Saturday, May 28, 2016

My Happy "Bill" Planner

 I thought that I would share with you today my Happy Planner turned Bill Planner.  I bought last years Happy Planner on sale at my local craft store.  It has 18 months, and included 2016.  Perfect for what I wanted.  I just made a few adjustments...and here they are.
 On the back of the right side of the monthly calendar is the start of the weekly pages.  I don't need them for my bill planner, so I thought about what to do with this page.  I decided to make a notes page.
 I took a note page and adhered it to the back of the calendar.
 And taa daa, a note page and the weekly page covered up.  This gives me space to write any notes about the bills that I need to write.  I also might use them in the future to keep track of expenses, and maybe eventually write up an official budget.
 The first thing I do is circle our paydays in red on the calendar.  It helps me with keeping track of which bills get paid on which paydays.  When I get the bills in the mail, I write who I owe, and the amount owed on the date that it's due.  Then as I do my weekly bills, I know who to pay, and when.  Once I pay the bill, I cross it off, write the date paid, and how I paid it (bill pay, check written, etc.).  It's a super simple system, but it really works for me.
 I still keep track of my expenses, checks, debit card purchases, etc., on paper.  I quit using a check book register, and use a ledger book instead.  It gives me a quick visual of stuff, and also allows me to double check things to make sure I get all my finances right.  I know, I probably don't need to do this, with all of the online help with our banks these days, but I can't seem to break this habit.  Do any of you still keep paper logs of your finances?
 My ledger and my bill planner.
 I put a pocket in my bill planner.  I the first pocket I put the bills that I have received and written on the calendar, all clipped in my giant red paper clip.  I love it when I have NOTHING in the clip.  It's a good feeling to not have bills hanging out, waiting to be paid.  Unfortunately I don't have an empty clip too often...haha!
In the second pocket I put another things I need to save for the time being.  I keep some notes here, and a couple of the tabbed skinny pages in case I need to make special notes during the month.

That's about it for the bill planner.  Next week I'll show you yet another way I use Happy Planners for keeping my life straight.

Until then, stay crafty and organized, my friends!

2 comments:

  1. A ledger instead of a check register! Why did I not think of that! I could keep the months separate. And since I never carry my checkbook with me, a ledger would work out so much better and easier. Thanks for this great idea. I've had a budget/bill paying system for years that still works for me today. But I'm off to find me the perfect check register ledger!

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  2. I am on my second ledger. I have been doing it for years. I started doing it because when we were using a lot of checks still, and the debit card purchases, I was running through the checkbook ledgers like crazy. Something had to give. I had the ledger in my stash and decided to use it. I have never looked back. I hope you find one and love using it like I do. Thanks for stopping by!!
    Michelle

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