How I Budgeted During a Rough Month

(And What I’ll Do Differently Next Time)

It started with a bang. Not metaphorically, but literally — a strange sound coming from my car engine that turned into a four-digit repair bill.

And as if that wasn’t enough, our electricity bill came in looking like we were running a secret durian freezer business. That was the moment I realized: this month’s budget just got hijacked.

We’ve all been there — that one month where everything hits at once. 

But instead of spiraling or swiping without thinking, I decided to sit down, be honest with myself, and face the music. Here's how I navigated that storm, what worked, what didn’t, and what I’d do differently next time.

Step 1: Face the Numbers, Don’t Flinch

I used to avoid looking at my bank app during times like this. Not because I didn’t know the numbers were bad — but because I did. But this time, I printed out the past 30 days’ transactions and categorized everything.

It didn’t take long to see the leaks:

• RM162 on delivery food.
• RM89 on unused subscriptions.
• RM230 on impulse buys that, frankly, didn’t spark joy.

Lesson?

I wasn’t as “disciplined” as I thought I was. And facing that in black and white was painful, but necessary.

Step 2: Create a “Survival Budget”

Once I had the truth laid out, I built a survival mode budget. This wasn’t the time for fancy coffee or random Shopee checkouts. Just the basics:

• Rent
• Utility bills
• Petrol
• Groceries
• A small buffer for unavoidable miscellaneous stuff (because life isn’t always predictable)

I paused all streaming services except YouTube (the free kind), stopped eating out, and set a weekly spending cap for myself using cash — no card temptations.

And guess what?

It worked. I made it stretch.

Step 3: Talked with the Family (and My Ego)

I sat my wife and daughter down and explained the situation. It wasn’t easy. There’s always a part of me that wants to pretend everything’s fine, but that would’ve made things worse.

I said, “Let’s keep things simple this month. We’ll bounce back.” And they were completely on board. We had home-cooked meals, movie nights from whatever free on YouTube connected using HDMI cable with my laptop, and surprisingly — those moments were some of the best we’d had in a while.

Turns out, the ego bruises — but the heart strengthens.

Step 4: Got Creative with Income

I knew cutting wasn’t enough. I needed to add something too, even if just a little.

So, I dug into my old folder of side hustle ideas and found a small freelance job I could do over the weekend — articles write up request from a friend. It didn’t pay a lot, but it covered the grocery top-up I needed by week three.

I also cashed out some Grab points and found some old items I could sell online. Small wins. But each one made me feel less helpless.

What That Month Taught Me

That month wasn’t just about making ends meet — it was about waking up.

Here’s what stuck with me:

• Emergency funds aren’t optional. Even RM300 stashed can make a difference.
• Habits creep up quietly. I wasn’t spending wildly, but I wasn’t checking myself either.
• Honesty is a superpower. With myself. With my family. With the situation.

And most importantly, budgeting doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re taking charge, even when the numbers are tight.

What I’ll Do Differently Moving Forward

1. Automate savings — even if it’s just RM50 a month into a “rainy day” stash.

2. Do monthly reviews — no skipping. It’s like brushing teeth; once you skip, it snowballs.

3. Keep one simple side hustle active — just to stay warmed up. You never know.

If You’re in That Boat Too…

If you’re going through a rough patch — financially, emotionally, or both — please know this: you’re not broken. You’re not behind. You’re just adjusting. 

And adjusting is a sign of strength, not failure.

Budgeting isn’t about depriving yourself. It’s about protecting your peace. It’s about knowing your limits and working within them with grace. 

And when things get better — which they will — you’ll carry those lessons with you.

Sometimes the roughest months are the ones that shape us the most.

And when I look back at that month, I don’t see panic anymore — I see progress.

Until next time — budget wisely, live fully, and give yourself some credit too.