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Podcast Budget Troubles? No Savings? Losing Track of Expenses? Here are the Best Money Journals to Help You Get Your Money Sorted
Managing your money can sometimes seem like trying to tightly hold a palmful of sand slowly falling through your fingers. It quickly disappears even if you’re holding on to it.
It’s easy to lose sight of where your money is going and find yourself in a budget crisis when daily expenses start to build up. When you are unsure of how much money you will have at the end of each month, saving and making plans for the future are even more difficult.
If you’re struggling with budget troubles, have no savings, or are losing track of your expenses, perhaps it’s time to consider using a budget planner or a money journal to help you attain financial independence.
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the best budget planners available to help you get your money sorted. So, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced budgeter, there’s sure to be an option that will work for you.
Jump straight to…
What is a Money Journal?
If you’re looking for a personal finance tool to help you manage your money effectively, a Money Journal may be a good option for you. With a Money Journal, you can track your income, expenses, savings, debts, and investments in a physical or digital notebook.
- The journal offers tools and templates for budgeting, debt management, saving, and investing in addition to a structured framework for setting financial goals.
You can improve your understanding of your finances, find places where you can save money, and develop a strategy to reach your financial goals by utilising a money journal. You can also monitor where your money is going and change your spending patterns by keeping track of your income and expenses.
By going through the process of setting goals and monitoring your progress, you can stay motivated and focused on achieving your financial goals.
Let’s get started!
She’s on the Money Budget Journal by Victoria Devine
Touted as “the ultimate millennial money guide”, from the bestselling author Victoria Devine, creator of the award-winning Australian personal finance podcast and online community She’s On The Money.
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Features:
- Helps organise your money so you can:
- Set and stick to short-term and long-term financial goals
- Keep track of daily spending, as well as money wins, confessions, reflections, and inspiration
- Avoid stress during tax season
- Plan ahead to enjoy holidays and celebrations guilt-free
- Mini-challenges to boost your progress and create money habits that can help you realise your dreams
- User-friendly (best for beginners), reasonably priced and can be personalised to each person’s financial goals and situation
- Just enough space for expense tracking (may not be fit for users with complex money situation)
- Only available in physical form which may be a downside for those who prefer digital tools but fit for those who love writing in a journal
Amazon and Goodreads Reviews:
“Good for keeping finances in check. I can see where the expenses go. Looking forward to constant reference to it as I change things around and take control of money.”
“It is easy to understand, detailed enough to begin to navigate decision making, gently weighs pros and cons of different options and is practical. Most importantly: it contains really pertinent suggestions and considerations for women in relationships, which are absolutely essential and have been missing from mainstream conversations about money for too long.”
“Reading this book was like sitting down and having a chat with an old friend over a good cuppa and biscuits.”
The Money Journal: From Money Mum Official Gemma Bird
If you’re worried about rising costs of living, this money journal of UK-based Instagram sensation Money Mum aims to help you save thousands without even noticing.
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Features:
- Spender quiz to help you discover your money mindset
- Guide to setting your savings goals
- Money saving and money making tips such as “No Spend Days” and “Make Money Days”
- Checklist for getting out of debt
- Monthly to-do list to help you reach your targets
- Space for taking notes and reflecting on your progress
Amazon Reviews
“I really like this book and I first started saving with the last digit of my account last year and it’s a game changer. There’s nothing wrong with saving and being money savvy, especially the way the bills are just going up and up.”
“Since lockdown I’ve really struggled to keep on top of my finances and find the will power to save. Yet this journal has got me rethinking about my money and on the way to manage it better. Highly recommend it!”
“…it contains hundreds of amazing tips on how to save money and be more thrifty. Ideas I’d never heard of, such as No Spend Days and Make Money Days, and a calendar giving advice on how to avoid money drains.”
The 100-Day Financial Goal Journal by Alyssa Davies
Saving for a big purchase? Aiming to start an emergency fund? Hoping to pay off credit card debt or student loans? This “hardworking journal” promises to help you hit your financial goals in just 100 days by keeping you on track and holding yourself accountable.
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Features:
- Pages for documenting expenses and tracking your progress
- Space for reflecting on your daily spending and saving decisions
- Prompts that will assist you in achieving your big personal financial goals
- Comes with a fun and easy-to-understand introduction (complete with charts and images!) on how to set realistic financial goals and how to make the most of the journal
- Includes a ribbon marker and attractive packaging (great for gifting!)
Amazon Reviews
“This journal was a fantastic investment. It really has made me more mindful of my spending and relationship toward money in a way that is encouraging and empowering. No shaming in this book! I plan to buy this book again and again as I work toward my financial goals.”
“Loved this journal really makes you think about what you’re spending and what to do to reduce Unnecessary spending. Great for late teens early twenties. Highly recommend it!”
“Money stuff is so important, but can feel super overwhelming—this book is the exact opposite! It walks you step by step through what you need to actually make a meaningful change with your finances. It’s not just theory, and actually helps you look at your spending patterns and how you want to shift them in a way that makes sense for YOU (not just some expert yelling at you about best practices that don’t make sense for your life or how you want to spend your money.)”
The Real Life Money Journal by Clare Seal
The Real Life Money Journal by Clare Seal
Clare Seal – a working mum of 2 from the UK and founder of @myfrugalyear – walks the reader through a deep dive of what typically blocks us from hitting our financial goals through this journal:
The connection between emotional wellbeing and financial situation.
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Features:
- A workbook with a step-by-step process that uses a holistic approach to help the user address the deeper causes of debt and money issues
- Holistic process empowers the reader to deal with difficult conversations – a cornerstone when setting realistic goals, creating a personal budget, and staying on track
- Packed with 12-weeks’ worth of space for tracking goals, budget and expenses, savings, and debt repayment
- Includes contributions from mental health and finance professionals, as well as people who have gone through the money sorting process
Amazon and Book Depository Reviews
“Her voice [is] refreshing in a world where finance and investment still feels so male- dominated.”
“A huge following of people love her tips on saving any amount, whether large or small, through everything from standing orders to savings challenges.”
“Clare Seal works to address the deeper causes of debt and financial difficulty, discussing how mindset, privilege and circumstances contribute to our financial lives and emotional wellbeing, giving guidance on how we can resolve money worries for good.”
I Will Teach You to Be Rich: The Journal by Ramit Sethi
Bestselling author Ramit Sethi offers a way to design a richer life without using complicated maths and by breaking free from the procrastination trap.
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Features:
- Exercises and prompts to help fix your money beliefs from the inside out in preparation for a richer life
- Unconventional money tips such as asking $30k questions as opposed to $3k ones
- Using “Money Dials” to craft a plan where you get to spend more money on things that are most important to you, such as travel, eating out, health, or convenience
Amazon and Goodreads Reviews
“This journal, if you do it as designed, will cause you to stop and think and to reflect on your money thoughts, where you spend, and your relationship with money. It provides some good financial mind-exercises.”
“An interesting journal-style book about designing what you decide is your Rich Life. From what time you want to wake up and what’s on your calendar on an ideal work day – and then reimagining that same scenario but if you’re 10x more successful than you hoped.”
“This is a great supplement for the namesake book, and with insightful exercises, clear answers and solutions, and the surprisingly straightforward ways to approach finances, this journal has been part of a worthwhile journey to figuring out my rich life and managing my finances. I highly recommend it!”
Kakeibo: The Japanese Art of Saving Money by Fumiko Chiba
Veering away from the instantaneous way we spend money (and the fast-paced modern lifestyle we’ve all gotten used to), author Fumiko Chiba encourages readers to do it the kakeibo (budgeting journal in Japanese) way by being mindful of the process — slowing down, putting pen to paper, and thoughtfully considering how you spend at the beginning of each month.
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Features:
- Contains prompts that help in planning how much you want to save and what steps you need to take to get there at the start of each month
- Provides space to record your weekly expenditures and consider what you’ve accomplished the previous month
- Repeating the mindful practice of writing in your kakeibo each month is akin to decluttering your personal finance so you can find ways to save for things that truly matter
Amazon and Goodreads Reviews
“The simple art of keeping track of your finances . . . this is about being financially mindful rather than letting a gadget do the thinking for you.”
“Many months ago I had purchased a few Kakeibo journals and accounting books to compare and figure out how I was going to enjoy using them the most. This one is hands down my favourite! It isn’t as busy and leaves room for notes, adjustments, customization, and has a fresh, pleasing layout.”
“Kakeibo requires method, planning, and discipline. The initial calculations appear daunting, but actually flow well. They allow you to place monthly constant/essential expenses (car loan, mortgage/rent, utilities, etc.) in one category, and everything else in a separate category (petrol, food, meals out, insurance copays, etc). It will take around 90 days to get your budget in order (given variable monthly rates in utilities, credit cards which are paid later than the initial charge, the date you start “Kakeiboing”), but the simple act of writing down every day how much you and your family spend will show you in time where and to whom your money is actually going.”
All in all, keeping a money journal can be a useful tool for organising your finances in order to attain financial freedom. You can improve your understanding of your spending patterns and find areas where you can save by keeping track of your income and expenses.
A money journal can also assist you in setting and achieving the most common financial goals, such as debt repayment or saving for big-ticket items.
Here’s the caveat:
When keeping a money journal, it’s important to be consistent and truthful with yourself so you can achieve your financial goals faster. It may also be worth considering seeking the guidance of a financial planner to help you create a realistic budget and a financial plan.
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https://www.target.com/p/the-100-day-financial-goal-journal-by-alyssa-davies-hardcover/-/A-79651636
https://www.bookdepository.com/Real-Life-Money-Journal-Clare-Seal/9781472279033
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/kakeibo-japanese-money-saving-method-breaking
Kakeibo: The Japanese Art of Budgeting Saving Money by Fumiko Chiba | Goodreads
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