A Four-Part Blueprint for Money & Meaning
Give. Save. Spend. Enjoy.
Money is a tool, not a master — give every dollar a purpose.
The Balanced Buck turns one simple split — 10 / 20 / 65 / 5 — into a way of living that's generous, secure, and genuinely fun. Read the book, grab the worksheets, and put it to work this month.
Companion worksheets & the budgeting app — free with the book.
The 10 / 20 / 65 / 5 Philosophy
Every dollar gets a bucket. Nothing gets lost.
Four parts make one whole. When every dollar already has a home before it arrives, the anxiety of "where did it all go?" simply disappears.
10% — Give
Giving first, not last. Detaching from a tenth is the surest cure for greed and the start of an abundant mindset.
20% — Save
Your future self's paycheck. Split between a protection fund and long-term investing, this is where peace of mind is built.
65% — Spend
The engine room — housing, food, transport, the daily business of living well without feeling deprived.
5% — Enjoy
Guilt-free joy. A budget with no fun is destined to fail; this is your reward for the disciplined other 95%.
The Book
From "I need more money" to "I have a better relationship with it."
Part financial planning, part values, written for anyone who wants their money to serve a life of generosity, security, and joy. Each pillar gets its own chapter — practical, honest, and warm.
- 01The Why — more than a math problemIntro
- 02The 10% — the power of givingGive
- 03The 20% — building your future selfSave
- 04The 65% — the art of living wellSpend
- 05The 5% — guilt-free joyEnjoy
- 06The Synergy — bringing it togetherSummary
Book Companion Library
Downloads to go with the book.
Every worksheet and tool referenced in The Balanced Buck, in one place. Print them, fill them in, and make the 10/20/65/5 split real.
The flagship tool
The Balanced Buck budgeting app
Track income (weekly, biweekly, twice-monthly, monthly — even two earners), log every expense, and watch your month sort itself into the four buckets automatically. Runs in any browser; your data stays on your device.
Open the app →The Giving Plan
Decide where your 10% goes before the month starts — causes, tithe, people — and set it to give first, not last.
DownloadThe Future-Self Tracker
Split your 20% between a protection fund and long-term investing, and watch the runway grow month over month.
DownloadThe 65% Map
Lay housing, food, and transport over your 65% and find the "sneaky wants" leaking into the other buckets.
DownloadThe Joy Budget
Give your 5% permission and boundaries at once, so the latte, the concert, and the hobby gear feel good — not guilty.
DownloadThe One-Page Blueprint
The whole 10/20/65/5 system on a single sheet — your monthly rhythm, the four buckets, and the "adjust the dials" guide.
DownloadThe Balanced Buck Toolkit
The whole system in one workbook: Start Here, a bucket Calculator, a First-Month worksheet, and a Fixed-Cost Audit — with the math built in.
Download