BUDGET PLANNER AND CALENDAR HOW TO

Remember to factor in the little things like your bi-weekly latte, your monthly pick up at the dry cleaners, or your Friday work lunches. The calendar is going to track your spending IN ADVANCE, helping you save for future expenses rather than being financially surprised by them.ĭouble-check your list by going over the last three to six months of your credit card and bank statements to be sure you aren't missing anything. The chances are pretty good that you don't have many if any, of those savings funds in place, and that's okay! The budget calendar is one baby step for helping us learn to “adult” more efficiently and with less stress. For example, if your utility bill runs about $133, write down and budget for $140.

Specific savings – emergency fund, medical deductibles, car savings, 401K, birthday and holiday savings, etc.įor the varying payments, always overestimate.Semi-annual, infrequent payments like homeowner's insurance, vehicle registration, website subscriptions, quarterly insurance, and gym memberships.Varying date, varying amount payments like groceries and gasoline.Same date, varying amount payments like utilities and credit cards.Same date, same amount payments like your housing, health insurance, phone bill.Read: A Meal Plan Solution for My Food Budget Problemsįirst, you're going to – you guessed it – make a list! Write down all your monthly expenses and organize them by their due date (or payday):.When the bills are getting paid on time, there's money going into savings, and your debt is decreasing, it's encouraging! Like eating healthy, when you start to see the results, it motivates you to make adjustments and keep going. Too many bills of the same kind? Consider consolidating your credit card debt to a single card with a lower interest rate.Ī budget calendar can help you see small debts that can be paid off and eliminated, and others that can be set up on an automatic draft from your bank, so you never have to worry about them being overlooked.įinally, a budget calendar helps you make a habit of saving. (Yes! You can do that!) Utility companies and credit card lenders are usually very accommodating when it comes to adjusting payment dates.

Too many bills coming out at the first of the month? Ask for some of your due dates to change. The calendar can also help you SEE ways to streamline the process. Not only are they visually satisfying, but they help you manage your money, eliminate ugly surprises, and get all your finances organized in one place! They keep you focused on what's coming up, remind you when each bill needs to be paid, and save you from late fees. If you don't know what you have in the freezer and what to thaw out next, you're more likely to grab junk food and throw off your whole diet.īudget calendars keep you organized in the same way.

Read: The Savings Strategy That’s Preparing Me for the FutureĬall me geeky, but making a budget calendar is fun! It's very similar to taking inventory of your food and making meal plans when you're trying to eat healthy.While tracking your finances pen to paper can be tedious, there are also great psychological and practical benefits to seeing your budget and calendar and writing it down. Monthly is the practical choice for most people because it's easy to make adjustments as you go, but yearly one can be very motivational if you have big upcoming goals. You can also do a budget calendar weekly, monthly, or yearly. Not only that, but it will also help you plan ahead for life events that we sometimes forget about until it's too late.īudget calendars, just like your regular calendar, can be hang-on-the-wall style (which works beautifully on your Visual Wall Board!), a hard-copy desk type, a printable or digitally on your computer or phone. Every bill due date, mortgage or rent payment, income check, and savings amount is logged into your calendar to help you see what's coming in and going out and exactly when.

BUDGET PLANNER AND CALENDAR HOW TO

Read: How to Stay Motivated on Your Financial Journey With a Visual BoardĪ budget calendar is just like your regular calendar, but with the single purpose of keeping track of your finances.Whether you use a hang-on-the-wall calendar, a hard-copy desk style, or (most likely) your phone, financial and life organization is a must. When you think about your budget, it's easy to remember your bills, but what about all of the other life events that cost money? Your budget calendar will be your guiding light when planning out your paychecks. I can't create a realistic budget without it! Appointments, school functions, special occasions, travel dates, family events, sporting events, bill due dates, and birthdays are all things that I like to have included in my budget. Creating and using a budget calendar is an important step in my budgeting process.

Budget planner and calendar