Remittance Budget Planner (Diaspora): free first chapter

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About this book

Sending money home while paying for life where you live means managing two budgets at once, along with exchange rates and family expectations. This planner helps you see both sides clearly.

The dual-country monthly budget covers your income where you live, your essential and flexible local expenses, your own financial goals, and then the remittance allocation you can sustain. A monthly remittance tracker records each transfer, an exchange rate log helps you notice when rates work in your favour, and a family obligation tracker keeps recurring commitments visible. An annual summary adds up the year.

The instructions explain the principles behind the planner, and a filled-in example shows a monthly snapshot, a March remittance record and a list of family obligations.

Look inside

Instructions & Principles

Principle 1: Your financial stability comes first — you cannot send money if you are in crisis
Principle 2: Set a fixed remittance percentage, not an open-ended "whatever they need"
Principle 3: Track exchange rates to send at the best times
Principle 4: Separate emergency requests from regular support
Principle 5: Build your own savings alongside your family support
Step-by-step: Fill in your local budget first, then allocate remittance amounts, then track transfers

Dual-Country Monthly Budget

Your Income (Country of Residence)

Primary employment
Secondary income / overtime
Side hustle / freelance
Government benefits
Total Monthly Income

Your Local Expenses (Non-Negotiable)

Rent / mortgage
Utilities (electric, water, gas)
Groceries
Transportation / car
Insurance (health, auto, renters)
Phone / internet
Childcare / school (your children)
Minimum debt payments
Subtotal: Local Fixed

Your Local Expenses (Flexible)

Dining / entertainment
Clothing
Personal care
Miscellaneous
Subtotal: Local Flexible

Your Financial Goals (Non-Negotiable)

Emergency fund (your own)
Retirement savings
Debt payoff (extra)
Future goal:
Subtotal: Your Savings

Remittance Allocation

Total Income
− Local Fixed Expenses
− Local Flexible Expenses
− Your Savings Goals
= Available for Remittance
Planned regular remittance
Emergency remittance reserve
Remaining buffer

Monthly Remittance Tracker

MONTHLY TOTAL

Exchange Rate Log

Y / N
Y / N
Y / N
Y / N
Y / N
Y / N
Y / N
Y / N
Y / N
Y / N

Best rate this month: on Worst rate this month: on

Family Obligation Tracker

Monthly / Quarterly / As needed
Monthly / Quarterly / As needed
Monthly / Quarterly / As needed
Monthly / Quarterly / As needed
Monthly / Quarterly / As needed
Monthly / Quarterly / As needed
TOTAL REGULAR COMMITMENTS

Annual Remittance Summary

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
ANNUAL TOTAL

Year-End Reflection:

Total sent home this year: $
Total fees paid this year: $
Your own savings growth this year: $
Remittance as % of income: %

Filled-In Example

Name: Amara | Residence: USA | Home Country: Nigeria | Year: 2026

Monthly Budget Snapshot

Total Income — $4,800
Local Fixed Expenses — $2,650
Local Flexible Expenses — $350
Savings Goals — $500
Available for Remittance — $1,300
Regular remittance — $800
Emergency reserve — $200
Buffer — $300

March Remittance Tracker

3/1 — Mother — Monthly support — Wise — $400 — 1,580 — 632,000 — $4.50
3/1 — Brother — School fees — Wise — $250 — 1,580 — 395,000 — $3.80
3/15 — Mother — Utility bills — Remitly — $150 — 1,565 — 234,750 — $3.99
Total — $800 — 1,261,750 — $12.29

Family Obligations

Mother — Parent — $400/mo — Monthly — Living expenses — 1
Brother — Sibling — $250/mo — Monthly — University fees — 1
Aunt — Extended — $100 — Quarterly — Medical support — 2
Community fund — Community — $50 — Quarterly — Church building fund — 3