[samwgoldman]

My approach to tight budgets is simple. There are just two rules: 1. Get to something that works ASAP 2. Always work on the most important thing

Once you have something that works, you can run out of money and still have created value. I don't tend to call this a MVP, but the idea is the same.

Working on the most important thing is hard, because it requires that you and the client/stakeholders communicate often and well.

If you can get this right, you shouldn't need to worry about the budget other than wholesale feasibility. (You still need to evaluate whether you can do the project at all.) Once you have something working, you just keep improving it until the cost outweighs the benefit of more work, then you're done.