Budget/finance tracking tool for multiple to support multiple incomes

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I have ADHD and I am trying to teach myself money management after 41 years of not being great.

I have my salary, child maintenance, child benefit and Universal Credit, they all come into my account on different days and some are monthly and some are 4-weekly. I use one bank account for direct debit, and one with spaces for budgets (groceries, fuel, days out, etc). I've tried using the Money Super Market budget planner and a spreadsheet my sister uses, which has helped give me an idea of what I should be spending in different areas, but my brain needs a way of seeing what's still due to come in and out in real time to help me control impulse spending, etc.

I've seen some posts asking similar questions, and the advice was basically 'you're making it too complicated' but this doesn't come easily too me and I really want to work on my finances so I feel less out of control, and I can start making better choices and save for my first family holiday just me and my girls.

If anyone has any ideas, I'd be really grateful to hear them. Thanks.

YNAB app. There’s a learning curve, you’ll need to watch a couple of videos, but when it clicks it will literally change your life with regards to finances. I’ve gone from being ‘surprised’ by stuff like dog vaccinations and new tyres to the money sitting there waiting for them every year, to having Christmas fully budgeted by November, to never having to panic about emergencies, and it’s great for impulsive spending because you need to find the money first before spending it.

Thanks. That is one that came up when I did a search, but I was anxious because there's a cost and I don't want to commit to spending money if it wouldn't make a difference.

I'll give it another look.

There’s a 30-something-day free trial I’d recommend. Gives you plenty of time to play around.

Forget about YNAB. Does nothing you can't do yourself for free and it sounds like a lot of work.

I would have all your income go into one account, but don't actually spend from that account.

Work out all the cost of all your direct debits, and set up a monthly standing order from your 'income' account to a separate account that is only used to pay your bills account. Maybe add a small buffer (or you could apply for an authorised overdraft that you don't use, but is there solely to stop any DDs bouncing if something goes wrong). Then you know your bills are all covered.

Designate another account as your 'essential spending account' so groceries, travel, anything else that you need to buy. Set up another standing order from your income account - either weekly or monthly, and use this account to buy these things. Then you know you have £X per week/month for groceries etc.

Other things you'll want to do with your money will be things like clothes and other essentials for DDs, savings for holidays, Christmas etc and your personal spending money.

So you could set up more standing orders from the income account to a savings account for holidays, then the money will build up for these things.

Finally you need one or two to card accounts for family/personal spending money. These accounts are where the money you can spend on a 'when it's gone, it's gone' basis, but you will know that you have £y per week/month to spend.

Takes a bit of setting up, and obviously you'll need to work out how much to put in each account, but once you get on top of it, it will run itself and you'll only have to keep a watching eye on the accounts to make sure none are running out of money too fast, or have money building up where it's not needed. For savings accounts, obviously look for those which pay interest but you can often get instant access accounts from the same bank as your current account where you can move money back and forth instantly - one of these would be good with the same bank as your essential spending account so if you do book a holiday or buy DC clothes, you can transfer the money to your card account.

For spending you'll end up with two or three cards, either physical cards or in your phone and you can label these as essentials/family money/my money so you know which to use.

Thank you, the problem is that's basically what I do, but working out how much needs to be in my dd account at any one time vs how much has come in is what's causing me the issue.

I've got my budget in terms if how much I can spend in each area, and different accounts and cards to help organise my spending, but it's tracking what's available and when that I need to get a handle on.

When Dh used to be paid 4 weekly (why?!?! Just why?!?!) we used to treat his 4 weekly salary as if it was a monthly salary.

So we did all our sums and worked everything out as if dh’s salary was 1/13th of his annual salary. And then when dh’s salary landed “early” we effectively just ignored it until it was the day it was “due” to land. (Which we made up to be the 26th.)

Once a year he would effectively be paid double as there would be two salaries between the 26ths. Which was always a lovely bonus.