budget planner

I know I am not the only one who has some trouble coming up and sticking to a monthly budget. I think my ADHD makes this harder for me sometimes, and it’s also the reason why it’s so important for me to work with a budget. When I was younger, I had an easier time sticking to my budget, but lately it’s been a struggle. Between inflation and impulsive spending, I need some help.

This Budget Planner is packed with features to help me get back on track financially. It’s set up by months, but it’s undated, so I can start at any time during the year. There are instructions on how to use the planner for those who have never used a physical budget planner before as well as pages to help me figure out my financial strategy and goals for the year. There is a debt tracker, a bill tracker, and a savings tracker to use all year long, so you can keep an eye on those numbers as they go up and down (the hope is that the debt goes down and the savings go up, but we all know that sometimes life happens).

Then, each month has a space for the monthly budget and expense details. I have heard that a good way to get a handle on your finances is to write down everything you spend money on, and that does sound like smart advice, if not a little terrifying. At the end of the month is a review for the month, so I can look at whether or not I stuck to my budget, what I can improve on, my biggest wins, and next month’s goals. I can see how it would be helpful to sit down each month and really think about what I spent money on and why and how I can plan for the next month. And I love that it includes the wins, because it’s important to remember the things I did right, since I get so discouraged sometimes with my finances.

The planner ends with a Christmas budget and list of Christmas gifts, so if the holidays are a time when you tend to overspend, you can use this to come up with a plan that can stay in your budget. There is also a year-end summary and expenses summary, so I can check in at the end of the year and see if the planner helped. There is also a small pocket at the back for receipts, and it comes with a bookmark, pen holder, and a bunch of stickers I can use to help stay motivated throughout the year.

There are a couple of things that seem less relevant in these times, like the check register in the back, but the places for social media accounts and passwords are very helpful. This probably won’t fix all my money problems or get me out of debt in just one year, but it will help me get back on track with my monthly budgeting and work towards a smarter financial future. And these days, that’s a big plus.