Looking for a simple way to budget personal and investment finances

[Scott K.]

What have you found to be a simple but effective way to make a budget for your personal finances when you also have expenses related to your properties?

I often find myself asking questions like "Can I afford this improvement this month?" or "Can I afford to take my family on this trip or buy tickets to this event?"

I want to make sure we have X allocated to categories like:

- RE properties (maintenance, improvements, etc.)

- Personal savings (529, index funds, etc.)

- Monthly fixed personal expenses (utilities, groceries, etc.)

- Fun/non-necessities (tickets for events, dining out, etc.)

Have you found a good system for this? If so, how often do you update your plan? What tools do you use?