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The 5-Minute Weekly Budget Check-In That Might Change Your Finances

Nourish: Hire a Registered Dietician Completely Free!

The 5-Minute Weekly Budget Check-In That Might Change Your Finances

Let’s be honest, sticking to a budget is sometimes kind of like trying to keep a toddler clean during spaghetti night. You try, but life is messy.

So many people think budgeting is something you set once and leave alone. In actuality, budgeting is more like sourdough starter. You’ve got to check in, stir things up a little, and feed it regularly or it falls apart fast.

Instead of waiting for the end of the month to wonder where all the money went, I highly recommend doing a simple 5-minute budget check-in every week. That’s it. Five minutes. It just might completely change how you handle money… and it’s so simple!

If you’ve ever felt behind, unorganized, or just too overwhelmed to look at your bank account, this is for you.

The Five-Minute Budget Check-In:

Here are the six questions I recommend asking at the end of each week to keep your budget on track and your sanity intact (if you are married, I recommend reviewing these with your spouse, if possible):

1. What Worked This Week?

Let’s start with the good stuff. Did you stick to your grocery budget? Actually skip the drive-thru? Pack lunches three times instead of eating out at work?

Even if your big goal is to pay off debt or save $1,000, the little wins count. For me, this might be that we ate leftovers or I made a meal from what we had in the pantry. Or, I came up with a way to use something I already have on hand instead of buying new. Or, I found a really great deal on something I already needed to buy!

For whatever went right: notice it, name it, and acknowledge the win.

By the way, if you need help defining your budgeting goals, my FREE Budget Goal Planning Worksheets are designed to make the process super simple!

2. What Didn’t Work?

This part isn’t for shaming yourself. It’s for learning.

Did you blow the takeout budget on Wednesday because you forgot to meal prep? Did you “accidentally” walk into Target and unintentionally spend $67 on things you didn’t really need?

Maybe you reflect on this and realize that you spend extra money on snacks every Friday. As you think about it, perhaps you realize you are always out running errands with your kids after school on Fridays and everyone is hungry.

This awareness is key! Now, you can plan a fun snack stop in advance and budget for it OR bring snacks from home. Boom. Problem solved!

3. What Do I Want to Change?

This is where the magic happens. Maybe your Dining Out budget needs more wiggle room. Maybe you didn’t track things well this week because life felt crazy.

Ask yourself: What could I change next week to feel more prepared or in control? Sometimes the answer is simple like setting a phone reminder to log receipts. Sometimes it’s deeper, like realizing your budget doesn’t match your real life and needs a total refresh. Or that you are trying to buy happiness and need to fast from spending money to instead try to address the emotions that you’re masking by spending money.

Either way, there’s always something you can adjust.

Psst! If you need a way to track all your spending, be sure to check out my FREE Budget Tracker! It has a place to easily track everything — fixed expenses and variable expenses!

4. What Surprised Me?

Did something cost more than expected? Did you get a refund you forgot about? Was the electric bill way lower thanks to cooler weather?

Just this past week, I got a notification that we’d been charged $28 for a monthly fee for something. I didn’t recognize the company. Turns out, one of our teens had signed up for something (with our permission) thinking it was a one-time fee and it turned out to be an ongoing subscription. We had the teen go in and get that resolved and cancelled. And I was so glad I caught it because $28 a month would add up very quickly!

Surprises are little gifts of insight… even the frustrating ones.

5. Was I Over Budget Anywhere?

If you went over your budget, ask yourself: Was this a one-time thing, or is it happening often?

If it’s a pattern (like groceries being $50 over every week), it might be time to either:

Adjust the budget
Adjust your spending habits
Or both!

Either way, don’t beat yourself up. This is just helpful information. Think of your budget like a GPS: if you take a wrong turn, it just recalculates. It doesn’t call you irresponsible.

6. Any “Aha” Moments?

Sometimes during this check-in, you might discover something big about your money mindset. Like the week I was grieving the loss of something big in my life and realized I wanted to just buy something to try to fill the hole and take away some of the sadness. This was a good reminder for me to stop and give myself space to acknowledge my sadness and the depths of the loss I was feeling.

Or maybe you instead are noticing how calm you feel and you realized it’s because you’ve been planning ahead and saving for upcoming bills.

Those little lightbulb moments are powerful. They help you understand yourself and build better habits that actually stick.

Weekly Check-Ins = Real Budget Confidence

This simple practice just might help you go from “I have no idea what I’m doing” to “I’ve got this. I have a plan. And I’m living in a way that lines up with my values and priorities!”

So this weekend, grab your planner, a sticky note, or even just the Notes app on your phone. Set a 5-minute reminder and ask yourself these six questions. You don’t need a fancy app or a perfect plan. You just need a willingness to check in, learn from what has happened, make some small tweaks, and try again next week.

Because every little step matters.

Nourish: Hire a Registered Dietician Completely Free!

Want to make healthy food choices and hit your health goals? Check out this program!

What is Nourish?

Are you wanting to make healthy changes in your diet but don’t know where to start? Struggling to hit your health goals or feeling overwhelmed by trying to stay on track?

The Nourish Dietitian Program is a virtual platform that connects individuals with registered dietitians (RDs) for one-on-one nutrition counseling tailored to your specific health goals, lifestyle, and medical needs. Whether you’re managing a chronic condition like diabetes or PCOS, struggling with digestive issues, or simply looking to eat better and feel more energized, Nourish meets you where you are.

Unlike generic meal plans or one-size-fits-all diets, the Nourish program is built around you. Each session is tailored to your body, goals, medical history, and preferences. It’s not about restriction — it’s about sustainable habits that empower long-term wellness.

No matter who you are or where you’re from, Nourish is for you. The best part? 94% of patients pay $0 out of pocket as it’s fully covered by insurance and they are available in all 50 states.

How It Works

Simply tell them about yourself, provide your insurance, and book an appointment. They will pair you will a registered dietician that is the perfect fit for you personally.

Your dietitian will support your health goals with regular telehealth appointments, post-session notes, and messages between sessions using a personalized and holistic approach. They will also help you understand how sleep, stress, movement, and mindset impact your health. It’s a truly holistic model that treats you as a whole person, not just a list of symptoms or numbers on a scale.

My Experience with Nourish

I recently signed up for Nourish and had my first appointment with my registered dietician last week. I was blown away and had so many aha moments in the hour I met with her. She made me feel so seen and heard and I came away determined to do a better job of nourishing and caring for my body.

My body has been under so much stress the last few years with two pregnancies, fostering, reunification, and adopting David, along with working full time and being a mom to six kids. I’m excited and grateful for her encouragement and the ongoing support and accountability she is going to provide for me.

The best part is that it is completely covered by our insurance so I don’t have to pay anything out of pocket. If you are looking for someone to walk along side you with accountability, goal setting, and lots of tools, I would highly recommend Nourish.

Whether you’re dealing with postpartum changes, low energy, hormone shifts, or stress eating — Nourish takes a whole-person approach. Your dietitian helps you connect the dots between nutrition, sleep, mood, and overall wellness.