Simple budget for a tight month - what worked for you?

We are a household of 4 and the budget no longer works. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. The rent is fixed and the car payment is high.

Sell things you do not use. I made about $150 from a weekend of listing.

A paper list of bills by due date helped me more than an app. I could see the month at a glance.