The 30-Day Diary
A big part of being faithful with what God has given us is knowing what we are doing with what He has provided. In order to do this, you will be keeping a diary of your income and expenses over the next 30 days.
This practice is crucial on two levels:
1. It helps you see how you are spending money over a 30-day period. This can be quite revealing and will really come in handy when it is time to formulate your Spending Plan.
2. It gives you a visual map of how well you are doing in being faithful with what God has given you.
We recommend that you keep any receipts you have and use that to record your spending into the 30-Day Diary. Not all spending categories may pertain to you, but find the category that best fits your expense and enter into the appropriate day. After the 30 days, you will have the opportunity to change category titles to better fit your needs.
Every time you have income, record it into the appropriate day of the income category.
Every time you have an expense, record it into the appropriate category and day.
Download the 30-Day Diary
Save the 30-Day Diary to your computer or device before entering data
Data entry into the 30-Day Diary may be slower on a tablet or smartphone
The following are category descriptions for tracking purposes:
CAR & TRANSPORT
Car Insurance, Car Payment, Car Savings, Fuel, Parking, Public Transportation, Renewal & Fees, Service & Parts, etc
BILLS & UTILITIES
Home Phone, Internet, Mobile Phone, Television, Utilities, Water, etc
EDUCATION
Books & Supplies, Student Loans, Tuition, etc
ENTERTAINMENT
Amusement, Arts, Movies, DVD’s, Music, Concerts, etc
FEES & CHARGES
ATM fee, Bank fee, Finance Charge, Late Fee, Service Fee, etc
FINANCIAL
Savings, Life Insurance, Investments, etc
FOOD & DINING
Groceries, Coffee Shops, Fast Food, Restaurants, etc.
GIFTS & DONATIONS
Charity, Gifts, Ministry giving, etc.
HEALTH & FITNESS
Dentist, Doctor, Eye Care, Gym, Health Insurance, Medical Bills, Chemist, Sports, etc
HOME
Furnishings, Home Improvement, Home or Renters Insurance, Home Services, Home Supplies, Lawn & Garden, Mortgage & Rent, etc
INCOME
Paycheque, Interest Income, Bonus, Reimbursement, Returned Purchase, etc.
KIDS
Kids- Allowance, Baby Supplies, Babysitter & Daycare, Child support, Activities, Toys, etc
PERSONAL CARE
Hair, Laundry, Spa, Massage, etc
PETS
Pet Food & Supplies, Pet Grooming, Vet, etc
SHOPPING
Books, Clothes, Electronics & Software, Hobbies, Sporting Goods, etc
TAXES
Federal Tax, Land Tax, Capital Gains Tax, etc
TRANSFERS
Credit Card Payment, Transfer for Cash Spend
TRAVEL
Air Travel, Hotel, Rental Car & Taxi, Holiday