What to Do First When You Need to Create a Budget During Divorce

Most people do not struggle with budgeting because they lack discipline or responsibility.
They struggle because they are trying to build a budget at the exact moment their life is changing.

Income may be shifting.
Expenses may be unclear.
Support may not be finalized.
Financial responsibility may have landed fully on one person overnight.

At the same time, decisions still need to be made.
Bills still need to be paid.
Children still need stability.

When everything feels uncertain, sitting down to “create a budget” can feel overwhelming, even paralyzing. Many people delay it because they believe they need final numbers before they can begin.

In reality, the opposite is true.

A working budget does not require certainty.
It creates it.