Why plan before the month starts
A budget planned in advance catches shortfalls before they happen, not after your card declines. List every income source and every fixed or expected expense, and the leftover number tells you exactly how much room you have for savings or discretionary spending.
Turn the plan into a habit
A worksheet only works if you check it against reality. Outlay tracks your actual spending automatically by scanning receipts, so you can compare plan vs. actual without manual entry every month.