Frugal Friends Podcast: Do THIS Payday Routine Every Time You Get Paid | Paycheck Routine Habits

Hosts: Jen Smith & Jill Sirianni
Date: October 14, 2025

Episode Overview

Jen and Jill address the all-too-common dilemma of paychecks vanishing too quickly, leaving little progress toward savings, debt payoff, or other financial goals. This episode introduces their streamlined four-step payday routine—a sustainable, five-minute system designed to make your money work for you every time you get paid. The hosts blend actionable advice with their signature humor, sharing real-life routines and tips for making budgeting effortless and, yes, even a little fun.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Realities of Payday Euphoria (01:40–01:59)

• Most people feel a burst of excitement on payday, only to watch their money disappear faster than expected.
• The episode is “exactly what you need” if you can’t figure out why your money isn’t sticking around.

Ground Rules and Pre-Routine Assumptions (03:33–06:56)

1. Simplicity is Key

• The system should take just five minutes per payday (03:33–04:13).
• Works whether you’re paid weekly, biweekly, or monthly.

2. Automate Everything

• Bills, savings, direct deposits, debt payments—set them all on autopilot.
• Jen:

  “When you don't automate, you're setting yourself up for saving what's left over. …We want to do the good stuff first, so that we don't feel guilty about all the other stuff.” (04:19)

3. Know Where Your Money’s Going

• If you haven’t recently, complete a 90-day transaction inventory for a clear picture of your spending habits (05:20).
• Jill:

  “Identify where are we spending money, what are impulse purchases, what are the emotional spending that's happening.” (05:20)

The Four-Step Payday Routine

Step 1: Ensure Bills are Covered (07:48–09:53)

• Double-check that your account has enough for all automatic bill payments and upcoming expenses.

• Dip into the emergency fund/sinking funds only if absolutely necessary.

• Example:
  Jen describes a tight month due to unexpected home repairs and needing to verify funds before reimbursement (08:24).

• Pro Tip: Use your 90-day inventory to spot spend-tightening opportunities if you find yourself short.

Step 2: Reallocate Savings and Debt Payments (09:53–14:48)

• Adjust automatic savings or debt payments as needed:

  • Sinking funds might need shifting (e.g., travel vs. new computer).
  • Use “buckets”/“pockets” in savings accounts or spreadsheets to add flexibility.

• Jill’s approach:

  “This is my favorite part of my budget or my payday review—seeing where I can allocate those different funds once I know that I've got my bills covered.” (11:51)

• Jen emphasizes:

  “What's not in this step is reallocating your portfolio or rebalancing your portfolio. That should only be done once a year.” (13:31)

• Gamify your allocations to make it fun and habitual.

Step 3: Review Transactions and Adjust Your Spending Plan (16:48–22:50)

• Look back on the last pay period: Check for over/under-spending and realign as necessary.

• Keep it neutral:
  Jen:

  “We are looking at this neutrally. …We are only spending five minutes to check in with things. …We don't have time for feelings during this routine.” (18:33)

• Jill offers a balanced view:

  “If we are seeing there was a purchase that stirs…regret, and if that might be a pattern, then we do want to give ourselves some time to reflect.” (20:05)

• Why not track every transaction? Jen:

  “You don’t have to. If you’re looking at your past transactions every payday, you’re still keeping on top of things.” (21:48)

Step 4: Plan Free or Low-cost Entertainment Until Next Payday (22:54–27:11)

• Unique to Frugal Friends! Use this moment to plan free or budget-friendly entertainment, which avoids boredom spending.

• Jill:

  “Let's make sure that we give our fun selves some fun things to do. …Making this a part of your payday routine can also make it really exciting.” (23:54)

• Jen links social connection to spending less on impulsive habits:

  “You're probably spending less…than you would be [with] the cumulative of impulse purchases made by, you know, watching TV that has ads or scrolling social media.” (24:19)

• Keep it simple:
  Jill advises finding one or two free events, or even just scheduling a call with a friend.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the importance of automation:
  Jen (04:19):

  “We want to do the good stuff first so that we don't feel guilty about all the other stuff that is technically neutral or even good.”

• On handling transactional regret:
  Jill (20:05):

  “We're not saying ignore those feelings, but we're also not saying go so far that this is a constant shaming process…”

• Making entertainment intentional:
  Jen (24:19):

  “When you're out…with your friends, you're scrolling a lot less, and…you're investing in relationships, which we think are the ultimate best investments, even better than the stock market.”

• On different budgeting styles:
  Jill (39:22):

  “I like the pen and paper. Find your radical middle spreadsheet. Yes, it is sustainable for me.”

• Jen’s chaos-method badge of honor:
  Jen (42:28):

  “Is it not a good descriptor for my life?”
  Jill:
  “I think you’re not giving yourself enough credit. ... In your chaos, you’re not overspending. You’re not going to debt.”

Real-Life Payday Routines (32:17–43:09)

• Jen:

  • Paid monthly; uses Monarch app daily to spot transactions, bills, investments, etc.
  • Enjoys planning entertainment, leverages Facebook events, and sometimes checks account balances as her “minimum threshold” system.

• Jill:

  • Paid monthly; spouse is paid bi-weekly, so she’s used to regular check-ins.
  • Enjoys more traditional, pen-to-paper or spreadsheet budgeting sessions that last about 20–25 minutes, balancing rigor with enjoyment.

• Both emphasize it’s not about perfection—systems should serve your real life.

Pro Tips and Peripheral Benefits

• This routine doubles as fraud prevention—catching duplicate or suspicious charges.
• Use the 90-day inventory annually or after big life changes for a deeper reset.

Timestamps for Key Topics

• 01:40 – Episode theme and why paydays feel disappointing
• 03:33 – Assumptions/setting up for success
• 07:48 – Four-step payday routine begins
• 14:48 – Why this part is fun; avoid over-tweaking investments
• 16:48 – Transaction review and emotional neutrality
• 22:54 – Free/cheap entertainment planning
• 32:17 – Real routines from Jen and Jill
• 42:28 – Customizing for your life; embracing chaos or rigor

Tone & Community Vibe

• Encouraging, friendly, and relatable—no shame, just practical help.
• Invites listeners to comment with their own routines and approaches (44:01).

Summary Table — The Frugal Friends 5-Minute Payday Routine

| Step | Action | Purpose | |------|--------|---------| | 1 | Ensure upcoming bills are covered | Prevent overdrafts and reliance on the emergency fund| | 2 | Reallocate savings/debt as needed | Keep your goals synced with real life | | 3 | Review transactions neutrally | Course-correct without shame or over-analysis | | 4 | Plan free/low-cost fun | Prevent boredom spending, build true wealth (relationships) |

For the Skeptics & Overthinkers

• You don’t need to budget daily. Just do a quick, routine check-in every payday!
• Customization is key:
  You can spend five minutes or 25, use spreadsheets or apps, be detailed or “chaotic”—just build the habit.

Call to Action

• Share your own payday routines in the comments to help everyone find their “radical middle.”
• If you found this useful, rate, review, or join the Frugal Friends on YouTube/social.

Related Episode

• Next up: 50 Things We Regret Buying in Our 20s – for practical regret-proofing your spending.

Produced by Eric Sirianni. Frugal Friends Podcast—helping you save money, embrace simplicity, and live a richer life.