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Free DIY Budget Binder Printables

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Use this free DIY budget binder to get organized and make progress toward your financial goals. This freebie includes 4 budget binder printables plus budget binder ideas for more sheets you may want to include!

Use these free DIY budget binder printables to get organized and make progress toward your financial goals. This is a great first step when budgeting and managing your money.

We all know that being financially responsible is important, but that knowledge doesn’t make the process any easier. It’s like knowing that exercising on a daily basis is good for you…. In theory, it sounds awesome. In practice, you have a million things to do, and the thought of going to the gym to sweat for an hour isn’t exactly thrilling.

In my experience, a big part of the challenge with being financial responsible is just getting organized. There are so many things to think about that it makes the whole process seem like an insurmountable obstacle. That’s where these DIY budget binder printables come in. In this post, I’ll show you how to make a budget binder that’ll help you get organized and start working toward your financial goals! 🙂

I know that not everyone is like me. They don’t get excited about stock options, 401(k)s, and coupons. In an effort to make the prospect of taking control of the family finances a little more exciting, I designed fun and free budget binder printables, starting with the budget binder cover.

 

So, what are you waiting for? Snag these printables and learn how to make a budget binder now.

Download Free DIY Budget Binder Printables

This printable household budget worksheet is a simple printable budget worksheet that lets you record your actual and expected income and expenses, so you can maximize your savings.

DIY Budget Binder: Cover

The first of the free budget binder ideas is a printable cover that is a cute and colorful cover sheet.

Okay, so we all know that we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I’m hoping that this cute and colorful cover will inspire you to use this budget folder and its printables. Plus, I think the fun cover makes it easier to keep this budget planner binder someplace handy. In other words, it isn’t something you would mind sitting out on your desk.

DIY Budget Binder: Financial Goals Sheet

The first of the how to make a budget binder steps is to establish your goals. This bright and cheery financial goals page is a fun way to record them.

The first page of the budget planner binder (after the cover) is the Financial Goals sheet. This sheet is where you (and your family) will list your goals. Your financial goals could be just about anything including:

Psst! If you prefer to keep electronic records, you can download an Excel version of the Financial Goals sheet here.

When entering goals in your budget folder, be sure to think about short term, mid term, and long term goals. Short term goals are those that you’d like to accomplish in approximately the next year, mid term goals are things you want to achieve in the next 5 years or so, and long term goals are what you’d like to do in the 10+ year range.

Take your time deciding on your goals. You’ll want to put a lot of thought into this first page of the free budget binder printables.

Regardless of what your goals are, they will probably require you to save money. There are obvious ways to save money, such as cutting out that trip to Starbucks each morning, and then there are more out-of-the-box approaches you may want to consider, like getting freebies by mail.

In fact, some ways to save money are just downright weird. Don’t believe me? Check out these 10 weird ways to save money.

If you’re on the hunt for a few more realistic approaches to achieving frugality, you’ll definitely want to read “50 Realistic Frugal Living Tips.” One super easy way to save money is to avoid late fees, such as those that accrue when bills are past due. Snag these bill due planner stickers to help you remember to pay on time!

Hopefully, all of these articles will show you that there are many ways to save money in your daily life. You just need to find the approaches that work best for you and your family.

Budget Binder Ideas: As you go over all of these ways to save money, add a page to your binder and keep a list of ideas that appeal to you.

DIY Budget Binder: Finances by Month Sheet

These free budget binder printables allow you to break down your income and expenses on a monthly basis.

Once you’ve established some goals, it’s time to start documenting your expenses with the second sheet of the finances and money budget binder, the Finances by Month sheet. This is the free printable budget binder sheet where you’ll take a deep dive into your monthly expenses.

This sheet in the budget folder may look a little intimidating because it has a lot of fields, but don’t give up! Take your time and try to fill out as many of the fields as accurately as possible. And if you prefer to do this electronically, you can download an Excel version of the Finances by Month sheet here.

Tip: For some of the fields you may need a little help. For example, if you’re working on calculating your monthly expenses try out the free living expense calculator.

Remember, don’t guess! You want your money budget binder to be as accurate as possible. If you aren’t sure of exact amounts, do a little research. For example, if your electric bill varies each month, look at 6 to 12 months of bills and take an average to give yourself an idea of what to expect.

Budget Binder Ideas: When it comes to this sheet, you may want to print (or download) two copies. You can use one sheet to document what you plan to spend and the other to document what you actually spend. This approach will make it easier to complete the Monthly Assessment sheet, which is coming up next!

Bonus: If you’re really trying to keep a tight rein on your finances, you might want to assess your spending on a more granular level. If you think month-to-month is just too big of a picture, try this free personal weekly budget template.

DIY Budget Binder: Monthly Assessment Sheet

The free budget folder printable also includes a monthly assessment sheet, so you can review your progress and adjust as needed.

The last of the free printable budget binder sheets is the Monthly Assessment sheet. It gives you the opportunity to review your expenses and spending for the month and if needed, make adjustments. As you utilize the assessment sheet, just remember: Everyone makes mistakes.

On your road to financial responsibility you will almost certainly have a few missteps. The important thing is to learn from any errors and keep moving forward. Don’t give up!

Once a month, review the Finances by Month sheet in your money budget binder. Look for areas where you stayed on track. Note if you were able to contribute to or achieve your goals.

Return to the Monthly Assessment sheet, and write down what you did well and where you could improve in upcoming months. Try to write down at least one good thing and one bad thing. It’s vital that you be honest here!

Next, write down a few goals for the upcoming month. These do not have to be major undertakings (like pay off the car you just bought 3 months ago). Rather these can be small things that help you stick to the path of financial responsibility. For example, you might have a goal of “only eat lunch out once per week.”

Bonus: If saving money on food, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, is one of your goals it doesn’t mean you have to give up nutritious, delicious, and satisfying meals. Here are some yummy recipes that’ll help you save money without sacrificing taste:

If, during your monthly assessment, you find that you have a gap that is preventing you from achieving your goals, you may want to consider additional ways to earn cash. Check out these 37 quick ways to earn cash!

If you prefer to conduct your assessment electronically, download the Excel version of the Monthly Assessment sheet here.

Download the Free DIY Budget Binder Printables

DIY Budget Binder: Extras

Guess what? You now know how to make a budget binder and how to use all of the included free budget binder printables! However, you don’t have to stop with just these 4 free printable budget binder sheets! There are extras you can include to customize the DIY budget binder to your needs.

Simple Budget Worksheet

If you're looking for budget binder ideas, be sure to include some kind of budget sheet, like this simple printable budget worksheet.

One extra you may want to consider for your budget binder are simple free printable budget worksheets.

While the Finances by Month sheet is more in-depth, you can use  simple printable budget worksheets to give you a quick snapshot of your finances and how successfully you’re managing them each month. And if one of these simple budget worksheets doesn’t meet your needs, check out:

Christmas Gift Planner Sheet

Another addition you may want to make to your budget binder printables is the printable Christmas shopping lists. This is a great way to ensure your holiday spending stays in check and that you don’t forget anyone on your list.

Choose from two separate Christmas gift planner templates:

printable Christmas shopping list

You can modify this worksheet for other occasions as well. For example, you could make a list of all of the friends and family members you purchase birthday gifts for each year and plan how much you’ll spend ahead of time.

Event Planner Sheet

If you have an event coming up, you’ll definitely want to add the event planning budget sheet to your budget binder. This sheet is a fabulous way to make sure your event doesn’t break the bank and that you don’t forget any important aspects.

Like the Christmas gifts planner sheet, this worksheet can pull double duty. Consider altering the spreadsheet for vacation budgeting.

Tip: If you’re planning a vacation, be sure to read this article on the best family all-inclusive vacations.

If you have an upcoming event, consider including this event planning sheet in your budget planner binder.

Bonus: Planning a wedding? Here’s a worksheet specifically for the big day! Download the Free Printable Wedding Budget Planner Worksheet here.

If you are planning a wedding on a budget, be sure to add this free printable wedding budget planner worksheet to your DIY budget binder printables.

Additional Reading

If the idea of the DIY budget binder is getting you all excited about saving money and being financially savvy, make sure you equip yourself with even more insightful financial advice by grabbing a copy of Freebie Finding Mom’s eBook Secrets of a Successful Family CFO.

The book covers:

  • Goal Setting
  • How to Create a Budget
  • The Basics of Investing
  • Retirement Planning
  • College Planning and Funding
  • How to Be the Savviest Shopper of Them All
  • And Much More…

Between this book and the DIY budget binder printables you’ll be on your way to financial success in no time!

What else do you think would make a great addition to the free budget binder printables? Share your ideas and requests in the comments!

 

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About Kelli

Kelli Bhattacharjee is the owner of Freebie Finding Mom. When she's not goofing around with her son, she's busy blogging, or just hanging out with the family which usually involves listening to music too loud and having dance parties.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelly Cox says

    Love these printables! My husband and I are passionate about budgeting and being wise with money. I will pin these today! Thanks for such a great resource. Blessings!

    Reply

  8. Kylie Edwards says

    I have click the download button and subscribed twice. I get the confirmation email but I never get the link to download the templates. Please help.

    Reply

    • Kelli says

      Hi Mary, If your popup blocker is on you may not be able to see the printable. It should show up in the bottom of the screen. You can email me and I’ll make sure you get it. 🙂 Kelli

      Reply

  12. Ashley Ortegon says

    I just tried to print the budget binder after entering my email and it is not allowing me to print it.

    Reply

    • Kelli says

      Hi Ashley, If your popup blocker is on you may not be able to see the printable. It should show up in the bottom of the screen. You can email me and I’ll make sure you get it. 🙂 Kelli

      Reply

  20. Tina says

    How do I budget when I am living paycheck to paycheck with 6 kids which include 1 college student, 1 football player, 1 soccer player, medical bills that have went to judgement and more. I have to rent because I lost my house due to a horrible family loss.

    I can’t get my head above water.

    Reply

  22. Sarah Escobar says

    I cannot get this beautiful budget planner to download or print 🙁 I subscribed to the newsletter as directed but it would not let me do anyting. Could it be emailed to me as well? [email protected]. Thank you!!

    Reply

  37. Tosha says

    I would like the printable budget binder and it won’t let me download it could you email it to me please.

    Thank you!!

    Reply

  44. Amy Allemand says

    Trying to download the Budget Binder and it will not take me to the download link. I signed up for emails and every time I choose access printables it brings me to the link to register for email sign up. Can you please send me the documents?

    Reply

    • Kelli says

      Hi Amy, Did you activate your email subscription? If you did then you will get a code to insert on the access printables page. 🙂 Kelli

      Reply

  48. Bonnie Chambliss says

    I really have to start on a monthly budget. So I started here. Love all the printables. Thank you, these
    will be great resources for me.

    Reply

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