Welcome to this tutorial on how to create a cute and functional budget binder using Planify Pro! If you’re looking for a hands-on way to organize your finances and achieve your money goals, this DIY binder is the perfect solution.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of designing and assembling your own custom budget binder. You’ll learn how to:
- Create a stylish cover: We’ll show you how to use Planify Pro to design a cover with your favorite patterns and colors.
- Make a personalized notepad: Learn how to design a notepad for tracking your expenses with custom sections and layouts.
- Assemble dividers with handy tabs: We’ll guide you through creating dividers with tabs to organize different budget categories.
- Build an accordion fold for extra storage: Discover how to add an accordion fold to hold receipts, bills, and other important documents.
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a beautiful and personalized budget binder that you can use to track your spending, save money, and reach your financial goals. So gather your supplies and let’s get crafting!
What you’ll need to prepare before crafting your budget binder :
- Paper to print out the Inserts
- Chipboard 1.2 mm
- PVA Glue
- Cardstock 220 gsm
- White Glossy Sticker Paper
Design Budget Binder Cover
- Make the Cover Design: Go to Planify Pro, create a new planner, choose your sticker paper size, remove widgets, select a pattern, and generate a PDF. Print it twice on white glossy sticker paper.
- Assemble the Cover: Trim the white edges off both printed sheets. Overlap the sheets slightly to create one larger piece. Peel off the backing and stick the chipboard pieces onto the sticker paper (see video for placement). Trim excess sticker paper, cut corners, and fold in the sides to create the cover.
- Optional: Cover the Inside: Cut white glossy sticker paper to fit the inside of the cover and stick it down.
Make the Budget Binder Notepad
- Design the Notepad: In Planify Pro, create a new planner with personal size dimensions. Add two widgets: one for the header and one for the “Detailed Expenses” tracker. Customize as desired.
- Print and Assemble: Generate a PDF of your notepad design. Print multiple copies (70-80 pages recommended) on regular paper. Cut the pages to size, then glue the top edges together to form the notepad. Let it dry completely.
Create the Dividers
- Design the Dividers: In Planify Pro, create a new planner with personal size dimensions. Choose the “Divider” layout and select “Side Tabs.” Customize the number of tabs and add names if desired.
- Print and Cut: Generate a PDF of your divider design. Print it on cardstock. Cut the dividers to size and use a punch board or scissors to create the tabs.
Making a Budget Binder
- Cut and Score: Cut two pieces of white cardstock according to the measurements in the video. Use a scoring board to score each piece 13 times in 1 cm sections.
- Fold: Fold the scored lines back and forth to create two accordion-folded pieces.
- Attach Dividers: Stick double-sided tape to each section of the accordion folds. Attach the dividers to the tape.
- Connect to Cover: Add double-sided tape to the front and back flaps of the accordion fold. Stick the accordion fold to the inside of the cover.
- Add Notepad: Attach double-sided tape to the back of the dried notepad. Stick the notepad to the inside of the budget binder.
Want more tips and inspiration for building your own custom planner or launching a personalized planner brand? Check out our blog for a helpful beginner’s guide: “What You Need to Start a Planner Shop” and Courses to help you get started. Planify Pro has more DIY tips to help you personalize your planner, whether you’re designing a gift, building a product line, or just creating a layout that works for you.
Check out these easy tutorials and bring your custom planner ideas to life Click Here! Don’t forget to visit our Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest for more inspiration—and to explore our wide selection of premade planner templates, design stickers, and fonts for making your own personalized planner. Let Planify Pro help you on your journey to planner success!
