Ideas for a Good Home Budget Binder Management System

Binders help individuals organize their personal finances.

It's been said that if you don't tell your money where to go, you won't know where it went. Established household budgets tell money where to go. Home budget binder systems organize the budget and keep track of it all.

Size

Full-size budget binders work well if the binder seldom leaves the home. Half-size binders work well for those who carry their binders with them regularly. A half-size binder fits into a large purse, large computer case or briefcase.

Envelopes

Envelopes with holes punched in the bottom or side and snapped into a binder help keep the contents of a binder organized. Envelopes can hold cash for those who use a cashed-based budgeting system and receipts. Use separate envelopes for cash and separate envelopes for receipts for each budget category.

Balance Sheets

A balance sheet for each budget category makes it easy to track spending. Balance sheets include a place to record the date, location of purchase, item purchased, amount and balance for the particular budget category.

Master List

A master list, generally placed at the front of a home budget binder combines all parts of the budget in one place. It provides a birds-eye view of the budget as a whole.

References

• Daveramsey.com: Dave Ramsey's Envelope System