Separate available money from expected payments
List the money you can use now. Keep expected payments in a separate list with dates and status. Do not include an unconfirmed payment in your current spending budget. If your balance includes money earmarked for work costs or known commitments, separate that first.
Build a short-term plan
Choose a period for the available balance, such as the next 14 days. List bills due within that period and subtract them from available money. Divide the remainder across everyday spending. The date you choose is a planning boundary, not a guarantee of new income.
A two-week example
In this hypothetical USD example, 1,800 is available and 960 is committed to bills over the next 14 days. That leaves 840 for other purchases, or 60 per day. If 200 of the initial balance is already earmarked for another purpose, deduct it first: the daily amount will be lower.
| Step | Amount, USD |
|---|---|
| Available money | 1,800 |
| Bills over 14 days | 960 |
| Everyday spending balance | 840 |
| Daily guide | 60 |
Recalculate after a payment arrives
Update the actual balance, check unpaid bills and choose the next planning period. Do not deduct a paid bill again if it has already reduced your balance. You can allocate some available money to a reserve or goal, provided the contribution fits the actual balance.
If you work for yourself
A work payment is not necessarily the amount available for personal purchases. Keep a separate list of costs required to do the work and known commitments, then plan personal spending from the available portion. CHEK helps organise records; tax calculations and filings need separate review.
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