mutual funds). There are no penalties or limits on withdrawals, and some brokerage accounts offer services similar to those of checking accounts.

Cash on hand

Whether it is the penny jar or piggy bank, you'll need to estimate how much you spent using cash that is not reflected in any bank account withdrawals.

You'll need to categorize each transaction as a debit (money leaving your account) or a credit (money entering your account). Do not double-count credits, such as paycheck deposits and transfers between accounts.

Choose Your Tool to Organize Your Transactions

My wife and I use Tiller to manage our own personal finances, and we love it! Here are three reasons why:

1. Time saver!

We have far too many transactions to track on an app or input manually. Time is at a premium. Once our accounts were linked to Tiller and we categorized three months of transactions, Tiller is updated daily without us having to invest any additional time. We actually get an email each morning with a review of the previous day's transactions.

2. Safety!

Tiller does not share personal data, does not advertise other products, and does not have detailed access to our financial accounts.

3. Budgeting!

Tiller makes it super simple to recognize spending patterns and identify problem areas.

Categorize Your Expenses

To reduce your spending, categorize your expenses into fixed, automatic, and variable.

Fixed expenses do not change from one payment to the next. Common examples of fixed expenses include fixed-rate mortgages and auto loan payments.

Variable but automatic expenses will be a great place to start cutting costs. These expenses are often paid automatically, but the costs can increase over time. Examples include subscriptions, insurance, and cell phones.

Variable expenses can vary day by day. Think about how frequently you or your spouse order from Amazon, eat out, or attend a sporting event.

Schedule a Money Date

You and your spouse are not spreadsheets. You are people with emotions, and financial infidelity can be contentious.

Set aside time to build your budget together. You will need to be in a comfortable, peaceful environment and schedule enough time so you don't feel rushed. Look at my previous post if you need to familiarize yourself with what a Money Date is or how to have one.

How to Start Building Out a Spending Plan

When you start building your spending plan, begin with what each of you enjoys spending money on the most and work backward. Consider writing down your preferred spending choices separately, then coming together to find what you have in common. And that is the best place to prioritize how you should spend your money.

Professional Support

I support couples who want to better manage money or the home as a team in their relationship.

I'm the only Accredited Financial Counselor® and Fair Play Facilitator®, empowering high-achieving couples with systems to manage money and the home as a team — drawn from decades of national leadership and lived experience.

Click here to learn more about me and how I can help.