You’d expect to find CliffsNotes on algebra, chemistry, history, languages and Shakespeare. There’s even one on monopoly—not the game, but Monopolistic Competition and Oligopoly. But a CliffsNotes on budgeting? Yep.

Published a decade ago, it’s titled Creating a Budget and offers over 100 pages on the subject, which is very popular these days as millions struggle to stay afloat despite less (or no) income.

Topics include:

• Figuring Out What You’re Worth
• Setting Your Goals
• Keeping a Spending Diary
• Budgeting Software
• Determining Your Essential Expenses
• Recognizing and Avoiding Hidden Expenses
• Setting Up a Basic Budget
• Sticking to Your Budget
• Reducing Expenses
• Earning Additional Income
• Tackling Your Debt
• Putting Money Away for the Future.

Here’s an edited excerpt...

“Hidden costs at banks, at ATMs, and on credit cards can quickly transfer your money from your pocket to an institution’s profit statement. Be careful of: Annual fees; below-minimum-use fees; below-minimum-balance fees; high interest rates; late-payment penalties; per-use fees.” (And over-limit fees.) “Read all change-of-term inserts that you receive. The information they contain may be a call to change how and where you do business.

“Not knowing what fees you’re liable for is the same as using a credit card without knowing what rate of interest you’re paying. If you don’t carry a balance on your credit card, the interest rate is irrelevant.” (But the card issuer may cancel your account because you’re not generating any profit for them.) “If you don’t incur fees from your bank, you don’t care what the fee is, either. But you need to know what and how much they are, so that you know what to do (and not do) to avoid them.”