Where your money goes
You can't plan your money until you know where it goes. Not where you think it goes, but where it actually goes. For most people, the answer is surprising.
For the next 30 days, write down every purchase, or export the transactions from your banking app. Then sort them into a handful of groups: housing, food, transport, subscriptions, fun and everything else. Don't change your behavior yet. Just watch.
At the end of the month, look at the totals and ask one question for each group: does this match what I care about? That question, not a spreadsheet, is the foundation of every financial plan that lasts.
A budget you will keep
The best budget is the one you'll still be using in a year. That usually means a simple one.
Start with three buckets: needs, wants and future you. Decide a percentage for each, set up automatic transfers on payday, and only track the wants bucket closely. Everything else takes care of itself.
Your emergency fund
An emergency fund turns a crisis into an inconvenience. When the car breaks down or a job ends unexpectedly, you have time to think instead of reaching for a credit card.
Aim for three months of essential expenses, kept in a separate savings account you don't see every day.