Pay Yourself First

Most people spend, then save whatever's left — which is usually nothing, because spending expands to fill whatever's available. Pay-yourself-first flips the order:

1. 01Fixed bills (rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance, debt minimums)
2. 02Savings and investing — off the top, automatically, before you see the money
3. 03Everything else is discretionary

That's it. That's the whole idea. The power isn't in the concept — it's in making step 2 happen automatically, so it's not a decision you have to make (and potentially talk yourself out of) every single payday.