Need a Budget That Works? Start Here.

Speaker A00:00:00

Have you ever tried budgeting and felt overwhelmed in the first 10 minutes? Too many categories, too many numbers, and too many decisions. Budgets don't fail because people are irresponsible.Budgets fail because they're too complicated. Today we're going to build one that actually works. Hey, friend. Ralph Estep Jr. Here.I'm the financially confident Christian where we learn how to walk through life and money with wisdom, with peace, and with a heart anchored in God's truth.My mission is simple, to help you break that cycle of financial shame and build steady habits rooted in faith so you can become the kind of believer who handles money with clarity, with confidence, and with spiritual purpose. Yesterday we talked about why budgets actually bring freedom and how they calm your heart and protect your future.And today we're going to build on that. We're taking the next step. How do you actually build a budget that works in real life?Not a stressful one, not a complicated one, one that says, I'll never stick to this. A simple, faithful, life giving plan that brings clarity instead of chaos.A listener wrote me and said, ralph, I've tried the budgeting apps, I've tried spreadsheets, I've tried notebooks. Nothing sticks. What am I missing? Maybe you felt that too. You want to get it right.You want to be faithful, you want to feel peace when you look at your money. But every system feels overwhelming or too detailed or too unrealistic. And after a while you quietly think, maybe budgeting just isn't for me.Friend, you're not the problem. The method was you don't need a complicated budget, you need a simple one.And research shows that most people quit budgeting not because of discipline, but because their system was too complex to maintain. It's really, that's what it is. In the end, simplicity wins. Always. It's not about perfection, it's about clarity.And I've seen this for more than 30 years as an accountant, as a coach, and yes, also as a believer. I've helped people build budgets that fit real lives.Not these ideal lives, these pie in the sky ideas, Budgets that don't require hours each weeks, budgets that flex when life gets messy because guess what? Life gets messy. And budgets that actually work in the hands of real people with real families and real struggles.And I promise you right now, you can build one too. A man in our community, and I'll call him Andrew, tied budgeting many times.He had dozens of apps, multiple planners, color coded spreadsheets, but nothing stuck. So I helped him. We stripped it down. Income, fixed expenses, Core categories, zero based balance. Just four things, just one page. It took 10 minutes.And Andrew told me later, he said, ralph, for the first time in my life, I finally feel like my money makes sense. See, that's the power of simple steps.So let me ask you, what if budgeting didn't feel stressful or complicated, but actually felt peaceful and manageable? Let's build that together. Let's take it, and let's do it step by step together. First thing I want you to do starts with this. List your income.Start with what's coming in. That's your job, your wages. Maybe you've got some side jobs, maybe you're retired.It's your Social Security or retirement, any consistent income, start there. That's your foundation. That's your starting point. And guess what? That's your reality. Because that's what's actually coming in the door.Second thing, list your fixed expenses. You're like, ralph, what are you talking about? These are your bills that come every month whether you're ready or not.Things like your mortgage or your rent, the utilities, your insurance, your Internet and your phone bill. Hey, everybody's got a phone these days, right? These don't change much, so they're easy to plan.This step alone brings so much peace because you know what to expect. Step number three is add in those core categories. Keep them simple. You notice I'm not giving you 22 items.Saving, giving, debt payments, groceries, hey, we all got to eat, gas and those extras. You don't need 22 categories. You just need clarity. The point isn't control, it's actually direction. And step four, finally, balance to zero.See, this is the secret. You want to know the secret? This is a secret. Every dollar gets an assignment. And that's not done to restrict you, but to guide you.And when you balance to zero, you stop wondering, where did my money go? Because you know exactly where every dollar went because you told it where to go in the first place. This is where peace begins.And see, Jesus himself taught this wisdom long before budgeting apps even existed. Look at Luke 14:28. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.Once you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it. It's Jesus. See, that planning isn't fear. That planning is wisdom. It's stewardship. It's obedience. And it's peace.Lord, we just thank you for the gift of order and peace that comes from clarity. Let us build budgets that honor you, that reflect your wisdom, and that strengthen our households.Give us discernment as we count the cost, and courage as we take the next step. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen. All right, here's today's step. I want you to write down your income and your fixed expenses. That's it.I just want you to begin. You're already building your budget with just those couple things. A member of our committee wrote this.I always thought budgeting was overwhelming, but this group helped me break it down into simple steps. People here don't shame you. They walk with you, friend. You don't have to build your 2026 budget alone either. Come and join us.It's free, it's supportive, and hey, it's Safe. Come to financiallyconfidentchristian.com. join again. That's financiallyconfidentchristian.com. join and let's walk this road together. Remember this.You don't need the perfect budget. You just need a simple one. You need one that brings peace, you need one that brings clarity, and you need one that brings order.Because I'm going to tell you right now, you are capable, you are growing, and God is guiding your steps. Go out there today and be a financially confident Christian. You can do this. I have confidence in you, and the Lord is with you.Stay financially savvy. God bless you, and you have a great day today.