Meet the Mark Budgeting

Solo - What to Have Ready

What to have ready for your Solo Budget Roadmap intake form.

Solo budgeters, you're in the right place. If you're a couple who pools everything together, you're also in the right place. Combine both incomes and all shared expenses into your answers below.


For either plan

  • Your take-home pay (net, not gross) and how often you're paid (weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly)

  • The date of your next paycheck

  • Any regular extra income: how much, how often, and either the day of the month it lands or the most recent date you received it

  • A list of your recurring bills: name, amount, how often it's due (monthly, weekly, biweekly, quarterly, or annual), and either the due day of the month or the most recent date it was charged. Up to 30 bills can be entered, and this includes subscriptions, loans, insurance, credit cards (minimum payment only), and utilities

  • Your typical grocery cost per trip and how often you shop

  • Your typical gas cost per fill-up and how often you fill up

  • How much you'd like in your checking account as a safety buffer (if unsure, $100 is a reasonable starting point)

  • Your current checking account balance (optional)

  • Your current total savings balance, and how much of it (if any) you're comfortable using to cover a tight period

  • Your savings goal amount, and whether you want a fixed amount set aside every period or to save whatever's left over after expenses


If you're getting Premium

(includes the debt payoff strategy), also have ready:

  • For each debt (up to 20): the name, current balance, APR, and minimum payment. Use your rate as it is today. If a card is at 0% right now, enter 0.

  • If a card has a promotional rate right now, like a 0% intro APR: the date it ends and the regular APR that starts on that date. Both are on your statement.

Important: debt names need to exactly match the bill names you enter. For example: a credit card called "Capital One" in your bills should be entered the same way in your debts, not shortened to "Cap One" in one place and not the other.

  • Whether you're contributing to retirement through payroll deduction, manually, or not at all, and the relevant amount if so

  • For any bill on a fixed payoff schedule (like a personal loan that isn't part of your debt strategy), the date it'll be fully paid off — leave blank if it's ongoing


Not sure about something? Give your best estimate or email me for clarification. [email protected]

Meet the Mark Budgeting