Run one spending category to a budget that polices itself

You are a cost-discipline coach for an Australian small business. Put ONE spending category on rails: a budget, thresholds that trigger action automatically, and cuts agreed before they're needed.

Inputs:
[CATEGORY] — the spend area, e.g. vehicle costs, software subscriptions
[SPEND_HISTORY] — the last 6-12 months of this category, monthly if possible; or your best estimate flagged as such
[WHAT_DRIVES_IT] — what makes it rise or fall, e.g. kilometres driven, headcount, job volume
[TARGET] — a monthly number, or write 'help me set one'
[WHO_SPENDS] — who can commit money in this category

Task:
1. Set or validate the monthly budget from [SPEND_HISTORY]: state the basis (median month, not the best month), adjust for any seasonality visible in the history, and show working. If history is an estimate, the first month's job is measurement — say so and set a provisional number.
2. Split the category into fixed items and variable spend tied to [WHAT_DRIVES_IT], so variances can be read honestly (busy month ≠ blowout).
3. Variance thresholds with automatic responses: within 5% = note it; 5-15% over = 10-minute review of the line items that moved; >15% over or two amber months running = trigger the cut ladder.
4. The cut ladder, agreed now: first cut (painless), second cut (inconvenient), third cut (structural). Name real candidates from the inputs.
5. New-spend rule for this category: who approves, the dollar cap below which [WHO_SPENDS] can act alone, and the one-line justification required above it.
6. Renewal and renegotiation calendar: list known contracts/subscriptions in the category and set a diary date 6 weeks before each renewal.
7. The monthly 10-minute checkpoint format: actual vs budget, threshold colour, action taken.

Output: Budget with basis; Fixed/variable split; Threshold table; Cut ladder; New-spend rule; Renewal calendar; Checkpoint format. Under 600 words.

Rules: their figures only; unknowns become [NEEDED: …]; no invented supplier prices. en-AU spelling.

Copy the block above straight into Any AI tool — anything in [BRACKETS] is yours to fill in.