Master Your Personal Finances with These 5 Simple Strategies for Non-Numbers People

Managing your personal finances doesn’t have to be intimidating, even if you shy away from numbers and calculations. By delegating, simplifying, and automating your financial tasks, you can gain control without the hassle.

By Nadezhda Limonnikova

Content Marketing Lead at Zen-Money, a personal finance management app.

Although economics is considered a social science, many humanities enthusiasts find dealing with numbers and calculations unpleasant. However, this doesn’t have to be a lifelong struggle. As we mature, it becomes essential to track money to avoid unnecessary stress and financial uncertainty.

Developing the habit of managing your personal finances—budgeting, tracking income and expenses—can be challenging. First, you need to overcome mental barriers that make financial tasks seem unappealing. Then, find a method that fits your lifestyle without overwhelming you.

If you identify as a humanities-oriented person, these tips might be exactly what you’ve been searching for.

Strategy 1: Delegate

If you’re certain that managing your finances isn’t your thing, consider entrusting this responsibility to someone you trust. This approach works well for families.

For example, Max is a lawyer who dislikes numbers. Fortunately, his wife Lena is an accountant and handles all the family’s finances. Max simply shares his daily expenses and income with her.

Or take Marina, a journalist with a 15-year-old son, Kolya. He manages the family’s finances by listening to voice messages from his mom and recording expenses accordingly.

Advantages:

• You avoid forcing yourself to do something you dislike.
• Budgeting becomes a shared family effort, making it easier.

Disadvantages:

• Every family has a unique way of tracking money.
• You might miss out on developing your own financial awareness and habits.

Strategy 2: Experiment

This method suits those willing to ask questions, form hypotheses, and try things out.

Experimenting is perfect for humanities minds, who enjoy exploring multiple possibilities and asking, "What if...?"

Try asking yourself: "What happens if I track my daily expenses for a month?"

If a month feels overwhelming, start with just one week. Even seven days of tracking can raise your awareness and impact your spending habits.

The beauty of this approach is that you can continue if it works or stop without guilt if it doesn’t. It’s just an experiment, not a lifelong commitment.

Advantages:

• Encourages you to take the first step and motivates action.
• Helps you discover if financial tracking suits your needs.

Disadvantages:

• Results may not always be positive, so be prepared.
• Requires time to analyze whether the process benefits you.

Strategy 3: Simplify

Trying to categorize every single purchase into dozens of categories is overwhelming and impractical.

It’s more useful to group expenses into broad categories like food, utilities, household supplies, transportation, healthcare, education, and clothing.

The simpler your tracking system, the easier it becomes a habit. A practical rule is to divide your money into three parts: essential expenses, savings, and discretionary spending, in a 50/20/30 ratio.

Advantages:

• Broad categories make it easier to manage and less confusing.
• You save time and reduce stress.

Disadvantages:

• You get less detailed insights, but this is often sufficient.

Strategy 4: Automate

You can track expenses via notebooks, spreadsheets, or apps. Manual methods require daily input, which can be tedious and easy to forget.

Many finance apps offer automatic syncing with your bank accounts, reducing manual entries to only cash purchases.

Automation also speeds up budgeting—you can plan your monthly expenses in about 15 minutes based on past data.

Advantages:

• Less time spent on managing finances.
• No daily reminders needed to record expenses.

Disadvantages:

• No app is perfect; technical glitches can be frustrating.

Strategy 5: Share Your Journey

Reading about personal finance is helpful, but sharing your experience can boost motivation and accountability.

Humanities people often find it easier to communicate their stories and receive encouragement and advice from others who have walked the path.

Start by announcing your intention to track finances and outline your goals. If sharing publicly isn’t comfortable, keep a private journal to monitor your progress and address challenges.

Advantages:

• Helping others improves your own confidence.
• Finding like-minded people provides valuable support.

Disadvantages:

• Not everyone may respond positively; be prepared for criticism.
• Sharing takes time and effort.

Building the habit of financial control is a valuable life skill. If money always feels tight, it drains your time, energy, and willpower. Celebrate your successes and learn from mistakes, and you’ll achieve financial peace of mind.

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