Operation DIY Planner Wallet

It's that time of year!! The holidays are coming up and it's time to make sure you have your budget under control. The way that works the best for me is using cash as much as possible. Thanks, Dave Ramsey, for the envelope system!!

**Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with Dave Ramsey in any way. This is just my own personal opinion.**

So what do you do if you're on a budget and you don't really want to spend any of your dollars on something to hold said dollars? You whip up a DIY project!! Behold, my version of the planner wallet. Also, behold proof that I am not a professional photographer.

I like planners (Duh!!) and occasionally I buy multiples because, planners. I had a cobalt blue Michael's Recollection binder that I decided to put to work for this and I had already stocked up on personal sized business card holders and a had a personal sized zipper pocket a while back. Now to put it all together.

This is what my workspace looks like when I'm working on Christmas cards, lettering practice, DIY gifts, and swapping planners over. Now you can feel great about your workspace clutter. I'm thoughtful like that. You're welcome. #keepinitreal

If you're using envelopes for cash, you have options.

*You can buy the plastic zipper pockets to hold your money. Depending on the brand, you can get them from $4-$10.

*You can use regular letter sized paper envelopes. I tried this a while back and they just didn't hold up well enough for my personal preference. *sticks nose in the air*

*You can make your own envelopes with cardstock or scrapbook paper. (This was suggested to me by a close friend.)

I chose the 3rd route.

1) For the cuteness factor. I need color.

2) I can make sure it will hold up to a lot of use.

I used "The Google" to find a free printable template. I did make a boo-boo first. I got too excited and didn't measure how the cash would fit after the holes were punched. Womp, womp. Live and learn, bro, live and learn. (The boo-boo envelopes are in the right corner of the messy desk picture. Yep. I made 4 of them before I realized they were the wrong size. Go big or go home, right?)

Then I found this awesome printable and it was poifect. "The Google" is a wonderland.

I'll also be adding more envelopes as I go. These were the ones that I could think of right off the bat. You don't want to know how many of those white labels I went through to get them to look just right. Thank goodness they come in a 100 pack for $1.00 from Dollar General.

Tip of the day: You can't do fancy lettering and give your project the finger at the same time. It's not conducive to a steady hand.
 
Random thought: "Receipt" is a weird looking word.

Now, I didn't use the boxes to track the spending because I have The Creative Year Budget booklet from Michael's.

(FYI: I tried to find the link for these from Michaels.com, BUUUUUT they didn't have them online. So if you want to see them in person, go to Michael's, sniff them, caress them, try not to get banned from the store, and see if they will fit your needs.)

I'm considering adding some velcro dots to the envelopes to help keep them shut. Right now I have them closed with binder clips.

I also added some lined paper in the very back for those times when you really need to jot something down, budget-related or not. Sometimes you just need to write a note telling someone you think they're awesome, you like their leggings, and you really want to be BFFs. Then when they run away, you can journal your feelings for your next therapy session. Or maybe a soulful haiku or limerick. I like limericks.

Or maybe keep track of pricing, wish lists, holiday shopping lists... anything you might need paper for.

Voila!! That's all I did! Simple, useful, and pretty much using my planner stash like a boss. The dumbfounded look I get when I pull this thing out to pay always makes my day. It's the little things, folks. Saving money and shocking people with my mad skillz. It's a win-win.