Want to make budgeting less boring and more effective? Here’s how to use Notion to create a stylish, functional budget tracker:
- Start with a blank Notion page or use their "Simple Budget" template
- Customize your tracker with income, expenses, and savings sections
- Use Notion’s database tools for real-time financial insights
- Add colors, icons, and images to make your budget visually appealing
- Set up formulas for automatic calculations
- Link your budget to other Notion tools like goal tracking
Key benefits:
- All financial info in one place
- Easy to customize and update
- Visually engaging and motivating
- Powerful features for analysis
Quick setup:
- Open Notion and create a new page
- Add a table for expenses (columns: name, amount, category, date)
- Create views for income, expenses, and savings
- Use formulas to calculate totals
- Add monthly and category-based views
By using a Notion budget template, you can transform money management from a chore into an engaging, effective practice.
Related video from YouTube
What is an Aesthetic Notion Budget Template?
An Aesthetic Notion Budget Template is a good-looking, practical tool for managing your money. It’s like a financial planner that’s easy to use and nice to look at.
Why It’s Useful
These templates help you:
- Track your spending
- Set money goals
- Manage your cash
They usually include:
- Income and expense trackers
- Spending categories
- Monthly budget resets
- Pretty layouts and colors
Notion: A Smart Choice for Budgeting
Notion is great for budget templates because it’s flexible and easy to use. Here’s why:
1. Make it yours
You can change your budget as your money situation changes.
2. Everything in one place
Keep all your money info together. No need for multiple apps.
3. Quick updates
Notion’s features let you track your finances on the go.
4. Looks good
A nice-looking budget can make you more likely to stick with it.
For example, Notion’s Simple Budget template has columns for Expense, Amount, Category, Comment, and Date. You can easily change these to fit what you need.
"I usually prefer building my own stuff because most templates aren’t well thought out. But your budget template is different. I love it! The structure is great. And the FAQ section with video answers is awesome." – Eugeine
Using an Aesthetic Notion Budget Template can make managing your money less of a chore and more of an engaging activity.
Creating Your Budget Template in Notion
Let’s set up your budget template in Notion. It’s simple!
Start a New Page
- Open Notion
- Click "+" in the left sidebar
- Pick "Blank page"
- Name it "My Budget Tracker"
Choose Your Template
You’ve got two options:
-
Use a pre-made template:
- Click "Templates" (bottom-left)
- Go to "Student" tab
- Pick "Simple Budget"
-
Make your own:
- Type "/table" on your new page
- Select "Table view"
Customize Your Tracker
Now, make it yours:
-
Rename columns:
- Click column title
- Select "Rename"
- Use names like "Expense", "Amount", "Category"
-
Add columns:
- Click "+" at table top-right
- Pick what you want to track
-
Set up categories:
- Click a "Category" cell
- Edit options (hover, click three dots)
- Change names and colors
-
Add filters:
- Click "Add filter" above table
- Choose "Category" to sort expenses
That’s it! You’ve got a personalized budget tracker in Notion.
Main Parts of the Budget Template
Let’s break down the key sections of your Aesthetic Notion Budget Template.
Income Section
Track your money coming in here. Include:
- Source (salary, freelance, investments)
- Amount
- Date received
Use Notion’s date property to sort income by month or quarter.
Expense Groups
Organize spending into categories like:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Food
- Personal
Use a table to track details:
Expense | Amount | Category | Date | Payment Method |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rent | $1000 | Housing | 1/1 | Bank transfer |
Groceries | $150 | Food | 1/5 | Credit card |
Savings Goals
For each goal:
- Set a target amount
- Track current balance
- Calculate percentage complete
For example:
"Vacation fund: $2000 saved out of $5000 goal (40% complete)"
Charts and Graphs
Use Notion’s charts to visualize your finances:
- Pie chart: Spending by category
- Bar graph: Income vs. expenses
- Line graph: Savings growth
These sections work together to give you a clear picture of your finances.
How to Use Your Budget Template
Let’s get your Aesthetic Notion Budget Template up and running.
Adding Income
To log your income:
- Go to the Income section
- Hit "+" for a new entry
-
Fill in:
- Source (like "Salary" or "Side Gig")
- Amount
- Date received
Tip: Use Notion’s date feature to sort income. It helps spot trends over time.
Sorting Expenses
To track your spending:
- Head to the Expense Groups table
-
For each expense, enter:
- Item name
- Amount
- Category
- Date
- Payment method
Here’s what it might look like:
Expense | Amount | Category | Date | Payment Method |
---|---|---|---|---|
Groceries | $85.50 | Food | 5/15 | Credit Card |
Netflix | $14.99 | Entertainment | 5/1 | Bank Transfer |
Setting Money Goals
To track your financial targets:
- Name your goal (like "Emergency Fund")
- Set a target amount
- Update your current balance
- Watch your progress
For example:
Emergency Fund: $3,000 saved out of $10,000 goal (30% complete)
Using Notion’s Database Tools
Make your budget work harder:
- Filters: Create views for specific expenses or dates
- Formulas: Set up auto-calculations for totals
- Relations: Link income to expenses for a full picture
These tools give you a real-time view of your finances.
Making Your Budget Template Look Good
A good-looking Notion budget isn’t just eye candy—it’s easier to use and might actually make budgeting enjoyable.
Picking Colors
Choose colors that pop without hurting your eyes:
- Pick a main color
- Use lighter shades for backgrounds
- Go darker for text
For example, with blue:
- Light blue (#E6F3FF) for backgrounds
- Dark blue (#003366) for text
- Medium blue (#4D94FF) for highlights
Adding Icons and Pictures
Icons make budget sections easy to spot. Try these from Notion’s library:
- 💰 for income
- 🛒 for expenses
- 🎯 for savings goals
To add an icon:
- Click the icon space by your page or database title
- Pick from Notion’s options or upload your own
Add a cover image to your main budget page. A nature scene or dream vacation spot can be motivating.
Creating Your Own Categories
Make categories that fit your life:
Custom Category | What It Includes |
---|---|
Side Hustle | Freelance income, online sales |
Pet Expenses | Food, vet bills, toys |
Self-Care | Gym, therapy, hobbies |
To add a category in Notion:
- Go to your expense database
- Click ‘+ Add a property’
- Name your new category
- Choose ‘Select’ as the property type
If "Taco Tuesday Fund" is a real expense for you, add it!
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Advanced Budget Features in Notion
Let’s explore some powerful tools to supercharge your Notion budget template.
Using Formulas for Math
Notion’s formula property is a budget game-changer. Here’s how:
- Add a new property to your database
- Pick "Formula" as the type
- Enter your calculation
Want to calculate monthly savings? Try this:
prop("Income") - prop("Expenses")
This simple formula shows your savings at a glance.
Connecting Different Data
Notion’s relations and rollups link and summarize data across databases. Here’s a setup:
1. Create separate Income and Expenses databases
2. In your main Budget database, add Relation properties to link to Income and Expenses
3. Use Rollup properties to sum the amounts
Property | Type | Calculation |
---|---|---|
Total Income | Rollup | Sum of Income Amounts |
Total Expenses | Rollup | Sum of Expense Amounts |
Net Income | Formula | prop("Total Income") – prop("Total Expenses") |
This keeps your data organized and calculations automatic.
Setting Up Repeat Transactions
For recurring bills:
- Add a "Frequency" property (Select type) to your Expenses database
- Include options like Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Yearly
- Create a formula for the next due date
For monthly transactions, try:
dateAdd(prop("Last Paid"), 1, "months")
This sets the next due date one month after the last payment.
Keeping Your Budget Up to Date
Want to stay on top of your finances? Here’s how to keep your Notion budget template fresh:
Regular Updates
Add expenses as they happen. Buy a coffee? Log it right away. This real-time tracking shows you exactly where your money’s going.
Checking Your Categories
Look over your expense categories each month. Life changes? Your budget should too. New hobby? Job change? Tweak those categories.
Here’s a quick way to review:
Step | Action | Why It Helps |
---|---|---|
1 | List last month’s expenses | Spots all spending areas |
2 | Group similar costs | Shows main categories |
3 | Compare to current setup | Finds needed updates |
4 | Adjust categories | Keeps budget on point |
Noting Your Progress
Track your wins to stay pumped. Use Notion to see your progress:
- Make a savings tracker
- Set up a debt payoff chart
- Calculate net worth growth
Saving for a trip? Update your tracker weekly. Seeing that progress? It’ll keep you on budget.
Connecting Your Budget to Other Notion Tools
Notion’s real power? Linking different tools and pages. Here’s how to connect your budget template with other Notion features:
Linking to Goal Tracking
Connect your budget to your financial goals:
- Make a "Financial Goals" page
- Link budget categories to related goals
- Use Notion’s relation property to connect budget items to goal progress
Example: Link your "Savings" to a "Buy a House" goal. You’ll see how your monthly savings impact your home-buying timeline.
Connecting with Habit Tracking
Link your budget to a habit tracker to improve spending habits:
Habit | Budget Category | Goal |
---|---|---|
Pack lunch | Food | Save $100/month |
Use public transport | Transportation | Cut car expenses 30% |
No-spend weekends | Entertainment | Reduce spending 20% |
This connection helps you spot spending patterns and see how daily habits affect your budget.
Creating a Finance Dashboard
Build a central hub for your financial info:
- Make a "Finance Dashboard" page
- Add links to your budget, goals, and habit tracker
- Use database views to show key financial metrics
Your dashboard could include:
- Monthly income vs. expenses
- Savings rate progress
- Debt payoff tracker
- Net worth calculation
This gives you a quick financial overview without page-hopping.
Fixing Common Problems
Even the best Notion budget templates can have issues. Let’s look at some common problems and how to fix them.
Sync Issues
Budget not updating across devices? Try these:
- Check your internet
- Refresh Notion
- Clear the app’s cache
If that doesn’t work, Notion expert Madison Chatham says:
"Click ‘Notion’ in your desktop status bar, then ‘Reset App & Clear Local Data.’ Reopen Notion. That should do it."
Formula Mistakes
Wrong budget calculations? Check for:
- Unclosed brackets or quotes
- Incorrect function names
- Wrong property references
Pro tip: Use let
for local variables. It makes complex formulas simpler and less error-prone.
Updating for Life Changes
Your budget should change when your life does. Here’s how:
Life Change | Budget Update |
---|---|
New job | Change income and tax categories |
Moving | Update rent/mortgage and utilities |
Having a baby | Add categories like diapers and childcare |
Don’t forget to review your budget categories often. Make sure they match how you’re actually spending.
Conclusion
Notion budget templates are a game-changer for managing your money. They’re flexible, structured, and make tracking your finances a breeze.
Why are they so good?
- They keep everything in one place
- You can customize them to fit your needs
- They give you visual insights
- They’re great for shared budgets
Real people are seeing real results:
"I cut my spending by 30% and doubled my savings rate in 6 months", says Alex Chen, a software engineer.
Want to get started? Here’s what to do:
- Choose a template you like
- Update it weekly (it only takes 30 minutes)
- Use Notion’s calculations to do the math for you
- Check and tweak your categories monthly
The best budget is one you’ll stick to. Notion’s templates make money management effective and even fun.
Ready to take control of your finances? Your future self will thank you.
FAQs
How to make a budget plan on Notion?
Want to budget like a pro using Notion? Here’s how:
1. Start with a table
Create a new database in table view. Add columns for expense name, amount, category, date, and payment method.
2. Set up your views
Create separate views for income, expenses, and savings. Use Notion’s formulas to calculate totals.
3. Organize by time and category
Make monthly views and category-based views to track your spending habits.
"Using Notion’s budget template, I slashed my spending by 30% and doubled my savings in just 6 months", says Alex Chen, a software engineer.
Quick tip: Save time by starting with Notion’s "Simple Budget" template in the Student tab.
Want more details? Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:
Step | What to do |
---|---|
1 | Create a new page, type "/table" |
2 | Add columns (Expense, Amount, Category, Date) |
3 | Set up filters for income, expenses, savings |
4 | Use formulas to sum totals |
5 | Create a new view for each month |
6 | Set up category-based views |
With this setup, you’ll have a clear picture of your finances in no time.