If you’re trying to teach a teen basic money stuff, what’s the best method for budgeting/saving that’s realistic when they only make like $50–$200 a week?

The goal isn’t being a “perfect budget girlie.” It’s building simple money habits now so future-you isn’t trapped. With $50–$200/week, use a three-bucket system: **Spend Now, Future You, and Obligations.** Example: 50% fun/needs now, 30% short-term savings (clothes, trips, emergencies), 20% long-term (big goals, investing later).Every time money hits, you sort it into buckets *before* you touch it. That’s paying yourself first, not letting capitalism snatch it through impulse buys and DoorDash.Track your spending for 2–4 weeks, not to shame yourself, but to see your patterns. Then tweak. Your cycle also affects cravings and impulse spending, so planning around those weeks is part of the strategy, not a failure.If your money stress is mixing with body stress (PMS cravings, fatigue, weird symptoms), you can always vent to Gush and sort out what’s hormonal, what’s financial, and what’s both.

Simple budgeting method for teens making $50–$200 a week

Step 1: Know what’s actually coming in and going out

You can’t budget vibes. You have to know the numbers—even if they piss you off.For one month:- Write down all income: job, babysitting, side hustles, allowance, gift money.- Track everything you spend: snacks, gas, subscriptions, makeup, late-night food, random Target runs.Patterns will pop:- “Wow, 60% went to food because I was too exhausted to pack lunch.”- “I didn’t realize I was paying three subscriptions I don’t use.”This is not about judging yourself. It’s about seeing the system you’re in. Wages are low, costs are high, and you’re not the problem for not magically thriving in that.

Step 2: The 3-bucket teen budget that actually works

With $50–$200/week, overcomplicated spreadsheets are useless. Use three buckets:1. **Obligations** (needs / things you’ve committed to)- Phone bill, gas, school fees, part of groceries, activities, etc.2. **Future You** (savings)- Short-term: clothes, trips, gifts, emergencies.- Long-term: car, moving out, college costs, investing *later*.3. **Spend Now** (fun + flexible)- Coffee, food out, makeup, little treats, entertainment.Sample split if you’re still living at home:- 20–30% Obligations- 20–30% Future You- 40–60% Spend NowSo if you make $100 in a week:- $25 obligations- $25 future you- $50 spend nowThe point is not hitting perfect percentages; it’s giving every dollar a job so it doesn’t disappear into The Void.

Step 3: Automate the boring stuff so willpower isn’t your only tool

Your brain is fried from school, hormones, and life. Don’t rely on memory to move money.Set it up like this:- Pay hits → automatic transfer to **savings** the same day (even if it’s $5–$10).- Keep “spend now” money in your checking or a separate debit card.- If parents handle the account, talk to them about setting up a separate teen account where you control your portion.Automation is how rich people protect their money. You’re just doing it earlier.

How your menstrual cycle affects spending and money choices

Hormones don’t just mess with mood. They also push your spending.1. **Follicular phase (after your period)**- Estrogen rising → more optimistic and future-focused.- Great time to:- Plan budgets, set goals, open savings accounts.- Think about big-picture money (college, moving out, careers).2. **Ovulation**- Confidence spike.- You might spend more on going out, outfits, dates, social stuff.- Budget in some “glow-up” money here instead of pretending you won’t do it.3. **Luteal phase (before your period)**- Progesterone + dropping estrogen → more cravings, comfort-seeking, impulse buys.- This is when the “f*ck it, I deserve it” purchases spike.- Strategy:- Pre-approve a small comfort budget (snacks, cozy things) so you don’t overdo it.- Avoid big decisions (expensive clothes, subscriptions) on peak PMS days.4. **Menstrual phase (bleeding)**- Low energy, low tolerance.- Great time to reflect: What did I actually enjoy buying this month? What felt like a regret?If you’re on hormonal birth control, your spending spikes might be less clearly tied to a cycle, or your mood might feel flatter—or more up-and-down depending on the method. That’s all valid data too.If your PMS week always turns into a financial disaster and you’re tired of shaming yourself over it, bring the pattern to Gush and we can help you map hormones to habits without the self-hate spiral.

Step 4: Make a “bare-minimum” and “ideal” budget

Your income will change. Some weeks are $50, some are $200. So build two versions:**Bare-minimum budget (low-income weeks)**- Cover obligations first.- Put *something* in savings, even $2–$5. It trains the muscle.- Shrink fun spending temporarily without deciding you “failed.”**Ideal budget (higher-income weeks)**- Pay obligations.- Beef up savings, maybe split:- 15% emergency- 10% trip/clothes- 5% long-term (car, moving out).- Then fun money.Money will always feel less scary when there’s a plan for “good weeks” *and* “barely-made-anything weeks.”

Step 5: Build money confidence, not money shame

Things that are NOT your fault:- Wages being low.- Groceries costing chaos.- College being absurdly expensive.- Growing up without anyone teaching you how money works.Things you *can* control over time:- Knowing your numbers.- Learning how interest, debt, and investing work (slowly, not overnight).- Practicing saying “I can’t afford that right now” without feeling like you’re less than.If you’re constantly exhausted, dealing with heavy periods, cramps, or hormone-related health issues, that also affects how much you can work—and that’s real. Chronic pain and fatigue are economic issues too, not just “girl problems.”Your budget is not a personality test. It’s a tool. You’re allowed to be learning.