Does managing your finances always feel like a chore to you? It doesn't have to be. According to the Japanese tradition of the Kakeibo, it can put you on the path to a happier and calmer life. All you need for it is a notebook (and some attention).
Planning per week
The Kakeibo is nothing more than a household book. You start by writing down precisely what comes in and goes out each month. You also take into account times of the year when you spend extra money, for example for birthdays, Christmas or a vacation. Then you sit down each month to make a plan. Based on your fixed income and expenses you calculate what you have to spend per week. The idea behind this is that this way you keep a much better overview: a week is easier to oversee than a whole month. There is also a lot of attention to saving, at the end of each month: how much could you have saved, how much did you actually save, and what could you still save next month?
Insight into your expenses
In a schedule, you write down what you spent each week - so you keep track every day. Quite a job, but fun to do. Suddenly you start to notice things: gosh, how much those lunches in the canteen cost. And gosh, what a big difference between your weekday spending and weekend spending. That makes it easier to save.