How I spend my paycheck

Above is a table that I use to divide each paycheck (though I usually do it on a sticky note so it never looks so neat!). This helps me keep track of where I need to send the money coming into my checking account so I don't accidentally spend something I shouldn't. The numbers are just made up.

First I deposit my check and subtract 15% for savings (another 15% is already taken out for my 401k). I subtract my readjustment/spread account payment, any bill payments that were made from my bill pay account (a separate high-yield interest checking account - ING), and any budgeted items coming up that week. In the right side I figure out how much I need to transfer to ING, which is the readjustment/spread amount, the bill pay balances, and the savings (my savings is presently being used for maximum debt repayment).

At the bottom I take the current balance of my checking account, add the deposit amount and subtract the ING transfer amount. That gives me my actual account balance. Next to it I subtract the budget amounts, which stay in the checking account until I spend them that week, and I get the "Available" amount, which is what I have for spending on whatever that week.

Of course, this particular table doesn't include nearly as many bills as I usually have - for simplicity, so my available spending balance is rarely so high!