Most budgets are abandoned in the second week, because they set a cap for twenty categories and every small purchase becomes a decision. The simpler way is to control only where the money actually goes.
Step one: see where the money goes
If you don't have a budget yet, just record for a month or two and do nothing else. At the end of the month open the category report. Almost always three or four categories take more than half your spending, usually food, housing and transport, plus an "everything else" that somehow never adds up.
Step two: cap the top three
Give each a monthly cap, a number a little below the average of the last two months. It needn't be rigid; a cap is a voice that tells you when you're getting close.
- Housing and bills are usually fixed; their cap is the real amount.
- Food has the most room to move; this is where a budget pays off.
- The third is whatever bothers you: entertainment, clothes, eating out.
Step three: watch 80% and 100%
Two alerts are enough: when you reach 80% of a cap ("careful") and when you reach 100% ("that's it"). The 80% one matters more, because there's still something you can do.
Keep recurring costs out of the budget
Define rent, instalments and bills once as recurring transactions so they post or remind themselves. Your budget should only be about discretionary spending; not things that are the same month after month.
Don't forget it's shared
If two people spend, both should write in one ledger and the budget should belong to the household, not to one of you. The best budget is one you both can see, and can talk about if you need to.
In Ricordax you set a monthly cap per category, get 80% and 100% alerts, define recurring transactions, and bring your spouse into the same ledger with an invite link. Have a look at the personal and family app.