Kakebo: The Japanese Art of Mindful Spending

I wanted to start with budgeting and heard this was a good way to begin.This particular book was originally published in Italian according to the front page, and then translated into English. Every month there is an example of recurring expenses with titles that don't make a lot of sense here in America like "Social Insurance Contributions" and "Self Employment Tax" and some other things. I wish they'd have maybe left those out or just used them for one month as an example, but they're on every month. So, every month there are a lot of categories written in for you - even if you don't use them like cosmetics, kids, etc. I have to cross them out to write in my own categories.Other than that I like the layout that color options and it feels well bound and will last a while.

Other versions of this can be too large (imagine college ruled paper versus wide-ruled). This version is more compact for travel, and its layout is better suited for those of us who have smaller handwriting. The layout itself is a little easier to follow than others, factoring in utilities and trends of larger expenditures for reflection, and the paper quality is thick enough to withstand erasures and pen-bleeding.

Love the way it is structured and organized. Good quality paper. Provides clear instructions. I wish I knew about this little book a long time ago.

Turns out the book is great but I am terrible at using it

I wish I could find a full size (8X10) version of this that would lie flat when opened. It's a great idea, but just too awkward to be useful to me.

One of the best purchases I’ve ever made. It’s extremely helpful.

Es un libro increíble, creo se puede ahorrar mucho papel al no imprimir las 54 semanas del año, con 1 o 2 semanas basta y sobra. Pero te explica y enseña detalladamente como aplicar el Kakebo. Recomendado!

Good book to keep track of my finances and spending habits

Love this system - can't really call it a book but a new and mindful way of tracking your spending. I want to save but can be very frivolous with my money - I only have to look at my previous purchases on Amazon to know how much I spend! This system forces you to both account for the actual money you have at the beginning of the month which also includes the change in your car/purse/pocket as well as the more obvious income such as wages but, rather than berating yourself for what you spend, the system encourages you to set aside an amount for certain purchases and stick to it. Seems obvious but it is supposed to cut down on that impulsive shop that frankly I know I could probably survive another day without!. My suggestion is to just spend as normal for the first couple of weeks of doing the Kakebo to see what your spending actually looks like then apply the other parts of the system where you deliberately think in advance about how much you will spend on which items. Love it!

Only just arrived so can't comment on how weel it works but it looks good. Biggest negative so far is that the description says it is for 2 years when it only lasts for 1 which is disappointing as I expected more.Update 17/08/19. Used for two months now and it's still good but it is already starting to fall apart. By the time I get to 6 months I expect it'll be in pieces. Disappointed as it is really useful.

I like the layout of the book, enough space and sensible headings.

The best kakebo I found available online. A very useful tool to keep track of your finances.

Best buy i did this year. Will buy every year. Very helpful if you want to save money as you can see what are you spending it monthly and plan for the future.