Youve got receipts bursting out of your wallet.
Youve scribbled down financial goals on a random sheet on paper you might no longer find.
Youve forgotten the limit you gave yourself for grocery shopping this month.
If any of that sounds familiar, your financial life could probably use a little organization.
Its the old-fashioned, pen-and-paper way to stay on track of your money.
What Exactly Is a Budget Binder?
A budget binder is precisely what it sounds like.
you’ve got the option to customize your budget binder to include whatever money management tools youd like.
Some suggestions are:
No Interest Til Almost 2027?
Balance Transfer = Credit Card Cheat Code
Estimate spending limits and total up how much you actually spend.
Keep track of bill due dates and planned expenses, like the copay for your upcoming doctors appointment.
Record when (and how much) you get paid, including money earned from side gigs.
Log each time money leaves your wallet or bank account.
Lay out who you owe, how much you owe, your next minimum payment amount and due date.
You may want to include how long itll take to pay off your debt and your repayment strategy.
Look at your assets minus your liabilities.
Using dividers for each month will keep you organized.
You dont need graphics skills or access to a color printer.
As long as your budget sheets are clear and work for you, thats whats important.
Its not enough to just create a budget binder.
Nicole Dow is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.
Freelancer Matt Mastasci contributed to this report.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
