A Look at My Filofax Budget Envelope System

**I know that this post is from 2014 but this is still the current system I use and it's 2018 now! **
Back by popular demand... I already gave you a brief overview of my Filofax Budget Envelope System here but if you are following my guide to being on a budget then I totally understand why everyone has asked for more photos of my envelope system. 


At the bottom of this post I have links to where you can find the items like I use to make your own envelope system.

So without further ado, here ya go!

What I Use: Filofax Temperly personal size

I used to use a plastic expanding file for coupons and that worked just fine too!

Inside there are 3 pockets and a zip pouch, which I don't use.

You can find a Filofax Temperly here or other Filofax's that zip up here. There are other similar options here and here.

You can find cheaper small expanding organizers here and here.   

You can find zip envelopes here, here, and here.

The first pocket: Loyalty Cards & Gift Cards

Here I keep my loyalty cards, gift cards, and sometimes a grocery list!

The Second Pocket: Coupons

I keep a selection of coupons here and I make sure I purge them every week when they expire.

The Third Pouch: Expense Log and Deposit Log

I keep my expense log and deposit log for each envelope category in this pocket. This makes it easy for me to track my spending and how much I have in each category.  

I made some in Word and Excel which is what you can do simply by copying my layout but you can also search the internet for them on other blogs like this one.

The Envelopes

I got these from ebay.  You can find them online on the Dayrunner website here.  I used a label maker to put the name of each category on the front of the envelopes.

And at the very end is my little cheat sheet for how much to take out on payday for each category. This makes it super easy when I stop at the ATM on the way into work.

Q: What do you do with any cash that's left in a category at the end of the month?
A: It's all up to you. Some people roll it over into the next month (I do this so it acts as a mini savings fund for each category).

Others will take the extra and distribute it into other categories.

And other people use what's left in a specific category to act as the next deposit. That way you take out less cash on your next payday.

Q: What if you are short in a category and need the money for an emergency?
A: This is a great question. I'll use the example of the Vet fund. Say that one of my chihuahuas gets sick and needs an emergency vet check up. The bill ends up being $100 but I only have $50 in my Vet fund. There are 2 options.

Option 1 is to use that $50 and then take another $50 from your emergency savings fund (see this post.)

Option 2 and some people use what's left in another category (like the Car fund) to pay the difference and then they make sure that from their next paycheck they put the money back.

Q: What happens if my envelopes get too full?
A: Just take the cash out and put them into paper envelopes that go in a safe in your home. This way you don't have to worry if your purse gets stolen and you won't have such a stuffed envelope sytem.

So Any Other Questions?

Did you know that I offer a budget spreadsheet, debt tracker, and I have a financial book available for purchase? 





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