Mead Organizer Expense Tracker: In-Depth Review

The Mead Organizer Expense Tracker is one of the best budget planners if you need a lot of room to write. This one is ideal for complex budgets and can store more bills and papers (separate pockets for bills and receipts). Out of the five budget planners I’ve reviewed in parallel, this was the only one consistently praised for having enough space. Most are not just smaller but have constant size-related complaints. Even the Boxclever Press Budget Planner, which is the same size, isn’t even remotely praised.

But what exactly does it mean, in practice, “enough room to write”?

It means it can be used even by an independent contractor who works with budgets and invoices daily. It means that you can manage much more complex budgets for the entire family, maybe even for grandparents, including situations where you have more debt expenses or when you’re conducting or about to be conducting multiple financial operations. The Mead Organizer Expense Tracker is also suitable for full-house renovations or if your writing tends to be larger than most people’s. However, because it is a big planner, it most certainly won’t fit easily in your purse, and it will be harder to carry around, being among the heaviest as well. But there are many situations when people have no choice and need to jot down a lot of info, in which case the Mead Organizer Expense Tracker is the best.

Here are the pros and cons:

Pros:

• Ample Space: The Mead Organizer is ideal for complex budgets, offering plenty of room for detailed financial tracking. It’s suitable for managing large-scale budgets like full-house renovations or independent contractors dealing with daily invoices.
• Organizational Features: It includes separate pockets for each month, allowing users to organize bills and receipts neatly. This level of organization is a standout feature compared to other planners.
• Intuitive Design: Rated highly for user-friendliness, the Mead Organizer is among the most intuitive budget planners, making it accessible to many users.
• High Customer Loyalty: It boasts many returning customers, indicating intense user satisfaction and reliability over time.
• Aesthetic Appeal: The design and overall look of the Mead Organizer are well-received, adding an element of visual pleasure to budget planning.

Cons:

• Durability Issues: The biggest drawback is its quality, with numerous complaints about pages ripping and plastic rings breaking. This issue is highlighted by its low sturdiness rating compared to other planners.
• Bulky and Heavy: It’s not the most portable option due to its size and capacity. It’s one of the heaviest planners, making it less convenient for on-the-go use.
• Limited Extra Features: Unlike some planners, it lacks additional amenities like pen holders or bookmarks, which might be a downside for some users.
• No Color Variations: No alternative color options are available, which might be a drawback for users looking for personalization.

There are also pockets for each month to store your bills and receipts. I’ve noticed this was one of the critical decision-making factors that convinced many people to buy it. And rightly so, as it is a detail that significantly differentiates it from the competition. Most budget planners don’t have pockets for every month, so the Mead Organizer Expense Tracker is perfect for people who want to keep all their financial paperwork in one place.

You also get separate pockets for bills and receipts. You get a pocket each month or two to separate the bills from the receipts. This feature makes the budget planner much more attractive because, undoubtedly, your papers will be more orderly and in a single place.

It is very intuitive. And this is not just my opinion, which could be subjective, but the opinion of hundreds of Amazon reviewers. Out of the five budget planners that I’ve reviewed side by side, the Mead Organizer Expense Tracker was among the most intuitive ones. It was only outperformed by the GoGirl Budget Book, but the difference was pretty marginal if we compare them. They both have positive user reviews regarding intuitiveness. If you want to get a better overview of the intuitiveness of the five budget planners, take a look at the table below:

Users’ Perception of Intuitiveness

The ease of use probably also comes from how the information is structured. In addition, users say it doesn’t have many extra features they don’t need, making it a lot easier to use.

It breaks down easily! Now that we mentioned the pros, we’ve also stumbled upon one of its biggest cons compared to its alternatives. The Mead Organizer Expense Tracker is the budget planner with the most significant complaints about quality. And it is not a tiny difference, but a significant one, visible in tens, maybe even hundreds of reviews! Don’t take my word for it; check it for yourself. Here are some of the complaints:

• After using it for one month, the pages started to rip at the punch holes. I would highly suggest the MEAD company to reinforce the holes somehow. I taped them. But they still ripped.
• The paper is very thin, and if you have items in pockets, the pockets will tear off the binder rings when opening and closing the binder.
• The front and back cover is very sturdy, but the inside dividing sheets are not reinforced, and many have already torn when used.
• The rings are plastic and do not last. I thought this would be better quality due to the brand name, but it is not. I would not recommend it.
• Annoying loose plastic ring holders.
• The only problem that I have after using it for a month is that I now see I need to buy the Avery Reinforcements for hole-punched pages.
• Pocket pages need a plastic laminated strip around punched holes. Pockets cannot hold much without holes tearing. Had to buy separate plastic pocket pages and binder hole reinforcement stickers/labels.

I guess after reading these, you understand the problem clearly. This might not be an issue if you are more careful or delicate. Or if you prep ahead of time and reinforce the punch holes, you can avoid the problem before it appears. Take a look at the table below if you want to get a better understanding of the quality of the five budget planners I’ve analyzed side by side, based on the point of view of the users who have reviewed them:

Users’ Perception of Sturdiness

Out of the five budget planners reviewed, the best one in terms of quality was the Boxclever Press Budget Planner. If quality is an essential trait for you, you might find that planner better suited to your needs, but consider that it also has its cons, such as not being as easy to use as the Mead Organizer Expense Tracker and being bulkier and heavier.

One of the most significant details I’ve found about the Mead Organizer Expense Tracker is that it has the most returning customers (judging by the people who review it). And that says a lot about its value. All the budget planners I’ve evaluated have reviews from returning customers, but that number is much bigger in the Mead Organizer Expense Tracker case. In some situations, people return after 2 or 3 years and sometimes even after 5. I’ve also seen people confessing that they’ve bought several at once to make sure they wouldn’t be without them in the future. It’s pretty impressive, especially when compared with the competition, where such reviews were nearly nonexistent or rare.

It’s beautiful. The Mead Organizer Expense Tracker doesn’t disappoint in design and overall look. Its design is highly praised, but it is praised by most budget planners as well, and this aspect is a lot more personal. Before buying it, look at the video below; you will get a better view of how it looks instead of just reading or hearing about it.

Mead Organizer Expense Tracker Features:

This budget planner is built on three rings, and it has no pen holder or bookmarks in addition to the main planner, but it has pockets for each month. It has no color alternatives and weighs over 20 ounces or over half a kilogram. I won’t enumerate all the types of pages it has, as that can get boring and hard to imagine, and I believe it would be more intuitive if you watched this video:

Lynn Daniel created the video, which is pretty old, but I haven’t found a more recent one.

Comparison with Budget Planning Apps

In the evolving landscape of financial management tools, it’s essential to consider the role of budget planning apps alongside traditional methods like the Mead Organizer Expense Tracker. This comparison sheds light on how digital solutions stack against physical planners, focusing on popular apps like Rocket Money and Acorns.

This review of Rocket Money highlights its effectiveness in expense tracking. As a digital tool, it offers real-time investment updates, a feature that physical planners cannot match. The ability to be trusted with sensitive financial information is crucial, and Rocket Money has established itself as a secure and reliable app in this regard. Its user-friendly interface makes it a good choice for those new to digital budgeting tools or who prefer a streamlined approach to managing their finances.

On the other hand, the Acorns spare change review reveals a unique investment approach. Acorns rounds up transactions to the nearest dollar and invest the difference, making it an innovative tool for those looking to start investing with minimal effort. This feature particularly appeals to users who might find traditional investment methods intimidating or cumbersome.

Comparatively, the Mead Organizer Expense Tracker offers a tangible experience that many users find satisfying. Writing down expenses and plans can provide a clearer picture of one’s financial situation and goals. However, this method lacks the immediacy and dynamic nature of digital apps, which can provide instant insights and updates on financial status.

Moreover, budget planning apps like Rocket Money and Acorns bring convenience that physical planners cannot. They allow users to manage their finances on the go, integrate with bank accounts for automatic tracking, and offer insights based on spending patterns. This level of integration and automation is a significant advantage in today’s fast-paced world.

However, it’s important to note that the choice between a digital app and a physical planner often comes down to personal preference and comfort with technology. Some users may prefer the tactile experience and the sense of control that comes with manually writing down their financial plans, as offered by the Mead Organizer Expense Tracker. Others might value the efficiency, comprehensive features, and real-time data analysis budget planning apps provide.

Conclusion:

This budget planner has many structured organizational charts and ample room to add other content areas for running a household or personal business. The quality is the worst for budget planners, but it has other attributes that make it more appealing. I believe it would be perfect for people who have a lot of notes to make, significant debts to pay, or complex financial problems they’re struggling with regularly.