Master Your Money: Unleashing Financial Freedom with the Ultimate Calendar Budget System!
Welcome to the era of financial empowerment! If you’ve ever struggled with managing your money, missed bill payments, or desire a foolproof budgeting method, you’re in the right place. In this updated guide, we’ll explore the power of a Calendar Budget—an ingenious method to effortlessly track and manage your finances. Whether you’re a budgeting novice, a busy mom, a college student, or a seasoned adult, this comprehensive guide is tailored for you. This method is perfect for adding to your envelope system, spreadsheets, planners, and just living life on a budget. A calendar budget is a perfect method to include in your budget. Plus, having a digital calendar budget takes things to the next level.
What is a calendar budget?
A Calendar Budget is not just a scheduling tool; it’s a visual representation of your financial life. Imagine your typical calendar; now, envision it as a money-saving powerhouse. This method allows you to assign each bill a specific date, providing clarity and control over your expenses. Whether you plan weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, the flexibility of a Calendar Budget ensures seamless adjustments without disrupting your financial flow.
Advantages of a Calendar Budget:
- Realistic and personalized budgeting method
- Ideal for various budgeting approaches, including envelope systems, spreadsheets, and planners
- Seamless integration with digital calendars for added convenience
This is why I love the calendar budget method; it’s the most realistic method and the one I’ve personally stuck with. I personally prefer writing everything down; it helps me remember and stick to my plans. This is creating a habit that you will stick to.
How To Use A Budget Calendar and the best ways to use a budget calendar
Treat your Calendar Budget as a scheduling tool, mapping your monthly bills and analyzing spending habits. This visual aid prepares you for unexpected expenses, helping you stay financially vigilant. The benefits include:
- Enhanced money management skills and goal achievement.
- Elimination of late fees by avoiding missed payments.
- Opportunities to negotiate due dates for bills.
- Pro tip: Color-coordinate bills to match your preferred pay period.
What does a budget calendar look like
A calendar budget looks like your average calendar, but it’s also an epic method of managing your finances. Calendars are known to keep track of all of the important dates in our lives, from ballet rehearsals to payday. This is why I love the calendar budget method; it’s the most realistic method and the one I’ve personally stuck with.
How a calendar budget can help you
A Calendar Budget can help you visually see where your money is going. This scheduling tool is perfect for everyone from beginners to even corporate businesses. A digital calendar budget makes it more convenient and easier to stick with.
The Benefits of a Budget Calendar include :
- A budget calendar will create better money management skills, and you will most likely create and exceed your financial goals.
- You are less likely to miss payments while using the calendar budget. No more late fees equal more money.
- If you notice more bills are taken from one date, call to get them changed.
- Pro Tip: Color-coordinated your bills to match what pay period you want them to be taken from.
How to Make a Budget Calendar
There are many ways to make your own budget calendar. Excel, pen and paper, and using your calendar app on your phone. I have a template if you need one, It’s free and takes all the guesswork out of it.
When using any of the methods above you have to know what it should include :
A Digital Budget calendar should include:
Income: For every time you are paid make sure you highlight your income as a different color than your monthly expenses. Not only is it visually appealing but it also makes a difference it what bills are coming out. Add all income for the month on the date you are paid.
Bills & Expenses: You should include all expenses for the month. (For example
Monthly expenses would include Mortgage, credit cards, student loans and etc. Also include semi and annual expenses like car insurance, membership dues, and property taxes that are sometimes forgotten.
Savings/ Emergency funds. Schedule transfers to your savings account to create a savings goal or emergency funds. The advantage of an emergency fund is $1,000. The importance of having an emergency fund is to pay for unexpected bills. And it’s a great plan to avoid getting further in debt.
Putting a Budget Calendar Together
When putting your budget Calendar together, it’s also helpful to note how you plan to make your payments:
- Pay Sallie Mae Student loan Online
- Mailed Water/Sewer on (Enter Date)
- Automatic Bill Payment for Mortgage
Color Coding Your Calendar
When I first started using a budget calendar, I used the highlight feature to color on special days. Highlighting dates helped me plan out which expenses I wanted to pay with each of my paychecks.
For Example:
Maintaining Your Budget Calendar
The calendar budget is fairly easy to maintain. I use my template and make my own binder with each month to track my expenses. If you need a copy of my Free calendar budget template, click here.
See the example below.
At the beginning of the month, I put in my income. What’s in your bank account now.
For each week of the month I would write down my expenses and income and in the last block I would put down my expenses minus income.
I love this method because we sometimes overlook our daily expenses that would cost money. Like ballet class on Wednesday, the school’s bake sale on the 14th. And most importantly, you have the choice of using a pocket calendar, wall calendar, the cute one you have on your desk or using your calendar on your phone.
After writing everything down. Now it’s time to evaluate your expenses. Each bill is assigned a date on your calendar.
- If too many bills are coming out on a certain date. Call your service providers and ask them to change your due date.
- If you have too many credit cards, you may want to consolidate your credit card debt. If that’s not an option for you. Click here to learn how to knock out your credit card debt.
- If you see your balance is paid in full, you can make an additional payment to pay off debt quicker. Did you know paying off a balance could boost your credit score by 20 points?
- Spend Less than you earn. Start by cutting your expenses. When you spend less, you can save more. Click here to negotiate a lower payment on all services.
- Smart people never pay for cable. Click here to find out how.
After writing everything down. Throughout the week return to it and report if you spent anything that wasn’t planned for the budget. The trips to Target and the new shoes you bought will be listed on the calendar.
Next, we are going to make you some rules to follow. I promise if you follow these methods, this budget will save your wallet. We will learn the 50/30/20 rule. For more information and a FREE Worksheet. Click Here.
Pro Tip: ” Remember to pay yourself” using the 20% rule. Click Here.
What are some good free-budget apps?
Unfortunately, there aren’t any free calendar apps but these are three paid apps.
Moneycalendar for desktops is $29.99 and Moneydance is $49.99. But my Digital planner is $20.00, and she’s pretty and smart. Grab yours NOW!!!!
Excel/ Google Sheets is also a free way to create a calendar budget. It’s not the prettiest method, but it gets the job done.
But my template is free if you want to take the guesswork. It’s just as easy as printing and using it. I also have a completed digital budget calendar that $20 and it’s great. Everything that’s in my article is in my Planner. Plus, it’s super cute….Leopard print financial sexiness!!!!! You know you want it!!! Get it here!! Right Now, I’m not sure why you’re waiting lol.
I ain’t reading all of this…..Summary Please
P.S.: If you skimmed over this article. No worries!!!! In summary, the calendar budget is a powerful budgeting tool. It could be used alone or with another method. If you need the printable to the budget tracker, click here.
If you need the printable for the 50/30/20 rule, then join my list. I give the best advice. “Poor” is a mindset, and being broke is just a pitstop to a wealthy life. This is going to be your new mindset; this will get you closer to your dreams of getting out of debt and saving more money.
