Budgeting Sidekick Journal Series (Volumes 1 & 2) (2024)

I have been more than pleased with my first purchase from Habit Nest. I have always struggled with finances because I have short-term memory loss. That and a couple of other disabilities have made trying to maintain budgeting for a family of five near impossible. I have tried many courses over the years.

I wish I could put all of the positive things about this journal into a review but it would take too long.
When I have the opportunity I am purchasing a set for both of my adult daughters. And I have a few friends in mind that would greatly benefit from these journals.

I would strongly recommend this system to anybody who struggles with any form of disability that makes budgeting complicated. I've had a number of courses recommended to me that very simply were more than my brain with some of the processing issues I have, could process.

This system has completely been transforming and very thankful for the gifts given and shared.

And I really do believe for the first time in 22 years of marriage I should have the ability to work and stay on top of a budget or work toward keeping a budget.

A few things I really like, I do not do well with online, so we purchased the physical hardbound copies. I really love the quality of the materials including the hard cover that I'm not worried about getting damaged so easily and the quality of the paper. I hope they do not change that.

I also really like the simple steps that they instruct us with and what to do as well as the advice given.
The journal is very thorough in explaining things for different personality types. They also answered one question that has always caused me trouble with budgeting -- how to budget a monthly budget when we get paid every two weeks. They explained how to do that. That is the first time anybody in any Financial course has explained how to work with that. So thank you.

Overall I think this is an excellent tool that can be used by just about anyone.

The only feedback that I would have wished for a change were two things, one is just a personal thing. I was surprised that within the monthly list there was no set list for giving or charity. I think in lieu of our worldview situation where right now we and the world are so connected globally, I think giving to people more in need than ourselves is something that should be encouraged. I would have liked to see that as one of the list items in the book, like bills and insurance. But there were blank sections so I could add it in.

The only other thing is that I would have preferred one or two pages per month to list the bills for that month, as with my family of five I just simply needed more space. I solved that by just taking another piece of paper and writing the list of bills and then tallying them up and adding them into the spot for bills. There is a place at the beginning of the journal for that kind of breakdown, but I would have preferred maybe at least one full page designated per month to listing the bills for that month. I would think one person income there would be plenty of space but we have the equivalent of a full page of bills.

I am very thankful to the people that put this together. And I sincerely hope that this company does exceedingly well. Their advice throughout the book is incredibly helpful for people learning how to build habits and in this particular book for those trying to learn how to manage a budget.

I would also emphasize using these journals for artistic souls. I am very right brained, a musician. I struggle with left brain practical skills. I would recommend this budgeting journal for any of my artist friends and will recommend this for anybody right brained that struggles to keep a checkbook.

I think this is a very simple method that can be used by those who tend toward creativity and are not so good at managing a checkbook.

Wishing Habit Nest the very best.

Thank you for all of your time and effort in the research put into this journal. I will be a continual purchaser, "Lord willing and the creek don't rise!"
😊 Thank you!