To me your budgeting system makes the most sense. It's not overly done, nor confusing, however, it's very clear where money goes, etc. Love the sinking funds portion. Everything makes so much sense. I'm so glad I clicked on your video 😉

Finally a useful video one could actually adapt to their situation. We need "full disclosure" as a "how to" step by step. You would be a great teacher. Thanks for sharing.

THANK YOU! This finally is a system that I can understand and implement. I love your handwriting.. it's my goal to write like you lol. :)

Commenting again after having watched this video for the 6th time or so. I frankensteined 2 old ECLPs that went partially unused to create this financial planner. After 3 months, I am in love. My husband and I have had a few financial meetings to go over where we are. It made my heart happy to be able to pull out my planner to share with him what we have going on and how I'm maintaining our families finances. Thank you so much for sharing this Jen. This process and planner has made my budgeting time so much easier, complete, and fun. I definitely feel more secure in our financial journey. I was even able to document paying off our final debt (other than our home)! 😊 We love Dave Ramsey and have been following him for years. With his knowledge and this type of financial keeping/planning... My life has been changed!

Super inspirational video! We haven't always been awesome about tracking our spending, but now that I'm a SAHM, it's more important than ever. Thanks for posting.

This is the BEST budget video I've seen so far!!! Thank you! I already do a system very similar but just purchased this planner & wanted to see the best way to utilize it. The sinking funds will be new for me but I can't wait to try it! 😊

Best explanation of a budget I've seen. I was happy to see it wasn't just a " what stickers I put in a binder". However, please speak more slowly and clearer. Your voice fades out at the end of sentences.

I'm awful at budgeting:( For the three years my husband and I have been married we haven't budgeted. Now that I'm going back to get my masters we're losing an income. I stumbled across your video and it is so helpful! Every year my church does a Dave Ramsey class and this motivated me to take the class this year. Thank you so much! Your system makes it easy to duplicate :)

I'm totally overwhelmed! :) You're SO ORGANIZED and your handwriting is perfect! Mine would be a mess. Every year when I start my new Erin Condren Life Planner, I vow to use beautiful handwriting and week 2 its out the door! I have never done a budget, and spend whatever I want, so I'm tempted to try it and see how much i'd save if I used one/was mindful of my expenses! You've inspired me! Wish you'd come over and set my planner up to get me started..... havent you always wanted to come to Gainesville, FL for vacation???? ..... yeah, I dont blame you! :) Thanks for great video!

I wish the Deluxe Monthly Calendars weren't sold out right now. This is such a perfect set-up and just what I need to stick to our budget! Thank you for sharing.

I ordered this exact same planner because I LOVE LOVE LOVE how you have this set up! It's seriously perfect. I had never thought to add into a sinking fund before but after watching this I realize that I need to save a lot more than I anticipated. I have been writing and rewriting my budget so it's correct for when my planner arrive in a few weeks! I'm so excited! Thank you so much for this!

You have inspired me to get a budget planner for my husband and I . we are newleyweds that want to get rid of our debts before we start our family. I feel this will be a big help visually for the both of us :) Thanks for the video xo

You do the best explanation of sinking funds. I follow Dave Ramsey as well. I’ve taken FPU & I now facilitate a class. I $o the same as you do as well as stop funding when they reach a certain level. Some of your sinking funds are monthly(HOA) for me or in my envelopes section (clothing). Thank you.

yay! finally someone who does dave Ramsey in their videos!

I have learned about Dave Ramsey through you and it is awesome, bought the Total Money Makeover last year but got on board (with my husband) just this year, Now we are about to start FPU 😁👌

Thank you so much! My husband and I are working through our baby steps and understand how a budget is empowering, not limiting! My new EC just came in, and I can't wait to incorporate some of your ideas with what we already have going!

Pretty pretty PLEASE make a quick video on how you made your stickers. These would be a life saver for me.

I follow daves baby steps so I understood everything you said. Great videos Jen!

I have watched your video a few times. Took some screenshots so I can work mine out. You budget planner systems is one of the best I've seen. Thanks for doing it.

OMG!!! great idea on the sinking funds!!! I also use the monthly EC planner as my finance planner so I will have to try this!

Thank you for sharing this!! I'm glad someone broke down the idea behind sinking funds, this actually led me to purchasing my own Deluxe Monthly Planner! I can't wait to get started on my own sinking funds and budget. ♥

Your penmanship is impeccable!! Thank you for sharing your information. I enjoyed your video.

Love it! And makes so much sense. I'm going to have to hack one of my EC notebooks as even with the discount now, it's still $20 shipping to Aus, so probably not the best use of my budget this month to buy a deluxe monthly planner. It's so pretty though! Maybe next year.

Loved seeing your set up! Seems like this notebook set up with the number of pages after each month is perfect for you.

This video was very clear and insightful. I also have a variable income and find I end up stressed about money way too often. I want to do this... it is a huge mental shift for me. Thanks Jen

Hey Jen, love your name! ;-) I just subscribed to your channel last night after watching this video. I love how organized you make this. I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm almost 50 and haven't figured out this stuff yet. I didn't have the best example growing up and so here we are. I have gone through the FPU class and find that my struggle is how to just take care of the "4 walls" at this time in our life. I think this video will help me really look at the root cause of the problems we're having (besides not having enough income) and begin to fix it. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your process. Btw., I love hearing your babies little voices in the background. Keep up the great videos!

I love this video ☺ I think you've explained and planned in a very easy and clean (I'm not that keen on the symbols either) layout. You're inspiring me to get my finances together, recently had a blow out for car rego repairs (I'm in Australia) and wasn't expecting it. I was able to cover it, but left me with small amount left over for saving. Your video came at spot on the right time

I just got my deluxe monthly in yesterday and I've been rewatching your video trying to make it to what works for my budget. Thank you so much. I have audible and will be adding the total money makeover to my list. Such a helpful video!

Totally love how you manage your finance planner, you have given me so many ideas, and have motivated me on ways to correct the way I do my planning. Thank you for sharing.

I love this video. I just purchased a deluxe monthly from her sale and your video has been the best on how I'd also like to set mine up. Great ideas I never thought of either! Thank you!

OH MY GOODNESS!!! Thank you so very much! We LOVE the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace program. We budgeted like crazy and are now debt-free except for our home. We paid off so much using this plan. I have been lax in budgeting recently and when EC had the planners 50% off I bought one to start. I posted on WE LOVE EC asking for suggestions, and this video was suggested! It is just perfect. The only thing I didn't see is where you mark when you get paid and how you spend each check. (I forget the name of that form in his plan). Anyway, I love your setup and I am going to spend this weekend setting up my budget notebook...we are on baby step 4, 5, 6, and 7 all at once! I wish you sold the rectangle stickers you use on your monthly calendar page because I would buy them, but I'm sure I can find something similar. Again, much love of your design and many thanks for the amazing video!

Just purchased my first Erin condren monthly deluxe and this video explains how to get the most out of it for budgeting. 👍

This makes COMPLETE sense to me. Love this!

Can you do a video on how to get started? Especially for people who are so far in debt & not sure where or how to start!

Thank you for this. I keep failing to budget since I haven’t found the system that works for us. My husband gets paid weekly and I was over whelmed for how many cash envelopes I needed to keep up, we also use debit card for gas and this make so much sense! I’ll just have to divide the monthly sinking fund w how many pay days we have for the month ( some months he gets paid 5 times) I will try this system and see if it fit out life!

Your sinking fund calendar is amazing ❤️❤️❤️

I love this! and will be stealing some ideas! This year I am really trying to get back on track and this was so helpful! I am so glad this popped up in my recommended videos!

Really cool system! I feel this is more of a labour of love doing it all manually, I use excel for the same thing but understand having something physical is good. I previously saved a little bit towards my non fixed payments, (you call them sinking funds), but now what I do is I temporarily stop my savings deposit and pay whatever the random bill is, same result but with less mucking around in working out the amount of all the bills by dividing the months etc..

This makes so much sense to me and is very organized! Thanks for the ideas😊

I just randomly found this video and what a God send! Thank you so much for the information.

Thank you! I know you are busy and this takes time but I was looking forward to be able to see how you set this up!

I love your video. Thank you so much for sharing. I struggle with budgets because it seems like my checks never stretch far enough.

Thank you for the detailed explanation! You've inspired me to take control of my budget...I even bought the monthly planner to do it.

This is so helpful for me to really take a hard look at my finances. Thank you!!!

I sticker code similar. I just use basic tabs and do one color for debts, one color for bills and if it's auto I just write it on the sticker. Each stick has the amount due also. I am using a ring bound personal but I feel like this planner might be more simplified and good for my hubby to refer to as well.

I just got everything I needed to set up our family budget, and as many times as I watch this video I still am a bit perplexed. You explain everything perfectly, and yet March is around the corner and I have yet to touch pen to paper. The cash envelope page is specifically daunting to me, since the whole cash envelope system is EXTREMELY new to me. The concept of sinking funds as well. I've watched the video on a loop, I just am overwhelmed. You are amazing and inspiring and one day I hope to make a successful system for our family. Is there any chance you'd show a completed month? I understand privacy issues and would completely understand if the idea makes you uncomfortable. It would tear away at me if I didn't ask.

I cannot wait for the new deluxe monthly planners to come out! I ordered the Life Planner (not realizing it was different) which is awesome but not what I want for a budget. 😀

Wow - amazing! I feel like I need to watch this again to totally get it, but so appreciate you taking the time to go through this important subject 😉

Jen- shared this on my Facebook page, because you explain this all so well.

Bought the book last night. Thank you.

Thank you so much you explained it so well 😊 I have watched so many budget videos and I could not get it or how to start But you explain it so well that I cant wait to start. I love the visual part and yes you have great handwriting 😊 Glad I came up on your channel

What a fabulous way to use the monthly book, I may have to get one for next year. I'm always looking for ways to organize finances. Money videos rock!!! Thanks ; )

This was really a great video. I do budget but never thought about putting it all in a planner. It totally makes sense. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you so much for sharing. I love your recommendations, especially the cash envelope system

The best budget breakdown. Thank you for this video. I will be watching the update one as well.

I love this, thanks for sharing! I've been struggling to find a budgeting system that works for me and your tips will sure help :)

I am doing the dave Ramsey budget i think i will have fo rewatch this video to get the sinking fund ideas together

I've watched a lot of budget planning videos using the Erin Condrin planner and I really like the way you have yours set up! So happy I found you!

Great video. Love the stickers you use for your monthly spread.

I love the way you explained your process. Is it possible for you to share it again at the end of the month? Thanks for sharing.

Can I just say you have the best detailed videos! I found you through happily a housewife and have watched this video several times because I'm trying to figure out how I'll be setting up my new deluxe when it gets here (Should be here in a day or two)... anyway, I really love your set ups! :)

I've been wanting to come up with a great way to budget and this is exactly what I need. Thank you for doing this video and great tips

Thank you for some good ideas. I'm going to implement my own versions of them in a mix of Evernote and Google Sheets instead of a handwritten planner. I anticipate that they will enhance some of my tracking work.

Great video. I hope you are able to leave this video up for a while. I'm waiting for my EC deluxe monthly planner

This channel is so great.

I am so glad I watched this! Thank you for this video. I am definitely going to start.

This is exactly what I needed, thank you!

This has motivated me to start a budget. Iwas curious as to why you didnt include your student loan payment on your bills to pay list? Ive always been so scared to make a budget because I felt like it wouldnt allow me to buy what I wanted. But the lack of budgeting has led to me being in some serious financial crisis. I will be buying the total money makeover!

Correct - Regulation D is so annoying! I deal with it everyday in banking world!

Would love to see how you set your note book up last year, as funds don’t allow for such a expensive planner right now x

For your sinking funds, when you say "set the money away"... where is that money? Do you transfer it to savings or keep it in your checking? Or something else? I've always wondered what to do with it!

Please do this as a plan with me !! I just purchased a deluxe monthly for next year and I'd like to see how you do this every month!

This video was AWESOME!

I do something similar but I don't stick to it...lol this seems so easy since I hit down my bills monthly!

Absolutely fantastic. Thank you, Jen.

I always love your videos. I may be pushing my luck here :) but could you do an updated video about how you're doing your budget now?

How do you take out your sinking funds total? Do you take them out once a month like a bill, or do you wait till the end of the month and then take them out? Do you put them in your budget?

I have a question that no one seems to correctly answer for me. When you are trying to figure out what you are spending on groceries do you figure in cleaning supplies, health and beauty, pet food etc.. or do you just count the food items. Would cleaning, health and beauty, pet food etc.. be in a separate category? I shop Walmart so when I buy groceries I'm also buying non edible items too. Also me "grocery" total might be $120.00 one week, $165.00 one week, even $190.00 one week depending on what I need that week. I can't say I spend X amount every week.

Hi Jen - LOVED LOVED this video!! Had a few questions - when you started to budget, how did you decide how much money to put in your cash envelopes? And then, how do you estimate your gas? or DO you estimate your gas? I understood everything except reconciling. I get that at the end of the month you should have a $0 balance - meaning you gave every dollar a place to go -- just trying to make my brain understand. :) THANK YOU!!!

Wow! This is fantastic! Thank you for doing this video! Love it!

Hello! This is actually a game changer for me and my family!!! One question I had, when you do the subtotal for the month, do you do that before hand? If not, when?

Hello! I am fan of Dave as well. I have been trying to find a way to combine my planning with my monthly budgeting and you have given me an idea that I can use. I also wanted to order a planner from Erin Corden(?) Thank you so much!!!

Thank you for your video it's the best one i have seen on here. I love the stickers you made. You should sale them on esty.

this was very helpful! thanks for sharing!

Hi Jen! I have watched this video probably 5 times in the last two days alone. I finally set up my own budget planner, and am really hoping you could go more in depth about your cash envelopes page and your subtotal page. I am trying to figure out how you calculate everything on those two pages. Specifically, I am confused about what you write in the $___ on the Cash Envelopes page, as well as the the top half of the subtotal page. Do you end up with a final total at the end of the month after you calculate all your outgoing sinking funds and add that to your subtotal?

Great info and so easy to understand! Thanks so much for sharing!😊

I'm so excited to try this out! Thank you!

Thanks so much for this video. I've been patiently waiting for you to post your 2017 video. I have a question: what sticker paper did you use to print the stickers you made? Thanks so much Jen!

What size labels are the color coded ones you make for yourself?

this video has motivated me so much!! thank you! Im a little stuck on how to determine how much to save a month in the sinking funds?? :)

I love your system. Thank you. I think this is the only way I will be able to do my first budget. How do you track in your planner when you do not use all your cash for the week?

Thank you Thank you for sharing! Needed this example!

This was so helpful! Thank you so much for sharing!

This is great! Thanks so much for sharing!

Really enjoying your videos! Just subscribed 😊

Really enjoyed this video. It was very helpful!

yHi Jen, I know you print stickers yourself. Do you mind telling us what printer/paper you use? Thank you!!! You inspired me to get on the budgeting track this year with our family and it has been life changing! Thank you!!

This is honestly the first budget video I've seen that's made total sense! I plan on picking up Dave Ramsey's book....when you used just a notebook, did you organize it in generally the same way? Or was it more just lists, etc. with no monthly view? Just wondering because I'm not sure I want to purchase an EC yet

Hey there! How do u track or budget your fuel cost? U mentioned it, but didn't say how. I'm running about $300 in fuel cost. (I travel a lot) You think I should put it under sinking fund or bill to pay?

Hey Jen!Your video is awesome and so helpful! Thank you :) Just a quick question...where do you track your savings/emergency fund?Thanks so much!!