Best Budget Planner

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If you care about developing and tracking your budget, you need the best budget planner available to help you. There are many different budget planners out there, so it’s important to know what to look for to find the best option for your needs.

Why budget? When you budget, you have a plan and a purpose for every dollar you earn and spend. You are in control of where your money goes and how much you save. If you don’t budget, you are wandering blindly through the month dropping money here and there without any purpose and very little thought.

The only way to budget is to keep track of your income and your expenses. To do that you need a budget planner. Knowing what to look for in a budget planner is critical in finding the best budget planner for you and your unique needs.

I grew up with a mom that created her own budget planner book in a 3-ring binder. For all 52 years of her married life, she used that same binder and her own system for tracking the family budget. It served her and our family well for all those years.

Fortunately for you and me, we don’t have to create our own budget planner because there are many different options available. You can find:

• Budget Planner Printables, like my Best Budget Worksheet for Graduates (or anyone)
• Budget Planner Books
• Budget Planner Online Worksheets
• Budget Planner Apps

I prefer a paper and pencil planner. Studies have shown that we process information differently when we physically write it down. Because a budget is such an important part of a successful adult life, I find it useful to actually write my budget down.

What Should Be Included in a Budget Planner

• Sturdy, no-bleed paper
• Easy-to-understand worksheets
• Plenty of space for you to write in
• A year’s worth of budgeting pages
• Must contain at least these planner pages or space on the monthly pages for:
  • Monthly Income Tracker
  • Itemized Monthly Expenses
  • Savings Tracker
  • Debt Tracker
  • Planning Worksheets
  • Space for your personalized budget tracking items
• Look for a sturdy planner that will hold up to constant use
• Look for a planner that works for you and your life

I have two favorite budget planners that I can personally recommend. They’re both top quality and while they’re similar, they each meet slightly different requirements.

Why Use a Budget Planner?

• Using a budget planner provides structure for your budget management.
• It guides you through tracking common and critical budget items.
• The best budget planner will also provide space for you to track your unique budget items.
• It keeps all critical information in one easy-to-located spot.
• It is a visual reminder of your commitment to budgeting.
• It allows you to set short-term and long-term budget goals and helps you work towards those goals.
• In tracking your income and expenses, it helps you make better short-term and long-term decisions in your money management.
• It allows you to be in control of your money and your future.
• It is the key to financial stability.

What’s the Best Budget Planner?

For a more comprehensive budget planner,

I like the Clever Fox Budget Planner. Use code ORGANIZED3110OFF for a 10% discount.  It’s available in 12 different colors and it extremely well-made. It will hold up to extensive use and still look great. It is 5.8 x 8.3 inches in size (A5).

The budget planner contains:

• 2 pages for setting financial goals
• 2 pages for budget strategies and tactics
• 2 pages of savings trackers
• 2 pages of debt trackers
• 12 months, each month contains:
  • 2-page monthly budget
  • 2-page expense tracker
  • 2-page monthly review & notes page
• 2 pages for Christmas budgeting
• 2 pages for an annual budget summary review

For an equally useful, but slightly smaller budget planner,

I like the Clever Fox Budget Book. Save 10% by using code ORGANIZED3110OFF . The budget book comes in 10 different cover colors and is just as well made as the budget planner. It comes in a slightly smaller size at 5.3 x 7.7 inches.

The budget book contains:

• A user manual, complete with examples
• 12 months, each month contains
  • 2 pages for planning and budgeting
  • 4 pages for expense tracking
  • 2 dot grid pages for notes, brainstorming or a monthly review
• 4 pages of savings trackers
• 2 pages of regular bill trackers
• 2 pages for the year’s budget summary

Both the Budget Planner and the Budget Book have an accordion pocket, a bookmark, a pen holder and a sticker sheet.

If you have been using a budget planner, I know you’ll appreciate the features and quality in the best budget planners from Clever Fox. And if you haven’t been using a budget planning notebook, now is the time to give it a try and gain control of your finances and your life.

More budgeting resources found here on Organized 31:

• Budgeting Allowance Worksheet – Editable
• Best Budget Worksheet for Graduates
• Best Budget Worksheet for Graduates – Editable
• Budgeting Allowance Worksheet – Editable
• How to Teach Kids About Money
• Teaching Children About Money Worksheet Pack
• Teaching Children About Saving Money
• Comprehensive Allowance and Budgeting for Teens
• Cash Envelope Wallet

Pin for later so you can always find these recommended best budget planners.

See all of my budget ideas in the table below. You can scroll though the table and look for ideas or search for specific ideas with the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner (on desktop). Click on the topic and then click through the specific article.