Best Budget Planner

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 its important to know what to look for to find the best option for your needs.

Calculator on top of stack of $50 bills with notepad and black pen nearby

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 dont 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 dont have to create our own budget planner because there are many different options available. You can find:

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 years 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. Theyre both top quality and while theyre 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.

Whats the Best Budget Planner?

For a more comprehensive budget planner,

I like the Clever Fox Budget Planner. Use code ORGANIZED3110OFF for a 10% discount. Its 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).

One of the best budget planners, the Orange Clever Fox Budget Planner on marble table with purple pen, paper clips and blue stapler

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
Collage of 9 budget planner pages images with blue and purple pens

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.

green Clever Fox budget book on marble table top with pens, paper clips and stapler

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 years budget summary
collage of 6 buget book pages with pens and highlighters as accessories

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

pocket with budgeting sticker sheet peeking out and pink and purple pen next to book

If you have been using a budget planner, I know youll appreciate the features and quality in the best budget planners from Clever Fox. And if you havent 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:

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

Top image woman's hands holding money, bottom image a green and an orange budget planner book

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