How this planner works
It combines the habits behind the most popular budgeting methods and apps into one plan you can print:
- Paycheck-by-paycheck planning. Each bill is matched to the paycheck that arrives before it's due, so you know exactly what to set aside from every check.
- Pay yourself first. Savings move out automatically the day after payday, before spending has a chance to use it up.
- Irregular costs (sinking funds). Yearly expenses like car repairs and gifts are spread across the year, an idea YNAB calls "embrace your true expenses."
- Give every dollar a job. Zero-based budgeting, used by YNAB and EveryDollar, assigns all of your income before the month starts.
- Envelope limits. Weekly caps on flexible spending, the approach behind apps like Goodbudget and cash envelopes.
- A monthly check-in. The printable tracker ends with four reflection questions inspired by Kakeibo, the Japanese budgeting journal, because writing spending down by hand makes it easier to notice.
Your entries are saved only in your browser on this device. Nothing is sent to us. Want a quick rule of thumb instead? Try the 50/30/20 calculator and its variations.