398: Why Budgeting Still Matters Even When You Have No Money
The Clever Girls Know Podcast With Bola Sokunbi
Bola Sokunbi
4.8 • 931 Ratings
🗓️ 5 February 2026
⏱️ 15 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire;
Struggling to budget because you feel like you don't have enough money? You're not alone, and this is exactly when budgeting matters most.
On this podcast episode, I'm walking you through how to budget when you have no money using 8 practical steps that will help you take control, reduce stress, and create a financial plan even if you're starting from zero (or less). Whether you're dealing with debt, inconsistent income, or just feel like you're stuck, this episode is for you.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
- How to assess your finances when you're broke
- How to create a bare-bones budget that helps you survive and rebuild
- Ways to cut expenses fast without shame
- Simple strategies to track small wins and increase your income
- How to stay consistent, even when progress feels slow
Budgeting isn't just about dollars, it's about direction. The sooner you get a handle on what's coming in and going out, the sooner you can create a plan to move forward. Even if all you have is $5, this episode will show you how to make it work for you.
More Clever Girl Finance Resources:
❤ Subscribe to the Clever Girl Finance newsletter for weekly motivation! clevergirlfinance.com/subscribe
❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books
❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages
❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog
❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | So if you've been telling yourself, I can't budget, I have no money, pause right there. |
| 0:05.6 | Because budgeting when you have no money is when budgeting matters the most. |
| 0:10.4 | You may be opening up your banking app and being like, what's the point of even trying? |
| 0:14.8 | But let me tell you, there is a point. |
| 0:17.7 | Budgeting isn't just about tracking numbers. |
| 0:20.3 | It's about gaining control, no matter how |
| 0:23.1 | small your numbers may look right now. So let's talk about how to create a budget, how to budget |
| 0:29.0 | accordingly when you have little or no money. Hello everyone and welcome to the Clever Girls No |
| 0:35.4 | podcast. This is Bola Shokumbbi. I'm the founder and CEO of |
| 0:39.6 | Clever Girl Finance. The Clever Girls No podcast is a podcast for women offering a space for conversations |
| 0:45.7 | around personal finance, business, life, and living. I'd love for you to subscribe to this podcast, |
| 0:52.1 | and you can do that everywhere you listen to your podcast |
| 0:54.3 | episodes. And if you love what you're listening to, be sure to leave a review so that other |
| 0:59.2 | amazing women just like you can find this podcast too. Also, don't forget to stop by |
| 1:04.4 | Clevergirlfinance.com forward slash subscribe and sign up for our weekly newsletter. It's a great way to get motivation and accountability sent straight to your inbox as you work on achieving your financial goals. |
| 1:16.9 | We also have over 30 plus completely free courses to help you on your financial journey. |
| 1:22.5 | And if you haven't already, check out our YouTube channel. |
| 1:25.5 | Just search Clever Girl Finance on YouTube. |
| 1:28.7 | You can also find us on Instagram at Clever Girl Finance. Okay, let's get into today's episode. |
| 1:35.7 | So today I want to walk you through how to create a budget, how to budget effectively, |
| 1:40.9 | even if you're working with zero. And the whole idea of budgeting when you have no money so that you can create a plan. |
| 1:48.2 | So you have a plan of action when your dollars do come in, no matter how small that amount may be. |
... |
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