A budget is only useful if it helps you make decisions. And that means it needs to be simple enough to read, flexible enough to update and clear enough that anyone on your team can understand the logic behind it. If your budget feels like a math puzzle no one wants to touch, you’ll avoid it until it’s too late.
Complexity might make you feel like you’re being thorough, but it can also hide waste. It makes it harder to see where the leaks are. Harder to spot duplication. Harder to know if a cost is pulling its weight.
Keep it simple. Know what each expense is for and what you expect from it. Track the difference between fixed costs and bets. And most importantly, check in often. A budget is not something you review once a quarter. It’s something that should guide your choices weekly or even daily when cash flow is tight.
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