Budgeting doesn’t have to mean tracking every coffee or categorizing 93 transactions. The Rule of 3 is a simple method that helped me save over $300 in 30 days — without spreadsheets, apps, or stress.

🔢 What Is Rule-of-3 Budgeting?

It’s dead simple:

1. Pick 3 areas where you tend to overspend
2. Set a weekly cap for each one
3. Ignore everything else (seriously)

Mine were:

• 🍔 Takeout — capped at $30/week
• 🛒 Groceries — capped at $100/week – Side Note: If you’ve got a family, this is hard. This is just my example. Adjust as you see fit.
• 🎉 “Fun money” — capped at $25/week

That’s it. I stopped worrying about my electric bill or auto-pay subs — they were already under control. I just focused on the 3 categories that leaked cash like crazy.

💰 The Results

In four weeks, I spent $278 less than the previous month. Add in two impulse purchased I canceled and one unused subscription I finally axed, and I hit $312 saved without even touching my income.

🧠 Why It Works

• ✅ Reduces decision fatigue
• ✅ No app required (I used a sticky note)
• ✅ Focuses your energy where it matters

Rule-of-3 budgeting works because it’s flexible, fast, and rooted in behavior — not tech.

Want more simple budgeting tools that actually help (not confuse)? Read the full guide: Best Budgeting Tools for Broke Millennials.