Tuesday Sundries - Budget Notebook

As anyone who has read my posts for any length of time, you know I am an 'analog' person. I have to 'write it down' - pen to paper - in order for it to work for me. 

And while I am a bit of a techno-geek, apps just don't work for me when it comes to some things. Planner apps don't cut it. I want that tactile contact and seeing my 'stuff/life' on paper.

So I have tried a couple of budget notebooks over the past few months and even modified one to put it into my Hobonichi. They just were not working for me.

For one thing, there wasn't enough room to list out my sources of income throughout the month and when I was going to pay what bills.

Then I watched this Budget Girl video.

Wow!

A budgeting workbook by The Budget Mom based on paychecks rather than a flat income each month!

While I do receive retirement and it is a constant amount (unless the government messes with taxes), my bi-weekly paychecks from Food Lion have to be accounted for. And it varies based on the number of hours I work each week. Therefore, setting up a monthly budget has been a challenge for me, especially since I am still living paycheck-to-paycheck.

But before I sink $40 into the workbook (which is very pretty in my opinion), I decided to do a modified version of the workbook to see how it might work for me.

I set up monthly calendars and put in the dates I get paid and from what source along with reminders for budget reviews and paying bills.

I set up a sheet for my first payday of the month and the bills I paid out of it. I created sheets for the other two checks I will receive during October. I will be doing the same thing for November and December.

What I discovered is I want a sheet, whether in the front of the notebook or back, of the 'additional' income I generate. This is from things like eBay (which isn't very active right now) and the surveys I take.

While I consider this money my 'play' money (I bought a purse out of it this month), I would like to see what I actually generate over the month or year.

I currently record my spending, mainly outside of bill paying, in my Hobonichi Weeks. It works for me. My Weeks is something I carry with me and record ideas, notes, meal plans, grocery lists, work schedules - basically just a 'dump' zone which gets items put where they belong when I get home.

I also include Savvy's work schedule (top picture in red) in my Weeks. This lets me know what days I can drop her off on my way to work to save Mr. Arizona a trip out in the morning and I basically go right by her work to get to my work.

I am also going to be doing some FaceTime with Miss Oklahoma back in Montana to aid in accountability. She wants to buckle down on her finances too, so we are going to lend a hand to each other. She will be my accountability partner (and an excuse to catch up on 'things').

So I am going to give this paycheck-to-paycheck method a try. I want to be sure this is something I really like and will use before I buy the workbook. Mainly because I have major 'planner envy' and want all the things and they just sit there. I want my choices to be deliberate with my planners in 2020 and I consider this budget workbook part of my planner line-up.

Now how to spend the $75 in 'play' money on Amazon?