Best Budget Planners & Notebooks Reviewed
Getting organized and sticking to a budget isn’t the easiest thing to do. However, using the best budget planners can make the job easier.
You’ve probably tried to manage your finances, save for a vacation or wanted to keep track of your spending then eventually found yourself overwhelmed with the whole process.
Budgeting is essential but isn’t always quite easy to do. Using the right tools can make the job easier and more productive.
Instead of using loose sheets of paper, having a budgeting notebook makes it easier to keep track fo everything.
In this article, I’ll introduce 7 of the best budget planners and organizers on the market and help you take control of your finances.
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Don’t have time to read the entire article? Here are quick links to the best budget planner books:
- Clever Fox Budget Planner [Best For Beginners]
- Clever Fox Budget Book
- Money Tamer Ultimate Budget Binder [Best Reusable Option]
- GoGirl Budget Planner
- Legend Budget Planner
- Clever Fox Budget Planner Bill Organizer [Editor’s Choice]
- Erin Condren Petite Financial Planner
- Limitless Mindset Budget Planner
- Boxclever Press Budget Planner
- Mead OrganizHer Expense Tracker
- Basic Budgeting Workbook [Thrifty Option]
1. Clever Fox Budget Planner
Pros
Cons
Features & Thoughts
This is an excellent budget planner to save money as it helps you keep track of your monthly spending. The Clever Fox Budget Planner allows you to set and achieve financial goals while keeping track of your income, spending, debt, payments, bills, and overall cash flow.
By keeping track of all your financial details in one place, you’ll never miss a bill because of the reminders that will help you gain financial stability. The expenses are divided into categories for easy review at the end of the month.
If you’re looking for a budget planner with stickers, you should look no further. It features a high-quality leatherette hardcover and a band that stays in excellent shape, in addition to 86 colorful stickers.
There’s a pen holder and a pocket for all due bills and receipts for easy monthly review.
The thick no-bleed 120gsm paper comes in the A5 size so you can record all your financial information. There are examples that help you get started and a bookmark for fast access.
Using this planner, you can highlight areas for improvement so you can manage your finances better. It comes in several colors to suit all tastes.
Some users might find this planner a bit small as it measures 5.8” X 8.3”. This is true, especially if you have big handwriting. Moreover, the pages don’t lay completely flat which might present a problem while you’re writing.
Related: Clever Fox Budget Planner vs Budget Book Review
2. Clever Fox Budget Book
Pros
Cons
Features & Thoughts
Personal finance and budget planning are made easy thanks to this accessible and affordable Clever Fox budget book. You can make a monthly spending plan before the month starts so you can stay ahead and know everything about your spending style.
The size is smaller than A5 measuring 5.3” X 7.7” so you can carry your planner wherever you go. However, some people might need a bigger size if they like to write a lot of details.
Using the pages dedicated for each month, you’ll be able to make short and long-term financial goals to identify your bad spending habits. You can add a category for all your expenses and highlight information using the included 79 stickers.
This is a good budget planner to get out of debt because you can sort out your income, bills, expenses, and debts. Every month has pages for tracking expenses, ideas, and notes to help you manage your finances.
There are 2 pages for an annual summary. Additionally, there’s a special pocket so you can keep your bills and receipts for review and easy access.
This budget planner is made of animal-friendly PU leather and features a bookmark for easy access. It features pearl white 120gsm no-bleed paper, a pen holder, and an elastic band. There are several colors available.
Unlike the original version above, the Clever Fox Budget Book doesn’t have the categories preset. This gives you more freedom to write your own expenses, although some people prefer the organization. It doesn’t have a calendar to help you know when bills are due.
3. Money Tamer Ultimate Budget Binder
Pros
Cons
Features & Thoughts
This budget binder is the one made for my shop so I’m partial. What I like most about this budget binder is that you can reuse it year after year. After you purchase it, you’ll immediately get a digital download PDF file that you can print at home.
Another option is to bring the file to a professional printer and have them print it off for you. If you do this, you could even have them spiral bind it for minimal cost. Otherwise, simply punch holes in the pages and put it in a binder you have at home.
All of the pages are undated making it reusable. Whenever you need more pages, print them off and add them to your binder.
This budget binder may take a little bit of work putting together at the beginning but in the long run it’s the most economical choice since it’s a one-time purchase.
The only downside is that it is larger than some of the other budget planners on this list. The budgeting worksheets are on a standard sized paper that fits into a binder.
Overall, this planner was designed with you and your family in mind. The variety of budgeting worksheets will ensure that you’ll have a sheet for each financial need.
4. GoGirl Budget Planner
Pros
Cons
Features & Thoughts
This affordable budget organizer is the best budget planner for college students as it’s less expensive than other models. It helps you keep track of all your spending, expenses, and bills so you’re never out of track.
If you suffer from financial problems, you can use the GoGirl Budget Planner to set financial goals by identifying all upcoming payments, debts, bills due, savings, and cash flow.
You can have a reminder of all upcoming purchases so you can plan everything in advance. Every expense category is easily set even before the month starts.
Moreover, you can track daily spending habits so you can find areas for improvement. This planner comes undated so you can customize it the way you want.
You can start using it at any time of the year and it comes with 91 stickers. There are several examples that will help you get started.
This is a compact planner that measures 5.3” X 7.7” so it’s easy to carry in your purse. The cover is made of PU vegan leather and features an elastic band and a pen holder.
There’s an accordion pocket to keep all your bills organized. The thick pearl white 120gsm paper feels smooth.
With the 2 front pages, you’ll be able to set your financial goals and the strategy to achieve them. However, there’s no monthly calendar or section for recurring expenses.
It has the same number of sections for saving and expenses, so you’ll probably run out of space fast.
5. Legend Deluxe Budget Planner
Pros
Cons
Features & Thoughts
The Legend Budget Planner is new on the scene of budget planners and its quickly becoming a favorite. It has a beautiful embossed cover that all the other planners don’t have. The Legend planner is size A5 (5.5″ x 8.3″) and has sturdy bleed-resistant pages which means you don’t have to worry about your writing showing through on the next page.
It has the standard budgeting worksheets which makes it suitable for beginners and seasoned budgeters. One addition that is different from other planners is the “My Financial Goals” pages.
On these pages, you jot down what your money goals are by a certain age. This is a helpful reminder to keep from getting discouraged as you go through the year.
All of the pages are undated so you can start anytime. It’s a high-quality planner that features luxurious vegan-friendly faux leather on the cover. Some of the planner covers have gold foil embossment options which are gorgeous and well done.
Each planner comes with a set of budgeting stickers you can use throughout. The sticker sheet is small so if you like using a lot of embellishments, you’ll probably need to buy more down the road.
Legend has one of the best money back guarantees I’ve seen. If you’re not happy with your planner for any reason, whether it be quality or simply not happy with the results, you can return it no questions asked for a no-hassle refund.
6. Clever Fox Budget Planner Bill Organizer
Pros
Cons
Features & Thoughts
The Budget Planner & Monthly Bill Organizer by Clever Fox is their newest budget book. It is larger than the Clever Fox Budget Book and Budget Planners. Some call this the Clever Fox Budget Book 2.0.
The first thing to note is the size. This is a full 8″ by 9.5″ spiral bound budgeting planner. While the spiral binding lets the planner lay completely flat, it does run the risk of having pages slip out of the rings occasionally.
This binder comes with a premium gift box so it makes a great gift for newlyweds or other special occasions. There are more neutral color options which will appeal to families.
The interior pages are high-quality and non-toxic so you shouldn’t run into pen bleed through issues. The pages have colorful layouts rather than plain black and white.
This Bill Organizer Budget Planner differs from the other Clever Fox planners because it has bill and receipt organizing pockets. Instead of trying to keep track of everything, stuff it into the included pocket folders so you don’t have to hunt for them later.
The cover is made of vegan-friendly leatherette and includes 2 pages of stickers (192 stickers total). The interior pages are your standard budget tracking worksheets but more in-depth. You have mindset and goal pages along with extensive debt and bill tracking pages. Think of it like a combination between Dave Ramsey budgeting and money mindset improvement.
Overall, this is my favorite budget planner for households and people who like extensive money tracking. The size of this planner works better if you plan on leaving it at home and don’t want to carry it with you everywhere. This is a hefty planner but it has a high-end luxurious feel that is more gender neutral than many of the other budget organizers.
7. Erin Condren Petite Financial Planner
Pros
Cons
Features & Thoughts
With an inspirational quote and refreshing colorful cover, this is the best budget planner for beginners as it helps you start controlling your bad spending habits and have more control over your life.
Start planning for 12 months, with the bill-tracking spreadsheets. There are 80 pages on this planner, in addition to a pocket for your bills and receipts.
Featuring checklists, you can keep an eye on all your expenditures and income so it’s an excellent choice for someone who runs a small business.
The thick paper will stand the use of fountain pen ink. It’s slightly bigger than other planners measuring 5.7” X 8.25”. However, this planner is still small enough for you to carry in your purse or backpack.
This is a fun budget planner so it’s good for first-timers. It features a sheet of money related stickers for highlighting.
Everything about the Erin Condren Petite Financial Planner is fun and stylish. However, it isn’t very well-made, unlike other models. You should be careful while holding and using it because it’s prone to coming loose. There’s no monthly calendar which would be extremely helpful.
8. Limitless Mindset Budget Planner
Pros
Cons
Features & Thoughts
This is a bigger comprehensive planner which is the best budget planner for couples and families. It features a durable faux leather cover and measures 6” X 9” so you can write all the details about your income and expenses.
If you’re looking for an excellent budget planner with cash envelopes, then the Limitless Mindset Budget Planner is the one to pick. It features 3 envelopes so you can get ready for all your due bills.
Moreover, there are 2 sets of stickers to organize your finances and a custom-made pen to help you write down all the details.
80gsm paper is practical enough to record your financial details. There are 2 pockets; one at the front and another one at the back, where you can keep receipts, bills, and money for an emergency.
The pen holder secures the pen until it’s needed so you and your partner can record all the details. This is a good choice for someone who runs a business.
Inside the organizer, you’ll find worksheets to record your spending, bills, income, debts, and expenses. This is an undated organizer than goes 2 years ahead, so you and your partner can use if you’re saving for a wedding or a new house.
Some people might find that the paper is too thin. Moreover, there are no tips that can help you if you’re not sure about the best way to use the planner and the envelopes.
9. Boxclever Press Budget Planner
Pros
Cons
Features & Thoughts
The Boxclever Press Budget Planner is the best budget planner to get out of debt as it features a total of 13 pockets to keep all your receipts, bills, and money. It features spacious weekly sections and big spaces for daily entry.
You can track your income, bills, debts, receipts, and recurring expenses to identify the pattern of your spending so you can take action when needed. There’s a satin ribbon page marker for easy access. It complements the overall look of the high-quality budget planner.
This budget planner has a special section to track your holiday spending so it’s a good choice for someone saving for Christmas and birthdays.
There is also a portable version like shown here. It’s slightly smaller and backs into an easily-transportable size.
With an elegant matte cover, you can use this planner in the office or at home. It has several sections so you can easily write all the details of your spending thanks to its big size.
It measures 6” X 9 so it’s suitable for people who like to record the details of their spending and savings.
It’s easy to keep track of everything thanks to the everyday spending tracker. Although it lacks a calendar, some people prefer this as they can customize it according to their needs.
The annual sheet is already filled and has a few spaces that you can customize which might be a bit limiting.
10. Mead OrganizHer Expense Tracker
Pros
Cons
Features & Thoughts
If you’re looking for a big budget planner to record all the details of your spending, then you should consider the Mead OrganizHer Expense Tracker.
This planner features a 0.5mm poly cover to keep it in excellent condition. It’s also one of the biggest budget planners measuring 8.5” X 11” providing enough space to help you track your spending.
Using this comprehensive expense tracker, you can monitor your expenses as it features 12 monthly pockets to keep all your bills and receipts in one place.
Moreover, there are two clear folders where you keep all the other invoices and letters so you can keep tracking your savings and upcoming expenses.
You have a spacious room to write with checklists, a calendar, budget pages, and a plastic sheet protector. Three Tech Lock poly rings keep this planner in excellent shape and help the pages lay flat for more convenience.
However, some of the pages might easily slip off, so you should be careful while using it.
This is a big planner so it won’t fit easily into a small purse. You might run out of the pages, but you can easily add more thanks to their punctured designed.
11. Basic Budgeting Workbook
Pros
Cons
Features & Thoughts
This last budget workbook is the most basic of them all. It contains 198 pages total which is made up of two styles of weekly budget and two styles of monthly budgeting sheets. There’s not debt tracking or goal tracking worksheets at all. This is great if you want a journal for bare bones budget tracking and nothing else.
It’s a standard 8.5″ x 11″ size which is larger than some of the other budget journals on this list. The budget workbook doesn’t have a hardcover which makes it lightweight. The cover is made from thick cardstock and the entire workbook is made in the USA.
Budget Planner Review Wrap Up
There isn’t a single budget planner that works for all people and all purposes. Your budget planner helps you realize your financial goals so it should be customized to suit your needs.
Every product on my list qualifies as one of the best budget planners for people who want to have more control over their finances. Browse the features of my top picks and you’ll definitely find the right one for you.
I’d love to know in the comments which budget planner is best for you.
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Certified Financial Education Instructor
Steffa is a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI) and the founder behind Money Tamer. Her 12-year background in operant conditioning and positive behavioral change training is used to help people find effective motivators to change their harmful money behaviors. Steffa explains the reasons “why” behind people’s financial behaviors and how to successfully change them. After paying off over $80,000 in debt through budgeting, she now teaches families how to get their own finances in order. You can learn more about her here.
Pin For Later:
Hi, we really do need a planner but want one that’s just going to be perfect for us so we know where our money is going each and every month that comes and goes.
Hi Diane,
I recommend the Clever Fox Budget Planner as a great all-around budgeting planner. It’s what I have currently and love. All the pages basically walk you through everything.
Hope that helps,
Steffa