September Exposed a BIG Problem | October Budget Reset

September is officially CLOSED—and whew, the numbers showed us exactly where we need to tighten up. 😅 In this video, we’re closing out our full September budget, looking at what actually happened with our money, and setting up our zero-based October budget. September wasn’t a terrible month overall, but some of our variable spending got WAY off track. We budgeted $440 for spending and actually spent $1,311.71, and our $300 eating-out budget turned into $792.28. So October isn’t just another monthly budget setup—we’re changing the SYSTEM. We’re going back to real cash stuffing, separating our variable spending categories, starting sinking funds, and working toward using a separate account just for our bills. And if we can actually follow the October plan, we’ve budgeted $2,101 to finally go toward our debt snowball. 🙌🏾 Now we have to see if we can actually stick to it. 👀 If you’re budgeting along with us, drop a comment and tell me: What category gave YOU the most trouble in September? ✨ OUR HOUSEHOLD (as of October 2026): Hubby: Tim — 32 Wifey: Alicia — 31 Son: Asa — 4 Daughter: Adaya — 2 ✨ OUR OCTOBER PLAN: Projected October Money Available: $15,219 Bills: $5,848 Variable Spending: $1,980 Debt Payments: $2,884 Planned Debt Snowball: $2,101 Budget Method: Zero-Based Budget — every dollar has a plan ✨ WHAT’S CHANGING IN OCTOBER: • Returning to real cash stuffing • Separating our variable spending categories • Starting sinking funds • Tightening our spending + eating-out budgets • Working toward a separate bills account • Finally planning money for our debt snowball ✨ OUR CURRENT BUDGETING SYSTEM: • The Budget Mom’s Budget by Paycheck Workbook — budget planning • Real cash + cash envelopes — variable spending • Budget spreadsheet — financial tracking and organization ✨ LET’S STAY CONNECTED: Instagram (Budgeting): @thestewardsledger Instagram (Personal): @alicia_danelle ✨ FETCH REWARDS: Scan your receipts and earn gift cards with Fetch! Referral Code: 5PYGK 💜 Subscribe if you want to see whether this October budget actually works. The next videos will show us putting the plan into action through our weekly budget, real cash stuffing, sinking funds, check-ins, and eventually our October closeout. The Steward’s Ledger Where Faith Meets Financial Discipline. DISCLAIMER: We’re sharing our personal household finances and experiences for informational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing shared in this video is individualized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. #BudgetWithMe #OctoberBudget #FamilyBudgeting #CashStuffing #TheStewardsLedger