Money Sense 101: Lesson 5 - Your Anti-Anxiety Budget (It Fits on One Finger).

Forget Budgeting Apps. Forget Spreadsheets.

We introduce the One-Finger Budget:

1. Keep (micro-savings)
2. Use (essentials)
3. Enjoy (joy purchases)

That's it.

If you can count to three, you can budget better than most adults.

Small Consistent Habits Beat Big Impossible Plans

Fancy budgets fail because they're overwhelming.

The One-Finger Budget works because it's stupidly simple.

• Keep = Any amount you set aside (even 200 pesos)
• Use = Survival money (rent, food, transport)
• Enjoy = Small joys that make life worth living

Saving 1–5% Rewires the Brain Toward Stability

You don't need to save 20%.

Start with 1%.

If you get 100,000 pesos, put 1,000 aside.
If you get 50,000 pesos, put 500 aside.
If you get 10,000 pesos, put 100 aside.

The amount doesn't matter. The habit matters.

Because every time you "Keep" money, you're telling your brain:

"Money can stay. Money can be safe. I am capable of holding it."

The Point Is Calm, Not Perfection

Traditional budgets make you feel like a failure when you mess up.

The One-Finger Budget makes you feel proud when you try.

• Did you Keep 500 pesos? Victory.
• Did you Use money on food and rent? Smart.
• Did you Enjoy a coffee with a friend? Necessary.

All three are valid. All three matter.

Activity: Put a Symbolic Amount in "Keep"

Right now. Today.

Even 1,000 pesos.
Even 200 pesos.
Even one coin.

Put it somewhere safe and don't touch it for one week.

Notice how it feels.

The Micro-Win

You feel the first spark of control.

Small. Quiet. Real.