Abstract:
A pocket-size personal financial organizer for monitoring, controlling and reducing spending. The organizer provides means for projecting spending in various categories by month and by week, recording daily, weekly, and monthly spending by category, determining spending differentials between projected and actual spending, determining monthly net cash flow, determining how much money to set aside for future spending, recording debt payments, and recording tax deductible spending. Analytical means for determining spending differentials and net cash flow provides necessary financial information for adjusting projected and actual spending to maintain positive spending differentials and net cash flow. The invention further provides means for calculating six month summaries of actual spending relative to income. The invention is contained within a convenient portable booklet and can be used up to twelve months.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to financial organizing systems in general and to a personal, portable financial organizing system in particular for use by an individual who desires to monitor, control, and reduce personal spending on a daily basis for an extended period of time. 
     In addition to providing a convenient portable means for accurately projecting spending in various categories by month and by week, for recording daily, weekly, and monthly spending by spending category, and determining how much income to set aside for future spending, this invention also provides means for determining the differential between projected spending and actual spending per category by week and by month and for determining monthly cash flow. Furthermore, the invention provides a semi-annual financial progress report on total actual spending per month per category and on cash flow, a means for recording debt payments, and a means for recording tax deductible spending. 
     For many individuals, successful control of personal spending on a monthly or yearly basis requires successful control of personal spending on a daily basis. In the present invention, detailed analysis of daily spending on a weekly and monthly basis leads to an understanding of problem areas of spending and suggests ways to correct the spending problem. This can be accomplished by evaluation of weekly and monthly differentials between projected spending and actual spending and their relation to monthly cash flow. It is then possible to adjust discrete areas of spending to create positive spending differentials and positive cash flow, i.e., to make actual spending less than projected spending and to make actual spending less than net income. 
     A preferred embodiment of the invention contains a trifold cover with an inner lining that provides insertions for a check book, a check register, cards, and a unique personal financial organizer for monitoring, controlling, and reducing spending. With the personal financial organizer a user records on one set of pages, referred to as a Systematic Bill Payment Organizer, fixed bills that are due at regular intervals and determines from another set of pages, referred to as a Category Descriptions, which contain suggested spending categories, those categories that apply to the user. With this information a user makes an initial entry of monthly income and monthly projected spending amounts on designated pages, referred to as a Trac-A-Spending-Plan™ Worksheet, and, thereafter, enters initial weekly projected spending amounts on designated pages, referred to as a Weekly Projected Spending Worksheet. Monthly projected spending amounts are then transferred to a financial analysis page called Monthly Grand Totals. Weekly and monthly net incomes are also recorded on the Monthly Grand Totals. Weekly projected spending amounts are then transferred to a financial analysis page called Household Spending Record. Weekly projected spending amounts are also transferred to a daily spending record referred to as a Money-Tracker™. The user then sets aside certain amounts of income for future spending and enters these amounts on designated pages, referred to as an Earmarked Funds Worksheet. 
     At this point the user is ready to record daily spending on the Money-Tracker™. At the end of a week, total weekly actual spending per category and total weekly actual spending are calculated and these amounts are transferred to the Household Spending Record. The difference between projected spending per week and total weekly actual spending is calculated. This amount is referred to as a weekly spending differential. With this information the user can modify weekly projected spending and/or the amount of income to be set aside for future spending in order to keep the weekly spending differential positive. This process is repeated until one month is completed. 
     At the end of one month, a user calculates total monthly actual spending per category on the Household Spending Record. These amounts are transferred to the Monthly Grand Totals. A monthly spending differential per category and total monthly spending differential are calculated. Net cash flow, i.e., the difference between monthly net income and monthly actual spending, is calculated. This information is used to make adjustments in monthly and weekly projected spending in order to keep the monthly spending differential and cash flow positive. This process is repeated for a total of six months. 
     The user then prepares a semi-annual financial report on financial analysis pages referred to as a Semi-annual Financial Progress Report. Monthly net income, monthly projected spending per category, and monthly actual spending per category are transferred from six consecutive Monthly Grand Totals to the Semi-annual Financial Progress Report. Average six month actual spending per category, average six month actual spending per category as percent of average six-month monthly income, total monthly actual spending, monthly cash flow, average six month total monthly actual spending and six month average monthly cash flow are calculated. This information is used to further refine monthly projected spending, weekly projected spending, and daily spending to keep spending differentials and cash flows positive. 
     Two additional mechanisms are included in the personal financial organizer to help maintain cash flow positive. One is a Debt Reduction Worksheet on which a user records all debt and interest obligations and a payment schedule to reduce interest spending as rapidly as possible. This worksheet alerts the user to debt accumulation and helps curb debt accumulation such as credit card spending. The other is a tax deductible record, referred to as Tax-Trac™ on which a user records tax deductible spending as it occurs to facilitate a reduction in taxable income at the end of the year. 
     At present, most individuals carry a check book and check register and record spending by check. It is also possible to carry a booklet that records monthly income, budget amounts, and budget balance amounts. However, these types of booklets do not provide therein any financial analysis or financial summaries. It is necessary to go to other separate workbooks to calculate useful information such as spending differentials or cash flow. 
     The present invention was uniquely conceived and structured so that it contains financial recording and financial analysis components covering periods up to 12 months, all within a convenient portable booklet that can be carried in a pocket of clothing or in a purse. Furthermore, the invention provides means for an iterative or cycling process among monthly projected spending, weekly projected spending, daily actual spending, weekly actual spending, and monthly actual spending, facilitated by weekly, monthly, and semi-annual financial analyses, to make spending adjustments in order to maintain spending differentials and cash flows positive. It has not been possible until the present invention to have a pocket-size, self-contained, personal financial organizer that can be used up to twelve months to monitor, control, and reduce spending by this process. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The details and advantages of this invention will become more apparent in the specifications, descriptions and drawings, of which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inner side of the cover of the invention showing a checkbook, a checkbook register, and the personal financial organizer of the invention, contained within openings in the inner lining of the cover; 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inner side of the cover showing openings in the inner lining; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through the plan view of the cover shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the cover in a trifold configuration suitable for insertion in a pocket or purse; 
     FIG. 5 illustrates the Systematic Bill Payment Organizer; 
     FIG. 6 illustrates the Category Descriptions and the income portion of the Trac-A-Spending-Plan™ Worksheet; 
     FIG. 7 illustrates the monthly projected spending portion of the Trac-A-Spending- Plan™ Worksheet; 
     FIG. 8 illustrates the Weekly Projected Spending Worksheet and Household Spending Record; 
     FIG. 9 illustrates the Earmarked Funds Worksheet and the Money-Tracker™; 
     FIG. 10 illustrates the Monthly Grand Totals and a page for monthly notes; 
     FIG. 11 demonstrates the Household Spending Record folded over the Money-Tracker™ pages so that it is adjacent to the Monthly Grand totals; 
     FIG. 12 illustrates the Semi-annual Financial Progress Report; 
     FIG. 13 illustrates the Debt Reduction Worksheet; and 
     FIG. 14 illustrates the Tax-Trac™. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cover of the personal, portable, financial organizing apparatus showing the inside of the cover (A); an inner lining (B) having a plurality of openings with the inner lining attached to the inside of the cover; a checkbook having covers (C) with one of said covers inserted in an opening (D) in the inner lining, a checkbook register having covers (l) with said covers inserted in openings (E and F) in the inner lining; a personal financial organizer having covers (J) with said covers inserted in openings (G and H) in the inner lining. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inside of the cover (A) of the personal, portable financial organizing apparatus showing the inner lining (B) containing various openings for: a checkbook cover (D), checkbook register covers (E and F), documents (K), credit cards (L), personal financial organizer book covers (G and H), and accessing the back cover of the personal financial organizer (M). 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the cover as shown in FIG. 2 taken through the portion indicated by the dotted line. The outside of the cover (N) contains a circular loop to hold a pen, pencil, or similar object. 
     FIG. 4 shows the cover as depicted in FIG. 3 in a trifold position with a right portion folded over a middle portion and a left portion folded over the right portion so that the apparatus may fit conveniently in a pocket of clothing or a purse. 
     The cover can be constructed of any durable, flexible material, preferably plastic. The size of the cover is 4 to 8 inches in length and 2 to 4 inches in width, preferably 61/4 inches long and 31/2 inches wide. 
     The personal financial organizer is composed of front and back covers with several pages in between, bound at the center by common binding means, preferably a coiled metal wire inserted through perforations in the cover and pages. The covers are made of a suitable stiff paper that contain and protect the pages within and that can be inserted into the openings of the plastic cover of the personal portable financial organizing apparatus. The pages of the personal financial organizer contain several forms which provide a mechanism to monitor, control, and reduce spending. 
     FIG. 5 shows the Systematic Bill Payment Organizer on the first and second pages of the personal financial organizer. The first page has an extension which forms a left portion, the first page a middle portion, and the second page a right portion of the Systematic Bill Payment Organizer. The Systematic Bill Payment Organizer contains horizontal and vertical lines forming rows, columns, and discrete rectangles for data entry. The columns are labeled monthly fixed bills, due date, average monthly payment, and six month payment history. The Systematic Bill Payment Organizer is used to list payments which are fixed and regular such as rent, mortgage payment, insurance premiums, car payments, savings, etc.. The nature of the expense, the due date, the average monthly payment, and the check number and amount are recorded. This process allows a user to save money from a paycheck or other source of income to use for paying fixed bills and to follow the history of these payments. 
     FIG. 6 shows the Category Descriptions on the third and fourth pages of the personal financial organizer. The Trac-A-Spending-Plan™ (source of income) worksheet is on an extension of the fourth page. The Category Descriptions contains horizontal and vertical lines forming columns, rows, and discrete rectangles for entering data. The columns are labeled housing/child care, food, transportation, clothing/personal care, savings/retirement, medical/life insurance, recreation/education, and contributions/miscellaneous. Under each heading are listed various categories of spending. The Category Descriptions serves as a reference guide that a user can study to identify his or her spending categories and can enter specific spending categories not listed. 
     After having entered information on the Systematic Bill Payment Organizer and studied the Category Descriptions, a user proceeds to the Trac-A-Spending-Plan™ (source of income) Worksheet. This worksheet contains horizontal and vertical lines forming columns, rows, and discrete rectangles for entering data. Columns are labeled income deductions, income, interest income, miscellaneous income, and totals. Rows are labeled monthly gross income, less tithes, less withholding taxes, and monthly net income. This worksheet is used to compute the total monthly net income available for spending. 
     The Trac-A-Spending-Plan™ (monthly projected spending) worksheet is continued on the fifth and sixth pages, with the fifth page having an extension such that the extension forms a left portion the fifth page a middle portion, and the sixth page a right portion of the worksheet (FIG. 7). This worksheet contains horizontal and vertical lines forming columns, rows, and discrete rectangles for entering data. The columns are labeled with the various spending categories as in the Category Descriptions (FIG. 6). Rows are labeled combined projected spending and net income. A user enters each projected spending amount for each applicable item within each spending category. The user then determines the total projected spending for each category. These totals are listed at the bottom of each column. The totals are added and the combined total is entered in the row labeled combined projected spending. Monthly net income is entered in the row labeled net income. Combined projected spending should not exceed monthly net income. 
     The user then proceeds to the Weekly Projected Spending Worksheet on the seventh and eighth pages (FIG. 8). This worksheet contains horizontal and vertical lines forming columns, rows, and discrete rectangles for entering data. The columns are labeled with the various spending categories as described in the Categories Descriptions. The rows are labeled first week, second week, third week, fourth and fifth week, weekly projection, and monthly projection. The user determines the amount of projected spending in each category for each week of the month. The amount of the projected spending for each category for each week is entered in the rows labeled weekly projection. The total amount of projected spending for each category for the month is entered in the row labeled monthly projection. These monthly totals should correspond to those on the Trac-A-Spending-Plan™ worksheet (FIG. 7). 
     At this point the user has evaluated and determined what amounts of income will be spent in specific categories in a given week for a month. The user then proceeds to the Earmarked Funds Worksheet which is formed by an extension of the ninth page (FIG. 9). This worksheet contains horizontal and vertical lines forming columns, rows, and discrete rectangles for entering data. The columns are labeled with the various spending categories, net income, and weeks. The rows are labeled first week, second week, third week, fourth and fifth week, and totals. The user determines how much of monthly income must be set aside for future spending in a given category for a given week. These amounts are entered in the appropriate row and column. The amounts in each column are added to determine total monthly net income and what portion of monthly net income must be set aside for a given spending category for a month. 
     The various totals of income and projected spending for a month or a week are transferred to other pages for analytical processing. One of these is the Household Spending Record which is formed as an extension of the eighth page (FIG. 8). This record contains horizontal and vertical lines forming columns, rows, and discrete rectangles for entering data. The columns are labeled month of, combined total, week&#39;s spending differential, spending differential total-to-date, and with the various spending categories. The rows are labeled first week projected spending/actual spending, second week projected spending/actual spending, third week projected spending/actual spending, fourth and fifth week projected spending/actual spending, and monthly actual spending. The first entries made on this record are projected spending amounts for each spending category for each week, transferred from the Weekly Projected Spending Worksheet. 
     Another page for analytical processing is the Monthly Grand Totals which is located on the eighteenth page (FIG. 10). The Monthly Grand Totals contains horizontal and vertical lines forming columns, rows, and discrete rectangles for entering data. The columns are labeled with the various spending categories, combined totals, first week, second week, third week, and fourth and fifth week. The rows are labeled monthly projected spending, monthly actual spending, spending differential, monthly net income, salary, other, total, monthly summary, monthly projected spending, net income, total actual spending, and net cash flow. The first entries on the Monthly Grand Totals are the monthly projected spending amounts and net income amounts, transferred from the Trac-A-Spending-Plan™ worksheet. Monthly net income may be entered by weekly amounts. 
     With these initial entries on the Household Spending Record and the Monthly Grand Totals the user is ready to record and monitor daily actual spending on the Money-Tracker™ (FIG. 9). The Money-Tracker™ contains horizontal and vertical lines forming columns, rows, and discrete rectangles for entering data. The columns are labeled with the various spending categories, days, and remarks/daily combined totals. The rows are labeled 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, projected sending, and actual spending on the ninth and tenth pages. The rows are labeled 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, projected sending, and actual spending on the eleventh and twelfth pages (not shown). The rows are labeled 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, projected sending, and actual spending on the thirteenth and fourteenth pages (not shown). The rows are labeled 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30/31, projected sending, and actual spending on the fifteenth and sixteenth pages (not shown). Thus, the Money-Tracker™ is composed of eight pages with a row for each day of the month. A user can record the amount of each instance of spending each day within a specific category for each week of a month. At the end of each day the user calculates and enters the total spending amount for the day. Projected spending amounts per week per category are also recorded on the Money-Tracker™, transferred from the Weekly Projected Spending Worksheet. At the end of each week total weekly actual spending per category and total weekly actual spending are calculated and these amounts are transferred to the Household Spending Record. 
     On the Household Spending record the difference between projected spending and actual spending is calculated for each category for a given week. The differences are added for each category to give a week&#39;s spending differential which is then recorded. If actual spending exceeded projected spending the differential will be negative. If the week&#39;s spending differential is negative the user can determine which category or categories of spending are contributing to excessive spending by comparing actual and projected spending for each category. Adjustments can then be made on the Weekly Projected Spending Worksheet to reduce projected spending in precise and discrete areas and on the Earmarked Funds Worksheet to set aside greater amounts of income for future spending. In this way the user can identify problem spending areas and make corrections in projected spending and then in actual spending to keep the spending differential positive. This process is repeated each week until the end of the month. The second, third, and fourth week&#39;s spending differentials are added to the first week&#39;s to give a spending differential total-to-date. At the end of the month monthly actual spending is recorded for each spending category. 
     The personal financial organizer is so constructed that the extension that forms the Household Spending Record on the eighth page folds over the ninth through seventeenth pages (comprising the Money-Tracker™ for a month). Once it is thus folded over, it is adjacent to the Monthly Grand Totals, thereby facilitating the transfer of information to the Monthly Grand Totals and the comparison of weekly and monthly analyses (FIG. 11). At the end of the month, monthly actual spending amounts for each spending category are copied from the Household Spending Record onto the Monthly Grand Totals. The difference between monthly projected spending and monthly actual spending is calculated for each spending category and recorded as a monthly spending differential. If actual spending is greater than projected spending the differential will be negative. Monthly total actual spending is subtracted from monthly net income to give net cash flow. If monthly total actual spending is greater than monthly net income, net cash flow will be negative. If the month&#39;s spending differentials are negative the user can determine which category or categories of spending are contributing to excessive spending by comparing actual and projected spending for each category. Adjustments can then be made on the Trac-A-Spending-Plan™ worksheet and the Weekly Projected Spending Worksheet to reduce projected spending in discrete and precise areas. Likewise, adjustments can be made on the Earmarked Funds Worksheet to set aside greater amounts of income for future spending needs. In this way the user can identify problem spending areas and make corrections in projected spending and then in actual spending to keep the spending differential positive. In turn, this will lead to a positive cash flow. This process is repeated each month for a total of six months. 
     At the end of six months a user completes the Semi-annual Financial Progress Report on the nineteenth and twentieth pages (FIG. 12). The Semi-annual Financial Progress report contains horizontal and vertical lines forming columns, rows, and discrete rectangles for entering data. The columns are labeled spending category, recommended spending percent, monthly projected spending amount, month of, net income, actual spending, six month average, and six month average spending percent. The rows are labeled with the various spending categories, monthly actual spending, and net cash flow +or -amount. The following amounts are transferred to this report: monthly projected spending per category, net income for each month, and actual spending per category for each month. Monthly actual spending is calculated by adding actual spending in each category. Monthly net cash flow is calculated by subtracting monthly actual spending from monthly net income. The six month average net income is obtained by adding the net incomes for each of the six months and dividing by 6. The six month average monthly actual spending is obtained by adding the monthly actual spending amounts for each of the six months and dividing by 6. The six month average net cash flow amount is obtained by adding the net cash flow amounts for each of the six months and dividing by  6. The six month average actual spending per category is obtained by adding the actual spending amounts in the category for each of the six months and dividing by 6. The six month average spending percent per category is obtained by dividing the six month average actual spending per category by the six month average income. The total six month average spending percent is obtained by dividing the total six month average actual spending by the six month average income. 
     With the Semi-annual Financial Progress Report completed, the user can compare six month average actual spending with monthly projected spending in each category, six month average spending percents with recommended spending percents, and determine whether cash flow is increasing with time as a result of adequate control of spending. As before, the user can then make adjustments on the Trac-A-Spending-Plan™ worksheet and the Weekly Projected Spending Worksheet to reduce projected spending in discrete and precise areas and make adjustments on the Earmarked Funds Worksheet to set aside greater amounts of income for future spending needs. The user can further identify problem spending areas and make corrections in projected spending and then in actual spending to keep the spending differential and cash flow positive. This process is repeated for another six month period as described above using additional pages for the Money-Tracker™, Household Spending Record, Monthly Grand Totals, and Semiannual Financial Progress Report that are contained in the personal financial organizer. Thus, the personal financial organizer is a fully integrated device that can be used to monitor, control, and reduce spending for a period up to one year. 
     The Debt Reduction Worksheet (FIG. 13) helps the user reduce the amount of money he or she owes. The Debt Reduction Worksheet contains horizontal and vertical lines forming columns, rows, and discrete rectangles for entering data. The columns are labeled type loan, creditors, APR%, remaining balance, average monthly payment, amount toward interest, amount toward principal, months left to pay, and amount extra. The rows are labeled total debt obligation and total amount above regular payments. Borrowing money for spending is called deficit spending which is often spending beyond income limits. The most common form of deficit spending occurs with the credit card. An important aspect of reducing debt is to reduce deficit spending. A user lists all debts on the Debt Reduction Worksheet. A debt ratio is determined by dividing the total monthly debt obligation by gross income. The ratio should not exceed 35% of gross income. The user then determines from the various analytical worksheets the amount of retained income available from reduced spending that can be applied as an extra amount to reduce debt. 
     The Tax-Trac™ is used to record spending that is tax deductible so that at the end of the year the user has a complete record of tax deductible spending that will facilitate income tax preparation and reduce tax liability (FIG. 14). The Tax-Trac™ contains horizontal and vertical lines forming columns, rows, and discrete rectangles for entering data. The columns are labeled date, check number, charity donations, medical &amp; dental, real estate taxes, personal property tax, job expenses, interest paid, investment interest, and child care. A row is labeled totals. 
     There has been shown and described in detail preferred embodiments of this invention. However, it is apparent to one skilled in the art that this invention may incorporate other embodiments in many different forms. The present disclosure serves as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention is described in the appended claims.