By Haze, Founder of NMM
Real talk: I know you’re exhausted.
I see you, the Ambitious Novice. You’re crushing it at work—maybe you just landed a big promotion, or maybe you’re working 60-hour weeks trying to prove yourself. You are brilliant, driven, and frankly, you’re the kind of person I want to grab a coffee with.
But there’s one thing that keeps buzzing around in the back of your brain like a mosquito you can’t swat: money.
You know you should be budgeting, investing, and planning for the future. But when you finally clock out at 9 PM, the thought of opening a spreadsheet feels like another hour of overtime you simply don’t have the energy for. Your financial strategy right now is “Don’t look at the checking account balance,” and you feel guilty about it.
I get it. And I’m here to offer a lifeline that takes exactly 30 minutes of your life. Seriously.
No fluff, no complicated jargon. Just a quick, powerful way to stop feeling guilty and start feeling in control. We’re calling it: The 30-Minute Money Inventory.
I Used To Cry in the Walk-in Fridge
To prove that I really get it, let me take you back to my pre-NMM life.
Before NMM, before I was “Haze, the founder,” I was Haze, the Restaurant General Manager. I was running a high-volume spot, and my days were a chaotic blur of managing staff drama, ordering inventory, charming difficult guests, and fixing broken ice machines.
I was making decent money for the first time in my life, and yet, I was a wreck.
My paychecks would hit the bank account, and within a week, they’d be GONE. Rent, car payment, a few too many takeout meals because I was too tired to cook, and suddenly, I was sweating every time I swiped my debit card.
I was so embarrassed that I, a capable leader running a million-dollar business, couldn’t manage my own $4,000 budget.
The breaking point? I was scheduled to have a managers meeting for a new product launch, and my phone was blowing up with overdraft alerts. I remember literally running into the walk-in fridge—where it was cold and nobody could hear me—and just having a deep coming to reality moment amongst the boxes of hashbrowns and fries..
It was in that moment, shivering next to a few boxes of fries, that I realized I didn’t need a PhD in finance. I needed clarity. I needed a quick, non-judgmental snapshot of reality. That’s how the Money Inventory was born.
It’s not a budget. It’s not a deep dive into investment strategies. It’s simply taking an honest look at your current financial map so you can stop driving in the dark.
Here’s the 30-Minute Quick Start.
The 30-Minute Money Inventory: Your 1-2-3 Quick Start
Set a timer on your phone for 30 minutes. Find a quiet corner (maybe not a walk-in fridge, though it works), grab a notebook, and commit.
Step 1: The Scorecard (Time: 10 minutes)
The goal here is a quick tally of your financial worth. Don’t worry about being perfect. We are looking for ballpark numbers.
Haze Recipe: The Quick Tally
- Your “Power Assets” (What you have): Open your banking apps/websites. Write down the current balances for:
- Checking Account: $XXX
- Savings Account (any type): $XXX
- Investment Accounts (401k, Roth, brokerage): $XXX
- Total Power Assets: $XXX
- Your “Drag Liabilities” (What you owe): Open your loan/credit card apps. Write down the current total balances for:
- Credit Card Debt: $XXX
- Student Loans: $XXX
- Car/Personal Loans: $XXX
- Total Drag Liabilities: $XXX
Your Mission: Subtract your Total Drag Liabilities from your Total Power Assets. This number is your current Net Worth Snapshot. It might be negative, it might be small, or it might be bigger than you thought. Write it down and close the apps. No judgment. This is just data.
Step 2: The Flow Check (Time: 15 minutes)
Now we check your monthly rhythm. We’re not building a full budget; we’re simply identifying the major incoming and outgoing streams.
Haze Recipe: The Monthly Flow
- Monthly Income: Write down your average monthly take-home pay (after taxes). If you have side-hustle income, average that over the last few months and add it here.
- Total Monthly Income (The Fuel): $XXX
- The “Big 5” (Your Fixed Costs): List the monthly amounts for the 5 biggest, most consistent payments you have.
- Rent/Mortgage: $XXX
- Car Payment/Insurance: $XXX
- Student Loan Minimum: $XXX
- Credit Card Minimum Payments: $XXX
- Utilities/Phone/Internet: $XXX
- Total Big 5 Fixed Costs: $XXX
- The “Glow Up” Spending (Your Variable Costs): Quickly scroll through your last one month of checking account/credit card statements. You don’t need to categorize everything. Just identify the three biggest areas of spending outside of the Big 5.
- Example: Dining Out/Takeout: $XXX
- Example: Online Shopping (Amazon, Target): $XXX
- Example: Subscriptions/Entertainment: $XXX
- Approximate “Glow Up” Total: $XXX (A quick estimate is fine!)
Your Mission: Look at The Fuel ($XXX) minus your Fixed Costs ($XXX) minus your Glow Up Total ($XXX). The number you have left is your Monthly Float. This is the money that is truly free for you to direct toward savings, investments, or debt repayment. If the number is negative, you know exactly where the pressure point is.
Step 3: The 1% Fix (Time: 5 minutes)
You have 5 minutes left. This is where we go from inventory to action.
Haze Recipe: The Tiny Lever
Look at your notes from Step 2. Where is the easiest place to save or redirect 1% of your income? Not 10%. Not 20%. Just 1%.
- Option A: Automate a Small Win. Go into your checking account app and set up a transfer. “On the day after payday, transfer $25 to my savings account.” That’s less than 1% for most people, but it’s a commitment.
- Option B: Cut One Subscription. Look at your list of Subscriptions/Entertainment. Can you cut one—just one—that you barely use? That old gym membership? That streaming service you forgot about?
- Option C: One Less Takeout. Commit to one less takeout meal this week. That money goes toward your smallest debt or your emergency fund.
Your Mission: Choose one of the above. Open the necessary app or write it on a sticky note that you’ll take action on before you go to bed tonight.
You did it. You stopped the internal guilt spiral. You have clarity. You have data. And you have one tangible, non-overwhelming step to take tonight.
That feeling of control is better than any raise, promotion, or walk-in fridge cry session.
No fluff. Just progress.
NMM Disclaimer & Next Steps: This 30-Minute Money Inventory is a quick, high-level snapshot designed to motivate you “The Ambitious Novice”. It is not financial advice, nor is it a substitute for a comprehensive financial plan. For personalized guidance on investing, taxes, and long-term financial strategy, please consult a qualified financial professional. NMM is here to provide the motivation and the initial push—the next phase is planning! Access the full Money Inventory template here: 30-Minute Money Inventory and schedule a follow-up review with yourself by setting a calendar reminder.
