Adulting Shorts: Money Moves — Zero-Based Budgeting Made Easy
Date Posted: Friday, January 16, 2026
Description
Zero-based budgeting is a financial planning method where you allocate every dollar of your income to specific categories—such as expenses, savings, or debt repayment—so that your total income minus your total expenses equals zero at the end of each budgeting period (often monthly). This approach helps you plan intentionally, knowing exactly where your money goes, and makes it easier to adjust priorities as your needs change. This comic by the Learning & Working RRTC provides a visually engaging, concise guide to zero-based budgeting. Designed to support young adults and those transitioning to independence, the comic breaks down the steps of zero-based budgeting in an accessible and relatable way, helping readers gain confidence and control over their finances.
Read the comic and transcript in our eLibrary
Subject Area
Life Skills, Employment, Transition Age Youth, Young Adults
Suggested Citation
Seward, H. (2026). Adulting Shorts: Money Moves — Zero-Based Budgeting Made Easy. Worcester, MA: UMass Chan Medical School, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Implementation Science and Practice Advances Research Center (iSPARC), Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research.
