Household Budget Planners

[Mama Ten Bears]

I use mint.com, and it works pretty well. Hard to track cash purchases, though. I kinda mix mint with an envelop system. I LOVE the mint iphone app. For cash envelopes, use cash vault on your phone.

[packyderms_wife]

I use mint.com, and it works pretty well. Hard to track cash purchases, though. I kinda mix mint with an envelop system. I LOVE the mint iphone app. For cash envelopes, use cash vault on your phone.

what part of mint.com makes it difficult to track cash purchases??? I don't have a smart phone yet but with new IRS business apps OC is thinking it may time to purchase one for me, thinking it would enable me to keep better track of my studio purchases when I"m out and about.

[Mama Ten Bears]

There is no way to enter cash purchases on the phone that I've found.

[packyderms_wife]

There is no way to enter cash purchases on the phone that I've found.

hmmmm that could be a problem as I spend cash when I'm at the farmers market, etc., for the house and when I'm out shopping for my studio since I tend to look for vintage stuff to incorporate into my artwork. So that could be a problem, some folks only take cash though a few I know have now started using Square.com.

[packyderms_wife]

mamma10bears are you using an app, etc., for price comparison when grocery shopping? I hear there are a few good ones out there that let you know what the best prices on an item is in your area.

My best friend just enters her shopping list into the app on her smart phone and it gives her prices, coupons, etc. I'll have to ask her which one it is.

K-

[Mama Ten Bears]

hmmmm that could be a problem as I spend cash when I'm at the farmers market, etc., for the house and when I'm out shopping for my studio since I tend to look for vintage stuff to incorporate into my artwork. So that could be a problem, some folks only take cash though a few I know have now started using Square.com.

That's what I do with cash vault. I budget x amount for Atm in mint. Then, I use the envelop system with that cash. In cash vault, I have a vault for groceries, personal, yada yada. I enter cash purchases there.

My phone is the old 3s iphone, so I don't have a good app for comparison shopping. There are a bunch for coupons too that you might investigate. shoogar is one. Can't remember the others.

[packyderms_wife]

That's what I do with cash vault. I budget x amount for Atm in mint. Then, I use the envelop system with that cash. In cash vault, I have a vault for groceries, personal, yada yada. I enter cash purchases there.

My phone is the old 3s iphone, so I don't have a good app for comparison shopping. There are a bunch for coupons too that you might investigate. shoogar is one. Can't remember the others.

is cashvault available only through iPhone??? Just wondering because I was looking at getting the Samsung Galaxy Note which would allow me to use it as an ereader and as a phone, I text mostly so the bulky size of the Galaxy, when used as an actual phone, won't be an issue for me. I have a couple of artist friends that have purchased that phone to double as an ereader and for the artist applications and they absolutely LOVE it, and like me they rarely use it for making actual phone calls.

I'm not sure what the iPhone options are as I haven't investigated them yet.

K-

[Meemur]

Here's my non-electronic option. Skip this post if you're interested in electronics only.

I found a DayTimer planner notebook (5" x 7" that zips around) at a garage sale for $2.
Staples had "generic" pockets that fit it, plus I cut down a notebook from Wal-Mart, so this set-up was under $10 total. All new, they can run $30+

I was going to buy a 5" x 7" generic 3-ring notebook (Staples) but it doesn't zip all the way around, and I'd have to keep it in a gallon plastic bag.

I bought several "slender" purple pens, and they're special enough that I remember they go with the planner.

Lastly, I cut up scraps of 40+ pound paper into a pile of squares that fit the pockets, but index cards would also work.

The planner is divided up into several sections: Monthly budget / daily spending (and I keep all receipts) / grocery lists / coupons (subdivided by stores) / wish list / Misc.

I carry this planner with me in my travels. It took a bit of training, but now I write down all transactions and put receipts in appropriate pockets. I'm no longer without my coupons! Since I've started keeping them by store (instead of "dairy" "blah") the process is much easier.

Every two weeks, I put receipts I need for tax purposes into a larger file folder, plus I look over my budget and record on a larger sheet (that is put in a file folder) the costs of grocery trips and several other aspects I'm tracking.

I've tried several computer programs and may have to go back to one if I start another business that requires more record keeping, but I found this system works for the moment -- it's not so huge that I'm tempted to leave it at home, but it doesn't depend on electronics (which could be stolen in this metro area). No one cares about an old planner!

Added: I don't have a cell phone or an ipad! I do have store key cards that can be pre-loaded from the internet, but I can also print coupons from www.couponsuzy.com or deal tracker.com -- I scrounged several boxes of paper that were being tossed, as well as partly filled ink cassettes for the printer, so it's cost effective for me to do it that way.