Happy Planner Budget Edition Review (Pros, Cons & a Video Walkthrough)
The Happy Planner Budget edition is very similar to the classic vertical version but with a few key differences…
Quick facts
- Size: 7″ wide x 9.25″ high (cover is 7.75″ wide x 9.75″ high)
- Disc binding
- Laminated cardstock cover
- This belongs to page in case your planner is lost
- Dates at a glance
- Savings goal page
- Colorful inside pages
- 2 page vertical weekly spread (starts on Monday)
- 2 Page monthly calendar (starts on Sunday)
- Monthly budget (for each month)
- Different divider cover pages for each month
- Tabs
If you like this planner, my sister stocks it in her shop!
Let’s take a closer look!
To enlarge the screen of the video, click the square icon in the bottom right hand corner of the video (it will say ‘full screen’ when you hover your mouse over the icon).
Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more planner videos!
The Cover
The cover is the same as all the other happy planners – cardstock with laminate that extends beyond the tabs to protect them.
Approx 1.5cm thick.
Monthly Budget
Instead of a monthly notes or monthly planning page there’s a budget page for each month.
Very functional page layout – even includes a savings tracker!
At the end of each month is an expenses and bills tracker page.
Monthly Calendar
Week starts on a Sunday (not consistent with the weekly spread)
One of the major cons of the Happy Planner, in my opinion, are the split boxes. Rather than re-starting the date numbering in the empty boxes on the top row, they split a box into 2 which makes no sense (how can anyone write anything in that tiny triangle?)
US holidays are printed on the monthly calendar.
Weekly Planner
The weekly spread starts on a Monday (not consistent with the monthly calendar that starts on Sunday)
Instead of a plain notes sidebar in the weekly spread there’s a weekly spending and smaller notes section.
Apart from that the vertical layout is the same as the classic weekly vertical version.
US holidays are not printed in the weekly spread.
Related: MAMBI Mini Happy Planner Review (pros, cons, should you buy it?)
Dates at a glance & Savings Tracker
Notes
There’s only 1 notes page at the back of the planner. MAMBI don’t tend to include extra notes pages. You can either purchase their refill inserts or resize a printable.
Related: How to print printables at MAMBI Happy Planner Size (step by step tutorial)
Tabs
The tabs are big and sturdy and some have gold foil <3
For some weird reason, Happy Planner don’t do the color printing on the back side of the tabs (only the front).
Pen Testing
I won’t be using this planner #teamhorizontal however the paper feels the same as their past editions so here is the results of the pen test from one of the other versions I’ve reviewed:
Pros of the Planner
- Nice color scheme
- Affordable
- Very functional page layouts
- Different divider / tab page designs throughout
- Bill, expenses & budget tracking pages for each month
Cons of the Planner
- The monthly calendar splits 1 box into 2 rather than re-starting numbering on the top row
- Only 1 notes page at the back of the planner
- The laminated tabs cover part of the monthly calendar boxes (as the monthly calendar is printed directly onto the back of the calendar)
- No monthly notes pages
Would I use this planner?
No. The planner is very functional, has nice colors etc. but I don’t like / use vertical planners. I also don’t track budgeting on paper. I used to use budgeting printables and then created Excel spreadsheets.
However, if you are looking for a planner that incorporates budgeting very few include pages specifically for tracking money so the Happy Planner would be my recommendation.
If you can’t get the Budget Planner or already have a Happy Planner and like the budget pages they’re available as an extension pack.
You can also quickly and easily resize any printable to fit the Happy Planner – see this post for a tutorial.
More Happy Planner:
- Honest review of the Happy Planner by Me and my Big Ideas (MAMBI)
- MAMBI Mini Happy Planner Review (pros, cons, should you buy it?)
- Using Erin Condren Size Planner Stickers in MAMBI Classic Happy Planner
Planning Tips:
Found this post helpful? Pin it!
