Featured Image Credit: Keri
Getting your spending, bills and other expenses out of your head and on paper is an amazing way to visualize where you’re money is going…
I know that when I track what I’m spending money on, how much I’m saving and what bills are coming up next, it frees up so much room in my head to concentrate on other things in my life! Plus, I’m not constantly worrying about money
Setting up a bullet journal budget tracker is definitely a must-have page if you want to get your finances under control (without using an app or something complex)
If you want just the examples, go to #4 in the table of contents!
How To Setup A Budget Tracker
Before getting into the specifics of what to track and different layouts, you should first figure out what time period you want to track. For example, you could track per week or for the entire year…
Here are the main lengths of time to track are:
- Weekly
- Bi-Weekly
- Monthly
- 6 Months
- Yearly
I personally have my budget tracker set up to track my spending and expenses for one month at a time. Like any other page in your bullet journal, it’s really up to you on how you set it up but… that’s what I’ve found works the best for me
Tracking weekly just takes too much time to set up a new page every week and doesn’t provide a “wide” enough overview in my opinion
Setting up a Bi-Weekly would work better if you want a smaller tracker and you could correspond it with your pay period!
What To Track
Now that you’ve decided how long you want to track your expenses for, it’s time to figure out what exactly to track… Now, I know it may seem pretty self-explanatory but this will really help when laying out your spread
The main things to track are:
- Income
- Variable Bills / Expenses
- Fixed Bills (Rent / Mortgage / Car Payment etc)
- Miscellaneous / Unexpecting Expenses
- Savings
You can go as complex or simple as you want but again, it’s always what works best for you!
Layout Examples For Inspiration
Now it’s time for the fun part!
As you’ll see in the examples below, there are multiple different ways to layout the actual page
Whether you want a simple and basic setup or something complex like a pie chart… you’ll find something you like
Here are the ones that stood out to me:
Pink Budget Tracker
Photo credit: Megan Studies on Instagram
My dad told me something that has stuck with me ever since I was a little girl:
“It’s not your salary that makes you rich, it’s your spending habits”
Ever since then I’ve been so good about not only doing my best to remain frugal but keeping TRACK
This budget tracker is more than just pretty in pink. It’s a classic take on a budget tracker with a date, description, and a “+” or “-” on the amount either spent or saved
It’s effective, it’s cute, and trackers like this keep me very aware. I love this!
Simple Spending Tracker
Photo credit: Rhean on Instagram
Does anyone else feel like we no longer have to wait in line to get our groceries anymore?
Our groceries often times wait for US! It’s crazy that we can do all of our grocery shopping online now don’t you think?
I love this budget tracker. She has sub financial pieces including groceries, bills, eating out, and other to make it super easy to see where the spending is coming from… or if there’s too much spending in one subcategory
I’m not gonna lie, I might need another sub tab for my Friday margaritas with the girls… or Tuesdays… Or sometimes Saturdays 🙋🏽
Overall this a great set up and it’s very effective, simple, and neatly executed
Minimalist Budget Tracker
Photo credit: Olivia on Instagram
What do you guys find that you spend most of your money on?
When I was younger, it was rent. I lived alone which is nice but my rent expense is definitely a larger chunk than I wish it was and I had to be extra careful about my spending money
This is about as simple and effective as a budget tracker can get. Black, white, and EXTRA classy
She has the word “expenses” bolded at the top and then in smaller neat writing, she has the day and what the expense was in as little words as possible
If you just want something to get the job done without any pizzaz this is the one for you!
Related Bujo Post: 21 Best Minimalist Weekly Spread Ideas For Bujo Addicts Vol.1
Pass GO, Collect $200
Photo credit: Laurie on Instagram
Nobody EVER reads the rules in monopoly… unless of course, an argument breaks out
Then you have people studying it like it’s the bar exam study guide or something, LOL
Wait until you see the awesome monopoly themed doodle in this budget tracker, it is so intricately done and it looks like it was essentially traced right from the box
This tracker is set up perfectly! You have the monopoly artwork at the top, tied with bubble lettering for checking and savings and then an area for savings goals which I think is super handy
I love the spot in the tracker for the starting and ending balance for the month. I can’t get enough of this!
Pie Chart Tracker
Photo credit: Ava on Instagram
What a gorgeous pinwheel design for a budget tracker!
Before stumbling upon this tracker I had never heard of the app Mint, have you?
It’s a mobile way to keep track of your bills, budget, and your savings goals. At the end of each month, the app creates a circular graph of spending based on percentages so you can see where the extra spending is happening monthly
She converts it into a bright and colorful graph of her own right in her bullet journal!
I love the design, the color palette is cheery, and it’s an easy yet effective and de-stressing way to keep track
Save money, and money will save you!
Simple Budget Spread
Photo credit: Diemmy on Instagram
If you’ve been following me long enough then not only do you know I love good budget tracker, and I LOVE Winnie the Pooh or anything Disney themed
Lucky for me, I found some inspiration with all of it!
Most of her page is filled with an orange themed budget tracker that has lines for the date, place, product, and place
Which, in my opinion, is the most simple and effective way to do a tracker… especially if you’re not as worried that you’re spending too much money in one subcategory of expenses
There are parts of her page that pop, and that’s what makes me love this tracker. She has cute green money bags up top, and a spot on the left with a cursive September and a Pooh, Tigger, and piglet drawing
She incorporates tracking praying and reading the bible every morning inside of this drawing, and you could customize it how you want to track anything under the sun
This definitely stirs my honey pot!
Expense Tracking Spread
Photo credit: Sara on Instagram
The easiest way to save money is to forget who you borrowed it from!
Okay I’m totally kidding and that’s a terrible idea, but hey it’s proven to work! If you don’t want to cheapskate your friends and you need some help saving money then I will swear by doing a budget tracker in your bujo!
This one is super simple. If you’re a busy gal or guy and you just need to get the job done, this is the way to go for budget tracking. I even have a little section in my habit tracker spread to make sure I update my spread once a week
In this one, she uses this list like expense tracker along with the CoinKeeper app. It might seem a bit redundant to track things in two places, but the bujo version allows you to see spending habits a bit clearer while CoinKeeper makes it all portable and digital
How do you guys track expenses? Hopefully not by forgetting and borrowing 😉
Color Coded Budget Tracker
Photo credit: Melissa Kolb on Instagram
Wow, this is handy! This tracker serves as a dual purpose and I am ALL about it
On the left side of the page, she has her expense tracker… It’s set up very simply, with the date, expense description, and price. No colors, no pizzaz, no nothing (for some people with expense tracking this is needed)
But then you make your way to the right side of the page and a whole lot of magic is happening!
She has a mini calendar for June and a daily to-do list for the week with a surprising amount of room to write
If I were her I would keep the expense tracker just like she has it and definitely add some art and color to the to-do list
A great idea for a busy multi-tasker for sure!
Black & White Bill Tracker
Photo credit: A Hayden on Instagram
There’s an old Swedish proverb that says: “he who buys what he does not need steals from himself”
Can I get an amen?
I am so guilty of getting paid, scrolling through online clothing websites (or my latest obsession amazon) and buying things that come to my doorstep days later and I’ll be honest, a lot of the time I have regrets
This is why I started keeping track and it’s really helped me a ton in the long run!
What I love so much about this expense tracker is the unique addition of the bi-monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual bills that she has to pay. She is thinking ahead and I love it!
This is another one of those trackers that get straight to the point without decorations for ultimate effectiveness, and it’s a great set up if that’s your style
Keep on saving friends!
Monthly Budget Spread
Photo credit: Kayla on Instagram
Not all who wander are lost…
These bright colors are absolutely gorgeous and the wilderness themed tracker itself? I can’t get enough of this you guys
First of all, the addition of the daily gratitude on the right side of the page is such a calming addition to the expense tracker, especially if you’re money situation stresses you out
Taking the extra time to be thankful for something other than what you’re spending money on like a bright sunshiny day, or travel plans is imperative to a positive lifestyle
The gorgeous blue mountain drawing and the hammock between the trees are such a calming presence, and the delicate drawing style is so inspirational
Save money, but don’t forget to also document the good FREE things in life!
Budget Tracker With Stencil
Photo credit: Keri on Instagram
“The secret to your future is hidden in your routine”
I love this quote she uses in her budget tracker because it’s SO true… Bad spending, unhealthy habits, and decisions that aren’t good ones can absolutely destroy your future and your goals, whether they be long or short term
This budget tracker is pretty, organized, well put together, and very effective. I love the brown pages and the addition to the weather drawings
Her expenses are separated without using daily dates, but after a week she adds up a total and has subcategories for “week 1,2,3, and 4”
I think this is a great way to go about it, and it makes it easy to see
Don’t be a dummy, save your money!
Yearly Budget Tracker
Photo credit: The Bared Book on Instagram
I’ve have had a very hard time sticking to any kind of budget this month, I’ll be honest
I like to blame the cold weather… because I can! 😜
At least here in Michigan, the weather is still cold in April. But seriously… how do you all stay motivated when your monthly budget literally gets tossed right out the window due to unfortunate and unpredictable circumstances we call LIFE?
Do you have any suggestions? I would absolutely love to hear them!
I will say this tracker is about as motivating as it gets! Not only do I love the excel-esque spreadsheets, but the graphs give the tracker an aesthetic look and it’s easy to see what’s happening from month to month easily
Plus, the tinted brown sheets of paper are so pretty and I love the effectiveness of having date, income, expense, and balances
Time to get back on track!
Watercolor Expense Tracker
Photo credit: Rhean on Instagram
Did you know that lavender is said to be the “grown-up pink”?
I am super into essential oils and the lavender signifies serenity and peace. It helps ease tension, anxiety, and the most important when it comes to budget trackers, STRESS
This lavender themed expense tracker is everything relaxing and stress easing all in a tracker. The gorgeous flower and leaf purple designs on top are so aesthetically pleasing, and the rest of the tracker leaves room to write with neatly written date, description, and amount
Lavender is grown up, I’m adulting by keeping a budget tracker, so I guess I must be maturing, right?
Monthly Budget Spread
Photo credit: Leeniale on Instagram
Life is GOURD here in Michigan in October 🎃
Fuzzy scarves, apple orchards, orange / red leaves, and everything caramel apple is how I would describe the feel here!
This cute and cozy themed expense tracker will have you FALLing in love this fall
First of all, I am obsessed with the unique twist on the clothes hanger at the top of the page. She has a sweater and a sock, but then she also has an adorably drawn puppy and pig hanging up there too!
The month of October is written in beautiful cursive writing, and the budget tracker itself is set up extremely effectively. On the left side of the page are her bills, and the right side has room to write a description with the price
Unbelefably cute!
Pay Period
Photo credit: Paper & Penning It on Instagram
Somebunny loves this bunny themed expense tracker… It’s me, I can’t get enough of it!
I’ll be honest, right around March and April my financial situation takes quite the hit. After Thanksgiving, Christmas, new years, and then spring break it’s like I saved all year for nothing
Instead of wallowing in the brokenness that is my life, I track harder. It’s my time to do better, save more, and get into a routine again after all of the holiday fun
This tracker is too cute for words with its adorable bunnies and cute little easter eggs surrounding the page
My favorite part about the tracker? The bunny eating the chocolate bunny. Don’t let this fool you though, it’s very effective
Just simply write the date, the product, the price, add up the totals, and voila! You’re tracking for the month
EARrististable!
May Budget Tracker
Photo credit: Caffeinated Cait on Instagram
Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day
How do you help yourself appreciate the little things even when it seems like things are crashing down on you?
Budgeting is stressful for me and money is tight. I’ve learned putting 10 things I’m thankful for every month in my budget tracker is really de-stressing and something I’ve been incorporating for a couple of months now
Another destressing addition to budget trackers for some people is STICKERS!
They are easy to throw on, decorative looking, and can make something plain pop with color. I love the sticker kit she uses in this tracker, and the coral, orange, and pink colors are so pretty for spring and summer
This is very neatly done, it looks printed with different headers and boxes for different expense tracking
I may STICK to this one!
Monthly Budget Spread
Photo credit: Mochi Bujo on Instagram
I can’t beLEAF how GOURDeous this fall themed expense tracker is! (boom, two puns in one sentence 😜)
This really is top notch from the little leaf designs in the top left corner, to the execution and neatness of the tracker itself, and the flawless design that ties it all together
She dedicates the right side of her page for monthly expenses themed orange and neatly written and box like
It’s easy to set up and even easier to read and understand. This is so inspirational for fall!
Lemonade Theme Budget Tracker
Photo credit: Danie on Instagram
When life gives you lemons… Drink lemon water, save your money, and moisturize your face, and always remember who you are in moments that test you
This is the ultimate budget tracker for the summer. You can an ice cold glass of lemonade, a yellow theme, and a motivating quote that says “never spend money you don’t have”
Plus, this is somewhat of an advanced budget tracker
It’s just a breakdown of subcategories like groceries, auto payments, online shopping, coffee, and all the other main things she spends her money on to find out exactly where extra spending money is going (and where she needs to cut down)
Save money this summer with this one!
Weekly Expense Tracker
Photo credit: Planning Planning Planning on Instagram
The best part about this tracker is that I can see weekly where she spends more money… for example, the week she posted was her household expenses!
My favorite part of my budget tracker is the ability to break down my expenses, so I can truly see where my money is going each week… instead of having an endless list of expenses without real meaning of where the money went
Every sub category in this tracker is beautifully decorated, full of springy bright colors, and stocked with stickers. It’s a box like theme which makes it easy to read and easy to execute
I am in love with this!
Basic Expense Tracker
Photo credit: Viola on Instagram
If you’re looking to keep things simple but still want a super cute spread, then this one is for you!
I love the banner at the top and the border around the log of expenses reminds me of an internet browser. She even carries out the tracker to the next page and a small recap at the bottom to see the totals for the month!
This spread is the perfect balance of adding personality but still keeping it basic enough so that you will actually keep updating it… that’s the whole point right 😜
Track your expenses and free up that room in your head!
Related Posts:
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27 Best Purple Bullet Journal Spreads
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