First Principles Money on AISH

You’re on AISH. You know your income is fixed and often tight. This lesson is not about wishing for more. It is about seeing what comes in and what must go out, without a lecture about character. Soft Margins calls that clarity and control, not shame.

What comes in

Write “Monthly Income” at the top of a page. List every source and amount. AISH is usually the main line. Add anything else that arrives on a schedule: CPP Disability (often deducted from AISH but still part of the picture), earned income after exemptions, child benefits, support payments, other benefits. Add them up. That total is your baseline.

If you are unsure of the exact AISH amount or dates, check your statement or ask your caseworker. Soft Margins prefers a true number over a hopeful one.

Must pay vs choose to pay

Essential expenses keep a roof, food, safety, and health. Rent or mortgage. Utilities (use a recent average if bills swing). Tenant insurance if required. Groceries. Transit or car costs you cannot drop. Medications and supplies AISH does not fully cover. Phone. Internet when appointments and forms live online. Minimum debt payments that protect you from penalties.

Discretionary spending is comfort and choice: streaming, coffee shops, hobbies, gifts, treats. Soft Margins does not demand you cut all joy. It asks you to see those lines so you can choose them on purpose when the month is short.

One page this week

Make three sections: income, essentials, discretionary. Look at bank statements and bills from the last few months. Be honest about small frequent buys. They add up. When essentials exceed income, that is a deficit to face, not a moral failure. When there is a little left, Soft Margins likes a tiny buffer before another subscription.

This sample stops at the sorting. The full pamphlet goes into tracking tools, debt without panic, emergency fund starters, and Alberta resources. Field House is the free front door. The pamphlet is the longer toolkit.