Open NapkinLedger on the first of the month. Three screens, two minutes:

1. Balance check (45s). Look at your bank app. Type the real number. Done — profit is anchored.

2. Big items (60s). Rent posted? Payroll ran? Subscription renewed? One line each. If it repeats, set a reminder so next month pre-fills.

3. Glance at P&L (15s). Revenue, the few tagged expenses, general expenses lump. That's your month.

Compare that to the traditional alternative: forwarding 87 receipts to a shoebox or an app that guesses categories wrong. Top-down wins because it matches how you actually think about money.