My Team

First and foremost: Oh. My. Goodness. It is absolutely ridiculous how long it has been since I wrote a blog post! I truly apologize for that. Good news is: we have plenty to cover! Bad News Is: I have missed you all! Moving On...

It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a team to make a celebrity red-carpet-ready. Well, it takes
multiple planners to keep me on track! I am not kidding! Jump on instagram and search some tags like "plannernerd" or "plannerjunkie." You will see that I am not alone! I have three planners. Yes, three. However, they all serve a slightly different purpose. If you think that's a lot, (again) hop on instagram and see just how many women join me in utilizing more than 1 planner! So what all do I use these for? I am so glad you asked!

1. My FoxyDori, made by Kelly - one of the sweetest Etsy sellers you will ever meet. It's fuschia (she calls it DragonFruit. Who cares?! It's gorgeous!), with my initials in the bottom right corner....Perfection.
So, What's In It? My MayDesigns notebooks, all of which serve their own individual purpose. This planner is all about me: my schedule, personal goals, personal to-do list, etc.. And it goes everywhere with me.

• An Agenda: This helps me keep track of the most important parts of my day (to do lists, errands, things to remember, etc.)
  
• An Address Book: Sometimes, I have a card in my purse to mail, but I have forgotten to write (or finish writing) the address. This is where my on-the-go address book comes in handy!
• A Meal Planner: This includes a weekly space to write out the meals for each day, and another space to write out my grocery list! So handy.
  
• A Budget Book: I'm terrible about writing out expenses AFTER I get home. I usually end up shredding the receipts before I remember to write them down in my check register or my budget tracker. This allows me to keep up with expenses WHEN they happen!
  
• A Notebook: This is just plain lined notebook paper. I use this to write down to-do lists, doodle, or even write important info given to me while I'm on the go.
  

2. My Erin Condren Life Planner. This planner is a little more broad in terms of what I write in it/plan in it. This is more of a "family" planner, but still is mostly focused on my personal daily to-do lists. I plan out any important events for J (my hubby) or T (my stepson) in here as well. Family member's birthdays, as well as their important events are noted in here as well. This planner frequently makes an appearance out in public with me, but doesn't necessarily travel everywhere I go.

• Weekly Spreads Include: Birthdays, daily to-do lists, errands to run, doctors' appointments, work check lists, my daily work schedule, reminders, etc.
  
• Monthly Spreads Include: Birthdays, Big events (i.e., anniversaries, graduations), vacations/trips, when my stepson visits, my husband's retreats. I also use my notes section on each month to track my PTO so that I make sure I don't go over!

3. My Inkwell Press Planner. This is truly a family planner. It lives on my bartop in my kitchen. This has everything going on in our family in one place: J's work schedule, my work schedule, T's visits, J's Honey-Do list, my goals for around the house each week, meal plans, work out goals, etc.. What I really love about this planner is the extra notes pages after each month and the goals page included each month. It's great for a business-minded woman (OR a woman on a mission to get out of debt!). While mine is not personalized on the cover, it does generally come with personalization. I ordered mine on sale when personalization was no longer offered.

• Weekly Spreads Include: Both of our work schedules broken down by time each day, dinner plan, work out plan, pay days, honey-do list, errands to run, and weekly goals for around the house.
  
• Monthly Spreads Include: Pay Days (we get paid on different days of the month), T's visits, big events, J's retreats, our vacations, my call weekends, etc. 

See?! It really does take a village to keep me on track!  Hopefully, this helps provide you with some inspiration on how to utilize multiple planners. My recommendation is to make your smallest planner your go-to on-the-go planner with your larger planners being more flexible to stay at home. If you like my magnetic clips, check out OliClip on etsy. Like the stickers you see?! Check out my instagram (@mrshenleyplans) for vendors or stay tuned for a new weekly blog feature (Coming Soon!): My Favorite Etsy Vendors.

Thanks for stopping by!

How I Planned My Wedding On a Budget: The Break Down

When I started planning my wedding, I took a look at the Pinterest board. (Yes, if you're a man, every woman has the "obligatory wedding Pinterest board." Moving on.) Using my Pinterest board, I was able to do several things: (1) Prioritize, (2) Determine WHAT I wanted in my wedding, (3) Read how other couples planned their wedding on a budget. All that out of Pinterest - and men say it's a worthless app. ;)

(1) By prioritizing what was important to me, I could prioritize where my money went. A DJ wasn't hugely important to me, so an iPod and outdoor speaker worked perfectly (and cost me no money). Flowers were more important to me, as I felt flowers could set the tone a little better for the wedding (colors, theme, etc.). That's where part of my main focus was.

(2) Determining what you want in your wedding is also important. How do you convey to your vendors what you want if you don't know what you want? Consider it an act of kindness for everyone involved. It means that when you meet with your vendors, your time with them is more productive, cutting down on the time they spend talking and increasing the time they spending DOING.

(3) Research it! No one said you had to plan on a budget on your own! Throw away those bridal magazines (unless your budget is $20K) and start searching - online, google, Pinterest, etc. Use other people and their successes as your inspiration! You are NOT alone in planning this wedding on a budget, and there are some GREAT resources out there for you to utilize!

So you've got your Pinterest board FULL of ideas, themes, decor, THE DRESS ideas, floral arrangements, centerpieces, etc. Now what do you do? You've prioritized what's important (Nod your head yes - if you're shaking your head, go back up to the top and start again). We did not break down our budget PER category, we had a total budget in mind. You may prefer to specifically itemize the cost of each category, but we are "free spirits" as Dave Ramsey says.

Wedding Attire:

Photo Credits: Ashleigh Mallard Photography

FIRST (and to me, most important), I found my dress. $500 off the rack. Yes, you read that right. Many bridal stores have huge clearance sales in July and August as they try to clear out inventory from the past year to make room for the new fall styles coming in. Many stores also offer a discount if you purchase the dress off the rack. Ask if you can pay with cash/check (and if so, will they offer a discount), or if you pay in full if they will give you a discount. What's the worst they can say? No. So ask - they might say yes! I bought my dress in July (a year before my wedding) off the rack for $500. It was strapless and I wanted straps for the ceremony (cost me $15 at the bridal store). I had to have it hemmed, and some minor alterations (plus the straps added) for $125. You don't have to use the bridal shop's alterations lady. Sometimes it is safer as they alter gowns all the time. However, I knew a lady that I used for tons of alterations (pants, formal dresses, etc.), and I knew that she would do a great job for a reasonable cost. Ask around! You aren't the only one who's getting married, and you might be able to find someone less expensive than the bridal store!. So, total cost of my dress (dress, straps, alterations): $640. We bought J's suit as it was actually less expensive than renting (and he gets to keep it!). We found a great sale going on at Men's Warehouse. Normally, I wouldn't recommend them as they are fairly expensive, but we got a great deal! J's Suit (tie and shirt!): $250.
Total Wedding Attire for Bride & Groom: $890

Vendors:
Florist: My first piece of advice when it comes to finding the perfect vendor: shop around. I knew for the most part what I wanted for my flowers. I initially called the florist from my first wedding, but he was unavailable. He recommended the florist that had done his wedding (La Petit Fleur). I was a little bummed, but once I met her, I was so happy I had chosen to use her. She was flexible in her pricing, willing to work on a tight budget, and talked me through some ways to cut down on cost. Be honest with your vendors. If they know you're on a tight budget, they won't do an outrageous set up for centerpieces, your bouquets, etc. (That way you can avoid a $4K quote!). I told Corrine what I was looking for, that I was on a tight budget, and asked what she recommended. Many times if you use flowers in season, it will cut down on imports/costs/etc. I wanted Peacock feathers (which cut down on some flowers in the arrangments) and purple/teal Dendrobium Orchids. I wanted to use hydrangeas, which are a little more expensive. BUT Corrine pointed out to me that while they cost a little more, you get more flowers for the dollar. She worked extensively with me to make sure that I got exactly what I wanted on a budget I could afford.
She did: 2 bouquets (mine was a cascade), 4 corsages, 7 boutonnieres, and a throw away bouquet for a total of $500.

Food: For my cake, I wanted one cake (not 2: classic Bridal & Groom cakes). But I wanted to have half the cake iced in white with a lace-like design and the other half to be chocolate with ganache drizzled down the layers. I also needed a gluten-free cake, which really limited my options, as 4 members of my family (including me) are gluten intolerant. However, we were able to find a vendor that was willing to do a gluten free cake within our budget. Total Cost of Cake: $225.

For our dinner, we utilized J's dad (remember in Blog 1 we talked about using family or friends as a resource). He owns a Barbecue restaurant, which is exactly what we wanted for our reception dinner. He was willing to do this for us, at cost (meaning we only reimbursed him what it cost for the food - he made no profit). Total Cost to feed 65 people: $200.

Photography: When looking for photographers, I immediately asked friends for their recommendations. Ashleigh Mallard Photography. I knew Ashleigh as we group up going to church together, and J knew Ashleigh as she had photographed his son's newborn pictures. I contacted her and was upfront about our limited budget. She was willing to cut her wedding package cost IMMENSELY. While it may have temporarily cost her a little money, she has gained loyal customers in us. She didn't skimp on anything with us, despite we did pay her less than she normally would have been paid. We have 2 family photography sessions coming up in the next 2-3 months - with Ashleigh! Total Cost of FULL DAY Photography: $1000.
Unfortunately, this led to photographers that had a base price (for their wedding packages) of around $2500-3000. Not in my price range. So I started researching photographers that I knew personally. While I was a little afraid of mixing business and personal relationships, I figured I would be able to communicate what I was looking for (and be heard) and that I would be able to set up a payment plan (even if it extended a little past the wedding) that would be acceptable. J & I finally discussed it and agreed on using

Hair & Make-Up: I am terrible at doing my own hair. It's just a simple fact of life. I have 3 main hairstyles for work that simply don't cut it for my wedding. While I was willing (and able) to travel to an outside location for hair and make-up, having my hair & make-up done on location took a load of stress off my mind. We utilized Trio Makeup & Hair Designs. I had utilized this group for my first wedding and loved the results. So when I contacted them 4 years later for this wedding, I asked if they gave repeat customers a discount. Fortunately, they were willing to honor their pricing from 2010, when my first wedding took place. That was actually a HUGE discount. For my mom's make-up, my hair & make-up, and my sister's hair & make-up, it cost us a total of $400. While that is more costly than you may be willing to pay, it was a load of my back that they were willing to travel to me on the day of the wedding.

Venues:
Ceremony: The church I grew up in (and was till a member of at the time), provided the facilities for a nominal fee for members. While we did pay for a nursery for children under 5, we still saved a substantial amount of money by utilizing a facility that provided us the same services as other locations with nominal cost. We simply had to cover custodial fees ($150), wedding coordinator fee ($250), sound/microphone fees ($100), candle fees ($60), and nursery cost ($150). While that seems like a lot of nickel-and-diming (and it certainly seemed like it at the time!), it was still less than renting a facility outside of our church. All the fees added up to a ceremony venue cost of: $710. Some churches we looked at started their sanctuary rental fee at $1000!!!

Reception Venue: We decided (after much discussion between J & I, as well as my parents) to utilize my parents' home as our reception venue. While we still had to rent tables and chairs, but it cut down significantly on the rental fee for the facility! While we still paid $1000 for rental fees for tables, chairs, tablecloths, etc., we didn't have to pay for the facility (and we could keep the party going as late as we wanted!).

Total Cost for My Wedding: $4925. (Paid over the course of 13 months)

How I Planned My Wedding On a Budget (And Got Everything I Wanted)

Photos Courtesy of Ashleigh Mallard Photography

Weddings aren't cheap anymore. Whatever happened to the good ole days of having a ceremony with some cake and punch in the Church's gathering hall afterwards? Gone. Now, it's not a reception without an open bar (no judgement - there was an open bar at my first wedding). So when round 2 started (cue boxing bell rings), I knew I was planning a wedding on my own dime. And open bar was NOT the first thing on my mind. So what's a girl to do with a budget of $5000 and LOTS on her wishlist?!

1. Start a Pinterest board. No, seriously. The first few months after J and I got engaged, I started a Pinterest board. It let me see what I was drawn to, looking for, not even paying attention to etc.. It helped me see where my priorities were before I even realized it!

2. Involve your family and friends! Got an aunt who's a whiz at flower arrangements? See if she's willing to help you (for a small price of course!) for the cost of the flowers/vases/etc. Maybe even a little on top to compensate for her time. Your mom has an amazing jewelry collection? See if she'll let you raid it for your special day. Your sister's the bomb at making burlap wreaths and bows? Include her! You get the picture. I'm sure that you are surrounded by talent, so ask if those people are willing to put their talent to use for you!

3. Find hidden resources. The church that J and I got married in has an option for members to purchase flowers for the altar on Sundays. 1 arrangement is $35 (vs. the florist's arrangements at $200 a pop!), so we bought both of the arrangements (only 2 are available). We requested some extra peacock feathers/orchids to match our bouquets/corsages/boutonnieres (and additional $30/vase) for altar arrangements totaling at $130 (for both arrangements!). While we couldn't take the arrangements home with us, as they had to remain in the church for the Sunday morning services, it was a nice price break!

One of our altar arrangements.

4. Shop around. Who says you have to use the first vendor you find? Shop around! If you don't take the time to look and see what is available for what price, you might miss out on a huge budget saver!

5. Give yourself plenty of time. J and I got engaged 13 months before we got married. Why? Well, 2 reasons. (1) So that we could get married the same week as our parents and my grandparents, but (2) so that we could spread out the cost of our wedding without living above our means. We paid a few vendors in smaller amounts for several months, paid them off, then moved on to other vendors! It took more time, BUT it gave us plenty of time to pay every one without struggling to eat, pay the bills, etc.

Next up on the agenda for planning your wedding on a budget: prioritizing, opportune times to book/shop, and finding vendors that work within YOUR means!

Don't Forget Dad!

Today is Father's Day. Yay! I am glad that the Daddies that do right by their families have a day to be celebrated! While it is one of those holidays that occurs during a time when it's easy to forget things (summertime is busy in my house!), try to do at least a little something for those dads in your life! It doesn't even have to be a big gift - just a card that says "thanks for all you do" goes a long way. I plan way ahead. Like, I wait until the Monday after Father's Day and purchase cards on clearance for the following year. This way, I have cards all stocked up without having to take the ridiculously high prices of cards (and fight the crowds, too!). Check out your local Dollar Stores, too. A lot of times, they have 2 cards for $1 after the holiday is over!

We are on a fairly tight budget this year, but I wanted to do something super special (but small and inexpensive) for J. What I try to do when I pick out smaller (but more meaningful) gifts is narrow down specific interests, hobbies, and likes.  J loves to cook (particularly grill). He loves what we call "Man Stores" (Home Depot, Lowes). He loves board games. He loves science fiction shows (enter Dr. Who). So, with that in mind, I began to troll some stores about a month ago.  What I ended up with was this: a grilling cookbook (with tips, stories, and recipes galore) and a Dr. Who magnet, along with the card.

Total, I spent about $10 and some change on Father's Day this year for J. Not a huge chunk of change, but enough to say "Here's something I think you will like. I picked it out just for you."  Other options I came up with (that could apply to all Dads) were:

A nice bottle of wine/new 6-pack of beer:  Not all Dads like alcohol, and I'm not saying it's the perfect gift for everyone.  However, J and my dad have become very interested in broadening their horizons in both wine and beer.  They have been really experimenting with craft beers and exotic wines, but some of these come with a $15-20 price tag.

Time: As simple as it sounds, time can be an incredible gift! It can be time by himself, wandering aisles of Lowe's or Home Depot without trying to keep up with kids, tell you just 5 more minutes, or being asked "Can I go potty" for the millionth time. It could also be quality time with just you (or you and the kids) doing what the he loves to do.  J loves to play board games (and between you and me - I loathe them!), so I promised him an hour of board games tonight after dinner.  While the number of games he owns that I can play (or understand how to play) is limited, it gives him an additional gift of my time doing something that he enjoys.

Small paraphernalia items: magnets, stickers (that can be made into magnets), pens, etc.  I got Josh this magnet (pictured below) for about $3. Super simple, small, and probably unnoticeable to others, but it's something that J will look at and smile because I took the time to think of him and find something that he loves.

Acts of Kindness: You know that to-do list (or honey-do list) you gave him months ago that he hasn't even started to look at? Maybe knock a couple of those items off the list for him! I've been complaining for months that I wanted to personalize our patio a little more. While I didn't do it for Father's Day, I went ahead and did it myself a few weeks ago (Check it out here!). One less thing for J to worry about in the future. Actually, now I think he enjoys sitting outside more (with a glass of wine or a beer) than if he had done it himself!  Also, I hate cleaning the kitchen after meals, but today, I cleaned the kitchen after lunch and dinner.  So simple, right?! But J knows how much I dislike that chore, so he appreciated the effort I made to do something to help him out (despite the fact I would rather clean a bathroom than clean a kitchen).

Small Treats: Maybe your hubby or Dad loves Starbuck's. Or maybe they love a local brewery. Or maybe they even love a local park that charges a small fee for admission. A $5-10 gift card (or I.O.U.) will never be frowned upon or scowled at. It doesn't mean you have to go big, just go thoughtful!

Massage: Whether you have skilled hands or not, your hubby will certainly appreciate a back or neck massage! Something like that can be very personal and a great way to spend a few extra minutes to say "thanks for all that you do!"

I would highly recommend (if you haven't already done this) that you both read the book "The Five Love Languages." It makes your relationship stronger and gift-giving easier! If you know your spouse's love language is quality time, then get him some quality time for his special day! It simplifies your understanding of each other, as well as the gift giving process! Hopefully, while you have another year to plan, this will give you some good, inexpensive gift ideas for next year (or maybe even for Dad or hubby's birthday!).

Stocking Up! (Making the Most Out of Your Warehouse Membership)

Costco? Sam's? BJ's? You know - those HUGE warehouse stores that make your budget-spidey-senses tingle and the electric thrill go up your spine! Where ELSE can you get a flat-screen TV at an unbeatable rate (oftentimes with an additional concierge service for minimal to no charge) AND filets of fresh tilapia or prime cuts of steak??  Places like these can be extremely overwhelming if you charge in without a plan! Trust me, I walked out with things I didn't even KNOW existed or that I needed...which turned into things that I never used and eventually gave away. So...I learned my lesson a LONG time ago, and I hope to pass on some tips, wisdom, and advice that will help you minimize your trips to your local warehouse store, but also that will help you make the most out of your trips!

1. RESEARCH:  Sometimes, the membership cost isn't worth it! I have a Sam's membership.  Sam's is literally 15 minutes MAX down the road from me.  Costco is 30 minutes (minimum) away from me, and subsequently, I never go there.  Even the least expensive membership of $50 isn't worth it if I never go!  Find which warehouse stores are closest to you, and which ones you will use the most!

2. PLAN AHEAD: I look in my freezer and fridge before I leave - like any normal grocery store trip.  Why buy what you already have, right?! I make a master list of things I am running low on or out of.  We generally eat a LOT of chicken, so purchasing it in bulk is cheaper for me than buying it at my local supermarket. BUT if the local supermarket has chicken on Manager's Special - you best believe I am buying them out instead! It's much cheaper that way! But I rarely get lucky enough to find enough chicken and subsequently buy from Sam's instead.  Plus, there's so much that it lasts forever!!!

3. That Includes a Menu Plan: Well, sort of....I know that if I buy one "pack" of Italian Sausage at Sam's it will last me close to a year if I freeze it.  You know those packs of Italian Sausage at the grocery store? Double it - that's one layer.  2 layers are included in one Sam's "pack" of this sausage. Chicken breasts are conveniently pre-packaged into packages of 2 breasts (boneless, skinless).  Chicken thighs - don't hold your breath.  I am WAY off topic. My apologies.  I know about how much meat we go through per month...LOTS of chicken, 1-2 steaks, 1-2 packs of stew beef, LOTS of bacon, 4-6 pounds of ground beef (spaghetti, burgers, etc.), 4-8 fish filets...You get the drift.  Write down how much you use per meal (And document if there are any left overs you can freeze/take for lunch/etc. It may cut down on what you buy for lunch!) for one month. Then use that as your gauge.  We have enough meat in our fridge for probably close to 6 months (yes - you read that right). Just this past weekend, we bought 3 pounds of ground bison (I'm a ground meat snob, sorry!), 1 fillet of salmon (it was the entire body in a "fillet"), 1 "pack" Italian sausage, 1 pack of 8-10 tilapia filets, 1 pack chicken breasts, 1 pack chicken thighs, 1 package (which equals 3 grocery store packs) of bacon....you see?! We took a fairly big hit to our budget, BUT it will help us keep things in line for the next 6-8 months!

4. Take Time to Browse But Be Careful: We found organic spinach & cheese ravioli...uh, yes please! Was it on our "official" list?! Nope.  But it is delicious (my mom used to serve this 1-2 times per month!), and you can add your own sauce or eat it plain - it's great either way.  What else did we get?! A family pack of greek yogurt.  J loves the stuff, and it cost us a LOT less to buy it there than at Publix, Kroger, OR Ingle's! Pesto - we found a huge jar (triple the size of the grocery store jars) for only $4-5 more. We use pesto a lot, so it made sense for us to get it. My point?! Stick to your list but be open minded! Just not TOO opened minded.  When I find something that I want to get, I just try to remember how often I actually eat/use said item...is it fairly frequently?! Then I might buy it for a trial run. I eat it or use it once a month? Put it back.

5. Know Your Limits: We go through fruit by the pound-ful, particularly in the summer. J can put away fruit like a garbage disposal. So purchasing fruit at Sam's is totally worth my while.  Keeping that in mind, I know that we aren't going to go through 6 heads of Romaine lettuce in a reasonable amount of time...so it would go bad more than likely.  So, to me, the few extra dollars I might save aren't worth it to watch the lettuce rot in the fridge.

6. Have Fun! I love going to Sam's! It's so amazing to see all the incredible new wonders there. I could spend hours in there...sometimes, J and I do! Expect to find plenty of what you need, and then some things you didn't know you wanted/needed! Enjoy some samples (particularly on Saturdays) or a $1 slice of pizza. It's even great for lunch time when you have little munchkins with you! Enough of the samples equals lunch for them!

Budget Heaven, Part 2

So, I started Part 1 by introducing my favorite blog (A Bowl Full of Lemons) and my gorgeous aqua malden Filofax, which has quickly become my favorite "child."  She is a personal size aqua malden Filofax, furnished to act as a wallet.  Oh, you missed it? Never fear! Check it out here! I am slightly budget obsessed, but I have a really hard time keeping track of my expenses and bill payments.  Enter this handy little darling, which allows me to track payments, bill due dates, pay days, expenses, notes/ideas from my favorite budget books or pieces of advise from my fave: Dave Ramsey.

I have finally received all items that I have anxiously been awaiting, and I cannot wait to show you how I have everything set up! Let's start from the beginning in case you only skimmed Part 1.

Here's my lovely malden...her former owner named her Miss Tiffany.  I think it suits her.  ;)

So when you open up this adorable darling, you will find a built-in card holder.  It's like this was destined to be a wallet! I use the zip pocket for any spare change that I happen to have on me (which is rare).  I purchased this dashboard with Dave Ramsey quote from TweetiePie Collage.  It provides me a reminder to keep track of my money and budget it right! Best part of the placement: it's right next to my credit/debit cards, so it's a great reminder to plan ahead!!

Flip this adorable little dashboard over and you have a Filofax credit card holder, which contains the cards I need to access quickest and most frequently: Sam's card, Starbuck's card, and my license. 

Start flipping through some more.  Next stop on our tour is my adorable top-tab dividers made and labelled by CuteOrganizing on etsy. I love how the top tabs make it so simple and easy to find what section I need, particularly because the monthly spreads have side tabs.  This makes for easy differentiation! How adorable are these? AND - the best part is that the actual divider is labelled, too (not just the tab!).  She even included a bookmark, too! It's the pink with white polka dot tab you see.  I labelled the following sections: Pay Days, Expenses, Receipts, Bills Due, Notes.  Next Up: exploring each of these sections!

Pay Days:
I used the horizontal annual calendar from Filofax to track pay days.  This way, I can see a general pattern of when I get paid.  This is particularly helpful in a household where there are 2 incomes, which are coming in on different dates each month.

Expenses: I utilize the Filofax expense tracker to keep track of my expenses, bills paid, etc.  When I am at the grocery store, post office, etc., I go ahead and write in the total while waiting on my payment to be processed.  That way, I can't forget and miss a large amount being spent.  This simplifies my life greatly when I am balancing the checkbook because I don't have to dig through my online account and try to find expenses. Oh - and my cute bookmark helps hold my spot!

Receipts: I utilize the clear pouch that came with the Filofax to hold all receipts until I can verify that I have written down expenses.  It also helps divvy up what each expense at the store was spent on (i.e., groceries, cleaning supplies, etc.)

   

Bills Due: I utilize a Filofax item for this, as well.  It is the month on 2 pages with side tabs.  This enables me to quickly flip to a particular month to write down a bill due date OR to mark a bill as paid. I highlight the days of the month that are pay days.  All bills due are written down.  A check is placed next to the item when it is paid off for the month.

Notes: The final section of my wallet/budget notebook is the notes section.  I use this for various things: to make notes from a good budget book I read, write down a Dave Ramsey quote or piece of advice, reminders, errands to run, grocery lists, sales, BOGO deals, etc.  Essentially it is a hodge-podge of things that I write down because my everyday planner is a *little* too heavy to carry around when running 19 errands while carrying a 3 year old.  How adorable is this paper?! Check out Linky's shop on etsy! I love her stuff!  You can find absolutely anything fun for your filofax here!

So now that you have met Miss Tiffany, my budget/wallet Filofax, I hope that you have been inspired! Please note that "building" this dream wallet was a process, not an overnight event.  Since it's about sticking to my budget, I couldn't very well just buy everything all at once and blow my budget (could I?)! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed Budget Heaven!

Budget Heaven, Part 1

I am obsessed with A Bowl Full of Lemons.  No, no – not LITERALLY a bowl full of lemons as décor, but the blog.  Check it out! It’s full of amazing organizing ideas, tips, and is a great source if you are looking for inspiration for your home!  I got my idea for a budget Filofax planner from her amazing blog!  I first became aware of what a Filofax actually WAS a few months ago.  (You’re clueless, too?! Great! Check out the FilofaxUSA site! You can thank me later.).  Mine is currently still a work in progress as I am trying to space out my purchases.  You know - stay within my budget and all that. Womp womp.  Budgeting can be FUN though, like when you are planning a vacation (another blog, another day)!

ANYWAYS....I got this ADORABLE aqua personal-sized malden filofax from a sweet friend I met on a Facebook group for other Filofax-obsessed people such as myself (Hi Ladies!).  I am slightly obsessed.  Isn't my planner charm cute?! Oh, you need one, too?  Check out CraftersRetreat on Etsy!

I also HIGHLY recommend an adorable budget-themed, Dave Ramsey-inspired dashboard made by Nancy at TweetiePieCollage on etsy.

I started looking through the blog post on A Bowl Full of Lemons, and began a LIST of things I needed to get to create such a wonderful budgeting/wallet/expense tracker masterpiece! Once I had my list, I started shopping amazon and ebay first.  A lot of times, you can get some amazing deals on Filofax inserts on ebay (Who knew?!).  I have posted the items on my list and links to where you can purchase each item.

Credit Card Holder: http://www.amazon.com/Filofax-Personal-Agenda-Credit-Holder/dp/B0014GJLCW

Horizontal 2014 Calendar (where I track PayDays!): http://www.amazon.com/Filofax-Calendar-Refills-Horizontal-Personal/dp/B008LULWNK

Clear Pocket: Used for receipt holding until I have time to write down expenses on my expense tracker.  This came with my FF.

Month on 2 Pages with TABS: http://www.goldspot.com/Filofax_organizers/Calendar_Refills/FF-6842514.html

Expense Tracker Pages: http://www.amazon.com/Filofax-Financial-Finances-Personal-Size/dp/B000SHQ9SC/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398990009&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=personal+filofax+check+register  

I am still awaiting some items in order to make this the BEST wallet/portable budget manager I can! Hence, "Part 1" in the title! 

On a bright note, Sweet J's little son will be with us this weekend, which will provide me more inspiration for some blog posts next week.  Look for Part 2 of "Budget Heaven" AND another "Stepping Into Step-Mom-Dom" post!