I read in some financial book that the less money poeple have, the more they micromamnge it. Well, I guess my income isn't very big to a financial adviser (the books I read seem toss off figures like $60,000 a year which leave me feeling very small). However, it's accounting for every dollar that got me to my current situation.

I make use off the pay splitting my bank offers. $105 goes every week to a bill paying account. Things like insurance, utilities, are paid automatically out of that account. I never touch it, never worry about paying regular bills. Over time, with the small safety margin I build in, it has got an extra month's worth of expenses in it.

I also have $30 a week going to a "Freedom Fund". This is used for any expenses related to the house, like repairs or buying new appliances. This is the one I need to concentrate on rebuilding, as it took a hammering last month.

The third account is my travel savings account which I use for holidays and trips. It gets $10 a week. At the moment it has $440 in it. I'm trying to get that up too as I want to go to Australia at the end of the year.

That leaves me with $28.29 for variable expenses. I'm happy to say that the annual cost of living increase has just come thru and I'm now getting $53.68 to micromanage. So I have $84.21 in my check account and I'm dividing it as follows:

Medical costs 25.00
Clothes $10 (need new shoes soon)
Toastmasters $20 (saving for 6 month fees)
Personal $5 (haircuts, gifts etc)
Yoga classes $11
Tickets for ballet with friend $10

My son pays me $50 cash each week for rent which I use for groceries and walking around money. I try to save as much of this as possible for my "Travel the Trans Siberian" stash.

Works for me.