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This month, the money will not stretch

Prepared on September 9, 2026 · Xavier Carraté

Start with money you can use now. Add only income whose amount and date you have confirmed, plus every payment due in this period. Choose your next confirmed payday as the end date and add that income as a separate row.

First step. Write down money available today, your next confirmed income date and the payments due before then.

This worksheet does not decide which bill you should leave unpaid. Housing, essential services, secured loans and legal notices can have different consequences. Contact the relevant provider about your specific situation before changing an agreed payment. A proposed arrangement is not approved until the provider confirms it.

All amounts are US dollars. Enter digits without thousands separators and use a point for up to two decimal places, for example 1250.50. Blank required amounts are unknown, not zero: enter 0 only when you have confirmed there was none. Use generic labels, never account numbers.

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This month, the money will not stretch

The reserve is already part of the opening balance. It is subtracted once when showing available money; do not add the same reserve as a bill. A negative opening balance is allowed.

Confirmed income

Payments due

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Save or resume (optional)

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Your next step

  1. Check which entries you can confirm and which payment dates need a call. Use the provider’s verified contact details from your statement.
  2. For a credit-card bill you cannot afford, explain your situation and ask about available assistance. The CFPB guidance below can help you prepare.

Explore free benefits information at GetBenefits.tools

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How to use this without JavaScript

On paper, write the opening balance and reserve. List every confirmed income and payment with its date. Move forward one day at a time, subtracting that day’s payments before adding income, and compare the balance with your reserve. Carry the closing balance into the next day. Record the first shortfall and the largest gap, then prepare your questions below.

Same-day payments are counted before income as a cautious timing assumption, including the final payday. This may show a temporary gap even when the day ends positive. Check when funds actually become available. Recurring rows are not generated here: enter each occurrence once.

Worked example

Example: $200 opening cash with a $50 reserve, a $180 bill tomorrow and $500 confirmed pay two days later. After the bill, cash is $20: $30 below the reserve. After the later pay, cash is $520. The final positive balance does not erase the earlier timing gap.

Official sources and scope

Sources accessed September 9, 2026. The credit-card guide shows a September 2, 2026 review date; the toolkit page shows an April 24, 2026 modification date. These are source dates, not new application windows or changes to a debt contract.

Independent educational tool for the United States. This is not personalized financial, legal or tax advice, a credit decision, a payment instruction, or an official benefits application. No bank connection, account verification or automatic payment is provided.

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