So you’ve decided to write a monthly budget, but don’t know where to start ? 

The process of creating your very own financial planner printable might feel like an uphill task, but with the right preparation and planning (and budget printables !), it doesn’t have to be. 

With the help of this handy guide, you can create your very own financial planner that is both accessible and beneficial to your financial goals. 

A lot of people shy away from creating documents from scratch because they think they are too hard or lengthy. But in reality, it’s not as difficult as you think! 

If you follow these simple steps you will have created your own financial planner printable in no time at all and finally track your monthly expenses.

Step 1: Decide what you want your financial plan to look like

The first step to creating your own financial planner is deciding what you want your financial plan to look like. Do you want to build budget sheets, or do you want it in the form of a graph or pie chart? There are lots of different ways to create a financial planner, so you can use whatever you feel most comfortable with. The most important thing, is that it looks the way that you want it to, so you can use it.

Step 2: Gather and collate your data

Now that you know what you want your financial planner to look like, go ahead and gather and collate your data. This will include all of the important information that you need for your financial planner such as your expenses, income, goals, and so on. You will also need to include information about your partner/spouse and children if applicable. Gathering and collating your data will make the entire process a lot easier because you won’t need to worry about sourcing and collecting it later.

Step 3: Set a goal

Setting a goal and deciding how much you want to be saving or earning will make the rest of the process so much easier. 

You will then be able to use this data to set goals and track your progress as you go. This way, you will be able to see whether you start saving as much as you want to be. 

Goals are a great way to add structure to your financial planner, and they will help you stay focused on what you need to be doing. 

It’s important to note that these goals don’t have to be long-term. You can set short-term goals for yourself as well, such as save more money to cover your expenses for the next few months.

Step 4: Create an expense tracker

Creating an expense tracker will make it a lot easier for you to keep track of your expenses and income, as well as help you to find areas to cut back. 

You will also be able to see how much money you spend on different categories such as food and travel, and where you can make cuts if you need to. 

Creating an expense tracker will give you a better idea of how much you are spending, so you can make adjustments where necessary. It’s also a great idea to include a section for your partner/spouse and children if applicable. 

This will allow you to see how much everyone is spending, making it easier to track and stay on top of things.

Step 5: Determine which investments are right for you

Now that you have your financial plan set up and have gathered all of the data you need, it’s time to determine which investments are right for you. 

This part of the process will depend on what your current financial situation is like. If you are saving up for a house, or want to start a family, you might want to put all of your energy into reducing your debt. 

Alternatively, if you are in a good financial situation and have the ability to save, you might want to look into investing in stocks, funds, or other investment vehicles. 

Whatever you decide is right for you, make sure to add it to your financial plan. 

This will make the entire process a lot easier, as you will be able to track your progress as you go.

Step 6: Decide on how much you can spend monthly

After you have determined which investments are right for you, it’s time to decide on how much you can spend monthly. The good news is that this will be a lot easier if you have been keeping your expense tracker up to date. You can use the data from your expense tracker to determine how much you can spend monthly. This will include all of your expenses, as well as your investment contributions, and will allow you to see where all of your money goes each month. It’s important to remember that your financial planner is a guide, not a rule. If you have enough money to cover your expenses and contributions, you don’t need to stick to the guide exactly.

Step 7: Conclusion

Finally, it’s time to conclude your financial planner. You can do this by going over your financial planner to make sure all of the data is correct and up to date, as well as looking at the big picture to see if everything makes sense. Now that you have created your financial planner, you can use it to help you track your progress and stay on top of your money. Having a financial planner can make it easier to stay focused on your money, and it will make it a lot easier to see how your money is being spent.

👉 Discover our financial printable planner