In short (quotable)
You make faster progress on multiple goals by combining: one priority goal (for now), a small “minimum” for the others, and milestones. It avoids the feeling of being stuck everywhere.
Why multiple goals often feel like no progress
With 4 goals and “a bit for each”, you get:
- amounts too small to feel meaningful
- progress that stays invisible
- frustration (“I’m trying, but nothing moves”)
The problem isn’t having many goals. The problem is a system that gives no progress signal.
Step 1: sort goals into 3 types
A) Safety (non-negotiable)
Emergency fund, stability, a safety net.
B) Predictable (important, plan-able)
Holidays, gifts, maintenance, taxes, irregular-but-expected bills.
C) Projects (desire / opportunity)
Deposit, training, a big purchase.
This prevents treating a safety need like an optional project.
Step 2: pick ONE priority goal for 6–8 weeks
Choose one goal that comes first for a short cycle. The others don’t disappear: they get a minimum.
Why 6–8 weeks? It’s long enough to see progress, short enough to stay flexible.
If your priority is safety, make it concrete first: calculate your emergency fund.
Step 3: set a “minimum” for the other goals
The minimum is a small recurring amount that keeps the habit alive.
Example:
- priority goal: €200/month
- other goals: €10–€30/month each
The minimum prevents you from restarting from zero each time you rotate priorities.
If you want a simple split, you can use a 70/20/10 logic for a short cycle: 70% of your savings effort goes to the priority goal, 20% goes to predictable goals, and 10% goes to projects. Then you adjust next month based on what actually happened.
If you can’t keep even a minimum, it usually means the margin doesn’t exist yet. Stabilizing the month comes first: avoid overdraft without deprivation.
Step 4: use milestones to make progress visible
A “€1,200 holiday” becomes:
- €200
- €500
- €900
- €1,200
Milestones reduce the “infinite goal” feeling and give you more frequent wins.
Step 5: do a monthly review (without guilt)
Once a month, do a short review:
- did my priority goal move?
- did any goal become more urgent?
- should I rotate the priority goal?
The point isn’t to judge yourself. The point is to keep the system aligned with real life.
How Boney supports this (without taking over)
- Create one budget per goal (safety / predictable / project) so each bucket stays visible.
- Increase the priority goal without killing the others (minimums stay in place).
- Track progress without spreadsheets and spot what eats your margin early.
- Keep the system stable with small monthly adjustments.