Finally a useful video one could actually adapt to their situation. We need "full disclosure" as a "how to" step by step. You would be a great teacher. Thanks for sharing.
To me your budgeting system makes the most sense. It's not overly done, nor confusing, however, it's very clear where money goes, etc. Love the sinking funds portion. Everything makes so much sense. I'm so glad I clicked on your video 😉
Commenting again after having watched this video for the 6th time or so. I frankensteined 2 old ECLPs that went partially unused to create this financial planner. After 3 months, I am in love. My husband and I have had a few financial meetings to go over where we are. It made my heart happy to be able to pull out my planner to share with him what we have going on and how I'm maintaining our families finances. Thank you so much for sharing this Jen. This process and planner has made my budgeting time so much easier, complete, and fun. I definitely feel more secure in our financial journey. I was even able to document paying off our final debt (other than our home)! 😊 We love Dave Ramsey and have been following him for years. With his knowledge and this type of financial keeping/planning... My life has been changed!
I ordered this exact same planner because I LOVE LOVE LOVE how you have this set up! It's seriously perfect. I had never thought to add into a sinking fund before but after watching this I realize that I need to save a lot more than I anticipated. I have been writing and rewriting my budget so it's correct for when my planner arrive in a few weeks! I'm so excited! Thank you so much for this!
Super inspirational video! We haven't always been awesome about tracking our spending, but now that I'm a SAHM, it's more important than ever. Thanks for posting.
This is the BEST budget video I've seen so far!!! Thank you! I already do a system very similar but just purchased this planner & wanted to see the best way to utilize it. The sinking funds will be new for me but I can't wait to try it! 😊
I'm totally overwhelmed! :) You're SO ORGANIZED and your handwriting is perfect! Mine would be a mess. Every year when I start my new Erin Condren Life Planner, I vow to use beautiful handwriting and week 2 its out the door! I have never done a budget, and spend whatever I want, so I'm tempted to try it and see how much i'd save if I used one/was mindful of my expenses! You've inspired me! Wish you'd come over and set my planner up to get me started..... havent you always wanted to come to Gainesville, FL for vacation???? ..... yeah, I dont blame you! :) Thanks for great video!
debi powell ha!! 💗💗 Florida would be a nice break from this gloomy weather here ;) I read a quote in the Dave Ramsey book that said "the enemy of 'the best' isn't 'the worst,' the enemy of the best is 'just fine.' And it totally changed everything for me. We were ok before. We could pay all of our bills and spend money and go places, but we weren't building anything. We were missing a HUGE opportunity to be more strategic for our long-term financial situation. It's worth trying!
Best explanation of a budget I've seen. I was happy to see it wasn't just a " what stickers I put in a binder". However, please speak more slowly and clearer. Your voice fades out at the end of sentences.
I'm awful at budgeting:( For the three years my husband and I have been married we haven't budgeted. Now that I'm going back to get my masters we're losing an income. I stumbled across your video and it is so helpful! Every year my church does a Dave Ramsey class and this motivated me to take the class this year. Thank you so much! Your system makes it easy to duplicate :)
You have inspired me to get a budget planner for my husband and I . we are newleyweds that want to get rid of our debts before we start our family. I feel this will be a big help visually for the both of us :) Thanks for the video xo
Love it! And makes so much sense. I'm going to have to hack one of my EC notebooks as even with the discount now, it's still $20 shipping to Aus, so probably not the best use of my budget this month to buy a deluxe monthly planner. It's so pretty though! Maybe next year.
I have watched your video a few times. Took some screenshots so I can work mine out. You budget planner systems is one of the best I've seen. Thanks for doing it.
You do the best explanation of sinking funds. I follow Dave Ramsey as well. I’ve taken FPU & I now facilitate a class. I $o the same as you do as well as stop funding when they reach a certain level. Some of your sinking funds are monthly(HOA) for me or in my envelopes section (clothing). Thank you.
Thank you so much! My husband and I are working through our baby steps and understand how a budget is empowering, not limiting! My new EC just came in, and I can't wait to incorporate some of your ideas with what we already have going!
I would look into Dave Ramsey. He will tell you to get $1,000.00 in savings and then to focus on your smallest debt first. Once you get that small debt paid you use the snowball effect. So you take what you were paying on that small one and you go to the next smallest debt and you apply the payment you were making on the other one to that next bill. Once you pay that off, you take what you were paying on that and move to the next one. Make sense? I really recommend doing financial peace university. It's amazing.
You can sign up for Audible via pretty much every big TH-camr's link to receive one month free. You can download Total Money Makeover on Audible and it will be yours for free, even after the trial expires.
Totally love how you manage your finance planner, you have given me so many ideas, and have motivated me on ways to correct the way I do my planning. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing this!! I'm glad someone broke down the idea behind sinking funds, this actually led me to purchasing my own Deluxe Monthly Planner! I can't wait to get started on my own sinking funds and budget. ♥
I love this video. I just purchased a deluxe monthly from her sale and your video has been the best on how I'd also like to set mine up. Great ideas I never thought of either! Thank you!
This video was very clear and insightful. I also have a variable income and find I end up stressed about money way too often. I want to do this... it is a huge mental shift for me. Thanks Jen
I'm not sure how she does it as she says she has a cutter in another video, but for me personally I have an Epson inkjet printer and Avery sticker paper (you can find packs on amazon for a good price), then I try to keep my stickers in a somewhat rectangular shape and use a cutter knife (you can find this in the craft section of Walmart or any craft store by scrapbooking supplies - you can also use scissors just not your kitchen scissors lol) and use a cheap plastic cutting board to lightly cut out your stickers.
Thank you for this. I keep failing to budget since I haven’t found the system that works for us. My husband gets paid weekly and I was over whelmed for how many cash envelopes I needed to keep up, we also use debit card for gas and this make so much sense! I’ll just have to divide the monthly sinking fund w how many pay days we have for the month ( some months he gets paid 5 times) I will try this system and see if it fit out life!
Really cool system! I feel this is more of a labour of love doing it all manually, I use excel for the same thing but understand having something physical is good. I previously saved a little bit towards my non fixed payments, (you call them sinking funds), but now what I do is I temporarily stop my savings deposit and pay whatever the random bill is, same result but with less mucking around in working out the amount of all the bills by dividing the months etc..
It's tricky because I'd have to cover everything for privacy :/ It took me a really long time to figure out how to share in a way that would make sense but still keep our finances private.. If I can think of a way that shows more but still hides the numbers, I will!
JenPlans loved this! Getting around protecting your financial privacy (because I too would love to see it filled out with numbers to help my brain understand it fully) could you do a mock one with fake amounts? Thank you so much for posting this. You are a really inspiring woman. I admire you.
I sticker code similar. I just use basic tabs and do one color for debts, one color for bills and if it's auto I just write it on the sticker. Each stick has the amount due also. I am using a ring bound personal but I feel like this planner might be more simplified and good for my hubby to refer to as well.
I have learned about Dave Ramsey through you and it is awesome, bought the Total Money Makeover last year but got on board (with my husband) just this year, Now we are about to start FPU 😁👌
I love this! and will be stealing some ideas! This year I am really trying to get back on track and this was so helpful! I am so glad this popped up in my recommended videos!
Hey Jen, love your name! ;-) I just subscribed to your channel last night after watching this video. I love how organized you make this. I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm almost 50 and haven't figured out this stuff yet. I didn't have the best example growing up and so here we are. I have gone through the FPU class and find that my struggle is how to just take care of the "4 walls" at this time in our life. I think this video will help me really look at the root cause of the problems we're having (besides not having enough income) and begin to fix it. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your process. Btw., I love hearing your babies little voices in the background. Keep up the great videos!
I wish the Deluxe Monthly Calendars weren't sold out right now. This is such a perfect set-up and just what I need to stick to our budget! Thank you for sharing.
I just got my deluxe monthly in yesterday and I've been rewatching your video trying to make it to what works for my budget. Thank you so much. I have audible and will be adding the total money makeover to my list. Such a helpful video!
I really have high hopes. I'm getting ready to graduate with my Master's and want to get rid of my credit card debt before I have to start paying back my student loans as well as pay down the balance on my car. I can't wait for my next credit on Audible to get started. :)
OH MY GOODNESS!!! Thank you so very much! We LOVE the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace program. We budgeted like crazy and are now debt-free except for our home. We paid off so much using this plan. I have been lax in budgeting recently and when EC had the planners 50% off I bought one to start. I posted on WE LOVE EC asking for suggestions, and this video was suggested! It is just perfect. The only thing I didn't see is where you mark when you get paid and how you spend each check. (I forget the name of that form in his plan). Anyway, I love your setup and I am going to spend this weekend setting up my budget notebook...we are on baby step 4, 5, 6, and 7 all at once! I wish you sold the rectangle stickers you use on your monthly calendar page because I would buy them, but I'm sure I can find something similar. Again, much love of your design and many thanks for the amazing video!
I love this video ☺ I think you've explained and planned in a very easy and clean (I'm not that keen on the symbols either) layout. You're inspiring me to get my finances together, recently had a blow out for car rego repairs (I'm in Australia) and wasn't expecting it. I was able to cover it, but left me with small amount left over for saving. Your video came at spot on the right time
Thank you for some good ideas. I'm going to implement my own versions of them in a mix of Evernote and Google Sheets instead of a handwritten planner. I anticipate that they will enhance some of my tracking work.
Thank you so much you explained it so well 😊 I have watched so many budget videos and I could not get it or how to start But you explain it so well that I cant wait to start. I love the visual part and yes you have great handwriting 😊 Glad I came up on your channel
I cannot wait for the new deluxe monthly planners to come out! I ordered the Life Planner (not realizing it was different) which is awesome but not what I want for a budget. 😀
JenPlans yes! I am going to use the Life Planner to keep track of everything (except bills). I can't wait to get my hands on the deluxe monthly planners! I keep checking to see if they are available (signed up for the notify but don't want to chance it going to spam!).
How do you take out your sinking funds total? Do you take them out once a month like a bill, or do you wait till the end of the month and then take them out? Do you put them in your budget?
What a fabulous way to use the monthly book, I may have to get one for next year. I'm always looking for ways to organize finances. Money videos rock!!! Thanks ; )
Hi Jen! I have watched this video probably 5 times in the last two days alone. I finally set up my own budget planner, and am really hoping you could go more in depth about your cash envelopes page and your subtotal page. I am trying to figure out how you calculate everything on those two pages. Specifically, I am confused about what you write in the $___ on the Cash Envelopes page, as well as the the top half of the subtotal page. Do you end up with a final total at the end of the month after you calculate all your outgoing sinking funds and add that to your subtotal?
I just got everything I needed to set up our family budget, and as many times as I watch this video I still am a bit perplexed. You explain everything perfectly, and yet March is around the corner and I have yet to touch pen to paper. The cash envelope page is specifically daunting to me, since the whole cash envelope system is EXTREMELY new to me. The concept of sinking funds as well. I've watched the video on a loop, I just am overwhelmed. You are amazing and inspiring and one day I hope to make a successful system for our family. Is there any chance you'd show a completed month? I understand privacy issues and would completely understand if the idea makes you uncomfortable. It would tear away at me if I didn't ask.
yvonne guerra Hi there! I can definitely try to show a completed month, but my first few times I just started with what I knew. Then I added the variable stuff and just estimated the best I could. If you're having trouble coming up with amounts or categories, go back through a few months of bank and cc statements and see what you've spent where. As for the cash envelopes, I only pull cash out for things I'm prone to overspend on - for me, dining out, groceries and blow money. I know a lot of people struggle with clothing too. Is there a specific thing you're struggling with? Is it categories or amounts? I can try to help!
JenPlans, first. Oh my goodness I love you. I have March monthly set. We went over our bank statements and for the most part it's only eating out, grocery, Target and bills. 2 or 3 times my husband cuts his hair. I think I kind of understand a bit more. The problem is the income coming in is never consistent. I think we've come down to an okay set up. Where exactly do debts go?
I love your system. Thank you. I think this is the only way I will be able to do my first budget. How do you track in your planner when you do not use all your cash for the week?
Hello! This is actually a game changer for me and my family!!! One question I had, when you do the subtotal for the month, do you do that before hand? If not, when?
This has motivated me to start a budget. Iwas curious as to why you didnt include your student loan payment on your bills to pay list? Ive always been so scared to make a budget because I felt like it wouldnt allow me to buy what I wanted. But the lack of budgeting has led to me being in some serious financial crisis. I will be buying the total money makeover!
Dana Swain the student loan is auto-deducted, so I don't have to pay it! I count it on my overview sheet in the "auto-deduct" section :) The feeling of deprivation stinks, but in the end, if I can't afford something, I simply can't afford it. I don't want to buy something now at the expense of my financial security later. It's a really eye-opening (and sometimes painful!) process.
For your sinking funds, when you say "set the money away"... where is that money? Do you transfer it to savings or keep it in your checking? Or something else? I've always wondered what to do with it!
Hi Emily! I keep it in a second checking account that is linked to my primary checking account. I would normally keep it in savings, but you're only allowed 6 withdrawals a month from a savings account (federal banking regulation) and I need to be able to access the money more frequently than that.
yHi Jen, I know you print stickers yourself. Do you mind telling us what printer/paper you use? Thank you!!! You inspired me to get on the budgeting track this year with our family and it has been life changing! Thank you!!
Thanks so much for this video. I've been patiently waiting for you to post your 2017 video. I have a question: what sticker paper did you use to print the stickers you made? Thanks so much Jen!
Shade Olofin I need to do my planner video! I used matte removable stickers from Online Labels! I also have glossy too, but didn't use them for the ones in this video.
Hi Jen - LOVED LOVED this video!! Had a few questions - when you started to budget, how did you decide how much money to put in your cash envelopes? And then, how do you estimate your gas? or DO you estimate your gas? I understood everything except reconciling. I get that at the end of the month you should have a $0 balance - meaning you gave every dollar a place to go -- just trying to make my brain understand. :) THANK YOU!!!
Rachel Gallop Hi! So when I started, I went back through a full 12 months of our bank and credit card statements and categorized EVERYTHING. I averaged the spending for each month and used that number for gas. For the other envelopes, I took what we had been spending and looked at the rest of the budget and chose numbers that I thought were realistic but still saving. It took 3-4 months to settle on numbers, I think we increased our grocery budget after the first few months because we included minor household items and it was easier to do that than separate those. The biggest thing was getting a handle on what our averages were!
Can I just say you have the best detailed videos! I found you through happily a housewife and have watched this video several times because I'm trying to figure out how I'll be setting up my new deluxe when it gets here (Should be here in a day or two)... anyway, I really love your set ups! :)
It was pretty simple! I just made a rectangle, layered a white-filled box, and then layered a white block and changed the transparency for the lighter shade on the right of the box!
Steph O the deluxe has the notes pages between each month, and stickers! It's also cool-bound while the monthly planner has a glue binding. The design is a bit different too, but those are the functional differences.
Hello! I am fan of Dave as well. I have been trying to find a way to combine my planning with my monthly budgeting and you have given me an idea that I can use. I also wanted to order a planner from Erin Corden(?) Thank you so much!!!
I loved your video! I do have a question. If you take out the same amount for your cash envelopes (food and fun money) each month, why do you have to list them in the weekly section? Why not put them in the bill paying section? Don't you end up writing the same information in each box?
Are there any other options that look that good for those who don't have access to the silhouette machines? Is there a particular avery label that will work??
I have a checking account. For the money your saving for the sinking funds should I open another checking account or savings? I’m not sure where I should put that money away from my spending money
Finally a useful video one could actually adapt to their situation. We need "full disclosure" as a "how to" step by step. You would be a great teacher. Thanks for sharing.
To me your budgeting system makes the most sense. It's not overly done, nor confusing, however, it's very clear where money goes, etc. Love the sinking funds portion. Everything makes so much sense. I'm so glad I clicked on your video 😉
Commenting again after having watched this video for the 6th time or so. I frankensteined 2 old ECLPs that went partially unused to create this financial planner. After 3 months, I am in love. My husband and I have had a few financial meetings to go over where we are. It made my heart happy to be able to pull out my planner to share with him what we have going on and how I'm maintaining our families finances.
Thank you so much for sharing this Jen. This process and planner has made my budgeting time so much easier, complete, and fun. I definitely feel more secure in our financial journey. I was even able to document paying off our final debt (other than our home)! 😊 We love Dave Ramsey and have been following him for years. With his knowledge and this type of financial keeping/planning... My life has been changed!
I ordered this exact same planner because I LOVE LOVE LOVE how you have this set up! It's seriously perfect. I had never thought to add into a sinking fund before but after watching this I realize that I need to save a lot more than I anticipated. I have been writing and rewriting my budget so it's correct for when my planner arrive in a few weeks! I'm so excited! Thank you so much for this!
Super inspirational video! We haven't always been awesome about tracking our spending, but now that I'm a SAHM, it's more important than ever. Thanks for posting.
Mandi Robichaux yes that's when I started too!! Worth it though ;)
This is the BEST budget video I've seen so far!!! Thank you! I already do a system very similar but just purchased this planner & wanted to see the best way to utilize it. The sinking funds will be new for me but I can't wait to try it! 😊
Thank you!! I have a few sinking funds videos up so hopefully those help as you begin to craft yours!
THANK YOU! This finally is a system that I can understand and implement. I love your handwriting.. it's my goal to write like you lol. :)
Heidi Fris I'm so glad it was helpful!! 💗
I'm totally overwhelmed! :) You're SO ORGANIZED and your handwriting is perfect! Mine would be a mess. Every year when I start my new Erin Condren Life Planner, I vow to use beautiful handwriting and week 2 its out the door! I have never done a budget, and spend whatever I want, so I'm tempted to try it and see how much i'd save if I used one/was mindful of my expenses! You've inspired me! Wish you'd come over and set my planner up to get me started..... havent you always wanted to come to Gainesville, FL for vacation???? ..... yeah, I dont blame you! :) Thanks for great video!
debi powell ha!! 💗💗 Florida would be a nice break from this gloomy weather here ;) I read a quote in the Dave Ramsey book that said "the enemy of 'the best' isn't 'the worst,' the enemy of the best is 'just fine.' And it totally changed everything for me. We were ok before. We could pay all of our bills and spend money and go places, but we weren't building anything. We were missing a HUGE opportunity to be more strategic for our long-term financial situation. It's worth trying!
Best explanation of a budget I've seen. I was happy to see it wasn't just a " what stickers I put in a binder". However, please speak more slowly and clearer. Your voice fades out at the end of sentences.
I'm awful at budgeting:( For the three years my husband and I have been married we haven't budgeted. Now that I'm going back to get my masters we're losing an income. I stumbled across your video and it is so helpful! Every year my church does a Dave Ramsey class and this motivated me to take the class this year. Thank you so much! Your system makes it easy to duplicate :)
I hope you do take the class - it's a lifesaver!
OMG!!! great idea on the sinking funds!!! I also use the monthly EC planner as my finance planner so I will have to try this!
You have inspired me to get a budget planner for my husband and I . we are newleyweds that want to get rid of our debts before we start our family. I feel this will be a big help visually for the both of us :)
Thanks for the video xo
Love it! And makes so much sense. I'm going to have to hack one of my EC notebooks as even with the discount now, it's still $20 shipping to Aus, so probably not the best use of my budget this month to buy a deluxe monthly planner. It's so pretty though! Maybe next year.
yay! finally someone who does dave Ramsey in their videos!
I have watched your video a few times. Took some screenshots so I can work mine out. You budget planner systems is one of the best I've seen. Thanks for doing it.
You do the best explanation of sinking funds. I follow Dave Ramsey as well. I’ve taken FPU & I now facilitate a class. I $o the same as you do as well as stop funding when they reach a certain level. Some of your sinking funds are monthly(HOA) for me or in my envelopes section (clothing). Thank you.
Thank you so much! My husband and I are working through our baby steps and understand how a budget is empowering, not limiting! My new EC just came in, and I can't wait to incorporate some of your ideas with what we already have going!
Vanessa Mair it definitely seems like an oxymoron to feel like limits are freeing, but I feel the same way!
Can you do a video on how to get started? Especially for people who are so far in debt & not sure where or how to start!
I would look into Dave Ramsey. He will tell you to get $1,000.00 in savings and then to focus on your smallest debt first. Once you get that small debt paid you use the snowball effect. So you take what you were paying on that small one and you go to the next smallest debt and you apply the payment you were making on the other one to that next bill. Once you pay that off, you take what you were paying on that and move to the next one. Make sense? I really recommend doing financial peace university. It's amazing.
Melissa O'Brien sure!! For now, I'd grab a copy of Total Money Makeover - it was how I started!!
You can sign up for Audible via pretty much every big TH-camr's link to receive one month free. You can download Total Money Makeover on Audible and it will be yours for free, even after the trial expires.
Melissa O'Brien I would like too to see it!
Totally love how you manage your finance planner, you have given me so many ideas, and have motivated me on ways to correct the way I do my planning. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing this!! I'm glad someone broke down the idea behind sinking funds, this actually led me to purchasing my own Deluxe Monthly Planner! I can't wait to get started on my own sinking funds and budget. ♥
This makes so much sense to me and is very organized! Thanks for the ideas😊
I love this video. I just purchased a deluxe monthly from her sale and your video has been the best on how I'd also like to set mine up. Great ideas I never thought of either! Thank you!
Thank you! I know you are busy and this takes time but I was looking forward to be able to see how you set this up!
Lindsay Porth you're welcome! I'm so glad I could do it!
Your penmanship is impeccable!! Thank you for sharing your information. I enjoyed your video.
This video was very clear and insightful.
I also have a variable income and find I end up stressed about money way too often.
I want to do this... it is a huge mental shift for me. Thanks Jen
I follow daves baby steps so I understood everything you said. Great videos Jen!
Pretty pretty PLEASE make a quick video on how you made your stickers. These would be a life saver for me.
I saw in your comments below how you made them on the computer, I'd just like to see how you printed them and have them cutout and all that fun stuff.
Print on a regular printer - cut with a silhouette or cameo. Most people won't show how it's done.
Is there a video on how you made your stickers? I would really love those stickers
Thank you.
I'm not sure how she does it as she says she has a cutter in another video, but for me personally I have an Epson inkjet printer and Avery sticker paper (you can find packs on amazon for a good price), then I try to keep my stickers in a somewhat rectangular shape and use a cutter knife (you can find this in the craft section of Walmart or any craft store by scrapbooking supplies - you can also use scissors just not your kitchen scissors lol) and use a cheap plastic cutting board to lightly cut out your stickers.
You can buy these at krissyannedesigns.com
Thank you for this. I keep failing to budget since I haven’t found the system that works for us. My husband gets paid weekly and I was over whelmed for how many cash envelopes I needed to keep up, we also use debit card for gas and this make so much sense! I’ll just have to divide the monthly sinking fund w how many pay days we have for the month ( some months he gets paid 5 times) I will try this system and see if it fit out life!
Really cool system! I feel this is more of a labour of love doing it all manually, I use excel for the same thing but understand having something physical is good. I previously saved a little bit towards my non fixed payments, (you call them sinking funds), but now what I do is I temporarily stop my savings deposit and pay whatever the random bill is, same result but with less mucking around in working out the amount of all the bills by dividing the months etc..
I love your video. Thank you so much for sharing. I struggle with budgets because it seems like my checks never stretch far enough.
Thank you for the detailed explanation! You've inspired me to take control of my budget...I even bought the monthly planner to do it.
Just purchased my first Erin condren monthly deluxe and this video explains how to get the most out of it for budgeting. 👍
I love the way you explained your process. Is it possible for you to share it again at the end of the month? Thanks for sharing.
It's tricky because I'd have to cover everything for privacy :/ It took me a really long time to figure out how to share in a way that would make sense but still keep our finances private.. If I can think of a way that shows more but still hides the numbers, I will!
JenPlans loved this! Getting around protecting your financial privacy (because I too would love to see it filled out with numbers to help my brain understand it fully) could you do a mock one with fake amounts? Thank you so much for posting this. You are a really inspiring woman. I admire you.
I sticker code similar. I just use basic tabs and do one color for debts, one color for bills and if it's auto I just write it on the sticker. Each stick has the amount due also. I am using a ring bound personal but I feel like this planner might be more simplified and good for my hubby to refer to as well.
I have learned about Dave Ramsey through you and it is awesome, bought the Total Money Makeover last year but got on board (with my husband) just this year, Now we are about to start FPU 😁👌
Gen Beray so exciting!!! I hope you guys like FPU!!
I just randomly found this video and what a God send! Thank you so much for the information.
Loved seeing your set up! Seems like this notebook set up with the number of pages after each month is perfect for you.
Debt Free Emily it is exactly what I've always wanted!!
I love this! and will be stealing some ideas! This year I am really trying to get back on track and this was so helpful! I am so glad this popped up in my recommended videos!
Thank you for watching! I'm glad you liked it!
Hey Jen, love your name! ;-) I just subscribed to your channel last night after watching this video. I love how organized you make this. I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm almost 50 and haven't figured out this stuff yet. I didn't have the best example growing up and so here we are. I have gone through the FPU class and find that my struggle is how to just take care of the "4 walls" at this time in our life. I think this video will help me really look at the root cause of the problems we're having (besides not having enough income) and begin to fix it. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your process. Btw., I love hearing your babies little voices in the background. Keep up the great videos!
Jennifer Noyce welcome!! Don't be embarrassed - we are all on our own path and it's never too late :) you can do it!!!
Thanks so much! pulling bank statements now... :-/
This makes COMPLETE sense to me. Love this!
I wish the Deluxe Monthly Calendars weren't sold out right now. This is such a perfect set-up and just what I need to stick to our budget! Thank you for sharing.
Me too! I think they're coming back this summer!
I am doing the dave Ramsey budget i think i will have fo rewatch this video to get the sinking fund ideas together
I just got my deluxe monthly in yesterday and I've been rewatching your video trying to make it to what works for my budget. Thank you so much. I have audible and will be adding the total money makeover to my list. Such a helpful video!
Danetra Hodge thank you!! I hope you love the book as much as I do :)
I really have high hopes. I'm getting ready to graduate with my Master's and want to get rid of my credit card debt before I have to start paying back my student loans as well as pay down the balance on my car. I can't wait for my next credit on Audible to get started. :)
The best budget breakdown. Thank you for this video. I will be watching the update one as well.
OH MY GOODNESS!!! Thank you so very much! We LOVE the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace program. We budgeted like crazy and are now debt-free except for our home. We paid off so much using this plan. I have been lax in budgeting recently and when EC had the planners 50% off I bought one to start. I posted on WE LOVE EC asking for suggestions, and this video was suggested! It is just perfect. The only thing I didn't see is where you mark when you get paid and how you spend each check. (I forget the name of that form in his plan). Anyway, I love your setup and I am going to spend this weekend setting up my budget notebook...we are on baby step 4, 5, 6, and 7 all at once! I wish you sold the rectangle stickers you use on your monthly calendar page because I would buy them, but I'm sure I can find something similar. Again, much love of your design and many thanks for the amazing video!
Janean Woods i
Thank you so much for sharing. I love your recommendations, especially the cash envelope system
Roechelle Briley I'm so glad it was helpful!
I love this video ☺ I think you've explained and planned in a very easy and clean (I'm not that keen on the symbols either) layout. You're inspiring me to get my finances together, recently had a blow out for car rego repairs (I'm in Australia) and wasn't expecting it. I was able to cover it, but left me with small amount left over for saving. Your video came at spot on the right time
You said it seems confusing, but far from it, you explained so well and made it all more clear
Jen- shared this on my Facebook page, because you explain this all so well.
Thank you for some good ideas. I'm going to implement my own versions of them in a mix of Evernote and Google Sheets instead of a handwritten planner. I anticipate that they will enhance some of my tracking work.
Thank you so much you explained it so well 😊 I have watched so many budget videos and I could not get it or how to start But you explain it so well that I cant wait to start. I love the visual part and yes you have great handwriting 😊 Glad I came up on your channel
Wow - amazing! I feel like I need to watch this again to totally get it, but so appreciate you taking the time to go through this important subject 😉
Great video. Love the stickers you use for your monthly spread.
Lesleyanne Barge thank you!!
Would love to see how you set your note book up last year, as funds don’t allow for such a expensive planner right now x
Great video. I hope you are able to leave this video up for a while. I'm waiting for my EC deluxe monthly planner
Yes it'll be up!
I love this, thanks for sharing!
I've been struggling to find a budgeting system that works for me and your tips will sure help :)
Hazel Angela I'm glad it was helpful!
I cannot wait for the new deluxe monthly planners to come out! I ordered the Life Planner (not realizing it was different) which is awesome but not what I want for a budget. 😀
Jennifer Zeisz shoot!!! I hope you're finding a good use for the planner - if not, there's a pretty good resale market if you want to unload it!!
JenPlans yes! I am going to use the Life Planner to keep track of everything (except bills). I can't wait to get my hands on the deluxe monthly planners! I keep checking to see if they are available (signed up for the notify but don't want to chance it going to spam!).
Jennifer Zeisz I was desperate to start, I ordered one from Staples (2017 only 😟)
I am so glad I watched this! Thank you for this video. I am definitely going to start.
Please do this as a plan with me !! I just purchased a deluxe monthly for next year and I'd like to see how you do this every month!
This was really a great video. I do budget but never thought about putting it all in a planner. It totally makes sense. Thank you for sharing.
Andrea Smith thank you!! 💗
Your sinking fund calendar is amazing ❤️❤️❤️
Samantha4yaa thank you!! 💗
How do you take out your sinking funds total? Do you take them out once a month like a bill, or do you wait till the end of the month and then take them out? Do you put them in your budget?
This is so helpful for me to really take a hard look at my finances. Thank you!!!
Planner chicky I'm so glad it was helpful!
What a fabulous way to use the monthly book, I may have to get one for next year. I'm always looking for ways to organize finances. Money videos rock!!!
Thanks ; )
Andrea Young I'm glad you like it!!!! Thanks for watching!!
Hi Jen! I have watched this video probably 5 times in the last two days alone. I finally set up my own budget planner, and am really hoping you could go more in depth about your cash envelopes page and your subtotal page. I am trying to figure out how you calculate everything on those two pages. Specifically, I am confused about what you write in the $___ on the Cash Envelopes page, as well as the the top half of the subtotal page. Do you end up with a final total at the end of the month after you calculate all your outgoing sinking funds and add that to your subtotal?
I've been wanting to come up with a great way to budget and this is exactly what I need. Thank you for doing this video and great tips
I'm so glad it was helpful to you!
I always love your videos. I may be pushing my luck here :) but could you do an updated video about how you're doing your budget now?
This is exactly what I needed, thank you!
I just got everything I needed to set up our family budget, and as many times as I watch this video I still am a bit perplexed. You explain everything perfectly, and yet March is around the corner and I have yet to touch pen to paper. The cash envelope page is specifically daunting to me, since the whole cash envelope system is EXTREMELY new to me. The concept of sinking funds as well. I've watched the video on a loop, I just am overwhelmed. You are amazing and inspiring and one day I hope to make a successful system for our family. Is there any chance you'd show a completed month? I understand privacy issues and would completely understand if the idea makes you uncomfortable. It would tear away at me if I didn't ask.
I think I rambled.
yvonne guerra Hi there! I can definitely try to show a completed month, but my first few times I just started with what I knew. Then I added the variable stuff and just estimated the best I could. If you're having trouble coming up with amounts or categories, go back through a few months of bank and cc statements and see what you've spent where. As for the cash envelopes, I only pull cash out for things I'm prone to overspend on - for me, dining out, groceries and blow money. I know a lot of people struggle with clothing too. Is there a specific thing you're struggling with? Is it categories or amounts? I can try to help!
JenPlans, first. Oh my goodness I love you. I have March monthly set. We went over our bank statements and for the most part it's only eating out, grocery, Target and bills. 2 or 3 times my husband cuts his hair. I think I kind of understand a bit more. The problem is the income coming in is never consistent. I think we've come down to an okay set up. Where exactly do debts go?
I love your system. Thank you. I think this is the only way I will be able to do my first budget. How do you track in your planner when you do not use all your cash for the week?
Absolutely fantastic. Thank you, Jen.
Hello! This is actually a game changer for me and my family!!! One question I had, when you do the subtotal for the month, do you do that before hand? If not, when?
This has motivated me to start a budget. Iwas curious as to why you didnt include your student loan payment on your bills to pay list? Ive always been so scared to make a budget because I felt like it wouldnt allow me to buy what I wanted. But the lack of budgeting has led to me being in some serious financial crisis. I will be buying the total money makeover!
Dana Swain the student loan is auto-deducted, so I don't have to pay it! I count it on my overview sheet in the "auto-deduct" section :) The feeling of deprivation stinks, but in the end, if I can't afford something, I simply can't afford it. I don't want to buy something now at the expense of my financial security later. It's a really eye-opening (and sometimes painful!) process.
Correct - Regulation D is so annoying! I deal with it everyday in banking world!
Took me a fee to learn! Oops!
Thank you for your video it's the best one i have seen on here. I love the stickers you made. You should sale them on esty.
For your sinking funds, when you say "set the money away"... where is that money? Do you transfer it to savings or keep it in your checking? Or something else? I've always wondered what to do with it!
Hi Emily! I keep it in a second checking account that is linked to my primary checking account. I would normally keep it in savings, but you're only allowed 6 withdrawals a month from a savings account (federal banking regulation) and I need to be able to access the money more frequently than that.
Wow! This is fantastic! Thank you for doing this video! Love it!
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I do something similar but I don't stick to it...lol this seems so easy since I hit down my bills monthly!
yHi Jen, I know you print stickers yourself. Do you mind telling us what printer/paper you use? Thank you!!! You inspired me to get on the budgeting track this year with our family and it has been life changing! Thank you!!
Thanks so much for this video. I've been patiently waiting for you to post your 2017 video. I have a question: what sticker paper did you use to print the stickers you made? Thanks so much Jen!
Shade Olofin I need to do my planner video! I used matte removable stickers from Online Labels! I also have glossy too, but didn't use them for the ones in this video.
This channel is so great.
Hi Jen - LOVED LOVED this video!! Had a few questions - when you started to budget, how did you decide how much money to put in your cash envelopes? And then, how do you estimate your gas? or DO you estimate your gas? I understood everything except reconciling. I get that at the end of the month you should have a $0 balance - meaning you gave every dollar a place to go -- just trying to make my brain understand. :) THANK YOU!!!
Rachel Gallop Hi! So when I started, I went back through a full 12 months of our bank and credit card statements and categorized EVERYTHING. I averaged the spending for each month and used that number for gas. For the other envelopes, I took what we had been spending and looked at the rest of the budget and chose numbers that I thought were realistic but still saving. It took 3-4 months to settle on numbers, I think we increased our grocery budget after the first few months because we included minor household items and it was easier to do that than separate those. The biggest thing was getting a handle on what our averages were!
Hey Jen!Your video is awesome and so helpful! Thank you :) Just a quick question...where do you track your savings/emergency fund?Thanks so much!!
Can I just say you have the best detailed videos! I found you through happily a housewife and have watched this video several times because I'm trying to figure out how I'll be setting up my new deluxe when it gets here (Should be here in a day or two)... anyway, I really love your set ups! :)
Thank you so much!
I love the stickers you made! You stated you don't sell them but would you be willing to share your template or do a video on how you made them?
It was pretty simple! I just made a rectangle, layered a white-filled box, and then layered a white block and changed the transparency for the lighter shade on the right of the box!
Thanks for the info! I'll give it a try!
Thank you Thank you for sharing! Needed this example!
this was very helpful! thanks for sharing!
Thank you!
Where to you list your set monthly payments? Mortgage, car payment, etc? Payments that are the same month after month. And what are they called?
I love this idea. I will have to look into this. what's the difference between the deluxe monthly planner and the regular monthly planner?
Steph O the deluxe has the notes pages between each month, and stickers! It's also cool-bound while the monthly planner has a glue binding. The design is a bit different too, but those are the functional differences.
This was so helpful! Thank you so much for sharing!
Hello! I am fan of Dave as well. I have been trying to find a way to combine my planning with my monthly budgeting and you have given me an idea that I can use. I also wanted to order a planner from Erin Corden(?)
Thank you so much!!!
Natasha Taylor I'm so glad it was helpful!
I love this! Thank you for sharing! I used your EC link :)
Really enjoying your videos! Just subscribed 😊
thank you so much! very helpful
I'm so excited to try this out! Thank you!
Let me know how it works for you!
KAD now has the monthly stickers. ☺
I loved your video! I do have a question. If you take out the same amount for your cash envelopes (food and fun money) each month, why do you have to list them in the weekly section? Why not put them in the bill paying section? Don't you end up writing the same information in each box?
Great ideas! Do you sell your rectangle stickers that you use for bills due?
Hi Jen! How did you make those stickers? They look so helpful! Thanks :)
Hi Karen! I used the silhouette software! I just layered a transparent white box over a solid colored rectangle and then added a white checkbox :)
Are there any other options that look that good for those who don't have access to the silhouette machines? Is there a particular avery label that will work??
This is great! Thanks so much for sharing!
I have a checking account. For the money your saving for the sinking funds should I open another checking account or savings? I’m not sure where I should put that money away from my spending money